Long COVID with panic, POTS and crashes eased, then relapse after reinfection
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 15 months
- Last post
- Aug 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
2.5 years of prolonged covid, it all started in December 2022
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
one day I felt fatigue returning, had zero energy, leaved work due to fatigue, for me even doing simple things infront of other people beginned requiring immense willpower
In context ↗ - Now: Relapsed
I reached remission 1.5 years after the onset of long covid December 2022, I felt better in 2024 in the summer, then relapsed in September of the same year
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
2.5 years of prolonged covid, it all started in December 2022
In context ↗
Read from 66 of their posts and comments; links to the 20 this page draws on
Summary
A Reddit user who developed long COVID in December 2022, with panic attacks, anhedonia, POTS, rashes and crashes. A first bout eased after about 14-15 months, then a reinfection in late 2024 brought a relapse lasting over a year. Cetirizine and chlorpheniramine gave partial relief from anxiety and flushing, though they were unsure famotidine helped and stopped it; nicotine patches helped little. By July 2026 symptoms were less severe than a year earlier, though anhedonia remained.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- diazepam, benzos · No change
I tried lexapro and paxil generics, and diazepam, benzos are stronger than SSRIs still no improvement.
In context ↗ - TCA, lexapro and paxil generics, paroxetine · Helped
in 2023 september -2024 october took SSRIs got mild improvement
In context ↗ - supplements, vitamins and minerals · Not said
I have tried all the supplements, vitamins and minerals over the past six months
In context ↗ - thiamine HCl, benfotiamine · Helped
tried thiamine HCl 100 mg felt good 2-3 days, then it worn out. Tried benfotiamine 300 mg for 30 days, no diff.
In context ↗ - B complex · Helped
now I take B complex only with magnesium, without it I feel worse
In context ↗ - vitamin D · Not said
x2 anthistamine a day, ketotifen, vitamin C, D, magnesium + B complex to get only 60-70% of pre covid baseline
In context ↗ - vitamin C · Not said
x2 anthistamine a day, ketotifen, vitamin C, D, magnesium + B complex
In context ↗ - elemental iron + vitamin C · No change
After taking 40 mg of elemental iron + vitamin C for 90 days, my ferritin was still 27 ng/ml, I don't know what the level was before that.
In context ↗ - ketotifen · No change
I tried ketotifen 2 mg for 6 weeks. In theory it's potent mast cell stabilizier, but not felt big diff
In context ↗ - cetirizine (levocetirizine, Zyrtec generic) · Helped
I started 2 weeks ago antihistamines (levocetirizine 5 mg) and experience is pretty good (40% baseline improvement).
In context ↗ - famotidine (Pepcid) · Not said
Taking also famotidine 20 mg x2 (also want quit after 30 days on it, seems like it also doing nothing, POTS improved but I don't know if it's cetirizine or famotidine).
In context ↗ - intermittent fasting · No change
Intermittent fasting didn't make any difference for me.
In context ↗ - nicotine patches · Helped
The first 2 days were hard, anxiety increased, felt more tired. But the last 5 days were above my baseline, and 1 day was even better that I had in the last year.
In context ↗ - chlorpheniramine maleate · Helped
from the 2nd day no fight/flight, panic attacks, suicidal ideation, finally I feel not on the edge, I feel relaxed
In context ↗
Approaches: H1 antihistamines · 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. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2022 | long COVID begins with panic attacks and anxiety2.5 years of prolonged covid, it all started in December 2022, panic attacks, anxietyIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| March 2024 | first bout eased; anxiety gone, energy back for 1-2 monthsin March 2024 there was strong progressIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| end of August 2024 | relapse after reinfection with POTS, dysautonomia and rashthe relapse began at the end of August 2024In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| early May 2025 | rock-bottom fatigue with constant impending doomnow it's like I'm at the rock bottom of fatigue, a feeling of impending doomIn context ↗ | Moderate | |
| May 2025 | about 40% baseline improvementI started 2 weeks ago antihistamines (levocetirizine 5 mg) and experience is pretty good (40% baseline improvement)In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| June 2025 | nicotine patches; several days above baselinethe last 5 days were above my baselineIn context ↗ | Moderate | Nicotine patches |
| 2025-08-31 | fight/flight and suicidal ideation stoppedfrom the 2nd day no fight/flight, panic attacks, suicidal ideation, finally I feel not on the edge, I feel relaxedIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2025-09-02 | symptoms broke through with an all-day flare upWhen histamine broke through symptoms came back with a vengeance, all day long flare upIn context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2026-07-14 | symptoms less severe than a year earlier, anhedonia still presentI haven't been on the subreddit for 10 months because my symptoms aren't as bad as they were a year ago.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Escitalopram (Lexapro), Paroxetine (Paxil)“I never had anhedonia pre SSRI, but after SSRI I developed it.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Escitalopram (Lexapro), Paroxetine (Paxil)“SSRI helps with panic attacks, anxiety, but makes my chronic fatigue worse” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Paroxetine (Paxil)“It worked, but emotional blunting was insane level.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Nicotine patches“The first 2 days were hard, anxiety increased, felt more tired.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Chlorphenamine (Piriton, Chlor-Trimeton)“sleep was a little disturbed the first 2-3 days, but then everything leveled out” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
- Famotidine (Pepcid)“no pepcid (famotidine) lowered my stomach acid too much. After quitting I got rebound high stomach acid.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Anxiety & low mood
I feel fight/flight, suicidal ideation when flare up hits me
In context ↗ - Brain fog
brain frog is mild
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
POTS, dysautonomia
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
I have Mcas type long covid
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
if I wake up at 2-4 am I know I will have bad day
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
headaches, dry eyes, hair loss, stiff neck and lower back
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
headaches and insomnia, had them but they improved after some months
In context ↗ - Gut problems
stomach pain that comes and goes
In context ↗ - Tinnitus
I also developed tinnitus
In context ↗ - Flu-like symptoms
I got flu like symptoms in the end of 2022. I recovered
In context ↗
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