Anyone else experience Weight Gain with long COVID?

One more thing: COVID blew out my thyroid. The weight gain started with Long Covid. My cardiologist sent me to an endocrinologist, she put me on thyroid meds and keeps checking to be sure the levels on right for me. It took a very short time to get them right. I have very slowly lost 3 of those pounds. The holidays knocked me off track. Perhaps your thyroid was damaged too and the above might work for you.

I'm sorry for the late reply.
It may.
By now you would know the answer. If the etiology (I guess more pathology) of weight gain is due to a type of global inflammation (meaning whole body) it should have some beneficial effect.

My pcp did the standard TSH and my levels were normal. I think I am just going to keel over one day and the doctor will say, “but all her labs were normal “

Hi @walk4life. Thank you beyond words LOL response to @yaya77066 that so describes the much needed dark humor for trying to treat this so unconventional new disease with same old traditional ways after so many of us have shared our journeys!!! Quickest healing to all🌈

I have also gained weight in my four years post COVID. I had shortness of breath , rapid pulse and low O2 on any exertion for almost 2 years...and still have post exercise malaise. I tried going on keto but my histamine is too high so high protein intake drives me crazy. I have been taking a antihistamine every days for two years and still have completely out of control allergies some days...so probably mast cell activation. I am hoping the antiviral I am taking will help so I can get moving again!

You may have Hashimoto’s. Have your TPO Antibodies checked, the number should be 0. When mine was detected, it was after I had 18” of my colon removed due to severe diverticulitis. My count was at almost 600, which is why I was gaining weight rapidly! I also was diagnosed at the same time with Hypothyroidism, for which I take Synthroid to control. It’s definitely a balancing act with the medication. I was just switched to taking half of a 112 mcg Synthroid from 100 mcg because I started to become Hyperthyroid. So far, so good. I have found that eliminating gluten, dairy and soy from my diet has helped tremendously! Good luck!

Still dealing with weight gain, I’m not sure if it’s from the Pfizer or getting Covid in 2022. As of today I have gained over 40 pounds and it continues. I have tried every diet on the planet and thousands worth of supplements and herbs, regular exercise, fasting, and I’m still no further than where I started. Working out did stop the weight gain, but I couldn’t lose it. A vegetarian diet also helped, but again I would lose 7-10 pounds and then it would come back. I’m experiencing periodic swelling, excessive water weight gain, that comes and goes. Heart palpitations, extreme fatigue, joint issues, and may be potentially pre diabetic. I had perfect health before COVID. Every one of my friends and family members who took Pfizer is now experiencing the same problems. It’s been almost 3 years since Covid, 4 and a half since the shot, and there doesn’t seem to be an end to this in sight. I refuse to take prescriptions.

I hear you...I am 4 years post COVID and have very similar symptoms. Diagnosed so far with Psoriatic arthritis and scleroderma. Currently on antiviral and celebrex and my energy is inching up after the first three weeks. Cannot do keto diet since COVID as my histamine is too high to at much meat. I am hopeful that the antiviral will help and give me enough relief to workout again.

