Long COVID with chest pain, improved on antihistamines then relapsed after reinfection
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 3.5 years
- Last post
- Jan 2025
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I'm 34M, 6 months into long covid.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I've mostly been able to continue living life albeit with no exercise and lots of rest.
In context ↗ - Now: Relapsed
I recovered from my first bout of Long Covid after about 11 months ... have been relapsing for the last 2 months
- Began after: a vaccination
got my 2nd Pfizer 8 weeks ago, which is what triggered my LH symptoms
Read from 20 of their posts and comments; links to the 13 this page draws on
Summary
A UK man developed long COVID in 2021, after a second Pfizer dose following a mild COVID infection. He had chest pain, palpitations, breathlessness and muscle weakness, improved on an antihistamine, and recovered after about 11 months. A July 2022 reinfection brought a second bout with chest and gut pain and crashes after sport. By January 2025 antihistamines and nicotine patches helped but were no cure.
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What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- mefenamic acid · Helped
Treated this with mefenamic acid and it calmed down after a week.
In context ↗ - ibuprofen · Not said
I continue to use ibuprofen if and when chest pains flare up.
In context ↗ - piraton (chlorphenamine maleate) · Helped
I've been taking 2 tablets a day for the last two weeks. I definitely feel like I'm thinking more clearly and have more energy.
In context ↗ - water with Phizz electrolyte tablets · Not said
I drink a pint of water with a Phizz electrolyte tablet, twice a day.
In context ↗ - pacing / staying within my energy envelope · Not said
I didn't have any SOB at and stayed within my "energy envelope".
In context ↗ - cutting out alcohol and caffeine · Not said
I've already cut out alcohol and caffeine.
In context ↗ - nicotine patches · Helped
These two interventions clear my brain fog and lift my energy just enough to function as a relatively normal adult human.
In context ↗ - COVID vaccination as treatment · Worse
I got the 2nd dose quite soon afterwards (18 days) as I wanted the double vaccination travel pass and didn't want to mess up holiday plans, and that's when my troubles began.
In context ↗
Approaches: H1 antihistamines
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. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2021 | long COVID symptoms began days after a second Pfizer dose, itself given soon after a mild COVID infectionI got the 2nd dose quite soon afterwards (18 days) as I wanted the double vaccination travel pass and didn't want to mess up holiday plans, and that's when my troubles began.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| September 2021 | chest issues, palpitations, breathlessness, then weak limbs, tingling and effortful swallowingArms, hands and legs feel very weak, feel like I'm losing control over my self. Even innate things like moving my fingers or swallowing.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2022-01-05 | second neuro flare-up but recovery heading the right wayApart from the flare-ups, I think my recovery has been moving in the right direction.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2022-01-15 | crashed after playing 15 holes of golfPlayed 15 holes of golf today and I am absolute mess now. Think I'll be paying for that for the next week or two!In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2022-02-07 | much more energy and clearer thinking; played a full 18 holes of golfthey don't sap my energy levels like before and I can pretty much live a normal life, excluding intense exercise.In context ↗ | Near normal | Chlorphenamine (Piriton, Chlor-Trimeton) |
| March 2022 | chest-pain flare-up and costochondritis after six days of snowboardingsure enough, got hit with a horrible chest-pain flare-up and costocondritis the day after.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| mid 2022 | recovered from the first bout of long COVID after about 11 monthsI recovered from my first bout of Long Covid after about 11 monthsIn context ↗ | Near normal | |
| July 2022 | COVID reinfection; second bout of long COVID began 7 weeks laterI caught Covid again beginning of July 2022, generally mild and uneventful until 7 weeks later when chest, GI and head pains came on quite strong.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2022-12-08 | relapse with debilitating chest pain and thumping palpitations after 40 minutes of squashAll was fine during but afterwards, my body just wouldn't calm down.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| August 2023 | gut pain much worse after a bug or virus a month earlierI've had GI discomfort for a while, but it's gotten a lot worse since i had a bug or virus of some kind a month ago.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| November 2024 | relapsing for two months while working a stressful jobSame boat, have been relapsing for the last 2 monthsIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2025-01-26 | antihistamines plus nicotine patches cleared brain fog and lifted energy enough to functionThese two interventions clear my brain fog and lift my energy just enough to function as a relatively normal adult human.In context ↗ | Mild | Chlorphenamine (Piriton, Chlor-Trimeton) |
Adverse events
- COVID vaccination as treatment“I got the 2nd dose quite soon afterwards (18 days) as I wanted the double vaccination travel pass and didn't want to mess up holiday plans, and that's when my troubles began.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- COVID vaccination as treatment“I had about 6 weeks of on-and-off uncomfortable chest issues, palpitations, "spikey" heart feelings and general shortness of breath and light-headedness.” In context ↗ Heart rhythm problems
- Chlorphenamine (Piriton, Chlor-Trimeton)“I took a tablet last night before bed and I'm feeling pretty good this morning, bit of a headache but my body and nervous system feels calmer than it did days previously.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
All was fine during but afterwards, my body just wouldn't calm down.
In context ↗ - Brain fog
clear my brain fog and lift my energy just enough to function as a relatively normal adult human
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
The breathlessness and dizziness have eased.
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
I had a nasty relapse of quite debilitating chest pain.
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
chest, GI and head pains came on quite strong
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I've had GI discomfort for a while, but it's gotten a lot worse
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
general shortness of breath
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
I'm now getting noticeable thumping palpitations in my sternum area
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
Arms, hands and legs feel very weak, feel like I'm losing control over my self.
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
I've had a tingling sensation in my quads all evening
In context ↗
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