Long COVID headaches and dizziness, improved then crashed; still unable to work
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 2 years
- Last post
- Aug 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I had a Covid infection and got pretty bad from it with severe headaches.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
This thing is keeping me from working and exercising.
In context ↗ - Now: Relapsed
I recovered a bit after 2 months and could exercise again, and so I did to try to get in good shape for the skiing season (was an avid mountaineer), but crashed hard 3 months later and haven't been able to exercise since.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I had a Covid infection and got pretty bad from it with severe headaches.
In context ↗
Read from 9 of their posts and comments; links to the 7 this page draws on
Summary
Beech 70533 caught COVID around 2024 and developed severe headaches, dizziness and migraines. Two months in they improved enough to exercise again, then crashed hard after training, and separately developed akathisia, internal shaking and severe PEM after stopping an SSRI cold turkey. Two years on they are still on sick leave, unable to work or exercise, and improving only very slowly with rest.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- exercise · Much worse
I recovered a bit after 2 months and could exercise again, and so I did to try to get in good shape for the skiing season (was an avid mountaineer), but crashed hard 3 months later
In context ↗ - sleep medication · Not said
I now rely on sleep medication because of it.
In context ↗ - doing nothing · Helped
I improve very slowly by doing nothing basically
In context ↗ - lexapro · Worse
I stopped mine cold turkey 2 months into LC because they started worsening my headaches
In context ↗
Approaches: Radical rest
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | COVID infection with severe headachesI had a Covid infection and got pretty bad from it with severe headaches.In context ↗ | Mild |
| 2 months into LC | improved a bit and could exercise againI recovered a bit after 2 months and could exercise againIn context ↗ | Mild |
| late 2024 | cold-turkey SSRI withdrawal brought akathisia and severe PEM7 weeks into my ssri withdrawal I developed akathisia and severe PEMIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| early 2025 | crashed hard after returning to exercise, could not exercise sincecrashed hard 3 months later and haven't been able to exercise sinceIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2026-07-30 | on sick leave, improving very slowly by doing nothingI improve very slowly by doing nothing basicallyIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2026-08-31 | keeps stepping back from work after crashes, slowly improvingSlowly improving though, I think.In context ↗ | Moderate |
Adverse events
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)“I stopped mine cold turkey 2 months into LC because they started worsening my headaches for some mysterious reason” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)“7 weeks into my ssri withdrawal I developed akathisia and severe PEM” In context ↗ Withdrawal problems
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)“Had to reinstate but reacted poorly to them so ai had to reinstate over a year using liquids.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)“I developed SSRI-induced headaches when I had Covid ... I was also dizzy and more anxious for some reason.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
It ramps up after exercise and when it does, I know a crash is coming.
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
rolling migraine attacks
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
It is some kind of dysautonomia.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I now rely on sleep medication because of it.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I was also dizzy and more anxious for some reason.
In context ↗
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