Long COVID
Severe → much betterIll 5 years before improving or writingNeeds ongoing treatment
Bed/couch-bound with long COVID, now much better; propranolol helped POTS
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Severe (mostly bedbound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 5 years
- Last post
- Sep 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
Btw I'm 3y into LC
In context ↗ - At worst: Severe
My first year of LC I was mainly bed bound because I wasn't able to walk anymore
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
I'm not fully recovered but I'm recovered enough to be able to survive for years.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I got it in October of of 20.
Read from 249 of their posts and comments; links to the 61 this page draws on
- Oct 2023
- Jan 2023
- Sep 2026
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Summary
Dusk 77985 caught COVID in 2020 and was largely bed/couch-bound for at least two and a half years with severe PEM, brain fog, POTS and gut problems, losing his jobs. Propranolol helped his POTS and chest tightness, LDN was just starting, and speech therapy targeted head symptoms; Lexapro caused side effects he disliked. By early 2023 he described himself as roughly 20–35% recovered, still largely bed/couch-bound, with crashes continuing.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
psilocybin mushrooms (mushies)· Helped a lotprotocol from family doctor in Mexico· Helped a lotginger, turmeric, cinnamon, lemon, chamomile and honey tea· Helpedginger, turmeric, cinnamon, lemon, chamomile and honey tea· Helpedginger, turmeric, cinnamon, lemon, chamomile and honey tea· Helpedginger, turmeric, cinnamon, lemon, chamomile and honey tea· Helpedginger, turmeric, cinnamon, lemon, chamomile and honey tea· Helpedginger, turmeric, cinnamon, lemon, chamomile and honey tea· Helpedcannabis (CBD, THC edibles, nano THC drinks)· Helped1-2% alcohol medicated shampoo· Helpedgabapentin (Gaba)· Helpednight-time antipsychotic / sleep medication ("Rem something")· Helpedcetirizine· Helpedreading and brain-training exercises· Helpedcold showers· Helpedvagus nerve stimulation· Helpedbromelain· Helpedlion's mane and turkey tail· HelpedMexican herbal medicine· Helpedpacing· HelpedCymbalta (duloxetine)· Helpedregular talk therapy· Helpedcreatine· Helpedfamotidine (famontide)· No changeamoxicillin (amox)· No changeunintentional fasting· No changeLexapro (escitalopram)· Worseinhaler· Worsetrazodone· Worsevitamin D3 65k· Not saidaspirin 81· Not saidquercetin· Not saidNAC· Not saidCBT groups (IOP)· Not saidphysical therapy· Not saidashwagandha· Not saidCOVID vaccination as treatment· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, lemon, chamomile and honey tea · Helped
Ginger and tumeric are really crazy good. It let me have a voice for 30 min
In context ↗ - psilocybin mushrooms (mushies) · Helped a lot
It's so wild the dramatic change... It even made me feel like I was still me and brought my brain fog down.
In context ↗ - cannabis (CBD, THC edibles, nano THC drinks) · Helped
It was clearing my brain fog up and bringing focus and helping the derealization it was so crazy went from suicidal to Happy.
In context ↗ - 1-2% alcohol medicated shampoo · Helped
I used it around my 1 year and 2 month mark. Helped calm it down a good amount of notches.
In context ↗ - vitamin D3 65k · Not said
they barely gave me my 65k Vit d³ for a week because I was beyond deficient
In context ↗ - propranolol (propanolol) · Helped
I found Propanolol to be a game changer, I take 20-40 mg.
In context ↗ - Lexapro (escitalopram) · Worse
Lexapro gave me BAD male side effects on top of bad feel but not till around month 2.
In context ↗ - gabapentin (Gaba) · Helped
It helped with the twitches a lot! But the rest was very very incremental.
In context ↗ - night-time antipsychotic / sleep medication ("Rem something") · Helped
there's an anti psych one I take that helps me stay asleep for more bunches of times
In context ↗ - aspirin 81 · Not said
I now introduced aspirin 81 to my life at night.
In context ↗ - cetirizine · Helped
I'm on cetirziine too and it did help a bit.
