Long COVID
Mild → much betterIll 14 months before improving or writingNeeds ongoing treatment
Long COVID fatigue, brain fog and dizziness, much better after maraviroc and fluvoxamine
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 14 months
- Last post
- Sep 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
Got the OG strain back in Jan 2021 and it’s been 2.5 years of hell.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
Working outside home. Had no business doing that for a long time but I have a family to provide for so I just took it slow as possible.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
Not fully recovered. I still have heart rate issues (Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia) is the official diagnosis. Low energy depending on the day. But I’ve come a long way.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
Got the OG strain back in Jan 2021
- Says they never had: Post-exertional malaise
No PEM. Able to do zone 2 exercise.
Read from 134 of their posts and comments; links to the 46 this page draws on
- Jul 2023
- Jul 2025
- Jan 2026
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Summary
A 41-year-old New York man caught the original COVID strain in January 2021 and never recovered, working full-time through fatigue, a racing heart, tingling, brain fog and dizziness. Maraviroc, fluvoxamine and as-needed metoprolol helped; despite an earlier crash from the Levine exercise protocol, he was about 85% better by early 2023. A third infection set him back, and three-plus years on he still had tachycardia, tinnitus and low energy.
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What they tried
Also tried
Ivermectin· HelpedPrednisone· HelpedMetoprolol (beta blocker)· HelpedColchicine· HelpedNarrowband UVB· HelpedAntihistamines (Zyrtec, Claritin)· No changeAntihistamines (Zyrtec, Claritin)· No changeFamotidine· No changeLow histamine diet· No changeMagnesium· No changeLow-dose aspirin· No changeVisibiome· No changeExtra table salt in water· No changeModerna COVID vaccine series· No changeCreatine· No changeTaurine· No changeNSAIDs· No changeFasting / intermittent fasting· WorseStrict keto (4:1)· WorseTHC· WorseLevine Protocol / steady-state cardio· Much worseCrestor (statin)· Not saidZinc· Not saidProbiotics· Not saidB1· Not saidQuercetin· Not saidAmoxicillin· Not saidPaxlovid· Not saidMetformin· Not saidVitamin C· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- Levine Protocol / steady-state cardio · Much worse
I followed it exactly as it was for 3 months and then had my worst flare to date.
In context ↗ - Fluvoxamine · Helped
Fluvoxamine - helped with vision issues within 2 days
In context ↗ - Crestor (statin) · Not said
Statin - I was already on Crestor due to familial hypercholesterolemia.
In context ↗ - Ivermectin · Helped
It helped me some with fatigue.
In context ↗ - Prednisone · Helped
I’ve noticed when on anti inflammatories (prednisone or colchicine) my vision is better but as soon as I’m off them it goes back to baseline crappy.
In context ↗ - Maraviroc · Helped a lot
This was the game changer for me.
In context ↗ - B12 · Helped
B12 - 3000 mcg a day really helped with my energy.
In context ↗ - Fasting / intermittent fasting · Worse
it was actually fasting that caused the HR elevation, not keto.
In context ↗ - Antihistamines (Zyrtec, Claritin) · No change
I tried Zyrtec, Claritin, famotidine and a low histamine diet. Didn’t help any unfortunately.
In context ↗ - Zinc · Not said
Second infection I just took more vitamins (specifically zinc, Vitamin C) and hydrated and rested.
In context ↗ - Magnesium · No change
I took magnesium for about 90 days. I didn’t notice any positive effect.
In context ↗ - Probiotics · Not said
probiotics, B1, Quercetin, etc.
In context ↗ - Low-dose aspirin · No change
no difference that I can physically tell
In context ↗ - Metoprolol (beta blocker) · Helped
A beta blocker (metoprolol) has been really helpful.
In context ↗ - Amoxicillin · Not said
I’ve taken Amoxicillin for strep and then another time for an ear infection with LC. I didn’t notice any changes.
In context ↗ - Time · Helped
Really just time
In context ↗ - Strict keto (4:1) · Worse
I did strict Keto (4:1 ) for 6 weeks measuring with a ketone meter. Made my tachycardia way worse!
In context ↗ - Visibiome · No change
I tried Visibiome but it didn’t appear to help anything.