Yes. I have too! I have always been small,slender/ athletic and I have hypothyroidism and had gained some weight from that many years ago maybe 15 years ago or so,and got on medicine,still have symptoms but I was still pretty normal range weight. I was lower normal maybe considered underweight before but healthy. Always had been healthy,high energy,no health issues,great blood pressure until I had several major negative life events all at once. Then got COVID, but mostly just the annoying cough, took Mucinex DM and that helped a lot. I had a slight fever for one day,my son had it worse than me. I have had it 5 more times after that all with mild symptoms I was 62-63. I had been put on BP medicine in ER when I had a bad panic attack ( never had that until all the traumatic events) different ones all bad side effects from those,had bad stuff happen with those and the last two I was on ( my BP was not even truly high, my life was just very stressful) were horrible, propranolol and Olmesartan. Woke up one morning with TINNITUS!!! I looked up side effects of propranolol and Olmesartan and Propranolol can cause weight gain and tinnitus. After I was on the OLMESARTAN after a while I noticed weight gain,water retention which I have never had in my life. I saw the side effects from these two medications caused a lot of the symptoms I had, that my BP medicines caused! Weight gain, water retention, tinnitus ( propranolol) swelling, my face at one time was very swollen and coincidentally that happened shortly after the doctor raised my thyroid medicine dosage and swelling is an allergic reaction but I have been taking the same medicine for thyroid for years so thought it may be something else. I did not go to Doctor any of the times I got COVID as I just had mild symptoms except this last time, September/ October of 2023. It was the worst one. I should have gone to hospital but I have no insurance except for inpatient and was not sure they would keep me. I did not really notice much of the symptoms until several months later, along with gaining MORE WEIGHT which never happens with me (I had had the Moderna shots and a booster. The booster made my lymph nodes under my arms sore. I could barely have a shirt touching them! I still have it here and there) and noticed I was gaining weight pretty quickly. I have a small appetite, eat mostly healthy foods,little salt or sugar, I exercise,some light weights and exercise bike aside from the walking I do as I do not drive. So, I had weight gain, ,water retention before this last COVID but more after. So for me, I do not know if the weight gain/ water retention is from the COVID or the blood pressure medicine since both can cause it arghh. But I had COVID many times before so possibly could be from the other times though it started after I started taking BP medicine. Many useless visits to my clinic,with them just saying oh everyone gains weight when they get older .ya not me!!! And all he did was raise my thyroid medication a bit thinking it might be that but no. nothing has changed. I stopped taking propranolol close to 10 months to a year ago maybe then stopped the OLMESARTAN about a month and a half ago. I have since got JOINT PAIN, in my hip joints mostly but I have other contributing factors. I also had UTI I thought, but seems it was bladder issues which also falls under long COVID symptoms, shortness of breath, exercise intolerance a lot of the same stuff many others in here have said. This is concerning stuff as most Doctors have no idea how to diagnose long COVID much less how to treat it . My tests come up normal for kidneys, liver and EKG doctor said was " Fantastic! " I also have the coughing here and there,when I laugh too hard I actually start coughing/choking! I laugh at a lot of things so not good haha! Sorry this was so long but wanted to mention blood pressure medicines as the ones I was in have the same symptoms/side effects Long COVID definitely causes inflammation and this the swelling,joint pain,bladder issues. I am a natural remedy kind of person so have been using ginger and garlic and they seem to help but if I carry anything too heavy it gets worse. You can ask me questions ( anyone) if you want to know anything more and if my symptoms sound like yours, I am happy to answer anything as I came here looking for answers and if others are experiencing what I am. Was hoping the weight gain/ water retention would go away once I got off the BP medicines ( Also had leg swelling but I have been sitting a lot more,and since stopping BP meds it is not as bad.
I have only lost about 3-4 pounds since stopping the BP medicines. Very disappointing as I thought that is mostly what caused the weight gain,water retention and swelling. So, looks like it is most likely from the COVID.
I wanted to ask if anyone has lost this weight and water retention and if so, how long after they got it. I know everyone is different but but if some people are losing the weight and water, that gives the rest of us some hope we will eventually lose it too. I do not know about you guys but I am getting concerned about even being around people anymore as I keep getting COVID no matter how careful I AM,others are NOT. I see and hear sick people in stores,restaurants and just know they have COVID. ( That cough is unmistakable!) and they are not wearing a mask and are in public ugh!!! 🙄

No doubt the COVID since the rest of us seem to have all the symptoms too. I had COVID 6 times and I had the Moderna shots and the booster. The booster made my lymph glands in my armpits swell and hurt and could hardly have shirt touching them. No more shots for me but all the other symptoms I am sure are from the COVID/ long COVID. Weight gain,water retention, tinnitus, joint pain,bladder issues, cough off and on especially when laughing, exercise intolerance,weakness,shortness of breath. Ugh. Probably more I left out of do not even know about yet!