In context ↗ - famotidine (famontide) · No change
They also prescribed me famontide for my GI shit/vagus even though I told them I have 0 fucking gerd or acid reflux.
In context ↗ - amoxicillin (amox) · No change
Had to take amox for something else I don't even remember now ... Good thing I didn't feel worse after.
In context ↗ - reading and brain-training exercises · Helped
reading was my leap of faith into forcing some mental training, remembering, rewiring and focus training
In context ↗ - speech therapy · Helped a lot
Speech therapy has been amazing for me too.
In context ↗ - LDN (low dose naltrexone) · Helped a lot
LDN is a game changer for me but I didnt really see results till months in.
In context ↗ - breathing exercises and meditation · Helped
Shallow tiny breathing even holding your breath for pockets of time is what really helped me survive my first year and half.
In context ↗ - cold showers · Helped
The cold shower thing kinda helped both my tolerance for heat and cold.
In context ↗ - vagus nerve stimulation · Helped
vagus nerve stimulation which has helped me a bit.
In context ↗ - quercetin · Not said
the quercetin and nac for some reason is tougher for me to do daily but still try to get it in.
In context ↗ - NAC · Not said
imma start bromelain -nac-querceritin for sinusitis -parosmia-dysguesia
In context ↗ - bromelain · Helped
For sinuses get Bromelain, I didn't need to take it every day for it to help.
In context ↗ - lion's mane and turkey tail · Helped
Lions mane + turkey is amazing.
In context ↗ - Mexican herbal medicine · Helped
barely bout to hit 1 week but stool issues, some mental clarity, anti anxiety, calmness, and some tiny energy is what it's been noticeable.
In context ↗ - inhaler · Worse
My own inhaler causes an array of stuff like tiredness and soreness and even more SOB and heart rate
In context ↗ - light walking and daily activity · Helped
Started off with lots of walking interval and then slowly added grooming/self care activity.
In context ↗ - pacing · Helped
I've been pacing ever since month 7.
In context ↗ - CBT groups (IOP) · Not said
I did do groups for iop on that shit and it was sometimes dreadful, sometimes a refreshing nod.
In context ↗ - Cymbalta (duloxetine) · Helped
No side effects yet but the benefits are also there.
In context ↗ - regular talk therapy · Helped
Therapy is helping me understand my body again
In context ↗ - protocol from family doctor in Mexico · Helped a lot
I actually made a huge leap of faith and finally accepted the doctor of my family in Mexico ... I'm not cured but ive definitely recovered a ton of symptoms up to 90% some kinda gone even.
In context ↗ - physical therapy · Not said
Had an amazing physical therapist as well!
In context ↗ - L-citrulline · Helped
One of my lab meds actually contain l-citruline I think it's called and I now buy it out here in states when I run out. Helped with base lvl energy mental and physical.
In context ↗ - creatine · Helped
L - citrulline and creatine could help too as I see a difference using it.
In context ↗ - trazodone · Worse
Don't do trazadone it's trash.
In context ↗ - ashwagandha · Not said
Ashwaganda is amazing for lots of things!! I was taking it before COVID as well.
In context ↗ - unintentional fasting · No change
I wish fasting would work for me , still do it unintentionally
In context ↗ - COVID vaccination as treatment · Not said
made my whole arm limp and numb while in pain. Also made me more fatigued then I was.
