Long COVID for nearly three years, somewhat better with nicotine patches and naltrexone
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 3 years
- Last post
- Mar 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I had brain fog from a previous chronic condition, as well as from long Covid.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
With it, my energy is about 60% of normal. some days 80% and some days 40, average 60.
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
Low dose naltrexone has cleared my brain fog and makes my crashes less intense.
In context ↗
Read from 21 of their posts and comments; links to the 14 this page draws on
Summary
Long COVID for nearly three years. Nicotine patch therapy raised energy to about 60% of normal and eased fatigue and brain fog. Low-dose naltrexone (0.5 mg) then cleared brain fog, eased POTS and restored their sense of smell, but higher doses brought a deep cough and muscle cramps. A few minutes of exercise still triggered a cough.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- nicotine patch · Helped a lot
The patches have significantly improved my fatigue and brain fog.
In context ↗ - quercetin/nettle combo · Helped
Nicotine patch has helped me significantly, as well as quercetin/nettle combo.
In context ↗ - Lion's Mane · Helped
The other things that have helped me a lot with brain fog are Huperzine-A, TTFD, magnesium threonate ,and lions mane.
In context ↗ - TTFD · Helped
TTFD supplements help me a lot.
In context ↗ - nattokinase · Not said
LDN and nattokinase added to the NAC and Quercetin I was already taking
In context ↗ - l-theanine · Helped
l-theanine helps me a lot with anxiety.
In context ↗ - Metamucil/psyllium fiber · Helped
Metamucil/psyllium fiber: start small and increase the amount over time. This helps with diarrhea and constipation.
In context ↗ - exercise (push-ups, sit-ups, squats, lat pull downs) · Worse
if I tried even 10 minutes of Pilates, I would crash for 1-3 weeks
In context ↗ - professional visceral massage · Helped
After two treatments, I had significantly less belching and it has come back.
In context ↗ - Rifaximin · Helped
Rifaximin is the only thing that helped the hydrogen.
In context ↗ - herbal treatment · Helped
Herbal treatment and elemental diet resolved the methane for me.
In context ↗ - vit D · Not said
take vit D, magnesium, B1, 5, 12
In context ↗ - digestive bitters · Not said
use digestive bitters and biofilm disrupters
In context ↗ - Zicam swabs · Helped a lot
I used them because I was feeling the start of a cold and they have significantly reduced my long Covid symptoms of lung pain, shortness of breath and brain fog.
In context ↗ - steroid inhaler · Worse
The first day was amazing. But 2 days later, my cough is even deeper.
In context ↗ - LDN (naltrexone) · Helped a lot
Low dose naltrexone has cleared my brain fog and makes my crashes less intense.
In context ↗ - nattopine · Not said
I am also taking nattopine for the heart and l-theanine for anxiety.
In context ↗
Approaches: Alternative therapies · Antibiotics · Diet · 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. The chart starts 17 months after onset: the story doesn’t say how ill they were before that. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11-01 | nicotine patch therapy; fatigue, brain fog and heartbeat improvedThe patches have significantly improved my fatigue and brain fog.In context ↗ | Mild | Nicotine patches |
| 2025-02-07 | Zicam swabs at the start of a cold eased lung pain, breathlessness and brain fogthey have significantly reduced my long Covid symptoms of lung pain, shortness of breath and brain fogIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2025-02-11 | on a 7 mg patch energy averaged 60% of normal, crashing without itI crash without it. With it, my energy is about 60% of normal.In context ↗ | Mild | Nicotine patches |
| 2026-02-17 | started LDN and nattokinase; baseline higherMy baseline seems to be higher.In context ↗ | Mild | Low-dose naltrexone |
| 2026-02-17 | deep cough the day after a few minutes of exerciseThis morning, I woke up with a deep cough.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2026-03-31 | LDN 0.5 mg cleared brain fog, eased POTS and crashes; higher doses caused cough and crampsLow dose naltrexone has cleared my brain fog and makes my crashes less intense.In context ↗ | Mild | Low-dose naltrexone |
Adverse events
- Steroid inhalers (inhaled corticosteroids)“The first day was amazing. But 2 days later, my cough is even deeper.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Low-dose naltrexone“when I increase dosage beyond 0.5 mg, I get bad muscle cramps and a deep cough” In context ↗ Side effects
- Low-dose naltrexone“I got an emphysema-style cough, severe muscle cramps and just laid on the couch all day” In context ↗ Side effects
- Low-dose naltrexone“It also makes my voice a little hoarse.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Low-dose naltrexone“I find that I have to take it at 5 or 6 pm otherwise I am drowsy the next day.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
if I tried even 10 minutes of Pilates, I would crash for 1-3 weeks
In context ↗ - Brain fog
it has significantly helped my brain fog and POTS symptoms
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
significantly reduced my long Covid symptoms of lung pain, shortness of breath and brain fog
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
normalize my heartbeat, which has been off since my last bout with Covid
In context ↗ - Loss of smell or taste
It also brought back my sense of smell.
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I had both methane and hydrogen.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
l-theanine helps me a lot with anxiety
In context ↗
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