Has anyone experienced Covid Gut? What helps?

Posted by robintromp @robintromp, Oct 14, 2022

I have been diagnosed with Long Covid Gut issues. Bloating started two weeks after I recovered from Covid and I am now in my ninth month. The GI doctors have tested me for everything and it all came back normal. Has anyone experience Covid Gut? If so, has anything helped or have things improved with time?

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@dawniepoo

I’ve had stomach distress since last September after having Covid. Had EVERY test available and an endoscopy. Find nothing. So I’m on my own w OTC remedies. Iberogast. IB Guard. Peppermints oil. Crystallized ginger works best. Gavsicon pretty good.
My symptoms have no correlation with anything. Doesn’t matter what I do or eat. So I just suffer w nausea and pop in this it that. Frustrated in Ohio

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I find Gravol helpful for nausea and Pepto Bismarck works really good for stomach pain and bloating

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@frouke

Pepto Bismol

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Prince of Peace Ginger Chews on Amazon are wonderful for Acid Reflux as well and stomach upset. Also, lemon ginger tea is good for upset stomach. COVID has done some crazy things to us all. God Bless You All. Praying for you.

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@covidstinks2023

tiredinvegas, Honored to pray. IBS-C and gut issues can make you very tired. Gaviscon was recommended to me years ago by my PCP's office for "in between" reflux. I take the Protonix 20 mg in the morning and IF I have breakthrough reflux I take two Gaviscon before a meal (this is rare for me to do this).

Also, there is a 100% natural ginger chew by Prince of Peace on Amazon that helps with break through reflux during the day as well. They are very tasty and I was surprised that they work.

I know Zyrtec is an antihistamine, so I'm curious as to why that was added to your current regimen? God Bless You. Keep me posted on your progress. You are going to get better!

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Technically I believe the Pepsid is also an antihistamine if I am not mistaken. They work on different receptors.

I am not certain of the actual science, I have read the hypothesis but don’t understand it enough to explain. If you do a web search on “famotidine and cetirizine for long covid”, you should find a number of sites with various references to this treatment approach. It seems it was initially tried in active Covid patients who were hospitalized and some feel it has benefits for some long covid sufferers, specifically those who may be experiencing a cytokinetic storm/excessive immune or inflammatory response.

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@tiredinvegas

Technically I believe the Pepsid is also an antihistamine if I am not mistaken. They work on different receptors.

I am not certain of the actual science, I have read the hypothesis but don’t understand it enough to explain. If you do a web search on “famotidine and cetirizine for long covid”, you should find a number of sites with various references to this treatment approach. It seems it was initially tried in active Covid patients who were hospitalized and some feel it has benefits for some long covid sufferers, specifically those who may be experiencing a cytokinetic storm/excessive immune or inflammatory response.

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tiredinvegas, You are correct in that Pepcid AC is the cousin to Benadryl....who knew? It would be wonderful if that was all you needed to take to treat COVID & Long COVID. Blessings to you.

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@tiredinvegas

Technically I believe the Pepsid is also an antihistamine if I am not mistaken. They work on different receptors.

I am not certain of the actual science, I have read the hypothesis but don’t understand it enough to explain. If you do a web search on “famotidine and cetirizine for long covid”, you should find a number of sites with various references to this treatment approach. It seems it was initially tried in active Covid patients who were hospitalized and some feel it has benefits for some long covid sufferers, specifically those who may be experiencing a cytokinetic storm/excessive immune or inflammatory response.

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Correct - it's an H2 blocker. Antihistamines are H1 (allergy meds) and H2 blockers. Earlier in the pandemic I was seeing lots of reports of the combination (H1 am, H2 pm) helping Long Covid patients. Not as much more recently but I believe that's because the chatter is on new treatments being tested - new and existing.

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@covidstinks2023

tiredinvegas, COVID did a number to my gut & acid reflux. I had to bump up to 80 mg of Protonix and 1 Pepcid AC at night for back up reflux. It took about a year for this to calm down and now I am only on 20 mg of Protonix and 1 Pepcid AC at night.

I have lost weight and do not eat after 6:30 at night and that has helped. Head of bed is elevated. I also am taking a probiotic.

I take Linzess 72 mcg for IBS-C at night and it works wonderfully.

Praying for you and wish you the best with all of this.

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I'm on 40mg Esomaprazole + 20mg Pepcid at night. My doc has prescribed Linzess 145. Tried that and it constipated me further (vs the intended opposite) so I stopped after 3 days. How has it helped you? Maybe it's dosage for me?

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@uget1shot

I'm on 40mg Esomaprazole + 20mg Pepcid at night. My doc has prescribed Linzess 145. Tried that and it constipated me further (vs the intended opposite) so I stopped after 3 days. How has it helped you? Maybe it's dosage for me?

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WOW. I am on 72 mcg of Linzess at night. If I get in a "bind" I take milk of magnesia and most of the time that works. Miralax is very hard to regulate the dosage on. Have you tried a stool softener? That helps a lot of folks. Are you drinking enough water? That helps. Also, I try and eat a pear & apple a day. Pears have a lot of pulp which is good fiber. I also eat a good fiber ceral like Raisin Bran, Shredded Wheat, Cracklin Oat Bran or Oat Meal with raisins, nuts and I put an apple on top. I also take Magnesium 200 mg daily. Nexium (Esopaprazole) never did work for me. I am amazed that Linzess made you worse. I question if you have a mild blockage of hard stool....what do you think? Sometimes coffee helps in the a.m. If I go and eat junk food (I rarely do this as I'm trying to eat clean) it works great when I'm in a "bind". Muscle relaxants and other meds can cause constipation. Check your meds and see if any of the side effects cause constipation. 2022 year with COVID did a number on my gut and IBS-C. I had to keep trying different things. Can you tolerate pitted dates? They work. I'm finally down to 1 Protonix 20 mg a day and 1 Pepcid AC at night. Stay away from a lot of cheese & dairy....they are constipating. Praying for you. I believe you are going to get better. It just takes time. I understand and I care.

