I’ve Had Enough – Struggling With Long COVID Symptoms That Aren’t Improving

Hi everyone, I’m feeling so overwhelmed and defeated, and I just need to share my story. I’ve been dealing with Long COVID for about 9 months now, and I feel like nothing is working. I’ve tried so many things to help myself heal, but I still feel stuck in this cycle of symptoms that’s taken over my life.

My Main Symptoms: • Fatigue: I wake up tired no matter how much I sleep. By the evening, my fatigue gets worse, and I often feel like I’m hitting a wall. Even small activities like talking, laughing, or sitting can leave me drained. • Head Pressure: There’s constant pressure in my head, and it gets worse as the day goes on. Sometimes it feels like blood isn’t getting to my brain properly. • Internal Vibrations: Especially in my legs when I’m at rest—this constant buzzing feeling drives me crazy. • Derealization: Every day feels like I’m walking through a dream or haze, like I’m not fully in reality. It makes everything feel 10 times harder. • Brain Fog: I can’t think clearly or focus, and I forget things easily. My mind just feels slow all the time. • POTS Symptoms: If I stand or walk for too long, my heart rate spikes, and I feel dizzy and lightheaded, like I’m going to collapse. • Neck Issues: My neck feels weak and unstable, like it can’t hold up my head. This gets worse at night and leaves me feeling heavy and unbalanced. • Digestive Issues: I have frequent, soft bowel movements (2–4 times a day), and my stomach often feels bloated or congested.

What I’ve Tried:

I’ve tried so many things, but I still don’t feel like I’m improving: 1. Fluoxetine (Prozac): I’ve been on this SSRI since September, but I feel like it might be making me worse. When I missed a dose for one day, I actually felt less foggy and more clear-headed, but now I’m back on it and feel terrible again. 2. Hydration and Electrolytes: I’m drinking Liquid I.V. and tracking my water intake daily, which seems to help slightly, but it’s not a game-changer. 3. Gluten-Free Diet: I’ve been gluten-free for about two weeks now, hoping it would reduce inflammation, but I haven’t noticed any big improvements yet. 4. Pacing: I try to pace myself and avoid crashes, but even small activities—like wrapping presents, going for a short walk, or sitting for too long—make me crash. 5. Osteopathy: I’ve been seeing an osteopath, and while there were small improvements early on, I’m still struggling with the same core symptoms. 6. Mold Exposure: I found mold in my water bottle a couple of weeks ago and stopped drinking from it, but I’m not sure how much it contributed to my symptoms or if it’s something else.

How This Has Affected My Life

I don’t feel like myself anymore. I barely leave the house (max 3 km a day if I’m lucky), and even simple things like sitting at the dinner table with my family are hard. I get so tired talking to people that I’d rather just lie down and avoid it. I can’t enjoy anything anymore.

I’m so lonely. I can’t hang out with my friends or live a normal life. Every time I think I might be improving, it’s like something pulls me back into this foggy, tired, dizzy state. I feel like I’m stuck in a body that’s working against me, and I don’t know what else to do.

What I’m Hoping For

Has anyone else experienced symptoms like mine? What helped you? I feel like I’ve tried everything, and I just need to know that there’s hope for me to feel like myself again.

If you’ve had success with treatments or even just advice on how to cope, I’d be so grateful. I’m just really tired of fighting every day to do the smallest things.

Thank you for reading.