Long COVID
Mild → much betterIll 2.5 years before improving or writing
Long COVID, unable to work for months, now much better with time and rest
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 2.5 years
- Last post
- Mar 2025
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
Today marks my one year anniversary of Long Covid.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I have to manage the breathing and I can not walk and talk simultaneously without signs of breathing exertion.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
not a hundred percent recovered, but hey - big improvements, back at living a life, back at my job.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I got Covid 2 months ago, in Septmeber 2022.
In context ↗
Read from 42 of their posts and comments; links to the 23 this page draws on
Summary
Prairie 92888, a 40-year-old man in Germany, developed long COVID in September 2022 with breathlessness, chest tightness and nasal congestion but no fatigue, and could not work for months. Inhalers, antihistamines, diets, breathing exercises, nicotine patches, psilocybin and nasal surgery brought little; he credits time and rest. By late 2023 he was back at work with mild breathlessness and chronic nasal stuffiness.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Flutiform inhaler· HelpedDiphenhydramine and Cetirizine (Zyrtec)· HelpedDiphenhydramine and Cetirizine (Zyrtec)· HelpedAcupuncture· HelpedWim Hof Breathing· HelpedPowerbreather· HelpedLaser turbinate reduction· HelpedPantoprazole (PPI)· No changeDaily crosstrainer workout and brisk walks· No changeSaline nasal washes· No changeNasal sprays (Mometasone, Azelastine, Fluticasone)· No changeNicotine patches· No changePsilocybin (Stamets Protocol)· No changeLow histamine diet· No changeKeto diet· No changeAspirin· No changeTENS device on the vagus nerve· No changeAntibiotics· No changeSupplements· No changeAsian medicine· No changeReboxetine and other antidepressants· WorseSeptoplasty with turbinate reduction· Not saidIntravenous vitamin C shots· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- Flutiform inhaler · Helped
The doctor prescribed me an inhaler spray (Flutiform) that helped a bit... I guess.
In context ↗ - Escitalopram · Helped
I still take SSRIs but only a small dose ... these are the ones yielding stable returns
In context ↗ - Pantoprazole (PPI) · No change
PPIs again for 3 weeks, had no effect
In context ↗ - Diphenhydramine and Cetirizine (Zyrtec) · Helped
When it's too much, I pop a cet and it becomes a little bit more bearable.
In context ↗ - Daily crosstrainer workout and brisk walks · No change
I tried to get back into low intensity training for over half a year, but actually I felt the best in months right after I stopped.
In context ↗ - Acupuncture · Helped
The Accupuncture soothed me indirectly
In context ↗ - Wim Hof Breathing · Helped
I do Wim Hof breathing ... these are the ones yielding stable returns
In context ↗ - Powerbreather · Helped
I did a lot of Wim Hof Breathing, breathing muscle training with a little plastic device called the Powerbreather, daily walks and vagus nerve stimulation with a TENS device. ... this facette of sysmptoms substantially got better
In context ↗ - Saline nasal washes · No change
saline washes, antihistamines... none of it really had a big effect
In context ↗ - Nasal sprays (Mometasone, Azelastine, Fluticasone) · No change
I had a platoon of nasal sprays over the months, including a Mometasone, Azelastine and Fluticasone ... none of them worked.
In context ↗ - Nicotine patches · No change
3 months ago I just went out, got myself some nic patches and guess what: they didn't do crap!
In context ↗ - Laser turbinate reduction · Helped
I underwent laser turbinate reduction in early 2023, which had some effect - I could breathe a little better after that
In context ↗ - Psilocybin (Stamets Protocol) · No change
I personally can't say I felt any different regarding my LC symptoms
In context ↗ - Low histamine diet · No change
Eating low hist. may have an effect, idk, can also be placebo.
In context ↗ - Keto diet · No change
Keto diet I tried as well - didn't do it for me, though.
