Long COVID
Moderate → no benefitIll for 3.5 years
Long COVID brain fog and pain, out of work and no better with supplements
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill for
- 3.5 years
- Last post
- Nov 2024
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
my doctor officially diagnosed me with long COVID late last year
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I haven’t been able to work or go to school.
In context ↗ - Now: No benefit
I’ve just gotten worse
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I first got covid 2021 April
In context ↗
Read from 14 of their posts and comments; links to the 10 this page draws on
Summary
A Reddit user infected with COVID in April 2021 at age 17 developed long COVID with brain fog, joint pain, headaches, lost taste and smell, poor sleep and post-exertional malaise. They stopped school and by late 2023 had been out of work for nearly a year. Vitamins, supplements, exercise and ADHD medications did not help, and nasal sprays gave only temporary relief and caused dependence and nosebleeds. By mid-2024 they described getting worse, hopeless and unable to bounce back.
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What they tried
Also tried
Basel spray· Helpedvitamins· No changetrying to eat good· No changenasal spray· No changeexercising· WorseADHD meds· Worsepaxlovid· Not saidbreathing exercises· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- paxlovid · Not said
Took paxlovid in December of 2022.
In context ↗ - vitamins · No change
I’ve been taking vitamins and trying to eat good but it’s no help.
In context ↗ - trying to eat good · No change
I’ve taken the vitamins supplements ate clean was exercising
In context ↗ - nasal spray · No change
I have been using a nasal spray since January but it doesn’t really do much
In context ↗ - Basel spray · Helped
I have been using Basel spray for the past two year 2-3 different kinds they help but after a while getting dependent on it made my noes bleed so I switched
In context ↗ - exercising · Worse
I’ve taken the vitamins supplements ate clean was exercising (which I’ve recently heard is not the best thing to do).
In context ↗ - breathing exercises · Not said
I’ve tried different things breathing exercises was something I couldn’t get a hang of.
In context ↗ - ADHD meds · Worse
I have tried two different meds from my doctor for my concentration but I feel like it doesn’t help me but makes me feel light headed.
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. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were |
|---|---|---|
| April 2021 | first COVID infection at age 17I first got covid 2021 AprilIn context ↗ | Mild |
| September–early December 2021 | about three months of feeling betterMaybe had 3 months of peace September-early December 2021In context ↗ | Mild |
| late January–April 2022 | back to being ill as the normthen in then late January 2022 -April I just felt with it to be my normIn context ↗ | Mild |
| May 2022 | hit hard by sinus and lung infection with asthmaThen May 2022 really hit hard with infection from sinus and lung bad asthma.In context ↗ | Moderate |
| June–December 2022 | pushed through work and school, then burned outI really tried to push June-December 2022 with work and school.In context ↗ | Moderate |
| December 2022 | COVID again, took Paxlovid, never got betterTook paxlovid in December of 2022. And since then I’ve just still not gotten any betterIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| spring 2023 | stopped school because it was too muchI stopped school this semester because it was just too muchIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| November 2023 | out of work for almost a year, nothing helpedBeen out of work for almost a yearIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| June 2024 | worse again, unable to bounce backI’ve just gotten worse before I was able to push myselfIn context ↗ | Moderate |
Adverse events
- Paxlovid / nirmatrelvir“the metal taste I had from paxlovid.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Paxlovid / nirmatrelvir“I took Paxlovid in December when I got COVID again, and that was a side effect.” In context ↗ Side effects
- “getting dependent on it made my noes bleed” In context ↗ Side effects
- Stimulants (unspecified)“makes me feel light headed” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogHeadaches & migraineLoss of smell or tastePain & fibromyalgiaPost-exertional malaiseSleep problemsTinnitusVision problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
Any actives like cleaning room or showering I get drained
In context ↗ - Brain fog
I can’t keep up with conversation with people and it’s been hard for me to even try to speak on the phone because of how difficult it is to find words.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I’m always restless I can never get deep sleep
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
My elbows fingers and wrist are sore.
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
I get headache fatigue joint pains
In context ↗ - Loss of smell or taste
My rates and smell comes and goes to where I can’t taste or smell
In context ↗ - Tinnitus
I occasionally hear faint ringing sounds as well.
In context ↗ - Vision problems
I have been seeing little dots, as if there are flies in the room.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I’ve just become hopeless and like I’m the issue
In context ↗