Long COVID since 2020, improved enough to work, then relapsed after stroke-like episode
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 5.5 years
- Last post
- Oct 2025
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
March 2020 Long Hauler
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
Now working 25hrs/wk requires constant caffiene and I'm not good for much when I get home.
In context ↗ - Now: Relapsed
my stamina is actually slowly, but steadily declining
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
March 2020 Long Hauler.
In context ↗
Read from 6 of their posts and comments; links to the 6 this page draws on
Summary
Spruce 60273 became a long COVID patient in March 2020 and by 2021 was well enough to work 60-80 hour weeks delivering parcels, though brain fog persisted. A stroke-like episode in August 2022 knocked her back to 28 hours a week, and stamina kept declining to 25 hours by early 2024. Gut bloating and early satiety from August 2023 stayed unexplained, and by late 2025 only heavy exertion set off a cough.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- cpap · Helped
my sleep did improve a noticeable amount (not tons) on it and I don't wake up with horrible headaches now.
In context ↗ - pillow specifically designed for cpap users · Helped
One of the biggest helps for me was a pillow specifically designed for cpap users
In context ↗ - rehab · Helped
I rehabbed enough to start working again in 2021 running parcels for USPS.
In context ↗ - caffeine · Not said
Now working 25hrs/wk requires constant caffiene and I'm not good for much when I get home.
In context ↗ - anti-virals · No change
She's put me on rounds of: anti-virals, anti-fungals, and anti-microbials to help as well as some supplements.
In context ↗ - eating higher calorie stuff · Helped
I lost close to 10lbs, but managed to stabilize it by eating higher calorie stuff.
In context ↗ - thyroid · Not said
I'm also hypothyroid so losing weight is actually difficult right now til I get my labs in the optimal range (I'm pooling FT3 atm).
In context ↗
Approaches: Exercise and activity
Their path
How ill they were on the ME/CFS severity scale, estimated from what they describe at each point, with time counted from when the illness began. Hover or tap a point. The chart starts 15 months after onset: the story doesn’t say how ill they were before that. 1 step says too little to place on the scale and is only in the table. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were |
|---|---|---|
| March 2020 | long COVID onsetMarch 2020 Long Hauler.In context ↗ | Not stated |
| 2021 | rehabbed enough to return to parcel delivery work, 60-80 hours a weekI rehabbed enough to start working again in 2021 running parcels for USPS. The brain fog/memory was bad, but my stamina at least was up enoughIn context ↗ | Near normal |
| August 2022 | stroke-like episode ("not-a-stroke") knocked her backThat August I had a "not-a-stroke" (looked like one, but tests were normal) that knocked me back badly. After that I could only work 28hrs/wk before crashing.In context ↗ | Mild |
| early 2024 | stamina steadily declining, down to 25 hours a week of workTime did not mend things and we've realized going into 2024, that my stamina is actually slowly, but steadily declining. Now working 25hrs/wk requires constant caffiene and I'm not good for much when I get home.In context ↗ | Mild |
| October 2025 | cough now only after considerable exertionToo much exertion can set me coughing. It got better over time. Now it takes quite a bit, but it can still happen.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- CPAP and sleep apnoea treatment“My first one it was like trying to breathe through a straw.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
After that I could only work 28hrs/wk before crashing.
In context ↗ - Brain fog
The brain fog/memory was bad
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
my sleep has been lousy
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
I don't wake up with horrible headaches now.
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I've been fighting some bad GI bloating, pain, and early satiety since Aug 2023.
In context ↗
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