Long COVID
Moderate → much betterIll 18 months before improving or writing
Housebound with long COVID, now much better with sunlight and sertraline
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 18 months
- Last post
- Jun 2025
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
Long covid started in December 2023 for me.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
never bed bound, definitely house bound
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
Now feel much better than I have in many years.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
my next covid infection greatly exacerbated what were mild vaccine injuries and gave me my current LC
Read from 116 of their posts and comments; links to the 45 this page draws on
- Aug 2024
- Jun 2025
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Summary
A California man of 49 fell ill with long COVID in December 2023 and was housebound, with a rough first two months of anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, brain fog and sinus trouble. He reached 80-90% by three and a half months, then crashed for a week after long dog walks. He credits sunlight, a low-carb diet, fasting and sertraline, and said baby aspirin solved his extreme anxiety; after an August 2024 reinfection treated with Paxlovid he temporarily felt almost normal, returned to baseline and later improved, biking and gardening by 18 months.
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What they tried
What they credit
low carb / all meat (carnivore) / keto diet· Helped a lotlow carb / all meat (carnivore) / keto diet· Helped a lotextreme rest and pacing (banking energy)· Helped a lot · mainsunrise and sunset sun exposure· Helped · maintime· Helpedwater and salt/electrolytes· Helpedwater and salt fast (four to five days)· Helpedantihistamines· HelpedPepcid AC / Famotidine· Helpednicotine patches· Helpedberberine· Helpedslowly reintroduced physical activity· Helped
Also tried
baby aspirin· Helped a lotStamet's stack (psilocybin)· Helped a lotchanging sleep schedule / sleep hygiene· HelpedArginine Plus· HelpedFrench Maritime pine Bark extract· Helpedivermectin· Helped · wore offpsychiatrist / counseling· Helped50/50 THC and CBD infused MCT oil· Helpedmelatonin· Helpedchamomile tea· Helpedblack seed oil (Nigella sativa)· Helpedskull cap· Helpedpro and prebiotic· HelpedLDN· Helpedmetformin· HelpedButeyko breathing· Helpedstop all eating by 2pm· Helpeddaily coaching videos / mental philosophy· Helpedxylitol and colloidal silver nasal sprays· HelpedAlkalol / saline nasal rinse· HelpedSertraline (SSRI)· Helpedhydroxyzine HCL· HelpedLisinopril· HelpedMetoprolol· HelpedTruvada generic (antiviral)· No changegrounding (bare feet on the ground)· Not saidsupplements (unspecified)· Not saidNiacinamide· Not saidMCT oil· Not saidJapanese EAT protocol· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- sunrise and sunset sun exposure · Helped
Changing my sleep schedule and getting 10-20 minutes or more of sunrise and sunset helped greatly.
In context ↗ - grounding (bare feet on the ground) · Not said
I also practice grounding so I find a spot on the lawn and sit there with my bare feet on the ground I'm not sure how much this helps
In context ↗ - time · Helped
Now I seem to be getting better with time and some medicine I've found helpful.
In context ↗ - water and salt/electrolytes · Helped
drinking lots of water with the occasional pinch of salt have greatly reduced my symptoms
In context ↗ - low carb / all meat (carnivore) / keto diet · Helped a lot
a low carb or all meat diet combined with perodic fasting ... have greatly reduced my symptoms
In context ↗ - water and salt fast (four to five days) · Helped
I've done a five day water and salt fast along with nicotine patches ... both those things provided the quickest relief of symptoms for me
In context ↗ - supplements (unspecified) · Not said
I take supplements as well but that is kind of a guessing game
In context ↗ - Arginine Plus · Helped
If you have rhinitis I've found Arginine Plus and French Maritime pine Bark extract both work wonders for me.
In context ↗ - French Maritime pine Bark extract · Helped
They also seem to help with my brain fog and some other symptoms.
In context ↗ - antihistamines · Helped
Antihistamines, Pepcid AC and nicotine patches helped me as well.
In context ↗ - berberine · Helped
the supplement berberine is quite similar and has helped with my LC symptoms.
In context ↗ - ivermectin · Helped
Minimal success just temporary easing of symptoms. It's only meant for short term use
In context ↗ - extreme rest and pacing (banking energy) · Helped a lot
This banking energy theory with extreme rest and pacing is what I did and can now endure fairy strenuous physical exersion without crashing.
In context ↗ - slowly reintroduced physical activity · Helped
Rested for a couple months, slowly reintroduced physical activity and can now exert myself physically without consequence.
In context ↗ - psychiatrist / counseling · Helped
I got a psychiatrist several months ago. It's helped to talk with a stranger about LC stuff.
In context ↗ - 50/50 THC and CBD infused MCT oil · Helped
I now use a high quality 50/50 THC and CBD infused MCT oil. Works great for sleeping at night.
In context ↗ - melatonin · Helped
I used melatonin, nicotine patches and chamomile tea to help with sleep in those more difficult months.
In context ↗ - black seed oil (Nigella sativa) · Helped
Just started using black seed oil (Nigella sativa) and it seems to be helping my gut
In context ↗ - skull cap · Helped
I've been taking black seed oil and skull cap and a pro and prebiotic. After about three and a half weeks I am just starting to have somewhat normal bowel movements.
