Long COVID
Severe → no benefitIll for 3 years
Long COVID brain fog, fatigue and PEM, lying down day and night; amantadine no improvement
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Severe (mostly bedbound)
- Ill for
- 3 years
- Last post
- Apr 2024
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
Horrible brain fog/cognitive decline, fatigue, PEM, anxiety, depression, sensitivity to food.
In context ↗ - At worst: Severe
after laying down all day and night
In context ↗ - Now: No benefit
Recently I’ve been feeling well enough to stretch which helps my body feel better after laying down all day and night
In context ↗
Read from 6 of their posts and comments; links to the 6 this page draws on
Summary
Reddit user with long COVID described horrible brain fog, fatigue, PEM, anxiety, depression and food sensitivity, ill for at least three years and lying down all day and night. A 20-30 minute stretching routine helped them move without crashing, and a paleo diet eased the suffering most. Several drugs, supplements, meditation and plant medicine gave no clear benefit; three months of amantadine 200 mg twice daily brought no improvement.
Ask Miruvor AI
What they tried
Also tried
stretching routine· Helpedpaleo diet· Helpedfasting· Helpedcold showers· HelpedAmantadine· No changebody weight training (TRX suspension trainer)· Not saidSSRI· Not saidSNRI· Not saidantivirals· Not saidsteroids· Not saidstimulants· Not saidmeditation· Not saidvitamins (Brain Care 2/3 from millennium health)· Not saidplant medicine (5MEO, psilocybin, ibogaine, ayahuasca)· Not saidGuanfacine· Not saidNAC· Not saidTerry Wahls diet· Not saidLDN· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- stretching routine · Helped
I’ve gotten into a 20-30 minute stretching routine which has helped me move and feel good without stressing my body or causing a crash.
In context ↗ - body weight training (TRX suspension trainer) · Not said
Also have been trying to do some simple body weight training using a TRX suspension trainer.
In context ↗ - SSRI · Not said
Tried SSRI, SNRI, antivirals, steroids, stimulants, meditation, vitamins (Brain Care 2/3 from millennium health), plant medicine (5MEO, psilocybin, ibogaine, ayahuasca).
In context ↗ - vitamins (Brain Care 2/3 from millennium health) · Not said
vitamins (Brain Care 2/3 from millennium health)
In context ↗ - plant medicine (5MEO, psilocybin, ibogaine, ayahuasca) · Not said
plant medicine (5MEO, psilocybin, ibogaine, ayahuasca)
In context ↗ - Guanfacine · Not said
Currently trying Guanfacine / NAC protocol from the Yale article.
In context ↗ - paleo diet · Helped
Only thing that helps control the suffering is diet - paleo is best it seems like.
In context ↗ - Terry Wahls diet · Not said
I’m interested in Terry Wahls work, transitioning to her diet now.
In context ↗ - LDN · Not said
Same. Gave me insomnia so I take in the morning
In context ↗ - fasting · Helped
Fasting and cold showers helps me
In context ↗ - Amantadine · No change
I’ve been on Amantadine 200mg 2x daily for about 3 months with no improvement / no side effects
In context ↗
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 2.5 years 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | illness beganFor the first 3 years of my illness I was determined to get back to 100% healthyIn context ↗ | Not stated |
| — | lying down all day and nightwhich helps my body feel better after laying down all day and nightIn context ↗ | Severe |
| 2023-03 | started a stretching routine and light body-weight workI’ve gotten into a 20-30 minute stretching routine which has helped me move and feel good without stressing my body or causing a crashIn context ↗ | Severe |
| 2024-04-27 | three months of amantadine with no improvementI’ve been on Amantadine 200mg 2x daily for about 3 months with no improvement / no side effectsIn context ↗ | Severe |
Adverse events
- Low-dose naltrexone“Gave me insomnia so I take in the morning” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Brain fog
Horrible brain fog/cognitive decline
In context ↗ - Post-exertional malaise
fatigue, PEM, anxiety, depression
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
anxiety, depression
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
Fasting and cold showers helps me
In context ↗