Working with long COVID for four years, now near normal after nicotine gum and montelukast
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 4 years
- Last post
- Oct 2024
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I have lived and worked with my long COVID symptoms for four years.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I have lived and worked with my long COVID symptoms for four years.
In context ↗ - Now: Near normal
I’ve been able to return to about 80-90% of my prior normal life.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I have lived and worked with my long COVID symptoms for four years.
In context ↗
Read from 13 of their posts and comments; links to the 7 this page draws on
Summary
Long COVID left them working with symptoms for four years, and they had repeated thoughts of leaving the world; recently they hated every second of living. In late August 2024, after other patients' posts helped them understand the pathology, they began nicotine gum or niacinamide capsules plus a small bedtime dose of dextromethorphan, and by late October had returned to about 80-90% of their prior life, jogging for the first time in years. They also credited montelukast as significantly helpful and ascorbic acid IV infusions ($250-300 each) with eliminating all symptoms.
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What they tried
What they credit
Their words about each treatment
- ascorbic acid · Helped
I’ve always found taking ascorbate 3X a day and zinc twice a day prevented any significant GI symptoms.
In context ↗ - zinc · Helped
ones I believe to be helpful are ascorbic acid, zinc, lactoferrin capsule, loratadine tablet and azelastine nasal spray (H1blockers), and famotidine (H2blocker)
In context ↗ - lactoferrin capsule · Helped
lactoferrin capsule (*everyone ignores this one but it has been shown effective in clinical trials)
In context ↗ - loratadine tablet · Helped
loratadine tablet and azelastine nasal spray (H1blockers)
In context ↗ - azelastine nasal spray · Helped
azelastine nasal spray (H1blockers)
In context ↗ - famotidine · Helped
famotidine (H2blocker)
In context ↗ - montelukast · Helped a lot
The only prescription medication I take that helps the condition is montelukast 10mg (daily, on an empty stomach), and it is significantly helpful.
In context ↗ - ascorbic acid IV infusion · Helped a lot
I pay about $250-300 at a local physician’s office to receive an ascorbic acid IV infusion of 25g to 50g. This eliminates all symptoms in my case.
In context ↗ - nicotine gum · Helped a lot
I recommend to those suffering with Long COVID to try nicotine gum (cut the gum into 0.5 mg pieces with a pill splitter)
In context ↗ - niacinamide capsules · Helped a lot
niacinamide capsules (200 mg after breakfast and lunch)
In context ↗ - dextromethorphan · Helped
Nicotine and niacinamide can cause some feeling of asthma so taking a tiny dose of dextramethorphan clears that.
In context ↗
Approaches: H1 antihistamines · H2 blockers · Antihistamines & MCAS · Other drugs and medicines · 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. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Long COVID onsetI have lived and worked with my long COVID symptoms for four years.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| September 2024 | Lowest point, hated every second of livingThis time last month, I hated every second of living.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2024-10-12 | Nicotine, niacinamide and dextromethorphan started workingBut the nicotine works guys. Also niacinamide and dextramethorphan.In context ↗ | Mild | Nicotine patches |
| 2024-10-31 | Back to 80-90% of prior life, went joggingSince then I’ve been able to return to about 80-90% of my prior normal life. This past Friday I went jogging for the first time in years.In context ↗ | Near normal | Nicotine patches |
Adverse events
- Nicotine patches“Nicotine and niacinamide can cause some feeling of asthma so taking a tiny dose of dextramethorphan clears that.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Nicotine patches“Nicotine and niacinamide can cause insomnia if taken late in the day.” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Sleep problems
Chronic fatigue, oversleeping/insomnia, palpitations, shortness of breath, depression, the forever feelings of eye tearing and prickliness in my sinuses are gone.
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I’ve always found taking ascorbate 3X a day and zinc twice a day prevented any significant GI symptoms.
In context ↗
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