Long covid

[Storywriter]

Anyone think they have this? If so, what are your symptoms? Anyone think they had this but got better - what helped?

I have it. My symptoms are some of those that I had when I had covid but they come and go. So this week is headaches, nausea and diarrhoea, next week will be chills and sore throat, then the week after burning nose, mouth and lungs and pins and needles in my hands. Pain and burning in sinuses happens every day but only for a couple of hours.

Am I getting better? Yes, slowly. Each cycle is generally less intense than the last. I just wish someone could explain what exactly is happening- but they cant.

Sorry you ask what helps. Honestly I not sure that anything but time helps. I try eating well, lots of attention to gut health, I take tons of vitamin supplements. Initially plenty of rest helped, but then regular and gently increasing exercise helped me - but people who have the Cfs variant of long covid say the opposite.

I’m not sure what qualifies as long Covid. 5 weeks after diagnosis I still feel physically exhausted and weak. My chest feels very tight after doing even simple household tasks.

I had exhaustion , shortness of breath and chest pain for months and months after Covid. Now nearly at 8 months I just have chest pains sometimes. You do get better but it's very, very slow with many relapses and pauses.

I am in week 5. I don't know about long Covid as it hasn't been months yet, but I am still recovering and still not at work yet.

Still tired and get breathless when using stairs or going up hills. My chest is still a little bit tight at times. My heart rate is raised in those circumstances and I am still struggling to keep my blood pressure low enough, despite medication. My meds have just been upped to help that so fingers crossed.
I am still signed off work this week, though may be able to return next week if the medication works.

I have some days where I feel better than others, then other days where I am just shattered.

Several years ago I had pneumonia and its been very similar to that (except for the blood pressure bit) - I was off work for 7 weeks that time but didn't feel fully better for around a year. I am hoping this is not going to take as long as that!

@aragog my blood pressure is still slightly high. Its within the pre hypertension bracket.

I'm at 8 months and still relapsing, however, I believe each relapse is milder and I improve each time.

My biggest issue is my breathing. I have clear lung x-rays but it's my airways that play up. I burn from my throat down and when it's at its worst, i'm breathless as the airways tighten. The cold weather is not helping!

I also have patches of burning skin - especially my left foot. I'll just get a sudden wooshing warm sensation. It's the oddest thing. Respiratory specialist and GP mentioned vascularitis?

I'm also getting electric shocks from anything I touch that is plugged in. I can't hold my phone if it's charging, for example.

I hope specialists start to get answers on what's going on and soon, as it's a massive pain the behind! I'm sick of it now.

Oh and i forgot to mention, my relapses coincide with my menstrual cycles. I'm at my best during and after ovulation and at my worst during and after my period. I'm interested in the study looking at low estrogen as a factor. As it seems there is a 3-1 ratio of women vs men having long covid.

Also, large doses of turmeric and the vitamin quercetin are helping me greatly.

[quote Kitcat122]@aragog my blood pressure is still slightly high. Its within the pre hypertension bracket.[/quote]
I hadn't realised blood pressure issues was a symptom/caused by Covid before all this.

Mine was very very high - top number was around 200, bottom number above 120. So stage 3 hypertension/critical level. Doctor ended up calling for a cat B ambulance and I was in hospital the best part of 3 days before they got it below 180, and when my Covid result came back.

On the half full dose meds its been around (140-160) / (90-100), for the past 3 weeks, but with the odd spike hitting the 170s - so stage 1-2 hypertension. I have taken a full strength dose for a couple of days and it is starting to drop but still stage 1 hypertension and today its been 171/100. I get more full strength meds tomorrow so fingers crossed I can get it much lower.

It worries me as there doesn't seem much I can do apart from the meds, and fingers crossed.

I am hoping its just temporary and once Covid is totally out my system it will naturally drop.

@aragog mine was Very high too initially.

Fingers crossed mine comes down much more too. Its my main concern right now as, although the medication is reducing it, its nt coming down enough.

I was already clinically vulnerable without having anything extra to add t it.

Fingers crossed there actually is some immunity after all this!

Hope everyone is starting to improve x

These messages are giving me some hope. I’m on week 7 after a mild illness and recovering for about 10 days. Then I relapsed and have a variety of symptoms and feel shattered. Very low energy levels and getting very little sleep. And sleep makes a world of difference.I have burning this time and chills. What does anyone think about being infectious? On the positive I do improve with rest 💤

Joining. Week 6 here. Was feeling well for 5 days so returned to work and now I’m awful again. My chest is awful. Hoping to go back next week if steroids kick in enough.

Sorry to hear you’re struggling. Can I ask what steroids you were given? Fingers crossed for you.

Symptoms started on 16 February, really ill for ten days. Now having alternate days when I feel a bit better, then suddenly symptoms I thought had gone, show up again. I’m really tired, which gets worse after any kind of activity, and I feel like my heart is racing after even the simplest of tasks - for example, exhausted and tight in the chest after taking washing out of the machine and hanging out.

Low histamine diet, primary diet of whole foods with focus on meats and veggies, buckwheat & cruciferous for glutathione, b-vitamins, sulfur and vitamin c, worked on improving methylation, removed toxic processed foods, medicines, hygiene and cleaning products from household (got super old school and this is not expensive- actually saves money) studied best practices for mast cell activation, long SARS, post viral illness and any chronic illness, studied stress reduction, immune boosting and nervous system cooling off techniques, lots of sunshine and laughter where I could get it, vitamin D & magnesium. The above practices cut my symptoms by more than half, the remainder required something more. I read about it in a New York Times article about long Covid and in a news interview about treating long Covid- it is Low Dose Naltrexone. I am basically back to normal with some collateral damage in the form of food and chemical sensitivities, mild asthma and a little lingering nerve damage. I am not in an the medical field, this is just what I did and I got my life back.

Women are thought to be better able to fight off initial infection, but are more prone to lasting effects for hormonal reasons/any underlying/pre-existing inflammation. Try the above and I mean really do your part to help.it along and you will see results. Look up New York Times article "What I'd You never recover from Covid?" Or something close to that title. Good luck.

To the poster above talking about electronic devices: The electric heating pad I normally use for my monthly started doing this to me on the left side of my body after COVID. It was a strange prickling sensation. I gave it to an old lady friend to heat her bed before climbing in and had to buy a microwaveable rice pack instead which did not cause the same sensation. Strange stuff.

I'm a year on and still get chest and back pain and afternoon exhaustion. Also bad headaches have started again. Tbh I had over two weeks in bed when I had it so the fact I can do a lot of what I want helps.

Just over a year since I was hospitalised with Covid. Still suffering from long Covid.
Permanently breathless at about 150 yards, and continuous sinus irritation and copious secretion.
Frequent relapses of severe fatigue and coughing, sometimes accompanied by heartburn and diarrhoea.
On the plus side, I am alive to complain about it, and my relapses are slowly getting less severe and a bit further apart.
I can now (slowly) do my own gardening - I had to hire a gardener for the whole of last year, as I was too weak to mow the lawn or do the weeding.

I am still breathless and tired a lot, 11 weeks on

Please see my post. You can get better. I hate to see anyone suffer like this.

I mean above post. Good luck!