Long COVID
Moderate → much betterIll 18 months before improving or writingNeeds ongoing treatment
Housebound with long COVID, now much better on Abilify and LDN
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 18 months
- Last post
- Aug 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
had this since July 2022
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I was housebound in the beginning of my journey with LC about 4 years ago now
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
I started more severe but over the 5 years have gotten more mild. I can do mild exercise, work, live relatively normally to outsiders but long covid is always in the back of my mind.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
mild the first time and much worse the second time I was infected, Moderna vax and booster, had this since July 2022.
Read from 49 of their posts and comments; links to the 33 this page draws on
Summary
She fell ill with long COVID in July 2022 and was housebound at first. Low-dose naltrexone eased her fatigue and brain fog within about ten days, and a COVID reinfection in February 2023 briefly cleared her symptoms before they returned a month or two later. From late 2023 a regimen of Abilify, LDN and Ritalin, later Adderall, let her work and live near normally, though she still crashed for days to weeks after overdoing it.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
melatonin· Helpedspironolactone· Helpedoral minoxidil· Helpednattokinase / nattoserra· No changenattokinase / nattoserra· No changeiron· No changevitamin d· No changeb1· No changelactoferrin· No changeprobiotics· No changemagnesium· WorseWellbutrin· WorseBotox· Worsevalacyclovir· Worsearmodafinil· Worsejumping rope and running· WorseFlovent· Not saidguanfacine extended release· Not saidzinc· Not saidlysine· Not saidtherapy· Not saidmultivitamin· Not saidslow lap swims· Not saidpaxlovid· Not saidmetformin· Not saidNAC· Not saidmetoprolol· Not saidCOVID vaccination as treatment· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- LDN · Helped a lot
Third time, now, great! It’s helped fatigue tremendously ... I experience a noticeable difference when I forget to take it!
In context ↗ - Flovent · Not said
I started LDN and Flovent close to each other so they may be interconnected, but I felt improvement within a week and a half.
In context ↗ - nattokinase / nattoserra · No change
I tried nattoserra and finished a bottle but didn’t feel anything different tbh.
In context ↗ - magnesium · Worse
I’ve had sensitivities to nattokinase and/or magnesium - I had really bad stomach aches and indigestion while taking them and it went away when I stopped taking the supplements.
In context ↗ - melatonin · Helped
Melatonin seems to help me sleep deeper but I’m always sleepy.
In context ↗ - Wellbutrin · Worse
I actually tried Wellbutrin and it didn’t help ... literally was tweaking out - body twitches, jaw clenched shut.
In context ↗ - guanfacine extended release · Not said
I’ve only been taking the extended release 1 mg for 2 weeks but I haven’t had side effects! No idea if it’s doing anything tho.
In context ↗ - zinc · Not said
I’m trying to treat this by taking zinc but that’s a long game.
In context ↗ - Botox · Worse
I had thought I could get my usual touch up of Botox after not getting it for a year, and I was bedbound for a couple days after.
In context ↗ - valacyclovir · Worse
The valacyclovir also does a really number on my body, and doesn’t help LC symptoms at all.
In context ↗ - lysine · Not said
I’m taking a daily dose of valacyclovir and lysine and I’m still getting them.
In context ↗ - therapy · Not said
using this time to work on anxiety management through therapy
In context ↗ - iron · No change
I had stomach issues when taking iron so I’m still working on raising this.
In context ↗ - Abilify · Helped
Abilify helped me generally feel more awake and alert. I used to feel like I was in a cloud.
In context ↗ - Ritalin · Helped
Ritalin for hypersomnia and fatigue
In context ↗ - vitamin d · No change
I continue to take vitamin d since I’m really low on that
In context ↗ - b1 · No change
I tried all the supplements and they didn’t really do anything. This includes b1, d, nattoserra, lactoferrin, iron, probiotics, etc.
In context ↗ - lactoferrin · No change
This includes b1, d, nattoserra, lactoferrin, iron, probiotics, etc.
In context ↗ - multivitamin · Not said
I continue to take vitamin d since I’m really low on that, and a multivitamin.
In context ↗ - pacing · Helped
was able to do it all with conscious pacing and a short daily nap
In context ↗ - birth control · Helped
I’ve since been skipping my periods since I take birth control ... I haven’t had that bad of a crash since
In context ↗ - armodafinil · Worse
Started on Ritalin, and armodafinil but had bad side effects.
