Long COVID
Severe → somewhat betterIll 4 months before improving or writing
Out of work with long COVID, crushing anxiety and insomnia, now slightly more functional
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Severe (mostly bedbound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 4 months
- Last post
- May 2021
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
And then Covid long haul hit me like a ton of bricks.
In context ↗ - At worst: Severe
I'm out of work and can't imagine I will ever be able to work again ... Living with my septuagenarian parents and I am pretty much dependent on them.
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
I'm slightly more functional than a month or so ago now in that I can get off the couch for most of the day and get some basic chores done, but otherwise my life has been ruined by this.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
And then Covid long haul hit me like a ton of bricks.
In context ↗
Read from 11 of their posts and comments; links to the 10 this page draws on
Summary
Cove 86012 fell ill with long COVID in mid-January 2021 while pushing through with exercise and meditation. They were out of work and dependent on their parents, with crushing anxiety, depression, insomnia, head pain and dizziness, and they considered suicide; antidepressants and sleep medication did not help. By May 2021 they were slightly more functional, able to get off the couch most of the day, but still not working.
Ask Miruvor AI
What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- EMSAM · Helped
I've been on EMSAM and can tell you it works really well
In context ↗ - mindfulness meditation · Helped
I had some success with mindfulness and pain.
In context ↗ - Nardil/phenelzine · No change
I'm taking Nardil/phenelzine which honestly hasnt been super effective. Possibly a small positive benefit.
In context ↗ - Ativan · Helped
It's like a special treat for a few hours a few times a week and I've come to cherish it even though I know I'm gonna get smacked right back to zero as soon as it wears off.
In context ↗ - exercising and going on runs · Worse
where I was totally committed to pushing thru ... I got to a point where I was having literally constant intrusive thoughts
In context ↗ - praying every day · Not said
I've never been religious but I started praying every day.
In context ↗ - sleep meds · No change
And now sleep meds. And none of it is even working anymore.
In context ↗
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. 1 step says too little to place on the scale and is only in the table. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were |
|---|---|---|
| mid January 2021 | long COVID began after a COVID infectionI had a period where my long covid stuff first started - back in mid JanIn context ↗ | Mild |
| — | broke down with constant intrusive thoughts, suicidal ideation and hallucinations after pushing through with exerciseI got to a point where I was having literally constant intrusive thoughts and borderline psychotic anxious hallucinations.In context ↗ | Severe |
| April 2021 | a few days of feeling things were resolving, then symptoms came back in forceI had a few days where I thought things were resolving but then they came back in force, especially the anxiety, pain, and neurological stuff.In context ↗ | Not stated |
| 2021-05-11 | slightly more functional, able to be off the couch most of the day and do basic chores, still out of workI'm slightly more functional than a month or so ago now in that I can get off the couch for most of the day and get some basic chores doneIn context ↗ | Moderate |
Adverse events
- Phenelzine (Nardil)“hasn't done anything except give me insomnia and make it hard to pee at night” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
- Phenelzine (Nardil)“worsens insomnia, libido nuked, have to eat a diet that's not insanely restrictive but must completely eliminate some random foods you might really enjoy” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogBreathlessnessHeadaches & migraineHeart symptoms & palpitationsMuscle weaknessNeuropathy & tinglingPOTS & dysautonomiaSleep problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Anxiety & low mood
Fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath, worse depression than ever, insane anxiety
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
intractable insomnia
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
massive head-exploding pain
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
Fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
intractable insomnia, weakness, tremors
In context ↗ - Brain fog
without feeling out if my mind with anxiety and brain fog
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
agitated anxiety and depression, perceptual funkiness, tremors & dizziness
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
I too had chronic pain before long covid (headache/neck/nerve pain)
In context ↗