Post-COVID Syndrome is real

Hello @lmschwartz2 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. It is always helpful to find others who share your experience and/or at least understand it. I think your plan to seek another doctor who may be able to better support you sounds reasonable and smart!

If you'd like any additional resources, this may be helpful.

- Post Covid-19 Conditions:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/post-covid-19-conditions

What has been your symptoms post-COVID and how long have you been experiencing it/them?

Fatigue, weakness, exhaustion, muscle weakness, joint pain, headaches (migraines), light sensitive, FOG, anxiety, depression mood swings, panic attacks, sleep issues, sometimes SOB and palpitations. So yes I am a mess. I just want some semblance of normal. If I have a "good day " or two I pay for it with several rough days. Never know till I wake up what kind of day it is going to be and even then can change on a dime.

After my first vaccination Moderna, I had none stop chills for 3+ hours followed by a severe headache and lymph node swelling. When the headache didn’t go away I took Aleve. The headache went away. My question is will my second vaccination be as bad or worse?

I have been suffer with Long Covid since September 2020. Are there any resources at the Mayo for treatment options.

Thank you for your response. I have found alot of good information on May Clinic Connect. In response to your question...

My Covid Background: I rec'd my first Pfizer vaccine on March 27th. On April 3rd started feeling like I was getting a cold and within a couple days had a fever, extreme muscle aches and joint pain. I couldn't do anything but sleep. I didn't have lung and breathing issues but extreme sinus pain, head congestion and earaches and ear ringing. I lost my taste and smell. Tested positive for Covid on April 6th. On April 12th my PCP put me on a ZPac and Predisone. On May 4th went for follow up visit and was prescribed Fluticasone Propionate mcg for fluid in my left ear. Rec'd my second Pfizer dose on May 5th

My Post Covid Symptoms: Constant ringing in my ears - Left worse then right. Right ear is still achy and gets worse when I am rundown. Still no taste or smell. Get fatigued easily. Have muscle weakness and mild joint pain. Have horrible brain fog, difficulty focusing and remembering. The brain fog makes if difficult to get through the workday and a chore sometimes I wonder how I will continue to keep my job. I have improved my diet, I drink lots of water, I have to get a min of 9 hours of sleep and I try to exercise (as minimal as it may be) each day. This is what I need to do just to get through the day. If I don't, all of the above symptoms worsen and quickly.

Thank you again for your response and this community.

There are MANY of us out here who understand exactly what you're talking about. It's a life-changing condition, and no one has the answers for a cure. It's not just long-COVID. It's a long haul from other viruses, too, which means it's been around for decades - maybe centuries. Where is the research and help? I have been living this way for 2 years, and my suggestions are to eat as healthy as possible, do what you can to improve your sleep (this has been a real challenge for me, and I have resorted to medication, which I didn't want to do), and try to avoid stress at all costs. I still have many bad days and bad weeks, but I think my good days have increased and I'm going to keep trying, no matter what. That's all you can do until the medical community comes up with some answers.

I am sorry to hear of your experience, but you should actually be encouraged by it - this is a symptom of your immune system "revving up". See this info https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect/after.html

I don't know whether anyone can predict what will happen with the second dose. At my house, my husband felt "rough" but not down in bed for 3 days after the first Pfizer dose, breezed through the second with a sore arm and mild headache. My daughter, who has long Covid, was quite ill from her first doses of Pfizer for 3-4 days, but breezed through her 3rd dose last week with a headache and sore arm. I react to ALL vaccines, and had my typical inflammatory flare to each dose. A month after the second, I was treated with a course of steroids to calm it. I would say that these are typical of the range of reactions...
We consider the temporary discomfort a small price to pay for reducing our risk of getting Covid and/or spreading it to our little grands.
If nothing else convinces you, read about the people living with long Covid, with no end in sight, compared to a few days of discomfort. Nobody knows who will develop it - young/old. severe/mild case. underlying conditions or not.
Sue

May I ask what they put you on? I’m in same boat with you!

Are you seeing a physician for your symptoms? I seem to remember you had quite a bad case of Covid.
Sue

Avoiding stress is a full time job. I am supposed to go back to work Monday, no way. I am wondering if I qualify for SS disability. I am now paying my job my insurance bills out of pocket. I am doing aqua therapy, joined a community center so I can walk laps in their pool, seeing a therapist and feel like a walking pharmacy. I have not given up.