Anyone else experience Weight Gain with long COVID?

Everyone should try an anti oxidant diet. Ive finally started losing weight after gaining for months and I have way more energy.

yes, 35lbs for me and it will not leave...i hate it!!!

What is an antioxidant diet?

T what is an anti oxidant diet consist of

Its basically just a ton of anti oxidant vegetables, fruits, supplements. I will make a much more detailed post later but so far its helping a lot.

Like you, I had an acute Covid infection end November 2020 through March 2021. I was hospitalized for one week with bilateral pneumonia and bilateral pleural effusions. Once home, I was on home O2 until end March, 2021. I initially lost about 12 pounds, however I slowly experienced unexplained weight gain up until June 2023. I had made no change in my daily diet or exercise routine, however I continued to gain weight, mostly in my torso. I finally consulted an Endocrinologist, and he felt it may be due to long Covid and insulin resistance. He started me on a combination of Naltrexone and Bupropion along with the initiation of Mounjaro while starting a highly limited Atkins style diet. Carbohydrate intake is minimal, zero sugar, while protein intake is 80-110 gms/day. Daily caloric intake has been 400 to no more than 800/day. I have not been hungry. I have had increased energy. I have added supplements to balance my nutritional needs. The needle has finally started moving down on my scale! I have been walking 4 miles 4-5x a week. I am hopeful that I will be able to return to my ideal weight once again. I do believe that transitioning to a regular diet will need to be done with plenty of caution as I am not sure how my body will react and if my insulin resistance will continue. You are not alone. I wish you the best in your journey.

Omg, I thought it was all in my head. Every doctor (PCP, pulmonologist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist,OB-GYN) have told me I’m crazy. I did intermittent fasting, 18-6, for 4 weeks and lost nothing, WW for 6 weeks- lost nothing , didn’t even lose an ounce after a colonoscopy for which I had to prep for starting the week before. I eat healthy and go to exercise class 4x a week and yet nothing comes off.
In the month I got Covid I gained 10 lbs. even though I had no taste or smell and barely ate. It took me 5 months to get an appointment with an endocrinologist, who I will finally see in September. I am praying that someone will believe me.
It is no fun doing everything you can to lose weight, but so discouraging that none of the doctors believe me.

Hi, I gained 12-13 pounds over a short 4-8 week period without any change in my eating habits or activity level as my long covid symptoms started taking off. I then plateaued at that weight and when seen by the Dr. at the Long Covid Clinic in a nearby University, she said that it is very common to see weight gain with Long Covid. She also warned to monitor closely for the development of diabetes. LC affects many systems of our body and apparently can have a significant affect on metabolic processes. They have shown in the lab that the Covid virus affects mitochondrial function. Mitochondria are components of our cells that make up our body and are like the cell’s engine, creating its energy for whatever function that cell is suppose to do. Anyway, you’re not crazy, the weight gain association with LC is real (I was relieved to learn that at the time I did - although still unhappy about the additional weight). Regards, Allen

Same thing has happened to me. Fortunately, my doctors believe me.

Same thing happened to me and my daughter. We ended gaining over 30 pounds of weight since we caught Covid in May/22. I’m not sure if it was due to Covid or the two Pfizer shot or the combination of both, but our lives have been drastically affected. I now have nerve pain, I lost a ton of hair, I have vision issues, but the worst is the weight gain despite me not having changed anything about my diet and I even workout more, the weight just keeps climbing. We both have experienced joint issues my bones sound like they’re cracking constantly and our lower backs feel like the bones are grinding on each other, and really bad lower back pain. I’m 43 my daughter is 22, we have the same symptoms and we both got the Covid shots at the same time and Covid at the same time, This is how I know our issues are a direct result of the two. I have literally gone through 20 different types of supplements, diets you name it to lose the weight and nothing works. I also found out my DHEAS is elevated, and I never had an issue with that before ever. I also have zero energy to do anything and feel lethargic most of the time, no matter what I eat or how much I workout.