Long COVID with insomnia and brain fog, now recovered after ketotifen and fexofenadine
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Not stated
- Ill before improving or writing
- 1 month
- Last post
- Dec 2022
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
My long covid started with a crazy insomnia
In context ↗ - Now: Recovered
I feel completely fine.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
eight month have past since I first got covid
Read from 18 of their posts and comments; links to the 14 this page draws on
Summary
A long COVID patient in Sweden had severe insomnia, night cramps, brain fog, tingling nerves and light and noise sensitivity from about February 2022. Cetirizine after three weeks gave some relief; ketotifen 0.5 mg at night and fexofenadine were the biggest game changers, alongside Ayurveda and strength training. By month nine they felt 99% recovered and stopped both antihistamines without relapse.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Ketotifen · Helped a lot
A few days later I added Ketotifen at night and that was a huge gamechanger
In context ↗ - cetirizin and fexofenadine · Helped a lot
The biggest game changer was Ketotifen and fexofenadine
In context ↗ - hydroxyzine · Not said
I don’t get drowsy during the day like I do with mirtazapine and hydroxyzine.
In context ↗ - Ayurvedic doctor (Ayurveda) · Helped a lot
I found much help from an ayurvedic doctor.
In context ↗ - exercise, walking, strength training · Helped
I feel like my way out was exercise, gradually increased intensity of course.
In context ↗ - b12 · Helped
I think b12 has helped me get rid of the tingling in my feet and legs.
In context ↗ - creatine · Helped
Support ATP production with creatine and d-ribose
In context ↗ - lactobacillus reuteri and lactobacillus rhamnosus · Helped
Digestive support with lactobacillus reuteri and lactobacillus rhamnosus.
In context ↗ - vit D + K2 and sunlight · Helped
Vit d + vit k2 at least 2000 iu/ day ... Sunlight and earth contact, this might be one of the most important.
In context ↗ - magnesium and zink · Helped
Magnesium and zink
In context ↗ - nootropics: cerebrolysin, semax, selank · Helped
Nootropics like cerebrolysin, semax or selank.
In context ↗ - DHEA · Helped
Neurosteroids like dhea and pregnenolone
In context ↗ - Aspirin · Helped
Blocking inflamation with Aspirin
In context ↗ - high dose vitamin B complex · Helped
High dose vit b complex
In context ↗ - high dose vitamin C with bioflavonoids · Helped
High dose vit c with bioflavonoids like quercetin, luteolin, fisetin, pycnogenol.
In context ↗ - saying no to stress, anger and resentment · Helped
Saying no to stress, anger and resentment.
In context ↗ - eating clean · Not said
I eat clean but I don’t follow a low histamine diet.
In context ↗ - time · Helped
Antihistamines and time.
In context ↗
Approaches: H1 antihistamines · Alternative therapies · Anticoagulants · Antihistamines & MCAS · Hormones & thyroid · Peptides · Physiotherapy and rehab · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 2022 | Long COVID onset with severe insomnia and night crampsMy long covid started with a crazy insomnia, I would wake up at night with cramps in my entire body.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| about three weeks in | Cetirizine gave some reliefAfter about three weeks with that horror I tried cetirizin and I got some reliefIn context ↗ | Moderate | |
| a few days later | Ketotifen at night eased the nightly symptoms and sleep improvedA few days later I added Ketotifen at night and that was a huge gamechanger, it took away a lot of my nightly horror, with decent sleep I started to heal.In context ↗ | Mild | Ketotifen (Zaditen) |
| 2022-04-23 | back at 90% after two months of supplements and antihistaminesI have used/experimented with all of the compounds the last two month since i got my symtoms and I can say that I am back at 90%In context ↗ | Near normal | Ketotifen (Zaditen) |
| 2022-08-17 | 99% recovered after four rough monthsI was in a really tough spot for around 4 month, now im 99% recovered.In context ↗ | Near normal | Ketotifen (Zaditen) |
| 2022-12-05 | tapered off ketotifen and fexofenadine and felt completely fineI stopped using Ketotifen two month ago and I got of fexofenadine three weeks ago. I feel completely fine.In context ↗ | Recovered |
Adverse events
- Mirtazapine (Remeron)“I don’t get drowsy during the day like I do with mirtazapine and hydroxyzine.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril)“I don’t get drowsy during the day like I do with mirtazapine and hydroxyzine.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Sleep problems
My long covid started with a crazy insomnia
In context ↗ - Brain fog
I had to struggle to find the right words when speaking, I also had trouble remembering names
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
I think b12 has helped me get rid of the tingling in my feet and legs.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
Brain fog, tingling in the nerves, anxiety, internal tremors
In context ↗ - Light & noise sensitivity
noise sensitivity, light sensitivity
In context ↗ - Post-exertional malaise
post exertional malaise
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
full body aches like the flu
In context ↗ - Gut problems
my digestion has improved a lot
In context ↗ - Tinnitus
I had tinnitus on and off for like four months, it appeared 1 month in my LC.
In context ↗
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