Long COVID
Severe → much betterIll 6 months before improving or writingNeeds ongoing treatment
Long COVID fatigue and brain fog, unable to work, much better with diet and antifungals
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Severe (mostly bedbound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 6 months
- Last post
- Jul 2021
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I'm nearing six months since the infection, and three months of long haul symptoms.
In context ↗ - At worst: Severe
I had no energy, no motivation, and I couldn't do anything without feeling awful.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
I have recovered strength and stamina - I wouldn't call it a full recovery, but being on the better side after being very nearly depleted for so long is a big improvement for me.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I contracted the virus along with my entire family at the same time.
In context ↗ - Says they never had: Temperature regulation
I never developed fevers. Not at first nor now.
Read from 35 of their posts and comments; links to the 16 this page draws on
Summary
A 31-year-old man in Ecuador contracted COVID-19 around March 2020 and later developed long COVID, with fatigue, brain fog, pain, insomnia and gut symptoms; a relapse left him unable to work. He changed to a cortisol-raising diet and took aloe vera, CoQ10, vitamin D, nicotinamide/niacin and finally antifungal treatment for Candida. He improved gradually, regaining strength and stamina and near-normal digestion, though by July 2021 he still did not call himself fully recovered.
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What they tried
What they credit
aloe vera (fresh gel, then powder extract)· Helped a lotazole antifungal pills· Helped a lot · mainvitamin D· Helpedcortisol-raising diet (sugar, coffee, white bread and rice, saturated fats; no garlic, ginger or turmeric)· Helped · maincortisol-raising diet (sugar, coffee, white bread and rice, saturated fats; no garlic, ginger or turmeric)· Helped · mainactivated charcoal pills· HelpedCoQ10· Helpedginseng pills· Helpedrefined beef amino acid pills· Helpednicotinamide (niacinamide)· Helped · mainniacin· Helpedstopping rice· Helpedprobiotics· Helpedraw apple cider vinegar· Helpedrest / taking it easy· Helped
Also tried
melatonin· Helpedvalerian root extract· Helpedpainkillers· Not saidartichoke remedies· Not saidvitamin C, B6 and B12· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- painkillers · Not said
I had to take painkillers and such to numb it down
In context ↗ - vitamin D · Helped
High doses of vitamin D also helped with inflammation.
In context ↗ - cortisol-raising diet (sugar, coffee, white bread and rice, saturated fats; no garlic, ginger or turmeric) · Helped
I inverted my diet from a typical health food diet to a bad diet on purpose.
In context ↗ - artichoke remedies · Not said
I took artichoke remedies for my liver problem
In context ↗ - aloe vera (fresh gel, then powder extract) · Helped a lot
Taking aloe vera products specifically is something I can point out to being a game changer.
In context ↗ - melatonin · Helped
During the worse bouts of insomnia I did take near 12mg of melatonin to sleep.
In context ↗ - valerian root extract · Helped
I use valerian root extract and melatonin for my nervous system maintenance.
In context ↗ - activated charcoal pills · Helped
Taking activated charcoal pills helped me on that front since they can buffer the bile's toxins.
In context ↗ - CoQ10 · Helped
I think CoQ10 at 200mg is very good.
In context ↗ - ginseng pills · Helped
I rely more on Ginseng pills for the stimulant effect.
In context ↗ - refined beef amino acid pills · Helped
I also took refined beef aminoacid pills and they helped me feel strong when I was at my weakest
In context ↗ - vitamin C, B6 and B12 · Not said
I'm also taking vit D, C, B6, B12, and CoQ10.
In context ↗ - nicotinamide (niacinamide) · Helped
For two days at least, taking two 500mg pills per day, I have noticed my mood is more stable and calm, and that my sleep is easier and lasts longer.
In context ↗ - niacin · Helped
I only take niacin with a full stomach and no more than 100mg at a time or I get awful flushing rather quickly.
In context ↗ - stopping rice · Helped
My GI troubles went away after I stopped eating any kind of rice.
In context ↗ - probiotics · Helped
but probiotics, raw apple cyder vinegar, they do help against candida infections
In context ↗ - azole antifungal pills · Helped a lot
ever since I switched to treating the Candida issue I have noticed that I do improve at a much faster rate than before
In context ↗ - rest / taking it easy · Helped
most of the nastiest symptoms have passed thanks to all the rest and supplements
In context ↗
Approaches: Amino acids and carnitine · Antifungals · Diet · Pacing · Supplements
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. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2020 (approx.) | COVID-19 infection with neurological, fatigue, pain, brain fog and insomnia symptomsI contracted the virus along with my entire family at the same time.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| May 2020 (approx.) | acute phase ended and he returned to workwe came out of the acute initial phase after a few weeks and I felt much better. I got back to work and everything seemed to be over for a while.In context ↗ | Near normal | |
| June 2020 (approx.) | relapse after severe back pain; bed for days, no energy, could not workEventually after a few days the back pain subsided, but I was left a wreck. It felt as if I had been hit by a truck and everything hurt at once.In context ↗ | Severe | |
| 2020-09-04 | switched to cortisol-raising dietThe results were almost immediate. Higher levels of awareness and energy, a better mood, better sleep, little to no discernable depression and stress.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2020-10-30 | initial catastrophic symptoms resolved; lingering weakness and low staminaThe initial catastrophic symptoms have gone away - like the intense pain, joint inflammation, stomach issues, total lack of energy, and brain fog.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2020-11-25 | able to climb a flight of stairs without breathlessnessI can now walk up a flight of stairs without getting tired and short of breath, which would have been impossible just two weeks ago.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2020-12-21 | more physical strength and fewer mood swings on niacin/niacinamideI do feel I have more physical strength, but I don't think my stamina improved that much.In context ↗ | Mild | Niacin (vitamin B3) |
| 2021-05-07 | began antifungal treatment for Candida and improved fasterever since I switched to treating the Candida issue I have noticed that I do improve at a much faster rate than before.In context ↗ | Mild | Antifungals (unspecified) |
| 2021-07-07 | GI near normal and strength/stamina recovered, but not full recoveryI wouldn't call it a full recovery, but being on the better side after being very nearly depleted for so long is a big improvement for me.In context ↗ | Mild | Antifungals (unspecified) |
Adverse events
- Niacin (vitamin B3)“I only take niacin with a full stomach and no more than 100mg at a time or I get awful flushing rather quickly.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogBreathlessnessGut problemsLoss of smell or tasteMast cell (MCAS) & allergiesMuscle weaknessPain & fibromyalgiaSleep problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Loss of smell or taste
I had really bad neurological symptoms, loss of smell and taste
In context ↗ - Brain fog
Fatigue, difficulty breathing, pain, brain fog, insomnia, deliriums
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
Sleep problems improved since a better gut means easier production of melatonin.
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
one day I woke up in the middle of the night with tremendous pain in my back
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
I can now walk up a flight of stairs without getting tired and short of breath
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I've been improving noticeably in the GI issues. I can eat better, have less digestive problems, it's very near normal now.
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
I do still have lingering weakness, low stamina, low strength
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
mood swings and depression spells have decreased a lot too
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
Somehow I developed an allergy or aversion to it, my immune system went weird on that one.
In context ↗
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