Long COVID
Moderate → no benefitIll for 4 years
Long COVID with continual headache, PEM and brain fog, no improvement from triptans
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill for
- 4 years
- Last post
- Oct 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
My 4th-year Long Covid presents with headaches/migraine among other symptoms
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I am fortunately that I am not bedbound, although I choose to only leave home 1-2 times weekly for energy/fatigue reasons.
In context ↗ - Now: No benefit
My 4th-year Long Covid presents with headaches/migraine among other symptoms; the headaches/migraine has been evolving over the past 4 years.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
My 4th-year Long Covid presents with headaches/migraine among other symptoms.
Read from 12 of their posts and comments; links to the 12 this page draws on
Summary
Dew 58450 has had Long COVID for around four years, with a continual headache/migraine, PEM, fatigue and brain fog, and by choice leaves home only once or twice a week. Metoprolol, taken to prevent migraines, worsened brain fog and malaise for two years until weaning off it lifted the fog within a week; amlodipine was also poorly tolerated. THC/CBD and compression garments helped symptoms; triptans did not, and NSAIDs only dulled the pain.
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What they tried
Also tried
Celecoxib· Helpedparacetamol/PCM· Helpedtramadol and other opioids· HelpedTHC/CBD· Helpedcompression tops, bottoms, all-in-ones· HelpedDiclofenac· No changestopping beers and alcohol· No changeGA surgery· No changeAmlodypine· Worsetryptans· Worsenerve blockers (nortriptyline/amytriptyline)· Worsenerve blockers (nortriptyline/amytriptyline)· Worsemetoprolol· Much worse
Their words about each treatment
- Diclofenac · No change
Diclofenac nor Celecoxib does not even come close to helping when my Long COVID migraines hit past a 8/10.
In context ↗ - Celecoxib · Helped
It helps in so far as it dulls the pain.
In context ↗ - metoprolol · Much worse
I lost 2 years of my recovery and life to metoprolol.
In context ↗ - Amlodypine · Worse
It was also terrible. I stopped Amlodypine after a couple of weeks.
In context ↗ - paracetamol/PCM · Helped
On Celecoxib and Paracetamol, I don't "feel pain" but I can certainly tell that the pain is there.
In context ↗ - tramadol and other opioids · Helped
it does what tramadol and other opioids usually do
In context ↗ - THC/CBD · Helped
They work well to manage pain/nausea/appetite/fatigue symptoms for me
In context ↗ - tryptans · Worse
None of them worked for me and, furthermore, made other symptoms worse off.
In context ↗ - stopping beers and alcohol · No change
I stopped them hoping the migraines/headaches would reduce or disappear. No luck.
In context ↗ - GA surgery · No change
I didn't find the recovery any different to prior GA
In context ↗ - compression tops, bottoms, all-in-ones · Helped
they certainly make me feel better when I have to go out or get things done in terms of less fatigue
In context ↗ - nerve blockers (nortriptyline/amytriptyline) · Worse
I have had similar symptoms while on beta blockers and nerve blockers (nortriptyline/amytriptyline).
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 first step with a time is 3.8 years after onset: the story doesn’t say how ill they were before that. The dashed part: the story doesn’t say when. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| July 2022 | Long COVID beginsIt's my 4th year of LC, starting 5th year in July.In context ↗ | Not stated |
| — | brain fog and malaise worsened on metoprolol, worse with each dose increase; coincided with third Covid infectionBrain fog got worse and general malaise worse, they upped the dose, brain fog got worse malaise got worse.In context ↗ | Moderate |
| April 2026 | brain fog lifted within a week of weaning off metoprololwithin a week of weaning metoprolol, the brain fog liftedIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2026-10-19 | still limited to 1-2 outings a week; compression garments help fatigue when outI am fortunately that I am not bedbound, although I choose to only leave home 1-2 times weekly for energy/fatigue reasons.In context ↗ | Moderate |
Adverse events
- Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol)“Brain fog got worse and general malaise worse, they upped the dose, brain fog got worse malaise got worse.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Amlodipine (Norvasc)“It was also terrible. I stopped Amlodypine after a couple of weeks.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Triptans (unspecified)“None of them worked for me and, furthermore, made other symptoms worse off.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol)“I have had similar symptoms while on beta blockers and nerve blockers (nortriptyline/amytriptyline).” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Nortriptyline (Pamelor), Amitriptyline (Elavil)“I have had similar symptoms while on beta blockers and nerve blockers (nortriptyline/amytriptyline).” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Headaches & migraine
Current headache/migraine is over 30days long, no "clear day".
In context ↗ - Post-exertional malaise
aside from PEM and fatigue
In context ↗ - Brain fog
within a week of weaning metoprolol, the brain fog lifted
In context ↗ - Gut problems
They work well to manage pain/nausea/appetite/fatigue symptoms for me
In context ↗