In context ↗ - pro and prebiotic · Helped
a pro and prebiotic ... somewhat normal bowel movements
In context ↗ - LDN · Helped
I'm using LDN right now seems to help with my sleep and brain fog.
In context ↗ - metformin · Helped
Metformin, Metoprolol and one baby aspirin morning & night ... these are the heavy hitters that have helped me the most
In context ↗ - Truvada generic (antiviral) · No change
I tried it for several months and it didn't seem to do much for me.
In context ↗ - Niacinamide · Not said
I've had greatly reduced symptoms from it or I've coincidentally gotten much better
In context ↗ - Buteyko breathing · Helped
This is what I have found helpful. ... Buteyko breathing, type it into YouTube there are many videos.
In context ↗ - stop all eating by 2pm · Helped
This is what I have found helpful. ... Stop all eating by 2pm.
In context ↗ - MCT oil · Not said
I've been doing this. It's less of a blood sugar spike along with eating it with high fat items or shitake mushrooms.
In context ↗ - daily coaching videos / mental philosophy · Helped
I've been feeling better by not focusing on my symptoms and trying to ignore them.
In context ↗ - xylitol and colloidal silver nasal sprays · Helped
I started using xylitol and colloidal silver nasal sprays prior to bedtime and upon waking. ... This all seems to be helping
In context ↗ - Alkalol / saline nasal rinse · Helped
I also use Alkalol as a nasal rinse periodically throughout the day.
In context ↗ - Japanese EAT protocol · Not said
Been doing the Japanese EAT protocol on myself. It seems to be helping but it's too early to tell.
In context ↗ - baby aspirin · Helped a lot
I didn't believe it would work but baby aspirin solved my extreme anxiety.
In context ↗ - Stamet's stack (psilocybin) · Helped a lot
If you don't know about the Stamet's stack I suggest you look into it. I've found it profoundly helpful.
In context ↗ - Sertraline (SSRI) · Helped
I'm 49m and use 25mg of Sertraline generic Zoloft. ... the SSRI has helped quite a bit
In context ↗ - hydroxyzine HCL · Helped
hydroxyzine HCL ... these are the heavy hitters that have helped me the most
In context ↗ - Lisinopril · Helped
Lisinopril ... these are the heavy hitters that have helped me the most
In context ↗ - Metoprolol · Helped
Metoprolol and one baby aspirin morning & night ... these are the heavy hitters that have helped me the most
In context ↗
Approaches: H1 antihistamines · H2 blockers · POTS medication · Diet · Pacing · Physiotherapy and rehab · 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 2023 | long COVID began after a covid infection; first two months were the worstFirst two months were hell anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, brain fog and sinus problems.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| March 2024 | symptoms improved to 80-90% betterAfter two more months my symptoms seemed to improve until I was 80-90% better.In context ↗ | Mild | Time and spontaneous remission |
| March 2024 | crashed after five days of two-hour dog walks; symptoms back for a weekOn the sixth day all the symptoms came back.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| May 2024 | about 70% recovered at month sixMonth six here and about 70% recovered.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| August 2024 | COVID reinfection; very sick for two daysgot very sick similar to my first two months of LCIn context ↗ | Moderate | |
| August 2024 | Paxlovid kicked in and he felt better than his previous baselinethe paxlovid kicked in and I seem to feel better than my previous baselineIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| September 2024 | settled back to LC baseline, maybe slightly betterslowly went back to baseline maybe slightly betterIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| December 2024 | symptoms greatly improved around the one-year markI'm a couple weeks away from my one year anniversary and my symptoms have improved greatlyIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| June 2025 | much better after a year and a half; biking and gardeningNow feel much better than I have in many years.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Extended water fasting (3+ days)“I went for a five day water and salt only last time. Felt pretty good having symptom reduction but I did have liquid diarrhea a couple days into it.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Carnivore diet“had a similar reaction when I went carnivore a while back so maybe it's similar to keto flu” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- “got a tetanus shot without thinking about it. My nasal passage seems to be closing up more than usual.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Extended water fasting (3+ days)“The water and electrolytes are key for me when fasting otherwise I get a bad headache.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogBreathlessnessFlu-like symptomsGut problemsHeadaches & migraineHeart symptoms & palpitationsMast cell (MCAS) & allergiesPOTS & dysautonomiaPost-exertional malaiseSleep problemsTemperature regulation
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
Early on in my long covid I had PEM.
In context ↗ - Brain fog
Brainfog severe sleep disturbance, fight or flight anxiety
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
I experienced a somewhat similar problem with dizziness and it has almost gone away completely.
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
Seems like my sinus issues are linked to histamine so diet keeps that in check
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
my sleep has gotten much better. Still wake a couple times during the night
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
Also have brain fog and frequent headaches.
In context ↗ - Gut problems
Stomach issues, diarrhea, probably dysbiosis
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
Sleep, anxiety, depression, brain fog and breathing have all greatly improved.
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
usually wake around 4-5am with a high heart rate
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I had extreme anxiety, insomnia and depression for the first three months and all of those symptoms are now gone or significantly reduced.
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
temperature disregulation, poisoned feeling
In context ↗ - Flu-like symptoms
a minor sore throat
In context ↗
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