Years of long COVID exhaustion and brain fog, now much better after gradual build-up
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 6 years
- Last post
- Aug 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I have been cursed with this virus since September
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I don’t take walks during my break anymore, I nap. I don’t go to the gym anymore. Instead I nap.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
Ik ben pas beter gemeld op het moment dat ik weer 32 uur per week kon maken ... maar het gaat eigenlijk best prima
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I have been cursed with this virus since September
In context ↗
Read from 6 of their posts and comments; links to the 6 this page draws on
Summary
They fell ill with COVID in September 2020 and had years of exhaustion, brain fog, numbness, headaches, hair loss and weight gain, still working but napping up to three times daily. A flu and infected shoulder in December 2022 left them worse. After a two-hour data entry job put them in bed for a month, they built up gradually to 32 hours of work a week and were signed off as recovered, though they still sometimes need to lie down.
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What they tried
What they credit
Their words about each treatment
- physical therapy · Helped
I started physical therapy a few weeks ago to get some strength and condition again. Compared to pre-sick me, the numbers are absolutely horrible.
In context ↗ - walking 10k steps daily and exercising 4 times a week · Worse
I excersise 4 times a week and talk an hour long walk every day. I have stopped doing this to see if this is too much, but no difference. ... exercise only makes it worse
In context ↗ - reintegration with gradual build-up of working hours · Helped a lot
Ik ben pas beter gemeld op het moment dat ik weer 32 uur per week kon maken ... Er zijn nog steeds momenten dat ik even moet liggen
In context ↗
Approaches: Physiotherapy and rehab
Their path
What they say at each step doesn’t fit the worst point or outcome above on the severity scale, so the steps are listed as they describe them. Dates are when they posted.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| September 2020 | fell ill with COVID, 27 symptomsI have been ill since the beginning of September and I still have a whole list of symptoms (27 in total, yay)In context ↗ |
| January 2021 | physical therapy and daily walking; slowly getting betterI walk 10k steps everyday and I have physical therapy twice a week to strengthen my body again.In context ↗ |
| September 2021 | numbness spreading, exercise made it worsethe numbness is spreading to my arms and hand palms at times and exercise only makes it worseIn context ↗ |
| December 2022 | exhausted after flu and infected shoulder; stopped walks and gymEver since then I am exhausted. I don’t take walks during my break anymore, I nap. I don’t go to the gym anymore. Instead I nap.In context ↗ |
| 2025 | two to three weeks with no symptomsLast year I had 2-3 weeks where I felt no symptoms.In context ↗ |
| — | two-hour-a-day data entry job, then a month in bedDit ging niet goed en heb een maand weer in bed gelegen.In context ↗ |
| August 2026 | built up gradually to 32 hours of work a week and signed off as recoveredIk ben pas beter gemeld op het moment dat ik weer 32 uur per week kon maken ... Er zijn nog steeds momenten dat ik even moet liggen of simpel de ogen dicht moet doen, maar het gaat eigenlijk best primaIn context ↗ |
Adverse events
- Graded rehab and self-made programmes“Dit ging niet goed en heb een maand weer in bed gelegen.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
exercise only makes it worse
In context ↗ - Brain fog
I forget things. I bump into things.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
On a good day I need a nap once on top of my 8 hour night rest. On bad days I need three.
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
To be without pain for a week.
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
My head hurts half the time
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
my arms and legs feel tingly and numb
In context ↗ - Vision problems
I have trouble keeping a clear vision and often stare and have trouble reading.
In context ↗ - Hair loss
Blood loss, sensitive body parts, cravings and hair loss are still things I have to deal with.
In context ↗
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