Stalled Long COVID Recovery: What helps you get back on track?

These are the four or five things have helped me get back on track when my long haul covid starts hitting me hard after I'd been on an upswing. 1.) My neurologist checked my ferritin level. I'd had low ferritin (less than 38) for at least 6 months. So, she told me to start taking iron (65 mg ferrous sulfate) every other day. Within a couple of weeks, I started feeling a little less fatigued, a little stronger, and a little less confused. It took a few months for it to really kick in and have a more significant impact, but I do think that was one of the things that helped me. 2.) My immunoglublin M was low (40) and I got several various infections (sinus infections, ear infection, and diverticulitis) during the 12 mos after my 1st round of covid. Plus, my three MRIs (over a 6-mo period) all showed mucousal thickening & mucous retention cysts that could've potentially been part of the reason I had 24/7 vertigo for 5-6 mos and then it became more episodic ("just" when I move my head or body, look at computer/TV/phone monitors/screens, go to a store with fluorescent lights, a movie theater, a long drive (1 hr or more), or go into an arcade). Well, finally my PCP and neurologist both decided I needed to be referred to an immunologist. He started me on montelukast (one brand name is Singulair) daily, along w/Zyrtec daily, and fluticasone (one brand name is Flonase) nasal spray daily. Less than two weeks after starting these, I started getting energy & strength back and my vertigo is lessened! I am finally walking at a near- normal speed again! I can't believe it! It's like the miracle for which I've been praying for over 12 months! I'm not completely better. I still feel just awful when I try to walk through a store (most likely due to the fluorescent lights and all the visual stimulation, per my P.T.). 3). Speaking of P.T., that's been one of the things that has helped me. Initially, when I saw her 3 mos post-covid, I could carrot stand up or walk due to my extreme weakness/ fatigue and 24/7 vertigo. We worked on balance training for 3 mos. I did balance and eye/vision exercises for months and months. That helped me somewhat, I believe. I'd started to walk better around June '22, but then it came back out of nowhere again and by July I was weak and fatigued, such vertigo, etc. So my neurologist sent me back for more P.T. This time, we're working on balance and strength training. I do sit-to-stand exercises holding a 10# weight, leg lifts, side steppung with a band around my ankle, heel-to-toe walking (sometimes on a padded mat), standing on a wobble board, walking while turning/nodding my head, etc. I feel P.T. has helped me somewhat both times. 4). My neurologist gave me a nerve block injection at the back of my head for occipital neuralgia (which I was calling daily migraine headaches). That almost immediately removed some of the pressure and I felt so much better for probably 2 months afterward! 5) My neurologist also prescribed 400 mg of magnesium twice a day. I'm telling you, that has been a godsend! If I miss a dose or two, I am in deep trouble and will have trouble functioning at all.

I hope some of this may help you as we all continue to fight to get our "normal" (pre-covid) lives back.

So appreciate yr response. First sick 2/2020 and slowly recovering. PT has helped but when reach a certain level, fatigue hits and need rest and slow restart.

Also developed occipital neuralgia and taking multiple meds, nerve blocks every 3 weeks and Botox. Has maybe 4 headaches previously in my life.

Learning to pace, limit socializing, learning new activities for down time has been helpful.

Thanks again !!!

Mine seems to have disappeared...I hope yours does too. It's one thing after the other of symptoms...I'm really getting depressed from it all.

Where did you find long COVID classes? I haven’t heard of any such thing.
I hope you are able to get back on track soon. Perhaps you were pushing yourself too hard. Good luck.

I’m 2 years post COVID, September 2020. That has been my experience as well. First constipation and then diarrhea and now heading back toward constipation. My morning regimen is 5-6 prunes, 2 tbsp of a bran cereal/applesauce/prune juice mixture, and a fiber supplement for good measure. It hasn’t felt like IBS, which I suffered years ago post-gallbladder surgery. Back then I had to know where every public restroom in town was - especially after eating a meal. Though the diarrhea comes, it’s more controlled.