How are the super long-haulers doing 3 to 4 years out?

Hello, thanks for sharing. I’m now in my third year of long COVID. Symptoms including airway tightness, lung irritation and fatigue. Had 2 x rays and 2 CT scans in the first year all came out clear. I had all the tests that I can get access to in the past 3 years, ANA was positive. What makes you decide to do the stellate ganglion blockage? What’s the diagnosis? Thank you so much!

Hi, I had what I thought (and the Urgent Care doctor) was a sinus infection the first week of this Month. Severe sinus pressure, slight runny nose and strangely I was sneezing. The Urgent Care Doctor did a rapid Covid, Flu and RSV test, came back negative. Prescribed antibiotics, flash forward six days, wasn’t feeling any better and developed a dry cough. Went to my Primary Care doctor he performed the PCR Covid test and a day later results came back positive for Covid. I don’t know if it’s possibly because of what you mentioned but yes it happened to me as well.
I am suffering from LC since the Fall of 2021 and it has been a nightmare! Covid has pretty much malfunctioned my systems; neurological, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and for four years living with constant sinus inflammation. My post Covid symptoms are far worse than the acute symptoms from the virus. The first time I didn’t even know I had Covid until my husband became really sick with it.
I’m so glad I found this forum, because like many of you it’s been a struggle mentally and emotionally as well as physically.
Sending positive thoughts and healing energy to you all!

I had one Dr who supposedly was specializing in long COVID tell me "May be you should just accept the way you are?"

I could not believe what I heard. It has been 4 years now that I have had this, and I am not getting better. I will never give up looking, trying

I obviously did not go back to that Dr.

Our symptoms sound similar! I decided to do stellate ganglion block because another long-COVID person I was connected with told me about it. I looked up some info on it and asked an acquaintance who is a retired doctor and decided it was worth a try. I had to ask for it, no doctor recommended it for me.But thankfully my primary doctor was supportive and gave me the referral I needed to Pain Management which is the department that does these blocks, at least in my clinic network.

Here are the resources I looked at, but now these are a few years old and there is even more, newer, and often encouraging research out there if you want to look

1. “Stellate Ganglion Block”. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17507-stellate-ganglion-block
2. “Stellate Ganglion Block Successfully Treats Long COVID/PASC: A Case Series”. https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-873830/v1/80a84314-a831-4ee8-bd3e-cc6501beda46.pdf?c=1631889297
3. “A Review of Stellate Ganglion Block as an Adjunctive Treatment Modality”. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10029323/
4. “Stellate Ganglion Block for Long COVID Symptom Management: A Case Report”. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9822527/
5. “Stellate ganglion block reduces symptoms of Long COVID: A case series”. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165572821003118

I'm three years into participating in observational and research studies.

My data (along with many) has been used to define what covid is, formalize it as a disease, segment types of long covid, and now shift to clinical drug testing.

I see a lot more research being done globally on NIH's clinicaltrials.gov. In just a few years I've seen science go from "why is this person still showing Covid symptoms?" to much more detailed work getting into testing remedies. This journey isn't fun, but it's nice to see the world working to understand it and solve it.

Short review: I'm 70 now, COVID March 2020, Neuropathy in legs and back, Raynauds March 2021, > Gluten free, > No Red Meat or dairy, better. Being a retired scientist, I am always testing and evaluating something, because that's what we do! I measured CO2 in two dozen locations during the pandemic lockdown of 2020, CO2 is a great proxy for infection risk. It's 400 ppm outside, inside anywhere from 500-2000. Goaul less than 700. I bought an Air Things 2960 which tracks CO2, PM 2.5, PM 10, Radon and VOC's. I have two HEPA air cleaners, they are very effective at removing PM 2.5 and PM 10 (I did PM testing inside and outside during the June 2023 Wildfire smoke crisis), I would recommend purchasing HEPA air cleaners. Both of my HEPA air cleaners do not use ionization. Air cleaners cannot remove CO2 but they can reduce the levels of "germs". Also..... we all need to protect our lungs during a wildfire crisis or dust storm. On "air now" you can check your community air quality. PM 2.5 is from wildfires. PM 10 is from dust storms. Opinion: During a pollution crisis you need to protect your lungs. That would be a 3M 7502 respirator with 3M 2297 P100 filters. Because this removed 99.97% of damaging particles. An N95 mask at best, takes out 95%, but lets 5% go through. Opinion: Buy from Uline or Global Equipment to ensure that you are getting a real 3M product.

Watching the Gez video was very helpful - thank you for mentioning it.

I had never heard of Gez Medinger but checked out the videos about his fasting experiences. I am a staunch believer in the benefits of extended fasting and have done quite a few. It was great to hear - for the first time - another Long Hauler speak to the symptom relief he experienced. I did, too. Also a good reminder that years of LC issues will likely not all disappear with a couple of fasts. The videos re-energized me to gear up for another 3-weeker. Thanks for sharing.

I do Intermittant Fasting because it suits me if you know what I mean. It just came to me automatically. I'm glad you found his videos helpful. I've been with him for about 3 years now; since the beginning - whenever that was. He was the only person who spoke my language because I suffer from fatigue and PEM and no one understood it back then. But, when he mentioned it...suddenly, I felt 'understood' and sent links to his videos to my PCP.
My best to you...

Glad you felt so too! I've been with him for about 3 years - whenever he started posting. He was at that time the only person who spoke my language...fatigue and PEM (post-exertional malaise). I sent links to his site to my PCP which he really appreciated.
Good luck to you, Mac6169