Long COVID
Moderate → relapsedIll 3 years before improving or writingNeeds ongoing treatment
Long COVID brain fog and crashes for 14 months, improved then relapsed
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 3 years
- Last post
- Aug 2024
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I have long covid from two infections. One lasted 14 months from Jan 2021 -> March 2022
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
With my first haul, they were really bad. moderate->severe?
In context ↗ - Now: Relapsed
Sadly I regressed after a reinfection as edited on my post. I am back to flares and PEM.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I have long covid from two infections. One lasted 14 months from Jan 2021 -> March 2022
In context ↗
Read from 192 of their posts and comments; links to the 48 this page draws on
- Dec 2022
- Oct 2023
- Mar 2024
- Nov 2023
- Dec 2022
- Apr 2024
- Jul 2022
- Dec 2022
- Dec 2022
- Dec 2022
- Nov 2022
- Apr 2023
- Dec 2022
- Dec 2022
- Dec 2022
- Mar 2023
- Feb 2024
- Dec 2022
- Aug 2023
- Apr 2023
- Jun 2023
- Aug 2023
- Jun 2023
- Aug 2024
- Aug 2023
- Dec 2022
- Dec 2022
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- Aug 2023
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- May 2024
- Jul 2024
- Apr 2023
- Mar 2023
- Dec 2022
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- Aug 2023
- Dec 2022
- Dec 2022
- Nov 2023
- May 2024
- Jan 2023
- Dec 2022
- Sep 2023
- Apr 2023
- Mar 2023
- Apr 2023
Summary
A 30-year-old in the US got COVID in January 2021 and was ill for 14 months with brain fog, chest pain and crashes after exercise. They credited exercise, daily breath work, hyperbaric oxygen and a supplement stack for their near-normal state in early 2023 after a second, milder seven-month haul. They still reported flare-ups and lingering symptoms, but by April 2023 said there had been no major regressions and they were back to daily workouts.
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What they tried
What they credit
mHBOT· Helped a lotbreath work (Wim Hof, box breathing, Powerbreathe trainer)· Helped a lot · mainexercise / daily movement· Helped · mainbaby aspirin / low dose aspirin· Helpedniacin· Helpednattokinase / NK/SK· Helped16:8 intermittent fasting· Helpedvitamin D (and sunlight)· Helpedquercetin· Helpedbromelain· Helpedturmeric / curcumin· Helpedomega-3 fish oil· HelpedNAC· Helpedcanned oxygen· Helpedcold showers / cold plunges· HelpedPEMF therapy and red light therapy· HelpedPEMF therapy and red light therapy· HelpedAcceptance and Commitment Therapy / therapy· HelpedL-Arginine + Citrulline (nitric oxide), cocoa flavanols· Helpednicotine patches· Helpeddiet / non-inflammatory foods· Helped
Also tried
Nviromune Restore· Helped a lotsupplement stack from heallongcovid.com· Helpedmelatonin· HelpedJohn Sarno's book / TMS· Helped · wore offimmunity shots (ginger, lemon, turmeric, orange, black pepper)· HelpedSt John's Wort (in Nviromune Restore)· Helpedzeolite powder (volcanic ash)· Helpedfermented foods (kefir, kombucha, kimchi, kraut) and probiotic supplements· HelpedValcyclovir / acyclovir· Helpedmetformin· Helpedsertraline· Helpedcorticosteroids· No changeivermectin· No changevitamin C· Worseibuprofen· Worsepacing· Not saidzinc· Not saidantihistamines· Not saidTENS / vagus nerve stimulation· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- exercise / daily movement · Helped
I personally accredit graded exercise for most of my recovery.
In context ↗ - pacing · Not said
Now I pace everything but at least do a walk to get blood pumping.
In context ↗ - corticosteroids · No change
For me, it was the first thing me and my doctor tried and it did absolutely nothing for me.
In context ↗ - vitamin C · Worse
I had some bad chest pains because i was taking vitamin C & caffeine.
In context ↗ - baby aspirin / low dose aspirin · Helped
Low dose aspirin, niacin, and nattokinase were very helpful in recovery.
In context ↗ - ibuprofen · Worse
Ibuprofen made all of my symptoms worse while knocking out the pain.
In context ↗ - 16:8 intermittent fasting · Helped
I've been doing 16:8 for a long time that has helped.
In context ↗ - supplement stack from heallongcovid.com · Helped
my current supplement stack which I created from
In context ↗ - vitamin D (and sunlight) · Helped
Vitamin D, Turmeric-Curcumin, Omega-3 Fish Oil
In context ↗ - zinc · Not said
I've tried many of the common supplements that give people daily relief like vitamin D, zinc, NK/SK, antihistamines, niacin, NAC, and more.
In context ↗ - quercetin · Helped
Vitamin D Quercetin Zinc
In context ↗ - melatonin · Helped
Breathing exercises, cold therapy, aspirin, and melatonin sincerely helped me through it.
In context ↗ - bromelain · Helped
bromelain/NAC(inactivates spike protein)
In context ↗ - antihistamines · Not said
like vitamin D, zinc, NK/SK, antihistamines, niacin, NAC, and more
In context ↗ - mHBOT · Helped a lot
I did 10 sessions at 2 atmosphere and it really helped my heart pain/pressure and has lasted for over 6 months now.
In context ↗ - canned oxygen · Helped
I also use canned oxygen which tends to help throughout the day.
