Long COVID
Moderate → no benefitIll for 4.5 years
Long COVID with brain fog, pain and breathlessness, no improvement from treatments
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill for
- 4.5 years
- Last post
- Jul 2025
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
i was a reasonably healthy and fit person before getting covid last march
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
half an hour in the grocery store and i'm sweating, out of breath, exhausted. can't exercise anymore.
In context ↗ - Now: No benefit
luckily my iron levels are stabilizing (although my symptoms are as debilitating as ever)
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
before getting covid last march
Read from 6 of their posts and comments; links to the 5 this page draws on
Summary
Bramble 19060 was fit and healthy until catching COVID in March 2021, then developed long COVID with brain fog, migraines, pain, breathlessness, palpitations and insomnia. Treatment for depleted iron/ferritin brought levels up but in January 2022 symptoms were as debilitating as ever, with an hour on their feet enough to need to lie down. They later reported sertraline exacerbating concerns, bupropion making things worse in May 2025, and burns from patch adhesive in July 2025.
Ask Miruvor AI
What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- ADHD medication · Not said
my PCP at the time took me off my ADHD medication
In context ↗ - sertraline · Worse
SSRIs didn't help me at all ... it exacerbated quite a few of my concerns
In context ↗ - proper treatment for depleted iron/ferritin · No change
luckily my iron levels are stabilizing (although my symptoms are as debilitating as ever)
In context ↗ - wellbutrin · Worse
wellbutrin turned me into a monster
In context ↗ - nicotine patches · Not said
i've had terrible reactions to the adhesive used in the patches i tried — gave me chemical burns
In context ↗
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 10 months after onset: the story doesn’t say how ill they were before that. 2 steps say too little to place on the scale and are only in the table. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were |
|---|---|---|
| March 2021 | caught COVID while fit and healthyi was a reasonably healthy and fit person before getting covid last march.In context ↗ | Not stated |
| January 2022 | all symptoms persisting; iron and ferritin normalised but no relieftired after even an hour of doing stuff on my feet, have to lay down but can't sleepIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2025-05-15 | bad reaction to bupropion (Wellbutrin)wellbutrin turned me into a monsterIn context ↗ | Not stated |
| 2025-07-14 | still ill; chemical burns from nicotine patch adhesivei've had terrible reactions to the adhesive used in the patches i tried — gave me chemical burns. notably i had no issues prior to this medical hellscape.In context ↗ | Moderate |
Adverse events
- Sertraline (Zoloft)“my PCP at the time took me off my ADHD medication and pushed sertraline on me and it exacerbated quite a few of my concerns.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Bupropion (Wellbutrin)“wellbutrin turned me into a monster” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Nicotine patches“i've had terrible reactions to the adhesive used in the patches i tried — gave me chemical burns.” In context ↗ Allergic reaction / anaphylaxis
Symptoms mentioned
Brain fogBreathlessnessHair lossHeadaches & migraineHeart symptoms & palpitationsLight & noise sensitivityMast cell (MCAS) & allergiesMuscle weaknessNeuropathy & tinglingPOTS & dysautonomiaPain & fibromyalgiaSleep problemsTemperature regulationVision problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Brain fog
can't remember things (dates, names, etc., feels like there are gaps in my memory)
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
severe migraines (left, right, front— eyesight) chronically
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
frequently dizzy, lightheaded
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
rapid heart rate (168 in cvs, regularly over 110 or 120), heart palpitations
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
harder to breathe, feels like i'm not getting enough air
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
patches of hives or rash. no known allergies
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
prickly and tingly
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
bone/joint/muscle pain. sometimes unable to move arms.
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
easily fatigued, out of breath, weak, clumsy, poor balance
In context ↗ - Light & noise sensitivity
worsening eyesight, especially at night, light sensitivity
In context ↗ - Vision problems
chronically extremely dry eyes
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
occasional excessive sweating (actual drops of sweat), usually when i'm lying in bed or not doing anything strenuous
In context ↗