In context ↗
Approaches: Beta-blockers · Mind-body practices · Physiotherapy and rehab · Supplements
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 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2020 | COVID-19 infection; symptoms never went awayI lasted positive sick for about 3 nd half weeks. ... After testing negative my symptoms never went away.In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| 2021 (first year) | bedbound, unable to walk, constant painMy first year of LC I was mainly bed bound because I wasn't able to walk anymore, it hurt so much that I thought I was literally injuredIn context ↗ | Severe | |
| early 2022 | some symptoms began to lessenall uphill of getting worse until around year 1 and two months when specific symptoms started to lessenIn context ↗ | Severe | |
| early 2022 | propranolol brought down heart rate and chest tightnessWith the beta blockers it really was a game changer, it felt like i had a chance at surviving another day.In context ↗ | Severe | Propranolol (Inderal) |
| February 2023 | started LDN, Wellbutrin and speech therapyaround February was when I got prescribed my next two life changing treatmentsIn context ↗ | Severe | Low-dose naltrexone |
| August 2023 | graduated to housebound, still bedriddenAround 2.5y I got crazy overall changes. Actually graduated to house bound(still bedridden tho).In context ↗ | Severe | Low-dose naltrexone |
| 2025 (year 5) | treatment from a doctor in Mexico; walking againaround year 5 started to walk some distance to being able to walk every day and not holding to stuffIn context ↗ | Moderate | |
| October 2025 | most symptoms recovered; walking, pushups, carrying 20lbI'm not cured but ive definitely recovered a ton of symptoms up to 90% some kinda gone even.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| September 2026 | over 50% recovered; daily walking and light exercise; first job in seven yearsI'm recovered over 50% now solid but it took me 5+ years to see a change.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)“I took Lexapro but got off it because of weird numbing and even more decreased libido.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Escitalopram (Lexapro), Duloxetine (Cymbalta), Trazodone (Desyrel)“even worse sexual side effect and diff emotional blunting.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)“I actually made it worse around 1.5y because I got on Lexapro and it made it way worse” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Escitalopram (Lexapro), Duloxetine (Cymbalta), Trazodone (Desyrel)“I also got ssri'd and it made it worse.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Escitalopram (Lexapro), Duloxetine (Cymbalta), Trazodone (Desyrel)“Side effects definitely came up mildly in middle of use and when I stopped.” In context ↗ Side effects
- “it was a huge pill and it even started to intensify headaches and stuff.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“made my whole arm limp and numb while in pain. Also made me more fatigued then I was.” In context ↗ Side effects
- “being sent to panic attacks and being triggered.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Speech therapy“I only do speech therapy once a week and every two/3 weeks I take a week off because I crash real hard every week.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Cryotherapy and cold exposure“at first it was causing shivering and injury from shivering(pulls and strains).” In context ↗ Side effects
- Meditation, yoga, breathwork“retry all the different breathing exercises from people only for it to make my anxiety worse, my stomach even more tired and less capable of handling breathing, suffocating feeling and other stuff.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- “My own inhaler causes an array of stuff like tiredness and soreness and even more SOB and heart rate from the action of shaking it.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Ginger, Turmeric / curcumin, Cinnamon, Lemon juice and lemon water, Chamomile tea, Honey and raw honey, Herbal remedies (unspecified), Ashwagandha“I was actually supposed to take the medicine with food otherwise it causes the stool stuff.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- “stopped it because at end I started getting side effects” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogBreathlessnessGut problemsHeadaches & migraineHeart symptoms & palpitationsLight & noise sensitivityLoss of smell or tasteMuscle weaknessNeuropathy & tinglingPOTS & dysautonomiaPain & fibromyalgiaPost-exertional malaiseSleep problemsTemperature regulationTinnitusVision problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
I still crash about every day and still struggle with small energy reserve both mental and physical
In context ↗ - Brain fog
3ys LC.. still have major Brian fog.
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
pots has gotten better a lot too but still suffer weird shit
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I sleep for like total of 3-6 hours. Fragmented as hell too.
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
I have full body soreness and pain 24/7
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
The headaches and migraines are there every day
In context ↗ - Gut problems
My GI is destroyed from both gut microbiome and my vagus.
In context ↗ - Light & noise sensitivity
Insomnia at night with major light sensitivity all day and headache+ migraine all day.
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
I also can't breathe thru my nose and have sob, pots etc..
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
My rate will still go up but only in exertion and extreme anxiety.
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
I was very fit, now I'm steadily loosing muscle mass.
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
Neuropathy is annoying and it happens all over
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I struggle with suicidal ideation as a symptom but also as secondary symptom from the torture,pain and loss
In context ↗ - Loss of smell or taste
I'm at 3y LC with no smell
In context ↗ - Tinnitus
I went through a time where my tinnitus lowered a bit but then it always comes back in reminders.
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
I have a heat intolerance from COVID as well.
In context ↗ - Vision problems
I have blurry and snowy vision, everything looks far away/distant.
In context ↗
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