In context ↗ - spironolactone · Helped
I take a small dose of 1.25mg and 50mg of spironolactone and it’s helped with hair loss a lot.
In context ↗ - oral minoxidil · Helped
Oral Minoxidil and spironolactone have helped my hair greatly though.
In context ↗ - adderall · Helped
It’s the only way I can function kind of normally and work.
In context ↗ - slow lap swims · Not said
I’ve recently started doing slow lap swims and making sure to cap the time and not push too hard, seems to be ok.
In context ↗ - jumping rope and running · Worse
I tried jumping rope and running and crashed so hard.
In context ↗ - paxlovid · Not said
I took two courses of paxlovid, metformin, NAC and rested rested rested.
In context ↗ - metoprolol · Not said
My heart rate started spiking again so I also took metoprolol as needed.
In context ↗ - time · Helped
Otherwise honestly time and pacing.
In context ↗ - COVID vaccination as treatment · Not said
Moderna would wreck me so bad (102 deg fever) that I was scared tbh
In context ↗
Approaches: Other drugs and medicines · Pacing · Sex hormones · Stimulants
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. 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 | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2022 | long COVID began; houseboundI was housebound in the beginning of my journey with LC about 4 years ago nowIn context ↗ | Moderate | |
| September 2022 | LDN eased fatigue and brain fogI’ve been taking it for about 2 months and it really helps my fatigue and brain fogIn context ↗ | Moderate | Low-dose naltrexone |
| February 2023 | COVID reinfection; long COVID symptoms disappearedI think my long COVID symptoms are gone?In context ↗ | Near normal | |
| April 2023 | long COVID symptoms came back after a month or twoSame thing happened to me, but it sadly came back after a month or two.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| September 2023 | improved dramatically while on medical leave at homeWhen I took medical leave but still stayed home, I improved dramatically.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| November 2023 | regimen of Abilify, LDN and Ritalin; long walking/socialising holiday with pacing and a daily napIs this a cure? No, but it helps me function like a normal person.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| May 2025 | crashed after running and jumping ropeI tried jumping rope and running and crashed so hard.In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| December 2025 | another COVID infection; took paxlovid, metformin and NAC, heart rate spikingYeah I’m taking paxlovid now, and still feel like a truck hit me.In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| July 2026 | mild now, working and living relatively normally but dependent on medication and crashing if she overdoes itnow I’m mild I suppose. I can generally appear normal to others but need medication to survive.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Low-dose naltrexone“I’ve been taking it for about 2 months and it really helps my fatigue and brain fog, but my skin is the worst it’s been since my teen years.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Low-dose naltrexone“First time, felt nothing. Second time, really bad fatigue.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Nattokinase“I’ve had sensitivities to nattokinase and/or magnesium - I had really bad stomach aches and indigestion while taking them and it went away when I stopped taking the supplements.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Nattokinase, Serrapeptase“I took it on an empty stomach like people recommended and had such bad stomach pain that I had to stop!” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Bupropion (Wellbutrin)“I went from 150mg to 300mg since I didn’t feel any different on 150mg, and literally was tweaking out - body twitches, jaw clenched shut, etc.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Valtrex / valacyclovir“My lower back has debilitating pain (like I’m crying in the fetal position type of pain), im nauseous, dizzy, and feel like I have the flu.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Iron infusion / ferritin repletion“I had stomach issues when taking iron so I’m still working on raising this.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta)“Started on Ritalin, and armodafinil but had bad side effects.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Modafinil / armodafinil“Started on Ritalin, and armodafinil but had bad side effects.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“Moderna would wreck me so bad (102 deg fever) that I was scared tbh” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogHair lossHeart symptoms & palpitationsPost-exertional malaiseSleep problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
I still crash badly if I overdo it and it takes me days to weeks to recover.
In context ↗ - Brain fog
I notice a stark difference in energy and cognitive function
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I never feel well rested
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
Now it feels like I’m on the verge of a panic attack constantly, while also being unbelievably exhausted.
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
My heart rate started spiking again so I also took metoprolol as needed.
In context ↗ - Hair loss
I also was losing hair after Covid, I would have handfuls come out in the shower.
In context ↗
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