Long COVID
Mild → no benefitIll for 4.5 yearsNeeds ongoing treatment
Long COVID breathlessness, no improvement after supplements and hyperbaric oxygen
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill for
- 4.5 years
- Last post
- Sep 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
caught omicron Dec ‘21, long hauling ever since
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I have worked straight through all of this ... at a greatly reduced productive capacity
In context ↗ - Now: No benefit
just my symptoms never resolved
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
caught omicron Dec ‘21, long hauling ever since
In context ↗
Read from 69 of their posts and comments; links to the 42 this page draws on
- Oct 2022
- Oct 2022
- Sep 2026
- Feb 2022
- Feb 2022
- Jan 2023
- Mar 2022
- May 2022
- Sep 2022
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- Nov 2022
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- Feb 2023
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- Jul 2022
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- Nov 2022
- Nov 2024
- Jan 2023
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- Apr 2025
- May 2024
- Jul 2022
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- Sep 2022
- Oct 2022
- Dec 2023
- Jan 2024
- Sep 2026
- Jun 2022
- Nov 2023
Summary
A Texas veterinarian caught COVID in December 2021 and has had long COVID since, with breathlessness, chest pain, insomnia and post-exertional malaise. A third Moderna booster in mid-2022 caused a major setback she never fully recovered from. She kept working at reduced capacity while trying supplements, hyperbaric oxygen, low-dose naltrexone and fasting, with only small gains such as better sleep and higher resting oxygen.
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What they tried
Also tried
Hot yoga / low-intensity yoga· HelpedSertraline· HelpedIbuprofen· HelpedB-complex· HelpedBlack seed oil· HelpedCoQ10· HelpedLow-dose naltrexone· HelpedCBD· HelpedYoga nidra· HelpedAspirin· HelpedCannabis gummy· HelpedRadical rest· HelpedHyperbaric oxygen (HBOT)· HelpedIntermittent fasting / OMAD· HelpedSleepzyme (melatonin-based supplement)· No changeChinese herbs (Long Haul Tea)· No changeNattokinase· No changeTrazodone· WorseWellbutrin· WorseLexapro· WorseZoloft· WorseFamotidine· WorseCetirizine· WorseImmunoShot (glutathione, vitamin C, zinc injection)· WorseSpike Protein supplement (natto & herbal compounds)· WorseCymbalta· WorseModerna third booster· Much worseLithium orotate· Much worseAcupuncture· Not saidQuercetin· Not saidColchicine· Not saidMagnesium· Not saidMelatonin· Not saidYogic breathing exercises· Not saidHerbal powders· Not saidTramadol· Not saidTylenol· Not saidProbiotics· Not saidThiamine· Not saidDandelion root capsules· Not saidOral thyroid replacement· Not saidArtificial tear solution· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- Sleepzyme (melatonin-based supplement) · No change
I’ve been taking a melatonin-based supplement (Sleepzyme) which has various herbal compounds, but it leaves me groggy and STILL not feeling well rested.
In context ↗ - Trazodone · Worse
A therapist years ago Rx’d Trazodone which left me with even worse “hangover” symptoms; it just wasn’t worth it to me!
In context ↗ - Wellbutrin · Worse
I had to give it up after about a week of low-grade GI misery and a strange incipient headache
In context ↗ - Lexapro · Worse
over past decades of struggles against chronic depression & anxiety, I’ve tried several but found side effects intolerable: Wellbutrin, Lexapro, Trazodone, Zoloft
In context ↗ - Acupuncture · Not said
I started acupuncture treatments three weeks ago - he shows me pretty colored bars on graphs which are changing; it also seems to have triggered some night sweats but hard to say if it is helping to any great extent at this point?
In context ↗ - Hot yoga / low-intensity yoga · Helped
Even then there’s a price to be paid with minor “crash” the day after, but it’s worth it as much for my mental health as the physical benefits.
In context ↗ - Famotidine · Worse
Famotidine doesn’t seem to help my brain fog - in fact it seems to exacerbate it.
In context ↗ - Sertraline · Helped
I’ve been taking low-dose sertraline these past couple of weeks which seems to be helping with my sleep
In context ↗ - Ibuprofen · Helped
So far it does seem to be responding to ibuprofen, thank goodness.
In context ↗ - Chinese herbs (Long Haul Tea) · No change
Yep I drank it for a good solid month - it certainly didn’t hurt anything except my taste buds, but I can’t really say it did me any good?
In context ↗ - B-complex · Helped
I have been on my “enhanced supplement protocol” which includes B-complex, black seed oil, quercetin, CoQ10, etc for several months & while it may be helpful, it hasn’t been phenomenally so.