In context ↗ - Aspirin · No change
Taking Aspirin makes me feel no different than before.
In context ↗ - TENS device on the vagus nerve · No change
I tried TENS stimulation of the vagus nerve and it didn't work - for me.
In context ↗ - Septoplasty with turbinate reduction · Not said
That kind of was a monkey paw trade, because technically the mere air flow is good now - but it feels narrow, with not much ventilation
In context ↗ - Reboxetine and other antidepressants · Worse
most of them just straight up give me stomach cramps. Most promising so far was reboxitine.
In context ↗ - Antibiotics · No change
Also took antibiotics, also no change.
In context ↗ - Intravenous vitamin C shots · Not said
We are trying intravenous vitamin-c shots to support the immune system.
In context ↗ - Supplements · No change
I totally ran out of options of blindly trying some medication or supplement. It all failed.
In context ↗ - Asian medicine · No change
I tried a lot of supplements and breathing exercise and asian medicine and stuff
In context ↗ - Time and rest · Helped a lot
I feel most improvements just came with time and rest.
In context ↗
Approaches: SSRIs
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2022 | COVID-19; breathlessness, chest tightness, air hunger and panic beganI got Covid 2 months ago, in Septmeber 2022.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| December 2022 | small gains with daily light exercise and heart-rate trackingI would say my condition has improved over the weeks. Not by a landslide, but by little steps.In context ↗ | Mild | Everyday exercise and activity |
| January 2023 | symptoms milder: less breathless walking, could speak longerthey're presenting milder: I have not so much trouble breathing when walking, I can speak longer (almost normal)In context ↗ | Mild | |
| March 2023 | significant but incomplete improvementSo yeah, significant improvement - yes. Full recovery - no.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| early 2023 | laser turbinate reduction; could breathe a little betterI underwent laser turbinate reduction in early 2023, which had some effect - I could breathe a little better after thatIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| November 2023 | back at work and living life; symptoms mildnot a hundred percent recovered, but hey - big improvements, back at living a life, back at my jobIn context ↗ | Mild | Time and spontaneous remission |
| March 2025 | still mild breathing issues; 2.5-month sore throat after a non-COVID infectionI'm over 2 years into Long Covid now - still dealing with breathing issues and SOB but I have to say: In terms of breathing range, it got better for me around the 1.5 year mark.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)“it numbed my fingers after a few uses” In context ↗ Nerve pain
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), Cetirizine (Zyrtec)“they made me really tired, so I dicontinued the trial” In context ↗ Side effects
- Cetirizine (Zyrtec)“it sure as hell makes me rock tired” In context ↗ Side effects
- Cetirizine (Zyrtec)“If you ever want to get knocked out and sleep for 12h straight, to wake up on the worst hang-over, try combining azelastine with cetirizine.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Escitalopram (Lexapro), Reboxetine (Edronax)“most of them just straight up give me stomach cramps” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Reboxetine (Edronax)“it messed with my bladder, my sleep quality suffered and I was sweating like a pig” In context ↗ Side effects
- Everyday exercise and activity“I tried to get back into low intensity training for over half a year, but actually I felt the best in months right after I stopped.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogBreathlessnessFlu-like symptomsGut problemsHeadaches & migraineMuscle weakness
Their words about their symptoms
- Breathlessness
The SOB. It's worrying me the most. I feel it even when I stand up and go to the kitchen.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I am also taking Escitalopram 10mg for depression and anxiety, beacause this situation is fucking up my life so badly.
In context ↗ - Flu-like symptoms
now I'm struggling with a sore throat again - over 2.5 months now.
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
In the acute phase I had fever, bad headaches, dry cough
In context ↗ - Gut problems
Chest tightness, SOB, acid reflux and trouble breathing trough the nose
In context ↗ - Brain fog
I could barely talk and my thoughts were all over the place
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
I acutally feel physically weaker, like I aged 15yrs in one year.
In context ↗
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