Completely dysfunctional with long COVID, now somewhat better after meditation and self-care
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Very severe (bedbound, unable to do basic care)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 4.5 years
- Last post
- Mar 2024
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I realized, for the first time, that I had COVID more than once and had likely had long COVID for a year already.
In context ↗ - At worst: Very severe
After my second infection, the only thing I had energy to do was self-care. I was completely dysfunctional. My sons were taking care of me.
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
I've also had electric-shock like pains all over my body, the worst being my left vagus nerve. ... They've mostly stopped since I starting doing vagus nerve stimulation.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I've had COVID twice: late 2019 and January 2021.
In context ↗
Read from 9 of their posts and comments; links to the 8 this page draws on
Summary
Eagle 37662, a 61-year-old woman, had COVID in late 2019 and again in January 2021; after the second infection she was completely dysfunctional and her sons cared for her, with spinal pain and electric-shock nerve pains. Meditation and self-care routines ended her daily panic attacks, and vagus nerve stimulation learned from YouTube mostly stopped the electric shocks, with almost instant relief. She still uses acupressure regularly.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- electrolyte replacement · Helped
I've started drinking electrolyte replacement every morning as part of my normal routine. If I miss it, I get terribly nauseated, dizzy, and have even fainted.
In context ↗ - yoga, stretching · Helped
I started focusing on whatever hurt most — yoga, stretching, Reiki, dance, whatever I could find that caused my body to feel less rigid.
In context ↗ - Reiki · Helped
yoga, stretching, Reiki, dance, whatever I could find that caused my body to feel less rigid
In context ↗ - dance · Helped
I've always loved to dance, but I think syncing my body to music helps to pull me out of my misery enough that I can move.
In context ↗ - Meditation · Helped a lot
Meditation is my primary tool for lifting myself out of the horrors of this disease.
In context ↗ - self-care routines · Helped
Several months into my self-care routines, I noticed I wasn't having panic attacks any more, wasn't being triggered (ever)
In context ↗ - laughing · Helped
I discovered by accident that laughing changes my pain. The longer I laugh, the less I hurt.
In context ↗ - vagus nerve stimulation · Helped a lot
That changed my life more than anything else has, and the relief was almost instant.
In context ↗ - TENS/NMES · Not said
I also use a TENS/NMES.
In context ↗ - acupressure (self-administered) · Helped
Acupressure helps, as does applying localized heat
In context ↗
Approaches: Mind-body practices · Pacing · Vagus nerve stimulation
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. The chart starts 13 months after onset: the story doesn’t say how ill they were before that. 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 | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| late 2019 | first COVID infectionI've had COVID twice: late 2019 and January 2021.In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| January 2021 | second COVID infection, completely dysfunctionalAfter my second infection, the only thing I had energy to do was self-care. I was completely dysfunctional. My sons were taking care of me.In context ↗ | Very severe | |
| mid 2021 | panic attacks stopped with self-care routinesSeveral months into my self-care routines, I noticed I wasn't having panic attacks any moreIn context ↗ | Mild | Meditation, yoga, breathwork |
| 2022-05-30 | electric-shock nerve pains stoppedThat changed my life more than anything else has, and the relief was almost instant.In context ↗ | Mild | Vagus nerve stimulation |
| 2024-03-07 | still using self-acupressure for painI use acupressure (self-administered) regularly and am considering adding moxibustion. Acupressure helpsIn context ↗ | Mild | Acupressure, ear seeds and auricular devices |
Adverse events
- Meditation, yoga, breathwork“Meditation brought “involuntary movements” ... They were terrifying.” In context ↗ Other
- Meditation, yoga, breathwork“I've had all sorts of weird sensations with my face and skull since I started practicing relaxation/meditation.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- POTS & dysautonomia
If I miss it, I get terribly nauseated, dizzy, and have even fainted.
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
(Pain is the worst, by far.)
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
I've also had electric-shock like pains all over my body, the worst being my left vagus nerve.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I was having panic attacks almost daily, sometimes several in a single day.
In context ↗ - Loss of smell or taste
brain injury that included anosmia and ageusia
In context ↗
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