Long COVID
Moderate → near normalIll 1 year before improving or writingNeeds ongoing treatment
Long COVID with severe fatigue, now 95% back to normal after rest and low-sugar diet
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 1 year
- Last post
- Dec 2025
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I was infected March of 2020, very mild but long haul for 2.5 years.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
Walking to the end of the driveway was too difficult on many days - it's about 100 steps.
In context ↗ - Now: Near normal
But for the last 6-9 months I've been 95% recovered.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I had a mild case of Covid19, starting 4/29.
In context ↗ - Says they never had: Breathlessness
I never had any respiratory symptoms
- Says they never had: Heart symptoms & palpitations
I never had tachycardia, but after contracting omicron 3 weeks ago
- Says they never had: Loss of smell or taste
I never had a fever, a temp, loss of taste, digestive upset.
Read from 98 of their posts and comments; links to the 34 this page draws on
Summary
Osprey 49218 caught COVID-19 in April 2020 and had mild but persistent symptoms: chills, severe fatigue, insomnia, brain fog and temperature sensitivity. Rest, sunshine, a low-sugar diet, thyroid medication and two Pfizer shots in April 2021 helped most, though a booster and omicron brought symptoms back for months. By 2023 they were about 95% recovered, though fatigue, insomnia, temperature dysregulation and PEM persist.
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What they tried
What they credit
Pfizer vaccine (#1, #2, booster)· Helped a lot · main · wore offthyroid medication· Helped a lot · mainsunshine / vitamin D· Helpedketo / low-carb anti-inflammatory diet, no sugar· Helpedketo / low-carb anti-inflammatory diet, no sugar· Helpedketo / low-carb anti-inflammatory diet, no sugar· Helpedrest / pacing· Helpedgentle walking program· Helpedsuper low-fat diet and apple juice· Helped
Also tried
homeopathic medicine· Helpedvitamin regimen (vitamin C, D, A, zinc, magnesium)· Helpedcalcium/magnesium tablets· Helpedcalcium/magnesium tablets· Helpedallergy pills· Helpedemu oil (topical)· Helpedacupressure point for gallbladder pain· HelpedFDGard· Helpedanti-stomach acid medication· Helpedsleep relaxation routine· Helpedfoot massager / foot massage· HelpedAmbien· Worseincreasing tolerance by doing more, little by little· WorseTylenol· Not saidAdvil· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- homeopathic medicine · Helped
I'm sure that when I used my remedy shortly after I was infected that it lessened the effect, resulting in a fairly mild case.
In context ↗ - vitamin regimen (vitamin C, D, A, zinc, magnesium) · Helped
I did a major vitamin regimen for 60+ days (VC, VC, Magnesium, VA,) ... I found the vitamins helped a lot (I took a lot of VC in addition to the others)
- sunshine / vitamin D · Helped
Daily sunshine and no sugar seem to help me the most.
In context ↗ - keto / low-carb anti-inflammatory diet, no sugar · Helped
I stayed on keto while I was sick with covid. It helped a lot
In context ↗ - Tylenol · Not said
I did a major vitamin regimen for 60+ days (VC, VC, Magnesium, VA,) and Tylenol for aches.
In context ↗ - Advil · Not said
I often take a Tylenol or Advil before sleeping (no connection to covid19)
In context ↗ - Ambien · Worse
I've had very bad reactions to Ambien.
In context ↗ - calcium/magnesium tablets · Helped
Calcium/magnesium is a natural relaxant so I usually take a couple of tablets before sleeping.
In context ↗ - allergy pills · Helped
I took allergy pills and they would work for a few hours, but it was a constant fight and very fatiguing to be constantly coughing.
In context ↗ - emu oil (topical) · Helped
I found relief from muscle aches from emu oil, found easily in arthritis topical treatments.
In context ↗ - Pfizer vaccine (#1, #2, booster) · Helped a lot
I got vaccinated last week and I was surprised that I feel much, much better than I have for a whole year
In context ↗ - rest / pacing · Helped
The best thing for me has simply been resting when I need to.
In context ↗ - increasing tolerance by doing more, little by little · Worse
increase your tolerance by doing more, little by little ... That didn't help at all.
In context ↗ - gentle walking program · Helped
Agreed with my doc to do 10 minutes of walking twice a day, since I couldn't do 20 minutes at once. ... Now I'm up to over 2 miles daily
In context ↗ - acupressure point for gallbladder pain · Helped
There is an acupressure point on the LEFT side that corresponds to the gall bladder on the right side. Pressing it for about 45 seconds helped me a lot
In context ↗ - super low-fat diet and apple juice · Helped
I ate a super low-fat diet, apple juice (helps to cleanse the gall bladder), no other sugar/carbs.
