Long COVID with panic, POTS, brain fog and fatigue, now about 50% better
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 2.5 years
- Last post
- Nov 2024
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
mixed bag ever since having Covid back in January of 22
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
Very reduced capacity for physical activity ... with POTS I can't stand for more than ten minutes at a time without feeling lightheaded.
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
Two and a half years out here. Probably about 50% better.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I think covid just got in there and swirled up my nervous system
Read from 25 of their posts and comments; links to the 16 this page draws on
Summary
Eagle 12515, a 36-year-old man, developed long COVID a month after a mild Omicron infection in January 2022: near-daily panic and adrenaline attacks, POTS, brain fog, fatigue and unrefreshing sleep. Six months of daily Xanax brought tolerance and a hospital detox, and by August 2023 he was unemployed and could stand only ten minutes. By late 2024 he was about 50% better, working part-time but still dizzy and fatigued.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Xanax · Helped
Only thing that ended up making me feel back to normal was Xanax ... I previously took 1mg of xanax daily for about six months until I crashed real bad from developing a tolerance
- stopping alcohol and cannabis · Not said
Recently stopped doing both completely, after noticing the mornings after doing both were absolutely miserable.
In context ↗ - Effexor · Worse
The first night I took it (after a xanax to help me calm down/sleep) and I woke up tingling like crazy and almost feeling like my body was on fire.
In context ↗ - Zoloft · Not said
I'm on 50mg a day ... A week in and I'm feeling all right.
In context ↗ - Ativan · No change
they gave me Ativan, which did nothing
In context ↗ - Klonopin · Helped
I take .25mg of Klonopin when they start to become bothersome, probably twice a week... trying to get it down to less
In context ↗ - Lexapro · Helped
I really liked Lexapro, but it came with some sexual side effects so ultimately I had to stop taking it after I got married.
In context ↗ - Wellbutrin · Not said
I used to be on wellbutrin
In context ↗ - Omeprazole · No change
They did try to treat me for GERD for a bit there. Gave me omeprazole. I never really noticed if it worked or not.
In context ↗ - smaller meals/portioning · Helped
I've found that smaller portioning tends to stop this from happening.
In context ↗ - decaf coffee · Not said
I've switched to decaf.
In context ↗ - increased water and sodium, compression garments · Not said
I'm trying to up my water intake as well as my sodium. I can't find any compression garments that help
In context ↗
Approaches: Benzodiazepines
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 1 month after onset: the story doesn’t say how ill they were before that. 2 steps say too little to place on the scale and are only in the table. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were |
|---|---|---|
| January 2022 | mild Omicron infection, back to normal in five daysFive days, lost sense of taste/smell, mild fever, and then back to normal.In context ↗ | Not stated |
| February 2022 | panic and dread attacks began, five days of attacks with three ER visits and a telemetry admissionVery beginning of February, I had just a marathon session of attacks that lasted about five days in total.In context ↗ | Mild |
| August 2022 | Xanax tolerance crash and a week in a psych ward detoxingthe bottom just absolutely fell out when I started developing a toleranceIn context ↗ | Not stated |
| August 2023 | unemployed with POTS, brain fog, serious fatigue and very reduced capacity; $30k in debtI'm 36. Married. Unemployed, if you don't count sporadically delivering for Uber Eats.In context ↗ | Moderate |
| November 2023 | panic and adrenaline feelings much more tolerableI guess I've improved a lot since it has never been that bad again.In context ↗ | Mild |
| September 2024 | about 50% better, part-time desk job, still dizzy at screens with periodic crushing fatigueTwo and a half years out here. Probably about 50% better.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Alprazolam (Xanax)“I previously took 1mg of xanax daily for about six months until I crashed real bad from developing a tolerance (was definitely overprescribed).” In context ↗ Withdrawal problems
- Alprazolam (Xanax)“I ended up in the psych ward for a week, having to detox.” In context ↗ Hospitalisation
- Venlafaxine (Effexor)“The first night I took it (after a xanax to help me calm down/sleep) and I woke up tingling like crazy and almost feeling like my body was on fire.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Sertraline (Zoloft)“Little bit of an upset stomach here and there.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Venlafaxine (Effexor), Sertraline (Zoloft), Escitalopram (Lexapro), Bupropion (Wellbutrin)“And my jaw locks up a little every time I yawn” In context ↗ Side effects
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)“it came with some sexual side effects so ultimately I had to stop taking it after I got married” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- POTS & dysautonomia
POTS all but confirmed by a specialist.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
Panic/Dread attacks on an almost daily basis
In context ↗ - Brain fog
brain fog hits me like a truck some days
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I can't ever seem to get a good night's sleep.
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
my left arm gets kind of numb/cold and tingling pretty much all the time
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
I've had back pain up between my shoulder blades this entire time as well.
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
I'm constantly experiencing tachycardia any time I'm not laying down.
In context ↗ - Loss of smell or taste
Five days, lost sense of taste/smell, mild fever, and then back to normal.
In context ↗ - Gut problems
They did try to treat me for GERD for a bit there.
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
I'd be winded so easily
In context ↗
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