Long COVID
Moderate → much betterIll 9 months before improving or writing
Long COVID with fatigue and brain fog, now much better after booster and rest
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 9 months
- Last post
- Jan 2025
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
My LC symptoms showed up in July 2023
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I've had rather severe fatigue (sleeping 12 - 14 hours a day, frequent napping), long bouts of brain fog to the point I couldn't drive
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
I'm only 3-4 months of feeling near 80-85% better again. I'm terrified this will cause a crash relapse, right when I started a new job I'm doing well in.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
My LC symptoms showed up in July 2023 after I went to anime expo and after my work made me come back to the office
Read from 30 of their posts and comments; links to the 22 this page draws on
Summary
A woman who developed long COVID in July 2023 with heavy fatigue, brain fog, joint pain and post-exertional malaise that stopped her driving and working. She improved from February 2024 after a COVID booster, rest, antidepressants and vitamins D and B12, reaching about 80% by late 2024. A broken ankle in May 2024 set her back for months, and in January 2025 a respiratory illness left her fearing a relapse.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Celexa· Helped · wore offLexapro· HelpedBupropion· Helpedantihistamines· Helpedsleep aids· Helpedvitamin D· Helpednight guard· Helpedjournal of meals, exercise, and energy· HelpedIUD· Helpedautomated compression cuffs· Helpedelevation· HelpedProzac· No changestimulants· No changechange in diet to reduce sugar and histamine intake· No changeCPAP· No changemassage· Worse
Their words about each treatment
- Celexa · Helped
I used to be on Celexa and I loved it, but it stopped working for me about 3 years ago
In context ↗ - Prozac · No change
Prozac did nothing for me. Literally nothing. I was on 60mg for months.
In context ↗ - Lexapro · Helped
Lexapro definitely helps me with anxiety and keeps my mood elevated. I've been on a low dose for about 6 months, 20mg.
In context ↗ - Bupropion · Helped
Bupropion has helped with brain fog somewhat.
In context ↗ - COVID booster · Helped
my LC symptoms have actually started to improve after that
In context ↗ - stimulants · No change
None of these symptoms were relieved by stimulants
In context ↗ - change in diet to reduce sugar and histamine intake · No change
None of these symptoms were relieved by stimulants or change in diet to reduce sugar and histamine intake.
In context ↗ - cutting out red meat and cutting back on pasta and bread · Helped
I notice red meat makes me super tired, so I've removed most of it from my diet. I noticed cutting back on pastas and breads (but not other carbs) seem to help me.
In context ↗ - resting a lot and gradually adding in more tasks · Helped
just rested a lot, keep taking my antidepressants and supplements (vitamin D and B12), and gradually added in more tasks during the day
In context ↗ - lots of sleep and exercising only every few days · Helped
it's gotten better after a lot (I mean like 14+ hours a day) of sleep and only exercising every few days
In context ↗ - taking almost a year off work · Helped
I've been fortunate to be able to take almost a year off work due to family support, and I'm finally bouncing back
In context ↗ - antihistamines · Helped
I now instead have insomnia and can barely sleep more than 4 hours at a time without taking antihistamines or sleep aids
In context ↗ - CPAP · No change
I had a CPAP for a few months, but it didn't help at all.
In context ↗ - vitamin D · Helped
keep taking my antidepressants and supplements (vitamin D and B12)
In context ↗ - night guard · Helped
Same. My night guard is my best friend
In context ↗ - journal of meals, exercise, and energy · Helped
I'm in the process of revising the format of mine, but even that little bit of info really helps
In context ↗ - massage · Worse
I always felt like garbage for 2-3 days after a massage, like I had the worst flu ever.
In context ↗ - IUD · Helped
Doctor put in an IUD, said I definitely have PCOS. I'm about 3 weeks out post insertion, but clots have stopped. Still periodically bleeding, but otherwise much better.
In context ↗ - automated compression cuffs · Helped
I have automated compression cuffs from my ankle surgery that I use when the blood starts pooling, and it does help when I'm sitting or lying down.
In context ↗ - elevation · Helped
elevation seems to be the most effective relief right now
In context ↗
Approaches: Diet · Pacing · Radical rest · Supplements · Vaccination
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2023 | long COVID onset; heavy fatigue, brain fog, PEM, not workingSince July, I've had rather severe fatigue (sleeping 12 - 14 hours a day, frequent napping)In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| February 2024 | symptoms began shifting after COVID booster; could clean, drive and focus againI notice that since February, my symptoms have been....changing. Possibly even improvingIn context ↗ | Mild | COVID vaccination as treatment |
| 2024-04-29 | crashed from huge stress selling a houseStress definitely undid a lot of my progress, and I don't know when I'll be back to where I was.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| May 2024 | broke ankle and fibula hiking; bedridden with PEMAnd then I broke my ankle and fractured my fibula. While mountain hiking. On Mother's Day.In context ↗ | Severe | |
| 2024-09-20 | getting back to baseline, walking againI'm getting back to baseline, but still at like 50-55%.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2025-01-05 | near 80-85% better and in a new job, then a severe respiratory illnessI'm only 3-4 months of feeling near 80-85% better again.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- COVID vaccination as treatment“COVID booster made me super sick for 1 day ... I've gotten sick post vax every time for a day or two. Super sick like the flu” Side effects
- Massage“I always felt like garbage for 2-3 days after a massage, like I had the worst flu ever.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogGut problemsHeadaches & migraineHeart symptoms & palpitationsMuscle weaknessPOTS & dysautonomiaPain & fibromyalgiaPost-exertional malaiseSleep problemsTemperature regulation
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
PEM triggered by even a 10 minute walk with my 11 year old dog.
In context ↗ - Brain fog
long bouts of brain fog to the point I couldn't drive
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I now instead have insomnia and can barely sleep more than 4 hours at a time
In context ↗ - Gut problems
chronic constipation that onset after LC hit
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
I have angina as well
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
my blood pools like crazy in both ankles and the non broken leg goes numb if I stand or walk for too long
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
I stopped taking birth control due to migraines
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I take Lexapro for mood and anxiety
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
poor body temperature regulation
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
everything feels so heavy that it feels like my body is made of lead
In context ↗
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