Long COVID with pain, breathlessness, psychosis; Parnate lifted depression, somewhat better
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 1 year
- Last post
- Dec 2022
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
long hauler here who thought she was preparing for the next virgin birth
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
the long haul symptoms have been real and severe
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
I am on the road to recovery after about a year, but I just want these things OUT.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I was infected with Covid Sept 21
Read from 17 of their posts and comments; links to the 11 this page draws on
Summary
Crane 70101 got long COVID after a COVID infection over Labor Day weekend 2021, followed by lost taste and smell, 24/7 girdling pain, breathlessness, a racing heart, tingling, brain fog and severe depression with psychosis. Girdling pain faded around October 2022, about a year in, and the MAOI Parnate lifted her depression within days in December 2022. Arthritis and anhedonia remained at her last post.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Accutane · Worse
I was taking Accutane. I discontinued the Accutane because of immense joint pain after a few weeks.
In context ↗ - Prednisone · Helped
when it goes out, that’s all that can help otherwise I am crippled and in agony
In context ↗ - Abilify · Not said
I was treated with up to 20 mg Abilify in increasing doses
In context ↗ - Trileptal · Worse
trileptal for 4 days (sucked, made me SUPER anxious)
In context ↗ - Hydroxyzine · Helped
hydroxyzine (pretty good but probably contributed to my major depressive symptoms)
In context ↗ - Ambien · Not said
and ambien (hoo doggy)
In context ↗ - Medical marijuana · Worse
Medical marijuana exacerbated a hypomanic episode
In context ↗ - DBT focused outpatient · Worse
I did a DBT focused outpatient and it did shit all for me, in fact it made my hypomania go into overdrive
In context ↗ - New age mindfulness stuff · Worse
all the new age mindfulness stuff just blew up my hypomania
In context ↗ - Amitriptyline · Helped a lot
prescribed Amitriptyline for pain and it worked incredibly well
In context ↗ - Ibuprofen · Helped
800mg ibuprofen and 650 mg acetaminophen, all prescribed by my rheumatologist
In context ↗ - Biofreeze · Helped
Biofreeze also works wonders for aches and pains.
In context ↗ - 4-6 safe foods, 4-6 bites every 4-6 hours · Not said
The low appetite is just something I’ve learned to deal with by first identifying 4-6 safe foods
In context ↗ - Zenpep · Helped
I have to take a pancreatic enzyme blend called Zenpep with each meal for the rest of my life or else I’ll have yellow diarrhea and malnutrition
In context ↗ - Rx vitamin D supplement · Not said
I take an Rx vitamin D supplement once a week now too, bc my D was so low
In context ↗ - Parnate (MAOI) · Helped a lot
Parnate has literally fixed that
In context ↗ - Melatonin · Not said
melatonin for sleep
In context ↗ - Msgr Rosetti's Exorcism app prayers · Helped
I found Msgr Rosetti’s Exorcism app, and said the prayers for laity which has helped stop a lot of that stuff from happening
In context ↗
Approaches: Other antidepressants
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. 1 step has no time and sits in story order between the steps around it. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were |
|---|---|---|
| Labor Day weekend 2021 | COVID infection, 10 days knocked out, lost taste and smellI was knocked on my ass for those 10 days of isolation in fall 2021. I lost my taste and smell and it came backIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2022 | girdling pain 24/7, severe depression, suicidal ideation and psychotic/hypomanic episodeI had girdling pain for about 9 months that was so bad ... the worst suicidal ideation I’ve ever had | Moderate |
| October 2022 | chronic girdling and flank pain mostly goneMy chronic pain seems to have almost gone *POOF* since about OctoberIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| December 2022 | started MAOI Parnate; depression lifted, brain fog and groggy mornings gone, still arthritis and low moodI started Parnate, an MAOI, about 2 weeks ago and it’s been life changing! ... I am on the road to recovery after about a year | Mild |
Adverse events
- Cannabis (THC, marijuana)“Medical marijuana exacerbated a hypomanic episode that came on the heels of the worst suicidal ideation I’ve ever had.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal)“trileptal for 4 days (sucked, made me SUPER anxious)” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- CBT and psychotherapy“I did a DBT focused outpatient and it did shit all for me, in fact it made my hypomania go into overdrive.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Meditation, yoga, breathwork“all the new age mindfulness stuff just blew up my hypomania” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Isotretinoin (Accutane)“I discontinued the Accutane because of immense joint pain after a few weeks” In context ↗ Side effects
- Hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril)“hydroxyzine (pretty good but probably contributed to my major depressive symptoms)” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Anxiety & low mood
I also have Major Depressive Disorder that I’ve dealt with for a long time
In context ↗ - Brain fog
the brain fog I used to get until 11:30am is gone
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
I still go through it with arthritis
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
Numbness and tingling in hands, legs, arms, feet and scalp.
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
regular shortness of breath and immense fatigue
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
I sure do get increased heart rate and out of breath like I never have before Covid
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I have to take a pancreatic enzyme blend called Zenpep with each meal for the rest of my life or else I’ll have yellow diarrhea and malnutrition
In context ↗ - Loss of smell or taste
I lost my taste and smell and it came back
In context ↗
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