Anyone else experience Weight Gain with long COVID?

Yes. Husband and I both had COVID in late May. We were both on Paxlovid. He had a rebound case, I didn't. We have both been following a ketogenic diet since January 2020, and had significant weight loss. Since May, I have gained back 25 pounds of my 95 pound loss, and he has gained back about 20. We have literally had NO change in eating habits since our bouts with COVID in late May - although we have stopped exercising regularly due to fatigue. I have undergone numerous blood and heart tests, as well as an abdominal CT scan with contrast. The only issue that I seem to have is damage to my right lung. Again, like the other posters, the weight gain is predominantly in my abdomen. Since we live near Baltimore, we are hoping to get referred to the Johns Hopkins Long COVID program.

I am a Type 1 Diabetic that got COVID February 2021, it almost took me out with oxygen levels of around 50's, 60's, and most days hovered around 70's for 2 weeks straight. But, thankfully God still has me here but the post complications have been a struggle a year and half later. I still can't smell, can't taste (only extreme amounts of sea salt), and now I also have breathing issues and struggle for air when doing basic stuff like walking upstairs or trying to walk and have a conversation. I use to be an avid runner before COVID, I would run a 5k every other day up to 8 miles some days without hesitation, so I was "in shape" for sure so this was hit me hard. Also, since having COVID, I have become a Brittle Type 1 Diabetic with extreme LOW Blood sugars for no reason. Over the last 14+ years I've kept myself well managed and controlled with almost perfect diet (high protein, lots of veggies, drinking 1-2 gallons of water daily) and exercise with an A1C of 7 or a little below (which for a Type 1 is rare and very hard to maintain). However, after having COVID my body while having it and still afterwards will just decide to plummet for no rhyme or reason...not even with having insulin given, etc. I have struggled daily and eat smaller meals without my normal 3 meals a day to try and stay a float, but even with doing 'everything right' I feel like I'm still struggling to stay alive daily. Recently, I stopped nursing my son of 20 months old, and have changed nothing up but increased my weight by 10lbs in 2 weeks! This made NO sense considering I changed nothing in my regime. Now 3 months later I have gained a total of 25lbs of what I lost after having my son and I am really struggling and nothing I have done has caused this or helped it stop and I am besides myself. If I was eating cupcakes and being a loaf and pasta everyday if 1 thing, but no, my regime of healthy diet and walking at least 8,000 steps + a day is the same. I have a wedding next year I am a bridesmaid for and I just feel so gross I thought about asking to not be part of her bridal team because I feel disgusting. Has anyone found anything that has helped with the weight gain? Diet is Not my problem at all but any other things anyone else has tried? Thanks in Advance!

Me, too - 10 lbs. I eat Activa, a few walnuts, sprinkling of cinnamon & flaxseed topped with blueberries and half a banana for breakfast. Beans, carrots, a few wheat thins and 1/2 cup of cottage cheese or a protein shake for lunch (sometimes have a square of 98% dark chocolate). Dinner is salad, veggies, and chicken, salmon, mahi, turkey (small portions of meat). Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day. Occasionally, I go off this routine for special occasions. However, like you I can't exercise the way I formerly did. SOB What's this all about - my weight is abdominal, too, and I'm constipated lots. Pre-Covid, I had the opposite problem. Ugh!!

If you have constant bloating and retention of water or weight, all in your mid-section, it's likely something imbalanced in your digestion (gut health). You can try taking a **really high quality** probiotic (we're talking 32 strains, 80+ billion cultures, find it in a cold section, health food store). That helps, as a start.

A lot long-haulers do really well with NO sugar, or other inflammatory foods in their diet, to get gut imbalances and inflammation in control. Your diet sounds really healthy, but like most highly processed foods in the United States, Activa has 10-15 grams of sugar (that's a lot in one little cup!), your "protein shake" likely has lots of sugar too. Wheat Thins -- also lots of sugars, syrups, mystery ingredients... It's unfortunate but that's the reality in this country.

So, while counting calories worked well for you before, it's now a matter of balancing your digestion and once back in order you should be ok!

Thank you for taking the time to make suggestions for me. I have tried about every probiotic, including refrigerated one from the health food store. My issue is too much stool or nothing.
I've been so busy looking at Saturated Fat grams in foods, due to a sudden elevation in my LDL levels that I've forgotten sugar. Thanks for the reminder. I am working with a Gastroenterologist and am considering a nutritionist - I've always been my own nutritionist. Onward and upward. Sometimes I wonder if I should just stop eating. I won't. 🙂

I wish you all the very best! You sound well-informed and very caring. I hope you get the answers you need.

If you have constant bloating and retention of water or weight, all in your mid-section, it's likely something imbalanced in your digestion (gut health). You can try taking a **really high quality** probiotic (we're talking 32 strains, 80+ billion cultures, find it in a cold section, health food store). That helps, as a start.

A lot long-haulers do really well with NO sugar, or other inflammatory foods in their diet, to get gut imbalances and inflammation in control. Your diet sounds really healthy, but like most highly processed foods in the United States, Activa has 10-15 grams of sugar (that's a lot in one little cup!), your "protein shake" likely has lots of sugar too. Wheat Thins -- also lots of sugars, syrups, mystery ingredients... It's unfortunate but that's the reality in this country.

So, while counting calories worked well for you before, it's now a matter of balancing your digestion and once back in order you should be ok!