In context ↗ - FDGard · Helped
FDGard was an over-the-counter remedy that took care of it in about 3 days.
In context ↗ - thyroid medication · Helped a lot
my doctor put me on a thyroid medication and it made a huge difference
In context ↗ - anti-stomach acid medication · Helped
My doctor prescribed an anti-stomach acid medication, and it's made it easier for me. ... The medication eliminated indigestion dramatically
In context ↗ - sleep relaxation routine · Helped
I go through a routine to relax my body, starting at the feet. This is working the best for me currently
In context ↗ - foot massager / foot massage · Helped
I use a high-end foot massager that stimulates the leg muscles, as well as the foot.
In context ↗
Approaches: Diet · Exercise and activity · Pacing · Supplements · Thyroid hormones · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 29, 2020 | COVID-19 onset: cough, aches, headache, fatigue, chillsI had a mild case of Covid19, starting 4/29.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| mid-2020 (months 4-9) | too tired to walk the ~100 steps to the end of the driveway; no part-time jobMonths 4-9 were pretty bad, but it got better over time. Walking to the end of the driveway was too difficult on many days - it's about 100 steps.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| August 25, 2020 | crashed after 90 minutes working in a very hot roomThis morning I woke up feeling bad in general, uncharacteristically cranky with muscle aches. And then the chills hit.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| September 2020 | another cycle after 60 symptom-free days; a week to get back to normalAbout 190 days after first symptoms and 60 days after the symptoms disappeared, I was shocked to have *another* cycle.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| late October/early November 2020 | intermittent symptoms stopped; dramatically better than 4 months earlierI caught covid on April 29 and stopped any of the intermittent symptoms in late October/early November.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| February 2021 | flare: too tired to walk to the corner and backNow I sometimes struggle to walk to the corner and back - just too tired.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| April 2021 | two Pfizer doses cleared most long-haul symptomsAfter one day of *major* fatigue, I actually feel better than I have in a year.In context ↗ | Mild | COVID vaccination as treatment |
| January 2022 | omicron infection brought all symptoms back; a one-mile walk put them on bedrest for 7 daysafter contracting omicron 3 weeks ago (mild symptoms/2 days duration), for the last week all my long-haul symptoms have come back with a vengeance.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| February 2023 | about 95% recovered; working and walking two miles a dayBut for the last 6-9 months I've been 95% recovered.In context ↗ | Near normal | COVID vaccination as treatment |
| June 2023 | fell and banged up knee and nose; all symptoms returned for a weekIt triggered everything and for a week I've had all my symptoms, but they're fading.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| July 2024 | another COVID infection; symptoms re-emerged but milder and shorterSymptoms have re-emerged many times (fortunately fairly mild), but with enough time and rest, they seem to fade and the severity and duration is less and less.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2025 | fourth COVID infection; six weeks to feel normal againThis last time it took about 6 weeks to feel normal againIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| December 2025 | near-normal with fatigue, insomnia, temperature dysregulation and PEM remainingFatigue, insomnia, temperature dysregulation and PEM are my symptoms. The only solution for me is rest and avoid over-exertion.In context ↗ | Near normal |
Adverse events
- Zolpidem (Ambien)“I've had very bad reactions to Ambien.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“For both doses I had one day of *major* fatigue following the vaccination. Following the second dose I also slept for nearly 24 hours.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“Felt very extreme fatigue the day after the shot.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“I recently got the #3 booster shot and had a rather tough reaction with all of my symptoms coming back” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogFlu-like symptomsGut problemsHeadaches & migrainePOTS & dysautonomiaPain & fibromyalgiaPost-exertional malaiseSleep problemsTemperature regulation
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
I felt terrific for several weeks, took a one-mile walk (not too stressful) and it put me on bedrest for 7 days.
In context ↗ - Brain fog
I did have episodes of brain fog, generally about 2-5 minutes at a time.
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
I felt dizzy briefly once or twice, but not connected to the shivers.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
My insomnia is definitely a lingering symptom.
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
muscle aches, chills and major fatigue, gradually lessening over the weeks
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
first symptoms of cough, aches, headaches, tiredness
In context ↗ - Gut problems
sometimes digestive troubles and persistent insomnia
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
Fatigue, insomnia, temperature dysregulation and PEM are my symptoms.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
Just before they hit I would get an overwhelming sense of dread lasting about 10 seconds.
In context ↗ - Flu-like symptoms
I had chills, alternating hot & cold spells, tremendous fatigue and malaise.
In context ↗
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