Tried Immunosuppressants?
One theory of long-COVID is that your immune system gets stuck in an over-reactive state. That really resonates with me and seems to describe what is happening in my body. I had COVID March 2020 and still significant long-COVID 5 yrs later. I over-reacted to the 2 vaccines I had and thus felt worse for 4 months after. I have never had COVID again, but anytime I have had a known exposure, I get a long-COVID episode with major symptom flare-up. I feel like my fatigue is from my system being on high-alert all the time, and my inflammation in upper back and chest from my body thinking there is a virus when there is not.
I want to solve my own problems because I'm tired of waiting for the medical community to do it (aren't we all?!). Taking immunosuppressants for awhile seems like a logical step to me...if my system is over-reacting, tamp it down for awhile and let my body heal. Has anyone tried this? I just asked my primary doc and she said she cannot prescribe because she is not familiar with these drugs, and referred me to an allergist who I also doubt would prescribe. I am trying to figure out how hard to push to pursue this route and wondering if anyone else has tried it.
thanks!
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.
Here's another perspective on your question: I had a kidney transplant 10 years ago, so I'm on high-dose immunosuppressants. I've had long covid for about 20 months, mostly improving during that time but with a current flare-up, possibly in response to a vaccine, though I've had no problems with previous vaccines. Immunosuppressants may work for you, but obviously they haven't for me.
Thank you for sharing your experience! This is super helpful to know and I really appreciate you taking the time to share. I hope your long-COVID recovery journey keeps progressing and that management of your kidney transplant goes well too.