Long COVID with brain fog and PEM, now recovered after nicotine patches and taurine
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 2.5 years
- Last post
- May 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
so far the thing that helped me the most with long covid
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
Got me from about 70% to 90%.
In context ↗ - Now: Recovered
I recovered after 2.5 years so it is possible.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
so far the thing that helped me the most with long covid
In context ↗
Read from 15 of their posts and comments; links to the 13 this page draws on
Summary
Creek 16927 had long COVID for about two and a half years, with brain fog, insomnia and remaining post-exertional malaise. Nicotine patches took them from roughly 70% to 90% of normal, and taurine, creatine and MCT oil also helped. They felt like their old self again and later said they recovered after 2.5 years.
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What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- taurine · Helped a lot
Taurine is the single most helpful supplemente for my brain. Taking about 2000 mg a day and i feel like my old self again.
In context ↗ - anti-inflammatory medication (nsaid) · Helped
Anti-inflammatory medication (nsaid) helped me a lot.
In context ↗ - nicotine patch · Helped a lot
Did it for a little over 2 months with a 4 day break, my brainfog and insomnia are almost completly gone. Got me from about 70% to 90%.
In context ↗ - tensing glute muscles · Helped
Had intense brain fog, tried it and the brain fog is gone.
In context ↗ - creatine · Helped
Things that helped me the most are creatine (6g daily), l-taurine and nicotin patches.
In context ↗ - alcohol · Helped
Weirdly for me alcohol gives me some relief… even clears up my mind and helps me a lot while having a crash.
In context ↗ - Mct oil · Helped
Mct oil made my brain fog go away.
In context ↗
Approaches: Amino acids and carnitine · 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. The chart starts 12 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 2023 | long COVID beganIm 1.5 years in and getting better day by day.In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| 2024 | about 70% of normal before nicotine patchesGot me from about 70% to 90%.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| January 2025 | brain fog and insomnia almost gone on nicotine patchesmy brainfog and insomnia are almost completly gone. Got me from about 70% to 90%.In context ↗ | Near normal | Nicotine patches |
| June 2025 | felt like old self on taurineTaking about 2000 mg a day and i feel like my old self again.In context ↗ | Near normal | |
| May 2026 | recovered after 2.5 yearsI recovered after 2.5 years so it is possible.In context ↗ | Recovered |
Adverse events
- Nicotine patches“Im only at 3,5 mg but after 4 days on it i got severe headache after some hours” In context ↗ Side effects
- Nicotine patches“Less brainfog and more energy for me but ive got severe headaches after a couple of days” In context ↗ Side effects
- Nicotine patches“It elevates my heart rate but only by about 5.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Brain fog
3000mg taurine a day helped a lot with brain fog
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
my brainfog and insomnia are almost completly gone
In context ↗ - Post-exertional malaise
only the pem remains but is also much better
In context ↗
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