Never-ending long COVID breathlessness somewhat better after prednisone and Paxlovid
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Not stated
- Ill before improving or writing
- Not stated
- Last post
- May 2022
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I got into a COVID clinic and that helped a lot.
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
It helped my SOB and general wheezing within a couple days. ... Nowadays, still like shit.
- Began after: COVID
I got into a COVID clinic and that helped a lot.
In context ↗
Summary
A Reddit user with long COVID took a tapering course of prednisone starting at 60 mg a day for never-ending shortness of breath. It was the only thing that made them feel human again, easing breathlessness and wheezing within a couple of days. Afterwards they still had random shortness of breath, joint pain, fatigue and migraines. Paxlovid, finished in April 2022, helped tremendously; a metallic taste side effect cleared within a day of the last dose.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- prednisone · Helped a lot
It helped my SOB and general wheezing within a couple days. It was a tapering dose. I started with 60mg a day
In context ↗ - COVID clinic · Helped
I got into a COVID clinic and that helped a lot.
In context ↗ - Paxlovid · Helped a lot
I just finished Paxlovid, and it helped me tremendously!
In context ↗
Approaches: Antivirals
Their path
They say too little about how ill they were at each step to draw it on the severity scale, so the steps are listed as they describe them. Dates are when they posted.
| When | What happened | After |
|---|---|---|
| — | long COVID with constant breathlessnessThe random SOB (compared to never ending before prednisone)In context ↗ | |
| 2022-02-28 | breathlessness and wheezing eased on a tapering steroid courseIt helped my SOB and general wheezing within a couple days.In context ↗ | Corticosteroid pulses |
| 2022-02-28 | still badly symptomatic after the steroid courseNowadays, still like shit.In context ↗ | |
| 2022-04-26 | Paxlovid helped tremendously; metallic taste cleared after the last doseI just finished Paxlovid, and it helped me tremendously!In context ↗ | Paxlovid / nirmatrelvir |
Adverse events
- Paxlovid / nirmatrelvir“the awful metallic taste was just a side effect-- not a new symptom (at least for me).” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Breathlessness
It helped my SOB and general wheezing within a couple days.
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
joint pain, fatigue and migraines are crippling at times
In context ↗
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