Bedbound for a month with long COVID, now much better after strict pacing
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 20 months
- Last post
- Feb 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
Got LC in June 2024
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
until my baseline had lowered to where I was basically houebound and could only move about 1500 steps per day
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
I've been PEM-free for about 4 months now, and have seen significant improvement in my QoL, and have more or less increased my baseline from around 1500 to 3000 daily steps
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
(Most likely) Covid in June 2024
- Says they never had: Brain fog
I don't have any brain fog, chest pains etc.
Read from 48 of their posts and comments; links to the 18 this page draws on
Summary
He got long COVID in June 2024 and was mild at first, managing 10-15k steps a day. Trying to exercise his way back caused a crash in December 2024 that left him bedbound for a month, and rolling crashes from February to October 2025 lowered his baseline until he was housebound at about 1,500 steps daily. From September 2025 he paced strictly, tracking steps and heart rate to avoid PEM. By February 2026 he was PEM-free for four months, walking about 3,000 steps a day.
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What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- exercise to get back to full health · Worse
During the fall I tried to exercise my way back to full health after recommendations from doctors ... Got a big crash in early December
In context ↗ - insane amounts of resting · Helped
Honestly, just time and insane amounts of resting.
In context ↗ - 18-6 intermittent fasting · No change
I've dabbled in 18-6 intermittent fasting but not sure I've felt any difference tbh.
In context ↗ - meditation · Worse
I've tried meditation and "deep rest" so many times, but my mind always wander and I end up being more stressed than before.
In context ↗ - pacing · Helped a lot
Avoiding PEM at all costs is what has done the most for me to improve.
In context ↗ - Apple Watch with WatchME app · Helped
I just bought an Apple Watch and set up the app WatchME, so far it looks like a gamechanger.
In context ↗ - supplements · No change
I take a bunch of supplements tho, including some of the ones you mentioned, however I haven’t noticed any difference when taking/not taking them.
In context ↗ - anti-inflammatory-ish diet · No change
Haven't noticed any major difference because of diet.
In context ↗ - weed · Worse
Weed makes me vomit unfortunately
In context ↗
Approaches: Pacing · Radical rest
Their path
What they say at each step doesn’t fit the worst point or outcome above on the severity scale, so the steps are listed as they describe them. Dates are when they posted.
| When | What happened | After |
|---|---|---|
| June 2024 | long COVID onsetGot LC in June 2024 ... I was very mild early last year when I got this diseas | |
| December 2024 | major crash after exercising, bedbound for a monthFrom getting a major crash at the end of November and being bedbound all of DecemberIn context ↗ | |
| February 2025 | building up to 5k steps a dayto getting up to 5k steps/day in FebruaryIn context ↗ | Pacing and the energy envelope |
| April 2025 | light gym sessions without PEM, walking 10k stepsI'm able to easily walk 10k steps a day without feeling any additional fatigueIn context ↗ | |
| May–September 2025 | push/crash cycle with falling baselineI ended up in a push/crash cycle that lasted until SeptemberIn context ↗ | |
| October–November 2025 | housebound after rolling crashesuntil my baseline had lowered to where I was basically houebound and could only move about 1500 steps per dayIn context ↗ | |
| December 2025 | stable baseline with strict pacingI can comfortably do around 2000–2300 steps a dayIn context ↗ | Pacing and the energy envelope |
| January 2026 | 100 days without PEM, short walks to the storeFrom being more or less housebound during all of Oct/Nov, I’m now able to even take short walks to the store.In context ↗ | Pacing and the energy envelope |
| February 2026 | four months PEM-free, baseline up to about 3,000 stepsI've been PEM-free for about 4 months now, and have seen significant improvement in my QoL, and have more or less increased my baseline from around 1500 to 3000 daily stepsIn context ↗ | Pacing and the energy envelope |
Adverse events
- Everyday exercise and activity“During the fall I tried to exercise my way back to full health after recommendations from doctors ... Got a big crash in early December” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Pacing and the energy envelope“I'm stuck in a cycle of PEM > rest for a week or so to stabilize > start pacing (mainly with daily steps) > slowly increase my daily steps week over week > crash because of a small increase” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Radical rest“I spent 2 months basically just aggressively resting, but it felt like that just lowered my baseline.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Meditation, yoga, breathwork“I've tried meditation and "deep rest" so many times, but my mind always wander and I end up being more stressed than before.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
My main symptoms are fatigue and PEM.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
Other symptoms are insomnia from time to time
In context ↗ - Gut problems
along with some stomach issues at times
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I used to wake up with extremely dark thoughts
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
for the first time I feel like I can barely move around the apartment
In context ↗
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