Long COVID breathlessness, somewhat better with nortriptyline and anticoagulants
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- Not stated
- Last post
- Oct 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
There’s definitely a PEM component to it but I don’t feel the typical fatigue and tiredness, just the shortness of breath
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
My physical threshold has significantly decreased from walking and working out fairly consistently to barely being able to walk a few days a week
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
I’m a lot better than most people on here but still chasing complete recovery
In context ↗
Read from 12 of their posts and comments; links to the 7 this page draws on
Summary
A 28-year-old man with long COVID whose worst symptom is breathlessness triggered by activity; after a sinus infection and bronchitis in June he could barely walk a few days a week. Nortriptyline helped quite a bit, a Wixela inhaler barely helped. Pepcid and Claritin control MCAS-like hives. He started triple anticoagulant therapy, which helped a little in the first week, and says he is better than most but still chasing full recovery.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- augmented NAC · Not said
I noticed the same thing after I began taking augmented NAC ... Taking it on an empty stomach makes me feel strange so I’ve just been taking it with food.
- Nortriptyline · Helped
Nortriptyline helped me quite a bit.
In context ↗ - McCullough’s ultimate spike detox with 8000 FU of natto · No change
Been on McCullough’s ultimate spike detox with 8000 FU of natto for over a year, hasn’t helped much ... I took it for a year and a half and it didn’t do anything for me unfortunately
- Relaxium sleepquick melatonin gummy · Helped
Have had the same thing in the past when I was really bad. Taking a melatonin sleep gummy really helped.
In context ↗ - wixela inhub inhaler · Helped
Pulmonologist put me on wixela inhub inhaler twice a day and it’s helped a good bit ... it hasn’t really touched the shortness of breath, maybe slight improvement in the first month but barely noticeable now
- rest · Helped
Following. Same for me and the only thing that seems to help is rest
In context ↗ - Claritin · Helped
MCAS-like symptoms (itching/rash/hives) are well controlled with Pepcid BID and Claritin 1x daily
In context ↗ - triple anti coagulation therapy · Helped
Just started triple anti coagulation therapy (aspirin, eliquis and pentoxifylline) and it seems to be helping a little, although it’s only been a week
In context ↗ - Pantoprazole · Helped
I remember I was taking Pantoprazole a while ago and it seemed to help with the trouble swallowing/throat closing feeling
In context ↗
Approaches: Pacing · Tricyclic antidepressants
Their path
How ill they were on the ME/CFS severity scale, estimated from what they describe at each point, in the order they describe; they don’t give enough times to place each step. Hover or tap a point. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were |
|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | Physical threshold dropped after a sinus infection turned into bronchitisbarely being able to walk a few days a week after having a sinus infection/bronchitis back in JuneIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2026-08-29 | Better than most others with long COVID, still chasing full recoveryI’m a lot better than most people on here but still chasing complete recovery.In context ↗ | Mild |
| 2026-10-12 | Started triple anticoagulation; breathlessness still his worst symptomJust started triple anti coagulation therapy (aspirin, eliquis and pentoxifylline) and it seems to be helping a little, although it’s only been a weekIn context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- NAC (N-acetylcysteine)“Taking it on an empty stomach makes me feel strange so I’ve just been taking it with food.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Breathlessness
This is my worst/most intrusive symptom
In context ↗ - Post-exertional malaise
There’s definitely a PEM component to it
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
occasional PVCs which do cause symptomatic palpitations
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
a substantial etC02 drop on my tilt table test and upon standing
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
MCAS-like symptoms (itching/rash/hives) are well controlled with Pepcid BID and Claritin 1x daily
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
Have had the same thing in the past when I was really bad. Taking a melatonin sleep gummy really helped.
In context ↗
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