Post Exertional Malaise

The COVID Gut Connection
In my opinion, every effect of long COVID can be traced to issues with the Gut”. Being a scientist, I totally understand breathing, and oxygen transfer. It’s amazing that most of this gas is transported bound to hemoglobin and that the CO2 transports dissolved and converts back to CO2 in the lungs. It’s also amazing that the heart acts as pump and just beats along and when it stops working correctly, we have CHF.

The Gut, however is an amazing and mysterious “system” which we don’t appreciate or understand. You eat a piece of pizza, or for me, blueberries and rolled oats, and two days later, the “gut processing machine” turns it into “Mister Hankey, the Christmas Poo”! If you are unfamiliar with Mister Hankey, I suggest watching the 1997 South Park episode.

But the gut is much more than that and COVID alters these functions in important and destructive ways. COVID creates a long lasting inflammatory and autoimmune dysregulation, effecting our entire body and these effects have a profound impact on the gut. The gut is responsible for most of our immunity and COVID impacts these. The gut is responsible for producing most of our neurotransmitters (Dopamine, Serotonin, GABA, Epinephrine) and COVID impacts these. It even interferes with the mucosal gut barrier, causing (in my opinion) leaky gut, which results in bacteria crossing the gut wall, inflammation, autoimmune issues, histamine release and infections.

The solution: Which has worked for me, since I made the change in March 2021 after living with most of the reported long COVID symptoms, (having contracted it in March 2020): A Gluten free, NO red meat, deli meat, Dairy (with the exception of Greek Yougart), Pizza, donuts, Drive through foods, or ultra processed snack, life. Initially, I had a bad reaction to histamine releasing foods like tomatoes and yogurt, (caused itching and skin eruptions like hives) but that has dissipated, so I now eat these foods. In addition, I take 1500 mg of L proline (the active AA in collagen) and one ounce of “Go Raw Pumpkin seeds” a day. At 71 and having “Old Teeth”, I grind the seeds to a powder in a coffee grinder and add them to my pasta, which is (Veggipasta Rotini from AGT foods. It’s totally gluten free and made from Yellow Pea Flower. For beans, I eat only Organic Pinto beans from 365 Whole Foods Market. Most people will not be willing to do this! My answer; try it for a month and if you see it’s working, you will begin to regain your pre-COVID life. Good luck.

@mspaminreno
Yoga Nidra is amazing!! I, too, have practiced it with a local instructor. I don't do it as often now but previously, it got me from A to B. I highly recommend Yoga Nidra and Gez Medinger's book, Handbook to Long Covid, too. I read his book from cover to cover and reference it often,
Best of everything, Lucy

@mspaminreno Thank you so much!!

@welchllb
Thank you, Lucy. Happy New Year.
Pam

The COVID Gut Connection
In my opinion, every effect of long COVID can be traced to issues with the Gut”. Being a scientist, I totally understand breathing, and oxygen transfer. It’s amazing that most of this gas is transported bound to hemoglobin and that the CO2 transports dissolved and converts back to CO2 in the lungs. It’s also amazing that the heart acts as pump and just beats along and when it stops working correctly, we have CHF.

The Gut, however is an amazing and mysterious “system” which we don’t appreciate or understand. You eat a piece of pizza, or for me, blueberries and rolled oats, and two days later, the “gut processing machine” turns it into “Mister Hankey, the Christmas Poo”! If you are unfamiliar with Mister Hankey, I suggest watching the 1997 South Park episode.

But the gut is much more than that and COVID alters these functions in important and destructive ways. COVID creates a long lasting inflammatory and autoimmune dysregulation, effecting our entire body and these effects have a profound impact on the gut. The gut is responsible for most of our immunity and COVID impacts these. The gut is responsible for producing most of our neurotransmitters (Dopamine, Serotonin, GABA, Epinephrine) and COVID impacts these. It even interferes with the mucosal gut barrier, causing (in my opinion) leaky gut, which results in bacteria crossing the gut wall, inflammation, autoimmune issues, histamine release and infections.

The solution: Which has worked for me, since I made the change in March 2021 after living with most of the reported long COVID symptoms, (having contracted it in March 2020): A Gluten free, NO red meat, deli meat, Dairy (with the exception of Greek Yougart), Pizza, donuts, Drive through foods, or ultra processed snack, life. Initially, I had a bad reaction to histamine releasing foods like tomatoes and yogurt, (caused itching and skin eruptions like hives) but that has dissipated, so I now eat these foods. In addition, I take 1500 mg of L proline (the active AA in collagen) and one ounce of “Go Raw Pumpkin seeds” a day. At 71 and having “Old Teeth”, I grind the seeds to a powder in a coffee grinder and add them to my pasta, which is (Veggipasta Rotini from AGT foods. It’s totally gluten free and made from Yellow Pea Flower. For beans, I eat only Organic Pinto beans from 365 Whole Foods Market. Most people will not be willing to do this! My answer; try it for a month and if you see it’s working, you will begin to regain your pre-COVID life. Good luck.

