Long COVID with CFS, POTS and breathlessness, improved then relapsed; Montelukast helped
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 3 years
- Last post
- Sep 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I have been through all the symptoms of Long Covid from 2023 onwards.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I could hardly walk for 15 mins without crashing.
In context ↗ - Now: Relapsed
I was nearly 90% healed back in November 2025. But then again crashed in February following a snowstorm.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
After my covid attack in May 2023, I had devoloped intense lower backpain
Read from 80 of their posts and comments; links to the 32 this page draws on
Summary
Otter 69274 caught COVID in May 2023 and developed back pain, then CFS, PEM, POTS and breathlessness, relapsing repeatedly over three years. Montelukast gave about 70% improvement in fatigue and breathlessness; probiotics, pomegranate powder with walnuts and warm weather in India brought further remissions, though magnesium's benefit was unclear. Flus, allergic rhinitis and cold weather repeatedly set them back, and exertion still causes fatigue and crashes.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Paxlovid · Not said
I was prescribed paxlovid when I had got covid and I still ended up with LC.
In context ↗ - pain killers · No change
My dr had initially put me on pain killers. But nothing worked .
In context ↗ - Asprin · Not said
My family physician put me on Asprin 350mg right after I began experiencing LC symptoms.
In context ↗ - electric heating pad · Not said
I used to use electric heating pad on high for months which resulted in burns.
In context ↗ - pain patches · Helped
some temporary relief with hot fermentation or pain patch( which I find very helpful)
In context ↗ - Ayurvedic treatment (Panchakarma, gut cleansing) · Helped
I too had undergone Ayurvedic treatment and happened to be symptom free for few weeks only.
In context ↗ - Custom Probiotics · Helped
But I could control this with Custom probiotics. That really helped 80%.
In context ↗ - Montelukast (Singulair) · Helped a lot
In my case there is 70% improvement.
In context ↗ - B complex / B12 · No change
I am on B12 and vit D from a very long time and still suffer from extreme fatigue and crash following physical or mental exertion.
In context ↗ - Magnesium Glycinate · Not said
Began taking Magnesium Glycinate with B complex too.
In context ↗ - pacing and rest · Helped
I just rest on the couch for an hour when these crashes come on and there's tremendous improvement.
In context ↗ - meclizine · Helped a lot
I took meclizine drug ( just 3 times) and I was back to normal.
In context ↗ - small frequent meals · Helped a lot
But then I tried having small quantities of food multiple times than one large meal. There was a tremendous difference.
In context ↗ - pomegranate powder with walnuts · Helped a lot
I have no clue which helped, but I have not had a single episode of fatigue crash or pains after that.
In context ↗ - melatonin · Worse
Tried melatonin but it triggered vertigo.
In context ↗ - yogurt with chia seeds and blueberries · Not said
I am taking it along with blueberries from past 10 days. Perhaps it helped .
In context ↗ - trip to India (warmer climate) · Helped a lot
After 3 yrs of constant struggle, took off to india where the climate is warmer. I felt like a normal person other than a long covid zombie!
In context ↗ - VSL#3 PROBIOTIC · Helped
I recently switched to VSL#3 PROBIOTIC and felt a huge difference . My bliatind..acidity and diarrhea stopped.
In context ↗
Approaches: Alternative therapies · Antihistamines & MCAS · 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. The chart starts 12 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 | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2023 | COVID-19 infection followed a week later by intense low back painAfter my covid attack in May 2023, I had devoloped intense lower backpain which lasted for around 6 monthsIn context ↗ | Not stated | |
| 2024 | CFS, PEM, dizziness and vertigo; short walks caused crashesThis was after 1.5 yrs of suffering with CFS and PEM along with dizziness, vertigo.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| mid 2024 | about two months symptom free after a year of strugglethe past 2 months were symptom free after a year long struggleIn context ↗ | Near normal | |
| 2024-09-28 | relapse with PEM and CFS symptomsI seem to be back where I was with PEM and CFS.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2025-04 | montelukast brought marked relief of breathlessness and fatiguehelped me tremendously with my breathlessness and fatigueIn context ↗ | Mild | Montelukast / Singulair |
| 2025-06 | relapse after a flu-like illnessNow back to miserable days after I got sick with flu last month.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2025-09-16 | walked around a mall for over three hours without crashing after yogurt, chia and blueberriesI roamed around for 3 plus hours without crashingIn context ↗ | Mild | Probiotics and fermented foods |
| 2025-10-21 | allergic rhinitis triggered all symptoms againI was 80 percent better and one episode of allergic rhinitis triggered everything.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2025-11 | nearly 90% healed and back on feet doing choresI was nearly 90% healed back in November 2025In context ↗ | Near normal | |
| 2026-02 | crashed during a snowstorm, all symptoms backBut then again crashed in February following a snowstorm.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2026-05 | two weeks in warm climate in India, walked four hours with no fatigueI felt like a normal person other than a long covid zombie!In context ↗ | Near normal | Altitude and climate change of location |
| 2026-05-23 | back in the US, back to a zombieback in the US and back to a zombieIn context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2026-06-07 | good again three weeks after returning; able to walk half a mileits been 3 weeks post return and thank God I am good.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2026-07-02 | intense back pain resurfaced after three yearsFrom past 2 days I am experiencing the same pain and I am clueless what to do.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2026-09-30 | still crashing with extreme fatigue after exertion, though gut symptoms stopped on VSL#3still suffer from extreme fatigue and crash following physical or mental exertionIn context ↗ | Moderate |
Adverse events
- Heat therapy (heating pads, heat packs)“which resulted in burns ... I had to stop using that because my skin had burned with the heat” Side effects
- Melatonin“Tried melatonin but it triggered vertigo.” In context ↗ Side effects
- “Cannot take meds too. Devolop severe gastritis.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
crash following physical or mental exertion
In context ↗ - Brain fog
Breathlessness and brain fog!!
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
Later I devoloped pots, cfs, pems etc.
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
This is my 2rd year with mcas, pem
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I do experience insomnia
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
I had devoloped intense lower backpain which lasted for around 6 months
In context ↗ - Gut problems
My bliatind..acidity and diarrhea stopped.
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
back to the old state with breathlessness, extreme fatigue and burning sensation and numbness all over
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
Also my palpitations reduced to around 90%.
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
Lately tingling and numbness in my feet too.
In context ↗ - Vision problems
reading books because of blurring
In context ↗
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