In context ↗ - breath work (Wim Hof, box breathing, Powerbreathe trainer) · Helped a lot
The one that helped me the most is easily breath work.
In context ↗ - cold showers / cold plunges · Helped
With cold plunges, I wouldn't have crazy back inflammation/muscle aches.
In context ↗ - PEMF therapy and red light therapy · Helped
Some of the fun experiments I've tried over the years that had noticeable improvements are:
In context ↗ - John Sarno's book / TMS · Helped
I too thought it helped significantly until symptoms come pouring back months later.
In context ↗ - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy / therapy · Helped
I use simple things like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help guide me.
In context ↗ - L-Arginine + Citrulline (nitric oxide), cocoa flavanols · Helped
I take this and it helps significantly.
In context ↗ - immunity shots (ginger, lemon, turmeric, orange, black pepper) · Helped
immunity boosting (ginger, lemon, tumeric, orange, water, black pepper)
In context ↗ - nicotine patches · Helped
Symptoms are better when on it, but not enough to keep doing it except for rare occasions.
In context ↗ - TENS / vagus nerve stimulation · Not said
I have had nothing but positive experiences with TENS in the past.
In context ↗ - Nviromune Restore · Helped a lot
even an hour after the first dose, I felt immense relief especially to my brain fog & lower back inflammation.
In context ↗ - St John's Wort (in Nviromune Restore) · Helped
Been working well for me one week in.
In context ↗ - zeolite powder (volcanic ash) · Helped
I've done volcanic ash? that worked well for me too. It's called zeolite powder.
In context ↗ - fermented foods (kefir, kombucha, kimchi, kraut) and probiotic supplements · Helped
The main things that helped were fasting and probiotics.
In context ↗ - diet / non-inflammatory foods · Helped
I am not saying that any of these diets magically solved anything, but they sure did help.
In context ↗ - Valcyclovir / acyclovir · Helped
I'm a month into Valcyclovir and it seems to be helping.
In context ↗ - metformin · Helped
I'm on Metformin + Sertraline and they have me in a similar boat as you.
In context ↗ - ivermectin · No change
It never worked. Follow the published evidence
In context ↗
Approaches: CBT & mindset · Hyperbaric & oxygen · Alternative therapies · Anticoagulants · Diet · 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 first step with a time is 14 months 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 | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2021 | COVID infection, long covid beganI got infected in Jan 2021.In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| 2021 | worst months of the first (alpha) haulThe alpha strain was the most painful 14 months of my life.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| March 2022 | full recovery from first haulIt took me 14 months to recover fully the first time.In context ↗ | Recovered | Graded rehab and self-made programmes |
| July 2022 | omicron reinfection brought long covid backReinfected in July 2022 and been recovering since.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| December 2022 | about 90% recovered on hyperbaric oxygen and a new supplement stackI'm around 90% recovered and feel better each and every day.In context ↗ | Near normal | Hyperbaric oxygen (HBOT) |
| April 2023 | back to daily gym workouts after second haulI'm back to working out daily at the gym and hope to get back to my marathon trainingIn context ↗ | Near normal | Graded rehab and self-made programmes |
| October 2023 | short relapse after a third infectionI had a 1-2 week relapse in October so far, but symptoms keep waning.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| March 2024 | regressed after a reinfectionSadly I regressed after a reinfection as edited on my post. I am back to flares and PEM.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| May 2024 | remission days, not fully recoveredI have remission days where I feel normal and know for damn sure this is reversible.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Vitamin C“I had some bad chest pains because i was taking vitamin C & caffeine.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Ibuprofen (Advil, Nurofen, Motrin)“Ibuprofen made all of my symptoms worse while knocking out the pain.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Ibuprofen (Advil, Nurofen, Motrin)“Early on I had such bad vascular issues that it felt like I'd have a stroke when I'd take ibuprofen” In context ↗ Other
- Nattokinase“I did have a hard time taking nattokinase when I first had LC due to GI issues.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- “The nausea might be because I fast some days and still take the supplement on an empty stomach.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Nicotine patches“Usually just nausea and nicotine taste in mouth. Took a few days” In context ↗ Side effects
- Hyperbaric oxygen (HBOT)“it made for a couple of extremely painful nights due to clogged ears from the pressure” In context ↗ Other
- Meditation, yoga, breathwork“When I first started breathing exercises, I would hyperventilate and almost panic.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogBreathlessnessFlu-like symptomsGut problemsHeadaches & migraineHeart symptoms & palpitationsMuscle weaknessNeuropathy & tinglingPOTS & dysautonomiaPain & fibromyalgiaPost-exertional malaiseSleep problemsTinnitus
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
I am back to flares and PEM.
In context ↗ - Brain fog
Body aches, fatigue, heart palpitations/heart pressure, and brain fog.
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
lower back inflammation as painful as a kidney stone
In context ↗ - Gut problems
LC definitely did a number on my GI too, especially microbiome.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I would sleep close to 10 hours every night which my body definitely needed
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
my two panic attacks came from extremely stressful times of the year at work
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
the pins & needles in that area
In context ↗ - Tinnitus
I also got tinnitus in the right ear throughout the year
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
Still a small headache that comes and goes
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
I was stuck in bed due to muscle fatigue/pain
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
Felt confused, like fainting, and heart was fluttering.
In context ↗ - Flu-like symptoms
exacerbated symptoms (brain fog, body aches, and even flu-like symptoms)
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
I get shortness of breath usually on a day where I've exercised especially hard and have a small flare up.
In context ↗
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