Long COVID: reaching a hill took a day, now close to normal after altitude walks and rest
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- years
- Last post
- Mar 2024
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
There is a PEM sometimes, so I rest.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
At first I thought I'd never go up a hill again. Just getting to the base of the hill was enough for some days.
In context ↗ - Now: Near normal
Now I can do 15k steps with 3k elevation gain ... Still have POTS sometimes for no reason.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
r/covidlonghaulers
Read from 1 of their posts and comments; links to the one this page draws on
Summary
Writing in a long COVID forum in March 2024, Pelican 94292 described years of slow recovery. At first even reaching the base of a hill was enough for a day, and they thought they would never climb again. Walking at altitude when able, resting through PEM, plus one meal a day, water, a probiotic, cal/mag and heavy sleep, they built up to 15k steps with 3k elevation gain. POTS and aching bronchials persisted.
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What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- high altitude · Helped a lot
The trick for me was to go to high altitude and then walk in it when I could.
In context ↗ - walking in the hills · Helped a lot
Now I can do 15k steps with 3k elevation gain...but took me years of steady patient erosion
In context ↗ - rest when there is PEM · Not said
There is a PEM sometimes, so I rest.
In context ↗ - one meal a day, roughly 18/6 · Not said
One meal a day, roughly 18/6 but if I need something I eat outside of that, which is rare.
In context ↗ - Supplements · Not said
Supplements, some recommended here. If I feel they don't work I stop buying them.
In context ↗ - Jarrow yellow label probiotic · Not said
Jarrow yellow label probiotic, 5 a day first thing with water.
In context ↗ - cal/mag chewables · Helped
Found some cal/mag chewables, that flavor is my signal that I intend to go to bed. It mostly works.
In context ↗
Approaches: Exercise and activity
Their path
How ill they were on the ME/CFS severity scale, estimated from what they describe at each point, in the order they describe; they don’t give enough times to place each step. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | lowest point, could barely get to the base of a hillAt first I thought I'd never go up a hill again. Just getting to the base of the hill was enough for some days.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| — | gradually walked further uphill, then reached hilltopsThen I went up a little, came back. Then more later.In context ↗ | Mild | Everyday exercise and activity |
| 2024-03-25 | hiking 15k steps with 3k elevation gain three or four days a weekNow I can do 15k steps with 3k elevation gainIn context ↗ | Near normal | Everyday exercise and activity |
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
There is a PEM sometimes, so I rest.
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
Still have POTS sometimes for no reason.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
Lots of sleep. Metric tons of sleep. When I can, because sometimes I can't.
In context ↗
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