Long COVID fatigue, unable to walk 15 minutes, now much better with nicotine patches
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 16 months
- Last post
- Apr 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I had a bout of extreme fatigue at, what I think was, 4 months from initial onset of this condition.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I was all ofna sudden physicallynincapable of walking for more than 15 minutes and had zero energy.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
Yeah I've seen significant improvement in the past month and I'm around 16 months into this.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I had a bout of extreme fatigue at, what I think was, 4 months from initial onset of this condition.
In context ↗
Summary
A Reddit user in r/covidlonghaulers described extreme fatigue four months into long COVID, unable to walk more than 15 minutes, then gradual improvement over about three months to walking to the grocery store and back; by nine months, walking for hours was no issue, though exercise still caused chest pain and heavy legs. Around 16 months in, they reported significant improvement in the past month, and said nicotine patches (7 mg) gave an almost instant lift, with benefits holding two to three weeks after stopping.
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What they tried
What they credit
Their words about each treatment
- rest · Helped
I have been unemployed throughout though, and so have been able to rest a lot.
In context ↗ - nicotine patches · Helped a lot
7mg patch seemed to help me significantly. ... I felt an almost instant improvement, much of the malaise lifted, energy increased
In context ↗
Approaches: Pacing
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 4 months after onset: the story doesn’t say how ill they were before that. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| late 2024 | onset of long COVIDI had a bout of extreme fatigue at, what I think was, 4 months from initial onset of this condition.In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| about 4 months in | extreme fatigue, could not walk more than 15 minutesI was all ofna sudden physicallynincapable of walking for more than 15 minutes and had zero energy.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| about 7 months in | gradual improvement over three months, could walk to the grocery storeFor me it gradually improved over the course of around 3 months to where I could walk to the grocery store and back again without feeling that extreme fatigue.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| about 9 months in | walking for hours was no issue, exercise intolerance remainedNow after 9 months but I am significantly improved to where walking for hours is no issue, but where exercise intolerance still persists.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| about 9 months in | chest pain and heavy lactic acid after a 30 minute joga few days ago I did go for a 30 minute jog. Afterwards had chest pains and major lactic acid build up in legs and generally felt bad.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| early April 2026 | almost instant lift on 7 mg nicotine patch, malaise lifted, tingling stopped, no more PEM from exercise7mg patch seemed to help me significantly. ... I felt an almost instant improvement, much of the malaise lifted, energy increasedIn context ↗ | Mild | Nicotine patches |
| 2026-04-08 | significant improvement over the past month, still resting a lot and unemployedYeah I've seen significant improvement in the past month and I'm around 16 months into this.In context ↗ | Mild | Nicotine patches |
Adverse events
- Nicotine patches“One night a few days after cessation I woke up with night sweats, bedsheets completely soaked. Not sure if that was nicotine withdrawal” In context ↗ Withdrawal problems
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
I used to get PEM from exercising but now I don't seem to get it anymore.
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
some of the weird tingly sensations in my legs stopped
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
Afterwards had chest pains
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
I was all ofna sudden physicallynincapable of walking for more than 15 minutes and had zero energy.
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
One night a few days after cessation I woke up with night sweats, bedsheets completely soaked.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
it seems to prevent me from sleeping fully that evening
In context ↗
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