Long COVID with months of air hunger, nearly back to normal after benzodiazepine
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 18 months
- Last post
- Dec 2021
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I had long Covid back in 2020.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I did continue to brisk walk and often suffered afterwards with increased palpitations, chest pain and SOB
In context ↗ - Now: Near normal
Eventually, my breathing normalized ... I do feel like I am finally ready to start pushing my heart and lungs again.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
after my initial bout of Covid
Read from 4 of their posts and comments; links to the 4 this page draws on
Summary
Had long COVID from 2020, with about three months of air hunger that fluctuated in severity, a couple months of palpitations and a raised resting heart rate, plus a panic attack and one episode of severe stomach cramping. A small dose of a benzodiazepine eased the air hunger significantly, and breathing normalised after about three months. Occasional chest heaviness and throat itchiness took several more months to go. By late 2021 they felt ready to push their heart and lungs again.
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What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- benzodiazepine · Helped
I took a small dose and the symptoms abated. Didn't go away completely, but did improve significantly.
In context ↗ - brisk walk · Worse
I did continue to brisk walk and often suffered afterwards with increased palpitations, chest pain and SOB, for weeks!
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 1 month 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | long COVID after initial Covid boutI had long Covid back in 2020In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| 2020, first months | constant air hunger, palpitations, panic attackit was the most agonizing period of my entire lifeIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2020, a few months in | benzodiazepine eased air hungerI took a small dose and the symptoms abated. Didn't go away completely, but did improve significantly.In context ↗ | Mild | Benzodiazepines (unspecified) |
| 2020-2021 | breathing normalised, residual symptoms clearedEventually, my breathing normalized, but after that, it would be another several months before any of the residual symptoms of occasional chest heaviness, throat itchiness went away.In context ↗ | Near normal | |
| 2021-12-24 | ready to exercise againI do feel like I am finally ready to start pushing my heart and lungs again.In context ↗ | Near normal |
Adverse events
- Everyday exercise and activity“I did continue to brisk walk and often suffered afterwards with increased palpitations, chest pain and SOB, for weeks!” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Breathlessness
I had air hunger for about 3 months after my initial bout of Covid.
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
I had palpitations and a higher than normal resting heart rate for about a couple of months after my bout of Covid.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I had a panic attack and ended up requesting a benzodiazepine from my doctor.
In context ↗ - Gut problems
3 months into it, I did get really bad cramping which lasted for several hours.
In context ↗ - Post-exertional malaise
I did continue to brisk walk and often suffered afterwards with increased palpitations, chest pain and SOB, for weeks!
In context ↗ - Flu-like symptoms
occasional chest heaviness, throat itchiness went away
In context ↗