Long COVID with spasms, brain fog and fatigue, improved then relapsed after flu
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 3 years
- Last post
- Dec 2023
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I’ve had long haulers for almost a year.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I’ve been in and out of work the whole time and it’s caused extreme financial hardship.
In context ↗ - Now: Relapsed
I was doing better but since having my son my symptoms have flared up.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I’ve had long haulers for almost a year.
In context ↗
Read from 15 of their posts and comments; links to the 11 this page draws on
Summary
Crane 40413, a 34-year-old man, developed long COVID around late 2020. For nearly three years he had muscle spasms and cramps, brain fog, fatigue and exercise intolerance, and was in and out of work. Muscle relaxers, gabapentin, tonic water and thyroid medication helped only partly. He improved after about a year, relapsed after flu in 2022 and flared again after his son was born in 2023, still not back to normal.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- muscle relaxers · Helped
Muscle relaxers have really helped. ... I’ve been on muscle relaxers for about 6 months and they seemed to have stopped working.
- tonic water (quinine) · Helped
Drinking tonic water (quinine) helps with the length of my muscle spasms but not with stoping them.
In context ↗ - epsom salt baths · No change
I’ve been taking epsom salt baths a few times a week and I was taking magnesium pills but neither helped
In context ↗ - THC gummies · Helped
They really helped my body “let go” of all the tension that’s been building up in me.
In context ↗ - working out / exercising, starting slow · Not said
What helps me is starting slow. If I go full in without building up slowly I get so bad I almost can’t move.
In context ↗ - thyroid meds · Helped
Just had bloodwork done and I was told my thyroid is under active. Taking meds now and I’m slowly feeling better
In context ↗ - gabapentin · Helped
I take gabapentin for anxiety and that’s the same medicine my neurologist prescribed to me when my muscle spasms and cramps were at their worst a few years ago so that’s helpful.
In context ↗ - medication for my ADHD · Not said
I recently started taking medication for my ADHD and I feel some days it works well and some days I don’t feel anything at all.
In context ↗
Approaches: Thyroid hormones
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| around December 2020 | long COVID beganI’ve had long haulers for almost a year.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| about a year in, late 2021 | felt mostly recoveredI was doing better after about a yearIn context ↗ | Near normal | |
| 2022 | flu brought back all long COVID symptoms, almost worse than the first timeI thought I was recovered and then I got the flu and my long Covid symptoms came back almost worse than the first time.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| June 2022 | underactive thyroid found; started thyroid medication and slowly improvedTaking meds now and I’m slowly feeling betterIn context ↗ | Mild | Thyroid hormones (unspecified) |
| 2023 | symptoms flared up after his son was bornI was doing better but since having my son my symptoms have flared up.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2023-12-09 | still dealing with stiffness and cramps; ADHD and anxiety medication help only some daysI’ve been dealing with muscle stiffness and cramps for almost 3 years.In context ↗ | Mild |
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
If I go full in without building up slowly I get so bad I almost can’t move.
In context ↗ - Brain fog
I’ve had really bad brain fog
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
I’ve been dealing with muscle stiffness and cramps for almost 3 years.
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
the same meds I was prescribed for muscle and nerve pain
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I take gabapentin for anxiety
In context ↗
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