Long COVID with headache and crashes, somewhat better with antihistamines and l-theanine
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- Not stated
- Last post
- Nov 2025
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I have a lot of the other LC symptoms of course, including NDPH.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I am now trying to keep track of my days and start with just 2 days a week of exercise. Hopefully I can build up gradually from there.
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
I’m pretty sure l-theanine and anti-histamines (need to find ones that work best for you) help me.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I have a lot of the other LC symptoms of course, including NDPH.
In context ↗
Read from 6 of their posts and comments; links to the 6 this page draws on
Summary
A Reddit user with long COVID and new daily persistent headache described repeated push-crash cycles, crashing a couple of days after five days of much higher activity. They tracked heart rate and active minutes with a Fitbit and planned to exercise twice a week, building up gradually. Cetirizine, other antihistamines and l-theanine seemed to help, and an antihistamine or l-tryptophan greatly improved sleep. Aquipta did nothing.
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What they tried
What they credit
Their words about each treatment
- exercise · Worse
I was a lot more active for around 5 days and a couple days later I crashed. I must have done way too much.
In context ↗ - Fitbit · Not said
I have a fitbit and have been trying to manage through my “active minutes” and not maintaining a high HR for prolonged periods.
In context ↗ - pacing · Not said
when you are getting better, you feel so good that you forget to pace. You end up doing way too much
In context ↗ - cetirizine · Helped
I have found cetirizine to be quite good. Trying others too.
In context ↗ - l-theanine · Helped
I’m pretty sure l-theanine and anti-histamines (need to find ones that work best for you) help me.
In context ↗ - l-tryptophan · Helped
I think one of those helped me significantly improve sleep quality.
In context ↗ - Aquipta · No change
I tried Aquipta to no avail which I believe is a similar medication (anti-CGRP?).
In context ↗
Approaches: H1 antihistamines · Amino acids and carnitine
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 | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| onset | long COVID with new daily persistent headacheI have a lot of the other LC symptoms of course, including NDPH.In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| 2025-06-15 | crashed after about five days of being much more activeLast week, I was a lot more active for around 5 days and a couple days later I crashed.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2025-11-20 | sleep quality improved significantly with antihistamines or l-tryptophanI think one of those helped me significantly improve sleep quality.In context ↗ | Not stated | Cetirizine (Zyrtec) |
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
I was a lot more active for around 5 days and a couple days later I crashed.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I think one of those helped me significantly improve sleep quality.
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
not maintaining a high HR for prolonged periods
In context ↗
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