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Long Covid Fatigue - Exhausting Physically and Mentally
Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 | Last Active: Sep 18 7:15am | Replies (94)Comment receiving replies
The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) specialist that I saw at Institute Neuroimmune Medicine INIM at Nova Southeastern University, ordered the following Labcorp tests:
EBV Nuclear Antigen Ab, IgG
EBV Ab VCA, IgG
EBV Early Antigen Ab,IgG
EBV Ab VCA,IgM
EBV PCR
Also CFS specialist ordered the following tests:
Human Herpes Virus 6 PCR
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Ab, IgG
I was negative for the last two; Herpes 6 and CMV but they see others with chronic fatigue that are positive with these two. Worth checking all.
The first three EBV tests I was positive. So she prescribed Valtrex (Valacyclovir) 500 mg tablets 1 tablet by mouth twice daily. Although I have only been on it 2.5 weeks, I think it is helping. I was negative for the last two EBV tests, but the first three positive, the results were high, way out of the range.
She didn’t test me for Mono but I know I don’t have Mono. When I did have it in college, 36 years ago, from EBV. I had the worst sore throat and fatigue but it lasted 6-8 weeks, not the same. The good news is: This long Covid fatigue has SLOWLY gotten better but over 18 months. The first 2 months I was in bed all day on a bad day and a good day maybe walk to family room and lay on the sofa all day. But slowly, I could do a little more each day. Then I would overdo it and crash. Migraines on bad days. After having to see a neurologist for the onset of migraines from Covid, I have found Rizatriptan ODT 5 mg tablets. dissolve 1 tablet as the migraine starts and it helps fight it off now! A wonderful discovery. Wish I had Riza, in the beginning, but thankful to have the last 4 months of this journey.
I hope all this information helps someone else dealing with post Covid fatigue. Positive Attitude is everything I have learned. Also when you have a bad day, think about or look at a list of things that use to make you feel good. The other thing I have learned is to manage your moments. Pace and keep track of your activities throughout the day. Every day you have different energy levels and have to divide your tasks into manageable portions and intersperse them with resting periods. Everyday I have scheduled naps in the afternoon. At first, I would rest every time a migraine was coming. Now 18 months later, with managing moments and daily naps, plus the revelation that I had EBV all these years and Covid reactivated it causing this crazy fatigue and having a treatment plan finally, I can enjoy limited activity. I hope others will stay strong and positive during their individual post long covid journey! 😊
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I know this is a couple of months after your post, but having just read it, I need to respond with the fact that your CFS (etc.) specialist (is this a doctor?) was ordering tests for viruses that were theorized as far back as the 1980s as possibly being involved in CFS/ME. I remember this because I HAD CFS/M.E. back then, and spent a lot of time in the university library researching on Medline. One whoopie British doctor gave a presentation there who was big on the EBV reactivation theory and I actually called him on it during questioning because there was a great deal of research that failed to support that hypothesis.
But yes, EB virus, cytomagaolvirus, etc. etc. were all being cited and studied as possible culprits and yet, some forty years later, the conclusion is...inconclusive!
CFS/M.E by the way, is likely the same as LC, and they both manifest in similar, varied, and somewhat loopy ways.
Personally, my theory is that all this viral "reactivation", when it can indeed be confirmed, is likely a SYMPTOM of this illness/syndrome, and NOT a CAUSE!
Therefor, going on anti-viral drugs to suppress those particular viruses is not going to necessarily relieve the symptoms of the disease itself.
I'm hoping that what might still remain and not be undone of the 1.1 Billion dollars in funding that the CDC had been allocated to study this now pretty prevalent disease might actually uncover a bona fide etiology, and hence, hopefully, a proper effective treatment.
In the meantime, I shall as patiently as possible await the cure for me that worked last time, namely the passage OF time, (two years in my case).
Best of luck, though, in any case, and please do keep us posted on any progress!