Major PEM crashes with chest pain, now nearly back to normal with daily antihistamines
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- Not stated
- Last post
- Sep 2024
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
Symptomfree as long as I take them (Cetrizine), notably my chest pain and PEM.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I feel pretty normal outside of PEM.
In context ↗ - Now: Near normal
Symptomfree as long as I take them (Cetrizine), notably my chest pain and PEM. 2 months and going strong, but I didn't dare to do any hard exercise so far.
In context ↗
Read from 4 of their posts and comments; links to the 4 this page draws on
Summary
The person described major PEM crashes that started with chest pain, with clear tests contributing to anxiety, though they felt normal between crashes. Cetirizine made them very sleepy, while Allegra helped brain fog; daily cetirizine later left them symptom-free, including chest pain and PEM, for two months. By September daily antihistamines still prevented chest pain, but they had avoided hard exercise.
Ask Miruvor AI
What they tried
What they credit
Their words about each treatment
- Ibuprofen · Helped
One thing that helps me to stop the pain for the moment are Ibuprofen and Aspirin, though they don't work long term.
In context ↗ - Cetirizine · Helped
Symptomfree as long as I take them (Cetrizine), notably my chest pain and PEM. 2 months and going strong
In context ↗ - Allegra · Helped
Allegra helped me a lot with the little brain fog I had without any side effects
In context ↗ - avoiding crashes · Not said
Except avoiding crashes there isn't much for me to do.
In context ↗
Approaches: H1 antihistamines
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. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-02-21 | major PEM crashes with chest pain and anxiety; felt normal outside PEMEvery major crash starts with chest pain ... contribute A LOT to anxiety especially because I feel pretty normal outside of PEM.In context ↗ | Mild |
| 2024-04-28 | symptom-free on cetirizine for two months; avoided hard exerciseSymptomfree as long as I take them (Cetrizine), notably my chest pain and PEM. 2 months and going strong, but I didn't dare to do any hard exercise so far.In context ↗ | Near normal |
| 2024-09-27 | daily antihistamines prevented chest pain; suspected MCASantihistamines prevent it completly for me as long as I take them daily.In context ↗ | Near normal |
Adverse events
- Cetirizine (Zyrtec)“Personally Cetirizine made me really really sleepy” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
notably my chest pain and PEM
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
I have annoying chest pain too
In context ↗ - Brain fog
the little brain fog I had
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
contribute A LOT to anxiety
In context ↗
Ask Miruvor AI
Similar stories
-
Almost bedridden with ME/CFS, now much better after a specialist regimen and pacing
A California woman infected with COVID in March 2020 was sick six months, partly recovered, then relapsed and was almost bedridden by early 2023, unable to drive and sensitive to light and noise. An out-of-pocket ME/CFS specialist regimen of LDN, Abilify,…
-
Bedbound at worst with ME/CFS after COVID, now somewhat better with pacing
A person in New Zealand became ill with COVID around mid-2022. They worsened for 14 months to severe and bedbound, and are not working. Pacing, an electric wheelchair, mast-cell and arthritis drugs, and vitamin D later brought them to mild (moderate side of…
-
Bedridden with long COVID for three years, now nearly back to normal with time and pacing
Caught COVID in December 2019, before lockdown, and was mostly bedridden for three years as symptoms worsened. From year three she improved slowly, crediting time, rest, pacing, a gradual walking programme, daily antihistamines and gabapentin. A 2023…
-
Long COVID with cramps, chest pain and PEM, somewhat better with supplements and Mestinon
Marsh 80359, 40, developed long COVID in autumn 2024, limited by whole-body cramps, chest pain and PEM. Creatine, iron, magnesium and B12 brought slow gains; monthly IVIG left them feeling great before symptoms flared about 20 days later. Mestinon shortened…