In context ↗ - Colchicine · Helped
I was prescribed Colchicine specifically for gout, but I noticed it helps with my long COVID blurry vision quite a bit.
In context ↗ - Extra table salt in water · No change
I took extra table salt mixed with water for about the first year to try and help with the HR issues.
In context ↗ - Moderna COVID vaccine series · No change
Didn’t appear to make it worse but didn’t make me any better either.
In context ↗ - Creatine · No change
Didn’t notice a difference when I took it.
In context ↗ - Taurine · No change
Currently trying taurine for the vision stuff - but a week or so in no improvement.
In context ↗ - Paxlovid · Not said
I don’t know that any of it helped to be honest.
In context ↗ - Narrowband UVB · Helped
I’ve also done narrowband UVB which helped with heart rate and energy.
In context ↗ - NSAIDs · No change
Can’t say NSAIDs helped me unfortunately.
In context ↗ - THC · Worse
It was relaxing until my HR hit 140 and stayed there for like half an hour.
In context ↗
Approaches: SSRIs · Antivirals · Supplements
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. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2021 | COVID (OG strain); never got betterGot the OG strain back in Jan 2021 and it’s been 2.5 years of hell.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| March 2022 | started Maraviroc after a bad flare; energy and heart rate began to improveI started it in March after a bad flare ... This was the game changer for me.In context ↗ | Mild | Maraviroc (Selzentry) |
| August 2022 | setback after strep throat and 10 days of amoxicillinGot strep throat and did 10 days of Amoxicillin the first of August. Feel crappy againIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| around 2 years in | lowest point, but kept working full timemy worst was around 2 years inIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| February 2023 | second infection; energy rose afterwardsMost all my progress stayed but my energy got way higher.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| March 2023 | about 85% recovered on twice-daily MaravirocI’d say 85% recovered. Can do mostly what I want but avoid alcohol and strenuous exercise.In context ↗ | Mild | Maraviroc (Selzentry) |
| December 2023 | third infection set back heart rate and energyI felt really good until my 3rd infection in December. Now just tired and the HR stuff isn’t great again.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| — | crashed after restarting exerciseI then started back exercising and about 6 weeks in had a crash.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| September 2026 | far from onset but still limited by IST, tinnitus and low energy; first three good days in a rowI’m in my 6th year…FINALLY had 3 good days in a row. That’s never ever happened. Had my normal energy and felt 20 years younger.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Fluvoxamine (Luvox)“Took Fluvoxamine for 2 days at one point and both eyes actually got blurry and started to hurt.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Maraviroc (Selzentry)“I found the second dose in the day made me feel worse. So if I did 150mg twice a day I felt crappy.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol)“If it passes quickly my HR gets too low and I get sluggish.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Graded rehab and self-made programmes“I followed it exactly as it was for 3 months and then had my worst flare to date.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol)“But really the only side effect I’ve had is being a little lethargic at times.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Fluvoxamine (Luvox)“The very first time I took 25mg it wired me up and I was sweating.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Intermittent fasting“when I did fasting later not following a keto diet my HR was elevated as well. So for me, it was actually fasting that caused the HR elevation” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogHeadaches & migraineHeart symptoms & palpitationsNeuropathy & tinglingPOTS & dysautonomiaSleep problemsTemperature regulationTinnitusVision problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Brain fog
I had brain fog, forgetfulness and problems with word recall for several years. It mostly resolved with time
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
I still have heart rate issues (Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia) is the official diagnosis.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
It went from feeling tired after sleeping 9 hours and then wanting/taking a nap two hours later
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
Current symptoms are tachycardia, tinnitus, headaches, low energy.
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
My palpitations went away but I still get the hard beats 2.5+ years in.
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
I had numbness/tingling in my face, feet and hands. Mostly my left side.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
Probably 18 months to totally get the anxiety back to normal.
In context ↗ - Tinnitus
I guess then one thing that hasn’t changed any is the tinnitus in my left ear. It is outta control!
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
out of nowhere my autonomic nervous system decides it’s gonna make my heart race, me sweat and not regulate body temp
In context ↗ - Vision problems
Still have eye issues too (mainly more blurry now as opposed to blurry and bothering me where I was rubbing my eyes a lot).
In context ↗
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