In context ↗ - Black seed oil · Helped
as I empty out these bottles, the only ones I will replace is the nattokinase and blackseed oil
In context ↗ - Quercetin · Not said
Right now I’m taking only magnesium, blackseed oil, & quercetin, when I finish off the quercetin I’ll probably discontinue it as well.
In context ↗ - Colchicine · Not said
I started taking colchicine last week; too soon to tell if it is helping much (yet)?
In context ↗ - Moderna third booster · Much worse
I let my new doctor talk me into a third Moderna booster last week - it has caused a major setback with worsening shortness of breath/heart palpitations
In context ↗ - Low-dose naltrexone · Helped
this micro dose does seem to help my sleep quite a bit.
In context ↗ - Magnesium · Not said
Magnesium is primarily for sleep (ha ha)
In context ↗ - CBD · Helped
I have been taking some CBD which seems to help
In context ↗ - Melatonin · Not said
For sleep I am taking magnesium, CBD, low-dose melatonin
In context ↗ - Yoga nidra · Helped
Yoga nidra FTW! I listen to a short session every night - it helps me fall asleep.
In context ↗ - Yogic breathing exercises · Not said
I have been taking some CBD which seems to help and practicing yogic breathing exercises
In context ↗ - Herbal powders · Not said
several herbal powders recommended by an Eastern-medicine guru whom I follow
In context ↗ - Cetirizine · Worse
Most antihistamines knock me on my ass, cetirizine was no exception although it didn't hit me "quite" as hard as other antihistamines.
In context ↗ - Aspirin · Helped
I took nattokinase for months with no real improvement, so I’ve gone back to low-dose aspirin which does seem to help
In context ↗ - ImmunoShot (glutathione, vitamin C, zinc injection) · Worse
These vitamin infusions may work great for some folks, but my system did not appreciate at all!
In context ↗ - Tramadol · Not said
took a Tramadol when I got home
In context ↗ - Tylenol · Not said
I’ve taken my ibuprofen & Tylenol
In context ↗ - Probiotics · Not said
Some GI distress with bloat (4 lbs overnight, really??) for which I took some probiotics.
In context ↗ - Lithium orotate · Much worse
Lithium orotate even at micro dose levels (2.5 mg, 1/4 tablet) knocked me on my butt.
In context ↗ - Spike Protein supplement (natto & herbal compounds) · Worse
I have felt worse since starting a new “Spike Protein” supplement (it has natto & several other herbal compounds)
In context ↗ - Nattokinase · No change
I took nattokinase for months with no real improvement
In context ↗ - Cymbalta · Worse
Two months ago she talked me into trying Cymbalta - I took it for about two weeks and then I set it aside, the low-grade GI misery just wasn’t worth it.
In context ↗ - Cannabis gummy · Helped
for anxiety relief I will take a fractionated gummy on occasion - the problem is THC makes me very lazy!
In context ↗ - Thiamine · Not said
the plentiful rack o’ supplements (natto, BSO, thiamine, bibbity bobbity boo with Chinese herbs recommended by another long hauler which didn’t help much)
In context ↗ - Dandelion root capsules · Not said
Currently taking quercetin, CoQ10, BSO, & dandelion root capsules.
In context ↗ - Radical rest · Helped
I also cannot retire & have managed to “keep on keeping on” by radically resting, marshaling my limited energy reserves to struggle through each workday.
In context ↗ - Hyperbaric oxygen (HBOT) · Helped
main benefit I have noticed is gradual increase in my resting pO2, which has crept up from 93 to 97%.