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@covidstinks2023

WOW. I am on 72 mcg of Linzess at night. If I get in a "bind" I take milk of magnesia and most of the time that works. Miralax is very hard to regulate the dosage on. Have you tried a stool softener? That helps a lot of folks. Are you drinking enough water? That helps. Also, I try and eat a pear & apple a day. Pears have a lot of pulp which is good fiber. I also eat a good fiber ceral like Raisin Bran, Shredded Wheat, Cracklin Oat Bran or Oat Meal with raisins, nuts and I put an apple on top. I also take Magnesium 200 mg daily. Nexium (Esopaprazole) never did work for me. I am amazed that Linzess made you worse. I question if you have a mild blockage of hard stool....what do you think? Sometimes coffee helps in the a.m. If I go and eat junk food (I rarely do this as I'm trying to eat clean) it works great when I'm in a "bind". Muscle relaxants and other meds can cause constipation. Check your meds and see if any of the side effects cause constipation. 2022 year with COVID did a number on my gut and IBS-C. I had to keep trying different things. Can you tolerate pitted dates? They work. I'm finally down to 1 Protonix 20 mg a day and 1 Pepcid AC at night. Stay away from a lot of cheese & dairy....they are constipating. Praying for you. I believe you are going to get better. It just takes time. I understand and I care.

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I've tried everything. GI doc said eat 6 prunes/day. Nothing. GP says eat a serving of deep greens daily and you'll be sure to go. Spinach, broccoli, kale etc. I do this naturally (love my greens). Nothing. I eat good/clean. Oatmeal, grain bread/crackers, blueberries daily, love my vegs, etc. Drink lots of water (I also have POTS). I take 6 psyllium capsules daily - that 'helps'.

Had a gastric emptying study at Hopkins 20 months ago - showed normal movement until large bowel. 0% over three days. I was fine - able to eat anything - until I got Covid in March 2020 and my gut's been a wreck since. I'm now taking Miralax daily. And it's still not the best. The only thing that has seemed to help is a medication I can't get in the US (Mebeverine - it's OTC in Europe - I had a 2-week supply and was going on my own daily when taking that for abdomen spasms).

My GI could see my esophagus spasming during my Endoscopy/Colonoscopy last May. He said it's not normal but he's seen it before. My tongue also spasms. He said that's because it's the start of your esophagus. I felt somewhat better for about 2 months post procedures - I think the cleanse helped, to your point, and possibly also the Anaesthesia. Propofol slows the activity of your brain and nervous system.

My newest worst symptom is that my stomach doesn't empty. It gets really uncomfortable, pushing into my chest and back, and stressing my diaphragm. Awaiting a plan on next steps from my GI as we speak.

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@uget1shot

I've tried everything. GI doc said eat 6 prunes/day. Nothing. GP says eat a serving of deep greens daily and you'll be sure to go. Spinach, broccoli, kale etc. I do this naturally (love my greens). Nothing. I eat good/clean. Oatmeal, grain bread/crackers, blueberries daily, love my vegs, etc. Drink lots of water (I also have POTS). I take 6 psyllium capsules daily - that 'helps'.

Had a gastric emptying study at Hopkins 20 months ago - showed normal movement until large bowel. 0% over three days. I was fine - able to eat anything - until I got Covid in March 2020 and my gut's been a wreck since. I'm now taking Miralax daily. And it's still not the best. The only thing that has seemed to help is a medication I can't get in the US (Mebeverine - it's OTC in Europe - I had a 2-week supply and was going on my own daily when taking that for abdomen spasms).

My GI could see my esophagus spasming during my Endoscopy/Colonoscopy last May. He said it's not normal but he's seen it before. My tongue also spasms. He said that's because it's the start of your esophagus. I felt somewhat better for about 2 months post procedures - I think the cleanse helped, to your point, and possibly also the Anaesthesia. Propofol slows the activity of your brain and nervous system.

My newest worst symptom is that my stomach doesn't empty. It gets really uncomfortable, pushing into my chest and back, and stressing my diaphragm. Awaiting a plan on next steps from my GI as we speak.

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Unbelievable. There is a 290 mcg of the Linzess, do you think that would help? I wonder if taking something for your gut spasms such as Bentyl (Prescription) would help you? I was in a bad way with spasms after COVID and the Levsin (Prescription) for spasms caused blurred vision, but, the Bentyl doesn't and worked beautifully. I was checked for SIBO, an endoscopy was done, esophagus was dilated, found out I have a hiatal hernia....you know the drill on trying everything. I do not have POTS and this is just a thought, ok?

Sometimes later on due to COVID we may not respond to our meds & supplements like we did before. I wonder if your meds for POTS need tweaking and they are slowing down your gut now due to COVID. I know that sounds crazy....but, COVID does crazy things. Miralax never worked well for me...you definitely have to play with the dosage.

IBS-C and spasms is hard to treat. I'm so sorry you are battling this. It sounds like you are doing all of the right things, I mentioned Magnesium 200 mg, have you tried that with your breakfast? I can't take that at night when I take my Linzess or I have the other problem. I had to try many different things until I found the right thing.

Are you able to get any form of exercise at all? Walking outside even? This can help moves things along in the gut.

Are you on a good probiotic? I had to go on one after COVID. MegaSporebiotic is a good one but strong. You have to start slow. Due to my gut senstivity, my doctor switched me to ION Gut support. Gut issues are exhausting. I empathize. I am so hopeful and prayerful for you to get great improvement soon. God Bless You!

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