Long COVID and gluten sensitivity

I felt that I had Covid in the spring of 2020, tho my symptoms were mostly extreme tiredness, muscle weakness and no ability to eat much. In the months after that I too developed a gluten sensitivity. It took me a while to realize what was causing the bloating, gas, sudden bowel movements etc. When I stopped eating gluten, the problem disappeared. I have tried twice since then to go back to eating bread at least once a day, but can't. They problem comes back. I am 79 and have had lactose intolerance since my forties. Now I feel fine but can't seem to gain weight.

I’ve had long covid since July 2022. I’ve had chronic widespread pain and chronic constipation since then (among other symptoms). I’ve recently found that completely overhauling my diet has made a huge difference in lowering my pain. Prior to getting covid I could eat anything I wanted, not anymore. I’ve cut out all gluten, dairy (except goat cheese), sugar (which is the toughest one because it’s added to nearly everything), caffeine, and alcohol, and I’ve upped my protein intake, and I have been mostly pain free for almost 2 months now.

That’s more or less what I have done too. I have divertulosis and ibs and had covid twice. After the first bout a few weeks later I got severe stomach problems and anxiety panic attacks. I got better then got covid again and it all came back again. I lost about 8kgs. I am getting better again but taking time. I have to be careful what I eat and eat much less now

I am now 68. Got COVID March 2020. Other than the fever and exhaustion I had several weeks of taste/smell issues and brain fog. Over the next year I developed a severe Gluten Intolerance issue. Feb 2021 I had temperature regulation issues and the vascular workup was Raynaud's. Then in March 2021 it progressed to Gluten Neuropathy with severe leg pain, weakness and instability. All lab tests including IgG, IgM and IgE were normal. My doctor though I was just getting old, but I had been fine a year before. A nutritionist suggested stopping all Gluten for a month. Within two weeks the pain was gone but it took 3 months to get the stability and strength back. Along with this I also have histamine intolerance. Any food with high histamines causes face flushing, anxiety, itching, some hives and temperature regulation issues. Now at two years post COVID, I feel really good as long as I maintain a gluten free and low histamine lifestyle, which means I eat what we would call in the cat rescue business "A limited ingredient diet". Organic dried beans, soaked and pressure cooked, are a daily staple, no cheese, no red meat, no dairy (oat milk instead). Lots of organic blueberries and broccoli. My doctors kept pushing hydration but that wasn't it. I drink 2-2 1/2 liters of water a day. Always have.

Anyone else have bad symptoms from celiac and covid together? In mid-March I was on a 7-day 350 mile bike tour (I average 120 miles/week biking and am 69 yo). I got glutened at the "gluten free" group dinner on day 5. We found out 2 days later that a fellow cyclist has covid, and a number of us caught it. Symptoms were mild for most, but not for me. I've been negative for a month but still can't bike or walk without a pounding heart. Fatigue is mostly gone, but not the left chest pain. I went to the ER 3 weeks ago due to 190/89 BP, and EKGs were abnormal but troponin was baseline (no heart damage). Four years ago I was told I have a beautiful heart, rather disheartening that it seems to be under attack now.

My worst gluten attack took 8 months to resolve, but I eventually went to a naturopath who suggested 'live' prebiotic, not the regular bottled kind. These are kept in a fridge, and some pharmacists sell them. These settled my guts so quickly, and I returned to normal.
You seem to have the problem of symptoms overlapping, different problems with some of the same symptoms and unfortunately happening at the same time.
I hope you are continuing to follow-up on these heart / blood pressure issues and get a full understanding of "what is happening to me".
Best wishes to you, my friend!

@kayabbott, welcome. I hope you saw the helpful post from @thisoldewe. Like you, @elias93 also lives with celiac and caught COVID.

I moved your question about gluten and COVID to this existing discussion so you can more easily connect with others experiencing similar issues:
- Long COVID and gluten sensitivity https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/long-covid-and-gluten-sensitivity/

Thanks for your reply. My gluten symptoms were mostly resolved in a week I suspect that the cytokine storm caused by glutening while getting covid was a double whammy. I've make kombucha for many years (probiotic) and it is also great for GF sourdough starter. Kombucha is very easy to make (tea, water, and sugar) and a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). Those of us with screwed up GI tracts have to keep our gut bacteria happy. It is likely that covid caused some inflammation of my heart muscle, which hopefully will go away but not as quickly as I would like.

Thanks for the tips... sound good.
All the best for your recovery!

I hope all of her symptoms resolve along with the Covid recovery. In the meantime, cutting lactose and gluten out is the way to go.
When you get to the specialist, then you will get confirmation of what it is.
If you are in Canada, the Celiac Association is a great resource.
All the best.