Long COVID
Mild → no benefit
Long COVID pins and needles for 2.5 years, no improvement from gabapentin or B vitamins
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill for
- Not stated
- Last post
- Apr 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
anxiety is a big part of my LC
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I used to be a working guitarist but I had to stop. Between the tingling (left hand), anxiety, and fatigue, it just became too hard.
In context ↗ - Now: No benefit
I'm just waiting for someone to figure out how to banish the COVID remnants from my brain and body. That's my main hope at this point.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I tested positive in Oct/Nov '22... within a couple hours I started experiencing tingling (pins and needles)
In context ↗
Read from 16 of their posts and comments; links to the 12 this page draws on
Summary
After COVID in late 2022, this Reddit user developed pins and needles within hours; it settled in hands and feet, then the whole left side, unchanged for 2.5 years. Small fibre neuropathy was diagnosed after negative scans and an EMG; guitar work ended. Anti-anxiety meds (ashwagandha, later Cymbalta) helped most; NSAIDs and hot/cold eased tingling, while gabapentin, pregabalin and B vitamins did nothing. Cymbalta caused insomnia and/or dizziness.
Ask Miruvor AI
What they tried
Also tried
Ashwagandha (Nature's Bounty "Anxiety and Stress Relief")· Helped a lotCymbalta (duloxetine)· HelpedNSAIDs (Ibuprofen and Tylenol)· Helpedhot/cold therapy· Helpedguaifenesin (Mucinex)· Helpedanti-histamines· Helpedrelaxation (cool environment, fan)· Helpedinulin fiber prebiotic· HelpedGabapentin· No changePregabalin (Lyrica)· No changeAlpha Lipoic acid· No changeB12 supplements· No changeB1· No change
Their words about each treatment
- Ashwagandha (Nature's Bounty "Anxiety and Stress Relief") · Helped a lot
This was working very well for anxiety and helping me tremendously.
In context ↗ - Cymbalta (duloxetine) · Helped
It also worked well (maybe slightly better) but I ended-up stopping it because of side-effects (insomnia and/or dizziness).
In context ↗ - Gabapentin · No change
I tried some drugs for nerve pain (Gabapentin, Pregablin (Lyrica), Alpha Lipoic acid supplements, and currently, Cymbalta), none have helped at all
In context ↗ - B12 supplements · No change
both my PCP and neurologist checked my B12 (it was normal) and tried supplements -- my neurologist even tried an extra large dose -- nothing worked
In context ↗ - NSAIDs (Ibuprofen and Tylenol) · Helped
NSAIDS (Ibuprofen and Tylenol) seem to help minimize the intensity of the tingling
In context ↗ - hot/cold therapy · Helped
I use a heating pad for my hand all day, and sometimes move my hand onto a cold surface.
In context ↗ - guaifenesin (Mucinex) · Helped
I tried guaifenesin on a whim for dizziness (after much experience with sinus infections) and found that it helped.
In context ↗ - anti-histamines · Helped
For me, the best ones have been: anti-anxiety (ashwaganda and Cymbalta), anti-histamines, NSAIDS, guaifenesin (for dizziness), relaxation (especially in a cool environment, perhaps using a fan), and hot/cold (for my nerve pain).
In context ↗ - B1 · No change
recently I tried a fairly high level of B1
In context ↗ - inulin fiber prebiotic · Helped
An inulin fiber prebiotic has helped me with this quite a bit.
In context ↗
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Oct/Nov '22 | COVID infection; tingling began within hoursI tested positive in Oct/Nov '22... within a couple hours I started experiencing tingling (pins and needles)In context ↗ | Mild |
| Dec 2022 | tingling became persistent in both hands and feet, with cold feelingsone month later (Dec) it started persistently in my two hands and two feet, accompanied by cold feelingsIn context ↗ | Mild |
| Sep 2023 | tingling shifted to the whole left side of the bodynine months later (Sep, '23) one afternoon it suddenly and completely changed to the entire left side of my body from head to toeIn context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta)“I also tried Cymbalta for a while but didn't like the side effects.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta)“It also worked well (maybe slightly better) but I ended-up stopping it because of side-effects (insomnia and/or dizziness).” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Neuropathy & tingling
within a couple hours I started experiencing tingling (pins and needles) moving randomly around my body
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
anxiety is a big part of my LC
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I fall asleep involuntarily, e.g. while watching TV
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
I have found that guaifenesin seems to help with dizziness
In context ↗ - Brain fog
often seems synchronized with my brain symptoms
In context ↗ - Gut problems
An inulin fiber prebiotic has helped me with this quite a bit.
In context ↗