Bedridden then housebound with long COVID, now much better after beta-blockers and rest
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Severe (mostly bedbound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 21 months
- Last post
- Oct 2023
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
Through the worst of my long haul (May-December 2021), I thought a lot about what it means to be alive.
In context ↗ - At worst: Severe
I was bedridden most of last summer, house bound all fall.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
overall much better! Still experiencing all the things but on a lower level.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I remember the moment I felt the fatigue come on, about a week after exposure in my first infection.
Read from 19 of their posts and comments; links to the 14 this page draws on
Summary
A Reddit user in the US fell ill with COVID in March 2020 and developed long COVID; in summer 2021 they were bedridden most of the summer and housebound that fall, unable to shower unaided. Beta-blockers for tachycardia began the turnaround, along with stopping work, Celebrex, nortriptyline and rest. By October 2023 they reported being overall much better with symptoms at a lower level, though they had described themselves as still disabled earlier that year.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Celebrex · Helped
My PCP prescribed Celebrex, an NSAID, and it has been helping to manage those symptoms.
In context ↗ - nortryptiline · Helped
After going on Celebrex, and then nortyptiline as well, I have very infrequent nerve pain.
In context ↗ - Not working and lots of rest · Helped a lot
Not working has been the number one best thing.
In context ↗ - Acebutelol · Helped a lot
I went from struggling and nearly crying just trying to make it up a flight of stairs to being able to have sex and go on walks again.
In context ↗ - D3 · Helped
After that- Celebrex, Acebutelol, Nortryptiline, D3.
In context ↗ - Coconut Suero, Liquid IV, pickle juice · Helped
Coconut Suero is my holy grail.
In context ↗ - l-theanine · Helped
l-theanine in the morning
In context ↗ - melatonin · Helped
melatonin before bed, Ativan (lorazepam) 1mg, plus an edible will usually lead to sleep in about 30min
In context ↗ - Ativan (lorazepam) · Helped
Ativan (lorazepam) 1mg
In context ↗ - edible (cannabis) · Helped
plus an edible will usually lead to sleep in about 30min
In context ↗ - Mobic · Not said
I recently switched NSAIDs from Celebrex to Mobic because the Celebrex stopped working for me.
In context ↗ - PT · Not said
Going to PT (for musculoskeletal injuries and neuro)
In context ↗ - Famatodine · Helped
I've taken Famatodine off and on. It helps a little bit.
In context ↗
Approaches: Beta-blockers · Other drugs and medicines · Pacing · Supplements · Tricyclic antidepressants
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 8 months after onset: the story doesn’t say how ill they were before that. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2020 | COVID-19 infection, two-week illnessMarch 2020. two week illness and two month slow "recovery".In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| summer 2020 | long-haul symptoms appeared after apparent recoverysummer surprises included heat intolerance, excessive sweating, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, post exertional malaise, insomnia, migraines, gastrointestinal issues, joint pain, and brain fogIn context ↗ | Not stated | |
| autumn 2020 | symptoms gradually improved over several monthsOver the course of several months these symptoms seemed to very gradually improve.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| November 2020 | traumatic event lowered physical baselineAfter that I felt like I was at a lower physical baseline of sorts.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| May 2021 | bedridden most of summer, housebound all fall; crash after hot tub and hot weatherI was bedridden most of last summer, house bound all fall. ... It was triggered by going into a hot tub and then hot weather. | Severe | |
| 21 months post infection | started feeling a little better instead of always worse21 months post initial infection I finally started feeling a little better instead of always worse.In context ↗ | Severe | Acebutolol (Sectral) |
| August 2022 | able to have sex and go on walks again; working part timeI went from struggling and nearly crying just trying to make it up a flight of stairs to being able to have sex and go on walks again.In context ↗ | Moderate | Acebutolol (Sectral) |
| October 2023 | overall much better, still disabled with all symptoms at a lower leveloverall much better! Still experiencing all the things but on a lower level.In context ↗ | Moderate |
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
post exertional malaise
In context ↗ - Brain fog
My main cognitive symptoms were and still are attention issues, short term memory problems, and trouble with word finding.
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
dizziness, racing heart
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
Sleeping is extremely difficult for me
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
horrific joint and muscle pain
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
chronic migraines
In context ↗ - Gut problems
gastrointestinal issues
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
shortness of breath
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
heart palpitations
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
muscle weakness
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
peripheral neuropathy
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I'm depressed and anxious.
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
heat intolerance, excessive sweating
In context ↗ - Flu-like symptoms
more chest pain, muscle pain, and fever
In context ↗
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