Long COVID with widespread random pain; improved on nicotine patches, then relapsed
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- Not stated
- Last post
- Oct 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
r/covidlonghaulers
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
Im doing nicotine patches, 3.5mg and I can function now
In context ↗ - Now: Relapsed
This week I've been in complete pain from head to toe
In context ↗
Read from 5 of their posts and comments; links to the 5 this page draws on
Summary
A Reddit user with long COVID had widespread random pain and started nicotine patches in October 2025. Within two days of a 3.5 mg patch they felt improvement, and by day eight 'fantastic', saying they could function again. A year later they reported complete pain from head to toe all week, relieved only by proper rest, a movie and red light therapy on their legs.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- nicotine patches · Helped a lot
Im doing nicotine patches, 3.5mg and I can function now
In context ↗ - rest · Helped
Only I've relief when properly rest, watch a movie and do red light therapy on my legs
In context ↗ - red light therapy · Helped
do red light therapy on my legs because still hurting
In context ↗ - meditation · Not said
went to soak while doing a meditation with magnesium salts
In context ↗
Their path
How ill they were on the ME/CFS severity scale, estimated from what they describe at each point, in the order they describe; they don’t give enough times to place each step. Hover or tap a point. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-13 | two days into a 3.5 mg nicotine patch, felt promisingI started with 3.5mg two days ago , and very promisingIn context ↗ | Not stated | Nicotine patches |
| 2025-10-19 | eight days on 3.5 mg patches, feeling fantasticIm currently 8 days 3.5 mg cutting 7mg patches in 2, im feeling fantasticIn context ↗ | Mild | Nicotine patches |
| 2025-10-25 | able to function again on nicotine patchesIm doing nicotine patches, 3.5mg and I can function nowIn context ↗ | Mild | Nicotine patches |
| 2026-10-24 | week of complete pain from head to toe, relief only with proper restThis week I've been in complete pain from head to toeIn context ↗ | Moderate |
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Pain & fibromyalgia
This week I've been in complete pain from head to toe
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
I have multiple areas and random pain, chest if I've cough
In context ↗
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