Long COVID fatigue and brain fog, much better on budesonide and naltrexone
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 16 months
- Last post
- Jun 2023
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
They are all now pointing to Covid long haul.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I can barely work, can’t tolerate heat, and had to quit coaching.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
Everything is better but the dizziness/lightheaded/brain fog
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I was unvaccinated and had Covid in January
Read from 53 of their posts and comments; links to the 21 this page draws on
Summary
Tern 53978, a 31-year-old man, developed long COVID in March 2022 after a five-mile run, with lightheadedness, fatigue, brain fog, heart symptoms and exercise intolerance. He cut work hours and stopped coaching and fishing. Nebulized budesonide and low-dose naltrexone brought major improvement; by October 2022 he worked full time and exercised again. Donepezil later helped cognition, but by May 2023 lightheadedness and brain fog remained. Testing cost $7,000–$8,000.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Pfizer vaccine · Helped
I got the Pfizer vaccine 3 weeks ago and oddly enough felt a decent improvement since.
In context ↗ - THC:CBD tincture · Helped
I switched to a an equal part THC:CBD tincture and that has solved the problem for me
In context ↗ - Propranolol · Worse
I hated it and stopped taking it. Made me feel sedated and sluggish
In context ↗ - Metoprolol · Helped
It 100% eliminated symptoms, but they’ll come back if I stop taking it.
In context ↗ - Resting and hydrating · No change
I’ve been resting and hydrating for 5 months without much improvement.
In context ↗ - Nebulized budesonide · Helped a lot
I felt improvements in 12 of my 15 symptoms. I cannot recommend it enough.
In context ↗ - Low-dose naltrexone · Helped a lot
My dose is 4.5mg once daily. I feel a noticeable immediate boost in brain fog after every time I take it.
In context ↗ - Curcumin · Helped
He prescribed: -Nebulized budesonide (lung steroid) -Low dose naltrexone -Curcumin
In context ↗ - Quercetin · Helped
Quercitin + reservatrol
In context ↗ - Lion's mane · Helped
I think the lions mane is starting to help too
In context ↗ - Vitamin D · Helped
Increase vitamin D, B6, B12
In context ↗ - Beet root extract · Helped
Beet root extract
In context ↗ - Melatonin · Not said
Increase melatonin to 12-15mg
In context ↗ - Donepezil · Helped a lot
Donepezil has given me my memory back and my ability to speak at normal rate without slurring/jumbling words
In context ↗ - Guanfacine · Worse
I took guanfacine and NAC for 2 months. It did not help my lightheaded/dizzy at all and I got the side effects (crushing fatigue and suppressed my HR and blood pressure too much)
In context ↗ - UBI · Helped a lot
Did UBI and an NAD injection. Felt fantastic after!
In context ↗ - Craniosacral therapy · No change
I tried CST. ... I feel absolutely no different
In context ↗
Approaches: Other drugs and medicines · Supplements · Vaccination
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-03-12 | Long COVID after a five-mile runMarch 12 I did a 5 mile run which I was doing weekly and kind of blacked out after.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2022-07-20 | Stopped coaching; work hours nearly halvedI had to stop coaching soccer, and had to cut my work hours nearly in half.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2022-08-28 | Started steroid/anti-inflammatory stackI’m on day number 2 of his stack and I’m already feeling the best I have in 4-5 months.In context ↗ | Moderate | Low-dose naltrexone |
| 2022-10-23 | Exercising five days a week, full-time work, fishing againI’m exercising 5 days a week, working full time, back to fishing. Heart rate is down 40% and brain fog is gone.In context ↗ | Near normal | |
| 2023-01-14 | Donepezil improved cognition; about 50% recovery2 months after starting aricept I’m at about 50% recoveryIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2023-06-28 | Residual lightheadedness after guanfacine/NAC trialIt did not help my lightheaded/dizzy at all and I got the side effectsIn context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Propranolol (Inderal)“Made me feel sedated and sluggish” In context ↗ Side effects
- Propranolol (Inderal), Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol)“they made me even more lightheaded even though my HR and blood pressure did not drop too low” In context ↗ Side effects
- Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol)“it’s making my primary long haul symptoms same/worse” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- COVID vaccination as treatment“I got vaccinated and a week later was back to square one” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol)“I feel a little sluggish and dizzy because it lowers my HR and blood pressure too much” In context ↗ Low blood pressure or fainting
- Guanfacine“I got the side effects (crushing fatigue and suppressed my HR and blood pressure too much)” In context ↗ Side effects
- NAC (N-acetylcysteine)“I got the side effects (crushing fatigue and suppressed my HR and blood pressure too much)” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
Light exercise wipes me out.
In context ↗ - Brain fog
Everything is better but the dizziness/lightheaded/brain fog
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
I’m having regular PVC’s
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
sometimes get short of breath
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
can’t tolerate heat
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
This is starting to affect my mental health as it’s hard to not feel a little hopeless.
In context ↗
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