It is extremely frustrating. I can completely relate. The PEM that goes along with this damn virus is the worst. Another piece is the people that do not believe or understand it. I can have a good day, where I can function and then there are days where I am only able to lie on the couch. I was always very active and in the best shape of my life when I got hit with Long COVID. Going on 3 years and 5 months now. I take medication that helps me function, but even then, there are days when I am just unable to do much. Have you heard of the web publication the "Sick Times"? Also there is a website that I follow. I will put the links in this comment. Hang in there. You are not alone and even hearing that I feel alone sometimes, but I do get so much from this site from people like you.
https://thesicktimes.org/
https://recovercovid.org/

The COVID Gut Connection
In my opinion, every effect of long COVID can be traced to issues with the Gut”. Being a scientist, I totally understand breathing, and oxygen transfer. It’s amazing that most of this gas is transported bound to hemoglobin and that the CO2 transports dissolved and converts back to CO2 in the lungs. It’s also amazing that the heart acts as pump and just beats along and when it stops working correctly, we have CHF.

The Gut, however is an amazing and mysterious “system” which we don’t appreciate or understand. You eat a piece of pizza, or for me, blueberries and rolled oats, and two days later, the “gut processing machine” turns it into “Mister Hankey, the Christmas Poo”! If you are unfamiliar with Mister Hankey, I suggest watching the 1997 South Park episode.

But the gut is much more than that and COVID alters these functions in important and destructive ways. COVID creates a long lasting inflammatory and autoimmune dysregulation, effecting our entire body and these effects have a profound impact on the gut. The gut is responsible for most of our immunity and COVID impacts these. The gut is responsible for producing most of our neurotransmitters (Dopamine, Serotonin, GABA, Epinephrine) and COVID impacts these. It even interferes with the mucosal gut barrier, causing (in my opinion) leaky gut, which results in bacteria crossing the gut wall, inflammation, autoimmune issues, histamine release and infections.

The solution: Which has worked for me, since I made the change in March 2021 after living with most of the reported long COVID symptoms, (having contracted it in March 2020): A Gluten free, NO red meat, deli meat, Dairy (with the exception of Greek Yougart), Pizza, donuts, Drive through foods, or ultra processed snack, life. Initially, I had a bad reaction to histamine releasing foods like tomatoes and yogurt, (caused itching and skin eruptions like hives) but that has dissipated, so I now eat these foods. In addition, I take 1500 mg of L proline (the active AA in collagen) and one ounce of “Go Raw Pumpkin seeds” a day. At 71 and having “Old Teeth”, I grind the seeds to a powder in a coffee grinder and add them to my pasta, which is (Veggipasta Rotini from AGT foods. It’s totally gluten free and made from Yellow Pea Flower. For beans, I eat only Organic Pinto beans from 365 Whole Foods Market. Most people will not be willing to do this! My answer; try it for a month and if you see it’s working, you will begin to regain your pre-COVID life. Good luck.

The COVID Gut Connection
In my opinion, every effect of long COVID can be traced to issues with the Gut”. Being a scientist, I totally understand breathing, and oxygen transfer. It’s amazing that most of this gas is transported bound to hemoglobin and that the CO2 transports dissolved and converts back to CO2 in the lungs. It’s also amazing that the heart acts as pump and just beats along and when it stops working correctly, we have CHF.

The Gut, however is an amazing and mysterious “system” which we don’t appreciate or understand. You eat a piece of pizza, or for me, blueberries and rolled oats, and two days later, the “gut processing machine” turns it into “Mister Hankey, the Christmas Poo”! If you are unfamiliar with Mister Hankey, I suggest watching the 1997 South Park episode.

But the gut is much more than that and COVID alters these functions in important and destructive ways. COVID creates a long lasting inflammatory and autoimmune dysregulation, effecting our entire body and these effects have a profound impact on the gut. The gut is responsible for most of our immunity and COVID impacts these. The gut is responsible for producing most of our neurotransmitters (Dopamine, Serotonin, GABA, Epinephrine) and COVID impacts these. It even interferes with the mucosal gut barrier, causing (in my opinion) leaky gut, which results in bacteria crossing the gut wall, inflammation, autoimmune issues, histamine release and infections.

The solution: Which has worked for me, since I made the change in March 2021 after living with most of the reported long COVID symptoms, (having contracted it in March 2020): A Gluten free, NO red meat, deli meat, Dairy (with the exception of Greek Yougart), Pizza, donuts, Drive through foods, or ultra processed snack, life. Initially, I had a bad reaction to histamine releasing foods like tomatoes and yogurt, (caused itching and skin eruptions like hives) but that has dissipated, so I now eat these foods. In addition, I take 1500 mg of L proline (the active AA in collagen) and one ounce of “Go Raw Pumpkin seeds” a day. At 71 and having “Old Teeth”, I grind the seeds to a powder in a coffee grinder and add them to my pasta, which is (Veggipasta Rotini from AGT foods. It’s totally gluten free and made from Yellow Pea Flower. For beans, I eat only Organic Pinto beans from 365 Whole Foods Market. Most people will not be willing to do this! My answer; try it for a month and if you see it’s working, you will begin to regain your pre-COVID life. Good luck.