Long COVID
No benefit
Very severe long COVID crash, still ill with rolling PEM a year later and no better
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Not stated
- Ill for
- Not stated
- Last post
- Aug 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
my Long Covid and me/cfs
In context ↗ - Now: No benefit
I began Gabapentin at a low dose and it's gotten much worse.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
my Long Covid and me/cfs
In context ↗
Read from 11 of their posts and comments; links to the 7 this page draws on
Summary
Petrel 43429 has long COVID and ME/CFS; a very severe crash in August 2024 left them not fully recovered a year later. Zoloft, started in August 2025, brought suicidal thoughts and was stopped after five weeks; a small dose of Lexapro caused panic attacks. After starting gabapentin at a low dose in August 2026 their depersonalisation, depression and muscle aches got worse, though they were unsure whether the drug or rolling PEM was to blame. They were still ill with rolling PEM at their latest post.
Ask Miruvor AI
What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Lexapro · Worse
About 0.25 mg of Lexapro gave me insane panic attacks. I do have a bad sensitivity to meds however.
In context ↗ - Zoloft · Worse
I immediately started experiencing SI even from the small dose.
In context ↗ - Gabapentin · Worse
I began Gabapentin at a low dose and it's gotten much worse
In context ↗
Their path
They say too little about how ill they were at each step to draw it on the severity scale, so the steps are listed as they describe them. Dates are when they posted.
| When | What happened | Where they were |
|---|---|---|
| — | Long COVID and ME/CFSmy Long Covid and me/cfsIn context ↗ | Not stated |
| August 2024 | very severe crash, not fully recovered a year laterI had a very severe crash last August and to be honest I still have not recovered fully.In context ↗ | Severe |
| 2026-08-26 | gabapentin worsened depersonalisation, depression and muscle aches amid rolling PEMI began Gabapentin at a low dose and it's gotten much worse.In context ↗ | Not stated |
Adverse events
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)“I had a terrible reaction to Lexapro last year ... I tried around 2 mg of Lexapro and had crazy panic attacks.” Mood or psychiatric effects
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)“I tried a small dose of Lexapro and the anxiety was too intense :(” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)“About 0.25 mg of Lexapro gave me insane panic attacks.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Sertraline (Zoloft)“I immediately started experiencing SI even from the small dose. ... I took the Zoloft for maybe 5 weeks and never went past 4 mg.” In context ↗ Suicidal thoughts or attempt
- Sertraline (Zoloft)“It's most likely the case that the Zoloft exacerbated my anxiety/depression from my Long Covid and me/cfs.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Sertraline (Zoloft)“Also tried Zoloft and pretty sure it gave me SI :/” In context ↗ Suicidal thoughts or attempt
- Gabapentin (Neurontin)“this August I began Gabapentin at a low dose and it's gotten much worse ... Also depression and muscle aches.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Anxiety & low mood
I've been suffering from a horrible bout of depression and anxiety from a PEM crash
In context ↗ - Brain fog
I've had intense DP/DR with PEM
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
Also depression and muscle aches.
In context ↗