Hospitalised with long COVID, now near normal after short walks and gradual exercise
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 7 months
- Last post
- Feb 2023
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
Got covid, 2 weeks later was back in gym, 1 month after infection I was in hospital struggling to breath (chest pain, elevated heart rate, low oxygen).
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
no intense workouts just a small walk each day ... Waited 5 months until I regularly exercised again.
- Now: Near normal
Now 7 months later almost back to normal I think 🤞
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
Got covid, 2 weeks later was back in gym
In context ↗
Read from 18 of their posts and comments; links to the 12 this page draws on
Summary
A man in his mid-20s caught COVID in mid-2022 and was hospitalised a month later with breathlessness, chest pain, a fast heart rate and low oxygen. He improved over about seven months, crediting short walks and short exercise sessions built up gradually, and also using cold showers, vitamin C and nattokinase. He had repeated relapses, including after overdoing it, and returned to roughly 90% by month seven, still limited during hard workouts.
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What they tried
What they credit
Their words about each treatment
- taking it easy, short walks · Helped
I think the trick has been taking it easy, no intense workouts just a small walk each day.
In context ↗ - cold showers · Helped
I’ve been doing cold showers (just a minute or two of cold at the end), vitamin C, and nattokinase. Very slowly feeling better too.
In context ↗ - vitamin C · Helped
vitamin C, and nattokinase. Very slowly feeling better too.
In context ↗ - short workouts / lifting weights · Helped
I started at 5 minutes and built my way up to 25ish minutes atm. So far no major setbacks.
In context ↗ - cutting out peanut butter, tomatoes and honey · Helped
I also cut out peanut butter, tomatoes, and honey which I suspect might have made it worse.
In context ↗
Approaches: Alternative therapies · Anticoagulants · Diet · Exercise and activity · Pacing · Supplements
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 | After |
|---|---|---|
| onset | caught covid, back in the gym two weeks laterGot covid, 2 weeks later was back in gymIn context ↗ | |
| 1 month after infection | hospitalised struggling to breathe, chest pain, elevated heart rate, low oxygen1 month after infection I was in hospital struggling to breath (chest pain, elevated heart rate, low oxygen)In context ↗ | |
| 2022-08-11 | feeling a lot better a week after hospital after taking it easyIt’s been about a week since hospital and feeling a lot better already. I think the trick has been taking it easy, no intense workouts just a small walk each day.In context ↗ | Pacing and the energy envelope |
| during the first 5 months | huge relapses each time he tried to return to exerciseTried a few times to get back into it during the 5 months but always had huge relapses.In context ↗ | |
| 2022-12-01 | relapsing for a day or two here and thereBut relapsing for a day or two here and there.In context ↗ | |
| 2022-12-23 | started recovering a lot in the fifth monthStarted recovering a lot in my 5th month though.In context ↗ | |
| 2023-01-18 | back to 75-85% of normalI’m back to 75-85%, also noticing some acid reflux symptoms now more than before.In context ↗ | |
| 2023-01-29 | new headaches and returning muscle pain and higher heart rateNew symptoms (headaches) and old symptoms coming back (muscle pain, heart rate higher than normal, etc)In context ↗ | |
| 2023-01-31 | almost back to normal at seven monthsNow 7 months later almost back to normal I think 🤞In context ↗ |
Adverse events
- “I’m still trying to push myself super slowly. But relapsing for a day or two here and there.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Everyday exercise and activity“Some (shadow boxing with a VR app) work well, while others (indoor cycling) cause me to feel worse after.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Everyday exercise and activity“Lifting weights even just for a few min initially made my symptoms come back.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Everyday exercise and activity“Tried a few times to get back into it during the 5 months but always had huge relapses.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
Lifting weights even just for a few min initially made my symptoms come back.
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
heart / breathing issues if I workout hard
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
Air hunger is a great way to put it. Had the same thing myself.
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
New symptoms (headaches)
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
old symptoms coming back (muscle pain, heart rate higher than normal, etc)
In context ↗ - Gut problems
Seems to have gotten better after a month or so. I also cut out peanut butter, tomatoes, and honey which I suspect might have made it worse.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
Also some anxiety attacks (I think?) mixed in.
In context ↗
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