Does anyone else feel like exercising makes your symptoms worse?

The same thing is happening to me. For almost 5 months I couldn't do anything. I would get worn out walking 500 steps. Now I am exercising every other day. Exercise days are usually my good days, the next day I am worn out and my chest tightness increases. I tried back to back workout days once and that really wiped me out.

There's some evidence out there that taking some combination of antihistamines before working out helps. Unfortunately I don't know which ones probably a combo of H1 and H2 an allergist who has some idea of long covid would know. This is actually really really common

I experience the same. I don’t think this is uncommon. This is where pacing yourself and learning how much exercize is beneficial but also learning not to over exert yourself. This is not easy but possible!
Takes time and a bit of experimenting. Good luck !

Sounds like post-exertional malaise. (PEM)

I'm sorry you are experiencing this as well. I wrote my situation very similar to a reply about an 82 year old woman who has had issues with long covid regarding her throat. If you can locate that, please read. It's under long covid. I was feeling wonderful and thought my long covid was finally gone... until I worked out with a trainer. All heck broke loose. I am now right back to where I was. I am refusing to own this again and am doing everything I can to be " me" again.
Hang in there. you are not alone.

Absolutely, you are not alone. I self-diagnosed PEM awhile ago. I was doing pretty well until I started strenuous PT for post-shoulder surgery. I'm right back experiencing SOB with PT, stairs, inclines and too much in one day. I, also, get exhausted, blurry vision, disoriented, tingling legs, etc.

Also, after flying on a airplane, I experience the same as above when getting off the plane. Last week, I ordered wheelchairs between flights. These episodes have been going on almost 3 years - happy to be alive but not happy to be limited!! Patience is a virtue.

Hi @stephbea. As @welchllb shared, many of us experience the same confusing effects of any movement/brain activity creating fatigue and PEM. As my pulmonologist shared slow and steady necessary. One minute a day seated PT to build muscle strength and increase only slightly each week for couple of months. Then add walking couple of minutes each day which adds to your being up for bathroom/food/task etc so really take this slow and allow months to add small increments. If you’re doing it to benefit healing and prevent PEM you should not feel tired as your body cant recoup the lost energy. There will be rebounds and dont give up! Listen to your body, eat well, and give yourself grace and permission to do only what you can do and not what others or life use to be. Ive not worked for over a year and no income but I’m here and without health what future is there🙃. Healing journeys to everyone! 🌈

Thank you for affirming our situations. The setbacks are the worst thing.......slowly, with patience, building up to more activity and then, sliding backwards is discouraging. However, appreciate what you can do and not what is not within your range right now!! Rainbows back to you.

Since getting Covid...Anything physical
And i am sore for 2 to 3 days.
I have come to expect it now...simple things like mowing the yard...washing the car etc.
And i get terrible soreness....never had that issue until after i had covid.

The frustration, confusion and fear of these "crashes" is horrible!! For me, this is a leaden, overwhelming, incapacitating exhaustion (not fatigue) combined with headache/nausea/light & sound sensitivity, muscle pain (not aches), chills. I will loose an entire day essentially bed/couch-bound. LOTS of water with an electrolyte replacement (Propel or Gatorade), a dark room, and time gets me through. I learned abut pacing from OT. I keep a diary of my physical and cognitive activity each day. I started with limiting myself to only 2 hours of each per day. I can do 4-6 hours total each day now. Laundry, cooking, errands, wash/dry/style my hair count as physical work. Finance, legal papers, planning count towards brain work. I know from my diary that when I exceed these limits, I crash. For any kind of 'event' (social, entertainment, travel) I do nothing but shower, pick out my clothes and rest the day before, and nothing the day after to survive the occasion.
IM if you would like more details