Long Hauler Worsening Symptoms and Doctors are Stumped

Posted by cyberguy99 @cyberguy99, May 23 11:00am

So the TLDR is I(And a very solid portion of my battalion) developed obvious covid symptoms simultaneously in December of 2019. Since then I have had "long covid" symptoms that have increased steadily in severity, which are listed below:

• Shortness of breath, I would say my current lung capacity is half of what it was prior to 2019 on the best of days for no obvious reason, and it gets worse every year.
• Swelling, discoloration(Turn a purplish color), and pain in hands and feet that worsens depending on how much trouble I am having breathing that day
• Dizziness and blurred vision
• Chest pain
• Confusion(IE endlessly forgetting what I am doing), brain fog, and very heightened anxiety
• General weakness. I have gone from running 3 miles a day and a regular workout routine to only being able to walk around the neighborhood on good days over the course of 3 years. It effectively ended my military career and threatens my day-to-day ability to take care of myself and maintain my career.
• Extreme fatigue, on days where I can sleep it can be as much as 16 hours a day. On days where the irritation is especially bad I can't sleep at all, just endless "cold sweats".

These symptoms increase or decrease day by day and are directly related to how my breathing is. I have been given multiple CT scans and Xrays that show no real issues(Links can be given to the results on request unless I can post them here). Pulmonary function tests, stress tests, sleep apnea tests, etc have been given to me ad nauseum with zero helpful results. I have been put on inhalers but they made me significantly worse, basically anything that has to do with putting things in my lungs irritates them.

Is there any direction, like scans or anything, that I can take or am I basically SOL until it finally takes me out via heartattack? I have had zero luck with any relief. Is oxygen the way to go?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

Possibly sciatica? From Spine Health:
"Knee pain that cannot be traced back to a physical injury may be caused by a problem in your lower back. The muscles around your knees are powered by nerves that originate in your lower spine. Irritation or compression of these nerves at their spinal origin causes symptoms, commonly known as sciatica, which may include knee pain and/or weakness."
https://www.spine-health.com/blog/does-sciatica-cause-knee-pain

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@kyengler

I appreciate that but we passed that route about 2 years ago. When I tell you NOTHING has provided pain or swelling relief I mean all drugs! Over the counter and high priced prescription injections. Currently about to give up on Cosentyx after 3 months of uselessness. The only thing that has helped us lots of prednisone and I cannot stay on that for obvious reasons.
Before this happens in March 2020, I was an avid advocate of curcumin. Now it laughs at me.

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Hello, I have hip osteoarthritis and it makes my thigh, knee and whole leg ache alot! Nothing has helped me so far either.... Steroid injections, Meloxicam and Diclofenac all did nothing. I get some relief from Arthritis strength Tylenol and 800mg Ibuprofen, 3-4 times a day. Very frustrating. I get an MRI soon....so hopefully get some answers, or it could just be caused by the hip osteoarthritis. I stopped at a Homeopathic store and bought some Cura-Relief and some CBD gummies.....I'm desperate for some relief. I've learned the pain could be nerve pain caused by the osteoarthritis. It would make sense that the anti-inflammatories don't help it. But it doesn't feel like nerve pain, since it's described as shooting, stabbing, prickly or tingly pain. Good luck to you.

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