Anyone else experience Weight Gain with long COVID?

I’m so sorry you are also having trouble with your legs. By online research I had self diagnosed myself with post Covid lymphedema. I told the nurse that when I called for the appointment with my primary care doc. I had tried eliminating salt, elevation, icing, nothing helped. If you press on your leg with your fingertip and the skin stays in, it’s called pitting, a classic sign of lymphedema. My doctor tried me on a five day regimen of a diuretic, and then Lasix. I was to weigh myself before and after the 5 days. No weight change and no increase in urination. Lymph fluid is protein rich. Diuretics move water, not lymph fluid. So…there is no medication. My PC referred me to Space Coast Lymphedema Clinic in Viera Florida. It was covered by my Medicare and supplement with a doctor referral. They were amazing. There’s a whole process they do to compress the fluid out of your legs called compression bandaging. I went 2x a week for a few months. Once the fluid is down, they put you in thigh high compression stocking to be worn daily to manage lymphedema. They also put me on a Lymphapress. It’s a pump that hooks up to two boots. The pump fills the chambers of the boots gradually to press the fluid out of your legs back into your lymph system. I’d often have to run to the bathroom afterwards. They also did exercises, lymphatic drainage massage, and recommended a lymphatic diet. I was blessed that the clinic was only 30 minutes from my home.

Plus 50 pounds for me....Ugh.... I eat a *VERY* healthy diet. Since COVID, weight gain no matter what. But who knows if even *that*would help. I get the COVID flushes and the COVID chills. My body has difficulty regulating temp. Have read about other women having similar symptoms - like menopause - when some have already been thru the change and others are too young. The debilitating fatigue and shortness of breath and exercise intolerance have me unable to get on the exercise equipment. But...talked my PCP into prescribing hormones. It's been two weeks and I've lost 5 lbs so far. No other food/environmental changes. Hoping I continue to lose!

Have you ever gained weight before? What does the 30# weight gain represent in terms of body weight? Has it been a steady weight gain over that period of time?

Yes…a lot of extra weight. I have been on prednisone..starting to taper off.
Still I am miserable…fatigue, sweats, chest pain, chest heaviness, so short of breathe. I think I had CoVid the end of Jan 2023… now in my 4 th month of these debilitating symptoms. I have emphysema from second hand smoke , which complicates things…76 years old ..female

It was all me. Researching and reading books and medical articles until my head exploded to find out what might work best for me. Had already decided I definitely did NOT want synthetic hormones. I also took advantage of LOTS of free consultations - mostly phone calls - with medical docs outside of my HMO network who specialize in hormone therapy. Then I messaged my PCP to prescribe compounded progesterone and estradial. He was hesitant because of the risks, blah...blah...blah... but we negotiated and he finally agreed with the caveat that I notify him if I experience any negative symptoms. I found a compounding pharmacy and he sent them the script. (No fillers, no dyes, no sugar requested by me.) He started me on a lower dosage. I believe I'm estrogen dominant and have really noticed the effects of the progesterone. Btw...another pound dropped in this last week. Only 44 more to go....lol! Hope this was helpful. If you have other questions about my personal experience, just ask!

I have had the same experience. I have steadily gained weight despite increasing my exercise and changing diet after long term COVID. Endocrinology can’t seem to find an issue even though they noticed the change. Not sure what to do. Thought Mayo would have the answers.