Long COVID
Moderate → near normalIll 4.5 years before improving or writingNeeds ongoing treatment
Long COVID at 40% function, now nearly back to normal with time and rest
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 4.5 years
- Last post
- Feb 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I had terrible depression and suicidal thoughts the first few months of my long haul.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
still have days where I feel I’m only 40% where I used to be, on good days maybe 75-80%.
In context ↗ - Now: Near normal
I feel like I’m still at around 90%, sometimes it goes to 80%. It varies. ... I still have neuropathy and dysautonomia.
- Began after: COVID
I have dysautonomia post Covid so this seems to be the cause of the bladder issues for me.
Read from 86 of their posts and comments; links to the 35 this page draws on
Summary
Owl 97945 became ill with long COVID in mid-2021, with severe anxiety and panic, suicidal thoughts, insomnia, nerve pain and dizziness, at times around 40% of her former function. She credits time and rest, with mirtazapine, propranolol and antihistamines easing sleep, heart rate and bladder symptoms. By 2023 she was about 90% and working full time; in 2026 she still had neuropathy and dysautonomia.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Mirtazapine· Helped a lotL-theanine· HelpedMagnesium glycinate· HelpedMelatonin· HelpedMeditation and breathing· HelpedElectrolytes· Helped5-HTP· HelpedPrune juice· HelpedYoga· HelpedTaurine· HelpedHeating pad· HelpedStretching· HelpedSwimming in a cold pool· HelpedQuercetin· No changeFlu shot· No changeAntibiotics for a UTI· Not saidLyrica· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- L-theanine · Helped
I take the L-theanine at night mainly ... they calm me down quite well to the point that I am not panicking anymore
In context ↗ - Magnesium glycinate · Helped
Magnesium also helps me with the twitches when they're especially bad
In context ↗ - Melatonin · Helped
I find taking both of these plus L-Theanine helps me get at least 4 hours a night
In context ↗ - Meditation and breathing · Helped
if I do things to calm my nervous system (meditation/breathing) before I went to bed it seemed to happen less
In context ↗ - Electrolytes · Helped
making sure I'm very hydrated (not only with water but with electrolytes as well)
In context ↗ - 5-HTP · Helped
I've found that magnesium, l-theanine and 5-HTP have been helpful in getting me into at least a bit calmer state
In context ↗ - Prune juice · Helped
This is the only thing that works for me when I'm constipated
In context ↗ - Yoga · Helped
low impact movement like swimming, stretching and and yoga helps a bit
In context ↗ - Antibiotics for a UTI · Not said
after I finished a round of antibiotics for a UTI
In context ↗ - Taurine · Helped
I am able to fall asleep without the jolts every night with L-Theanine magnesium glycinate, melatonin and taurine
In context ↗ - Mirtazapine · Helped a lot
Mirtazapine is literally the only thing that has helped my sleep during long haul
In context ↗ - Quercetin · No change
It didn't help me
In context ↗ - Heating pad · Helped
I use the heating pad but that only does so much
In context ↗ - Propranolol · Helped
I was diagnosed with POTS and started taking propanolol which helped
In context ↗ - Stretching · Helped
Light stretching and swimming in my cold pool has helped the nerve and muscle pain, not always though
In context ↗ - Swimming in a cold pool · Helped
cold water like the pool seems to help and just laying down
In context ↗ - Rest · Helped
nothing has really helped me but rest, time and antihistamines
In context ↗ - Time · Helped a lot
Time is essentially the only cure
In context ↗ - Claritin (loratadine) · Helped
taking daily antihistamines (Pepcid and Claritin) really helps
In context ↗ - Pepcid (famotidine) · Helped
I would give Claritin and Pepcid a try, it really helped me
In context ↗ - Lyrica · Not said
I also have a prescription for lyrica when the antihistamines don't help enough but I don't take it often
In context ↗ - Flu shot · No change
I did and I was fine, didn't have any reaction to it really
In context ↗
Approaches: H1 antihistamines · H2 blockers · Beta-blockers · Pacing
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 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| mid-2021 | long COVID began with floaters and odd sensory reactionsMy first symptoms were floaters that did not go awayIn context ↗ | Not stated | |
| first few months | severe anxiety, panic, depression and suicidal thoughts, insomnia and nerve painI had terrible depression and suicidal thoughts the first few months of my long haul.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2022-01-28 | improved since the beginning; about 40% on bad days, 75-80% on good daysit’s been 6 months and I’ve definitely gotten better since the beginning but still have days where I feel I’m only 40% where I used to be, on good days maybe 75-80%In context ↗ | Mild | Time and spontaneous remission |
| 2022-01-31 | omicron exposure brought widespread nerve pain, twitches, brain fog and worse POTSI was doing so well prior to this and had made a lot of improvements.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2022-07-08 | insomnia and jerks mostly gone; anxiety and panic almost gone, POTS and pain remainingA lot better! Not 100% but the anxiety and panic symptoms have gone away almost completely, now I just deal with POTS, residual fatigue, and some muscle/nerve pain.In context ↗ | Mild | Time and spontaneous remission |
| 2022-08-09 | reinfected with COVID, achy and congestedNot feeling too good right now, achy and super congested.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2022-11-07 | POTS much better; some days fine with no medicationI haven’t recovered but I am sooooooo much better ... some days I feel perfectly fine with no medsIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2023-09-05 | about 90% there, working full time and active without flaresI would say I’m around 90% there. I hold down a full time job and am able to be active without having a flare up after.In context ↗ | Near normal | Time and spontaneous remission |
| 2026-02-16 | still around 90%, with lingering neuropathy and dysautonomiaI feel like I’m still at around 90%, sometimes it goes to 80%. It varies.In context ↗ | Near normal |
Adverse events
- Famotidine (Pepcid)“I do get anxiety from famotidine though so I take propanolol with it to help control my heart rate” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogGut problemsHeart symptoms & palpitationsLight & noise sensitivityMuscle weaknessNeuropathy & tinglingPOTS & dysautonomiaPain & fibromyalgiaSleep problemsTemperature regulationVision problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Brain fog
I experienced brain fog (still do sometimes)
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
I still have neuropathy and dysautonomia.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
both the insomnia and the jerks have gone away for the most part
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
pain that spreads all throughout my upper back and down my arms
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I had severe nausea the first 2 months of long haul, it was actually one of my first symptoms along with diarrhea but it has since subsided.
In context ↗ - Light & noise sensitivity
I definitely am more sensitive emotionally and physically when it comes to stimulation or just experiencing things
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
Very helpful for me in controlling my heart rate and when my anxiety is out of control
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
occasional weakness in my extremities
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
nerve pain, tingling, electric shock type feelings, twitches and occasional weakness in my extremities
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I had terrible depression and suicidal thoughts the first few months of my long haul ... I do still have the odd bout of random anxiety
- Temperature regulation
Fatigue, nerve pain in arms and legs, twitches, POTS, hot flashes
In context ↗ - Vision problems
my vision is now clear with the glasses when it used to be blurry even with my glasses
In context ↗
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