In context ↗ - Intermittent fasting / OMAD · Helped
But I DO feel better overall if I stick to an OMAD routine
In context ↗ - Oral thyroid replacement · Not said
I have been thyroidectomized so 100% reliant on oral thyroid replacement
In context ↗ - Artificial tear solution · Not said
I use artificial tear solution, but sometimes I wake up in considerable discomfort
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. The chart starts 3 months after onset: the story doesn’t say how ill they were before that. 1 step says too little to place on the scale and is only in the table. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2021 | COVID infection (omicron)caught omicron Dec ‘21, long hauling ever sinceIn context ↗ | Not stated | |
| March 2022 | slow improvement over first monthsI do seem to be slowly improving (a little over 3 mos out)In context ↗ | Mild | |
| May 2022 | relapse after overdoing it on Mother's Day weekendwhen I have a good day & try to do too much, invariably I will relapse and put myself back in the ditch. (such was the case after Mother’s Day weekend)In context ↗ | Mild | |
| June 2022 | crashed after third Moderna boosterI let my new doctor talk me into a third Moderna booster last week - it has caused a major setback with worsening shortness of breath/heart palpitationsIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| September 2022 | slow gains, managing low-intensity yogaI’m 9 mos in, the best I can manage these days are low-intensity yoga classes. Even then there’s a price to be paid with minor “crash” the day afterIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| October 2022 | severe relapse after judging an equestrian event on her feet all dayjudged an equestrian event Saturday which required me to be up early & stay on my feet most of the day, so now I am suffering a severe relapseIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| December 2023 | resting oxygen levels crept up with hyperbaric oxygenmy pO2 reads 97 which is the highest it’s been in months (used to hang around 92-3, but has crept up point by point since I started hyperbaric oxygen treatments these past 6 wksIn context ↗ | Mild | Hyperbaric oxygen (HBOT) |
| January 2024 | still limited going into year threeHeading into Year 3 & this may be as good as it gets?In context ↗ | Mild | |
| April 2025 | felt better overall on one meal a dayBut I DO feel better overall if I stick to an OMAD routineIn context ↗ | Mild | Intermittent fasting |
| September 2026 | still long hauling, intermittent fasting helpfulI have done intermittent fasting, which seems to be helpfulIn context ↗ | Mild | Intermittent fasting |
Adverse events
- “I’ve been taking a melatonin-based supplement (Sleepzyme) which has various herbal compounds, but it leaves me groggy and STILL not feeling well rested.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Trazodone (Desyrel)“A therapist years ago Rx’d Trazodone which left me with even worse “hangover” symptoms; it just wasn’t worth it to me!” In context ↗ Side effects
- Trazodone (Desyrel)“new MD is trying to be helpful but so far trazodone leaves me even more flatline depressed & I refuse to take an SSRI” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Acupuncture“it also seems to have triggered some night sweats but hard to say if it is helping to any great extent at this point?” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“it has caused a major setback with worsening shortness of breath/heart palpitations, muscular soreness, low-grade headache and just generally feeling like crap.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Famotidine (Pepcid)“Famotidine doesn’t seem to help my brain fog - in fact it seems to exacerbate it.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Sertraline (Zoloft)“the half-doses of sertraline I took as a sleep aid likewise left me feeling worse instead of better.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Chinese herbal medicine (TCM formulas)“It kinda hit my GI tract like a depth charge ... luckily only moderate cramping, bloat & gas.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Low-dose naltrexone“I took 1.5 mg twice last weekend, then I couldn’t understand why I was so zombified? I was extremely drowsy, seemed as if I could never “wake up” even with extra caffeine.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Bupropion (Wellbutrin)“it didn’t sit well with me - I had to give it up after about a week of low-grade GI misery and a strange incipient headache” In context ↗ Side effects
- Cetirizine (Zyrtec)“Most antihistamines knock me on my ass, cetirizine was no exception although it didn't hit me "quite" as hard as other antihistamines.” In context ↗ Side effects
- IV vitamins and Myers cocktail“this morning I am really stiff & sore, with a flare-up of generalized joint pain and lethargy, all I want to do is crawl back into bed even though I slept fairly decently.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Lithium orotate (low-dose)“Lithium orotate even at micro dose levels (2.5 mg, 1/4 tablet) knocked me on my butt.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Nattokinase“I have felt worse since starting a new “Spike Protein” supplement (it has natto & several other herbal compounds)” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta)“I took it for about two weeks and then I set it aside, the low-grade GI misery just wasn’t worth it.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Cannabis (THC, marijuana)“the problem is THC makes me very lazy!” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogBreathlessnessGut problemsHeadaches & migraineHeart symptoms & palpitationsPOTS & dysautonomiaPain & fibromyalgiaPost-exertional malaiseSleep problemsTemperature regulationTinnitus
Their words about their symptoms
- Sleep problems
the night passes for me in a series of naps, tossing & turning
In context ↗ - Post-exertional malaise
Mild to moderate PEM but anything is better then complete inactivity
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
Cardiac symptoms with shortness of breath predominate
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
My heart rate accelerates dramatically with even mild exertion
In context ↗ - Brain fog
I am suffering from worsened brain fog with tinnitus
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
a strange assortment of musculoskeletal aches & pains
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
A new symptom has appeared - late night headaches
In context ↗ - Gut problems
bloating and GI misery
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
oscillating between freezing to death with a few night sweats thrown in
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
over past decades of struggles against chronic depression & anxiety
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
So dysautonomia it is!
In context ↗