Anyone else experience Weight Gain with long COVID?

Honestly we've had such a difficult time with his PCP, they kept telling us for the last 2 yrs that he couldn't possibly have long covid because it "Only lasts 6-8 months" and solely focused on his blood pressure (not the fact that his was literally falling off the table because he can't stay awake, or that the varicose veins all the way up his legs, making them look like eggplants and the numerous other issues he is having, so they would only give him different bp meds which were also diuretic. Lisinopril was the latest which may have caused the extreme weight loss. We aren't sure. Since his psychiatrist has started trying to help us force his PCP to take this more serious, he has been kicked out of that office so we have had to hunt down a new one which we will be seeing soon here (the internal doctor). Amazing the hell you all have to go through just to be taken seriously.

I had Covid in February 2020. Very sick for two weeks with a more digestive type illness. Could not eat due to nausea and extreme fatigue and lost 10 lbs. Developed Long Covid, really bad for a year with fatigue, dry cough, exercise intolerance, dizziness, strange pressure in head, headaches, poor memory, brain fog, depression/anxiety, edema, elevated blood markers for risk of blood clots, the list goes on. Was getting a little better and then symptoms were exacerbated by one dose of vaccine in January 2021. Vaccine injury with nerve pain, terrible memory and cognitive problems. Can't get another vaccine. Two years from illness I was feeling generally better, with fewer Long Haul episodes, but had developed inflammation in my blood vessels, elevated triglycerides, pre diabetes and sudden weight gain in belly area with extreme edema in abdomen. No reason that makes sense. I eat a healthy, organic diet, walk daily and practice holistic medicine. Weight increasing and I can't seem to stop it. I am at risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, despite my history of being slender and fit. Somehow, Covid did this to me.

You have no idea how happy I am to have finally come across this discussion after months of searching! March 2020 infection as well. Long Hauler. Rapid weight gain 100lbs! It came on in 6 weeks!

I was a triathlete when I got sick. I was in the best shape of my life. Age 42 female. Hyperactive, always on the go, always happy seeing the positive in everything.

I’m now destroyed. Please help.

My PCP and other doctors within USFHealthCare are focusing on my diet and exercise.

First off I can’t exercise due to fatigue and secondly I’m barely eating at this point. I’m on mainly none solid foods. Juicing and things like that. I’m 5ft 1in and now 245lbs which is crazy.

I was also prescribed a diuretic which was supposed to help me shed “water weight”, but it only made the leg and feet swelling worse. My mouth tasted like the ocean. They even doubled the dose thinking it wasn’t quite working. It just made it worse.

I took myself off of it and the swelling of my legs, feet, and ankles drastically improved if not gone completely.

When the rapid weight gain started it was so scary. I could even see the fibrous outlines in my legs like the adipose tissue was swelling uncontrollably pressing through, it was like a grid on my legs.

My stomach hard which made its way higher and higher working it’s way to my chest and my neck. I developed a fat hump on my upper back at the base of my neck. Testing negative for Cushings. Couldn’t have been caused by high cortisol I don’t think.

I did end up in adrenal failure. That part I don’t quite understand.

I do have hypothyroidism but it wouldn’t have caused this VERY rapid weight gain. My TSH levels went sky high only during a short period of time. It was around initial infection.

However, they still don’t have my hypothyroidism under control and keep trying to treat me with T4 even though my previous doctors had always treated me with T3 because my body just doesn’t convert T4 to T3 effectively. My previous doctor told me I had Hashimotos but these doctors are telling me I don’t have Hashimotos. I think this is a secondary issue.

Rapid weight gain was after initial infection. 100lbs in 6 weeks. It’s when I feel my long COVID started.

It’s like they think I’m eating a ton of junk food sitting on my butt all day. They aren’t listening to me. They can’t get this weight fixed.

Any advise please.

I use a walker now. I’m walking about 3 miles on average a day just with steps taking my dog outside.

There has to be some link with the adipose tissue and COVID. I wasn’t obese or overweight when I got sick. Like did COVID somehow cause my fat cells to replicate like crazy while COVID cells replicated within it? Is there still COVID infection in there now? Is there a medication that gets rid of this potential viral debris?

Please share any and all doctors that you’re having success with.

I’m desperate here. My body is Completely destroyed.

I cannot continue to be ignored any longer, I need help. I need a doctor to figure this out.

I am single and live alone. No support system. Work-a-holic.

Central Sensitization Syndrome would be very helpful to inquire about. I was treated in Jacksonville by the Comprehensive Pain Rehabilitation Program. For symptom management id you’d like insight to the major malfunction.

I am so sorry to hear you have had such a terrible time! This virus, and for some, the vaccines, are very destructive. I have just started working with a new holistic doctor. Like all the docs, she is just learning what to do about Long Haulers.

I just tried to share some links to Long Covid clinics, but this site won't allow it. Do a google search for Long Covid clinics. There are many popping up in our country.

I don't know how the spike protein operates in the body once the acute phase is over, but I think the task of patients and health care providers is to find out and eradicate it. I will share any further information I come across.

Hang in there! Somehow there has to be answers.

this is a reply to Vawaid

@mamabear22, I noticed that you wished to post URLs to helpful resources with your post. You will be able to add URLs to your posts in a few days. There is a brief period where new members can't post links. We do this to deter spammers and keep the community safe. Clearly the links you wanted to post are not spam. Please allow me to post it for you.

- Clinic in New York for Long Covid, but you have to be a resident of that state to be treated: https://www.mountsinai.org/about/covid19/information-resources/center-post-covid-care
- List of 66 hospitals or clinics that have started care for Long Covid: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/patient-safety-outcomes/13-hospitals-health-systems-that-have-launched-post-covid-19-clinics.html

Hello Colleen, Thank you for sharing the URLs I had wanted to post.

I tested negative 5/31/2022 and am having the same issue-,"noticed unexplained weight gain , primarily in the stomach area which was " hard": to the touch. "
It seems unrelated to my diet.

I had covid during the first week of the New Year. I gained 40lbs in less than 3 months after I had it and have not changed my calorie or water intake at all nor changed my exercise routine. I'm still so stumped and honestly it is making me depressed. I have been experiencing horrid body paid from the weight gain too. I don't know what else to do.