HACKER Q&A
📣 lend000

Long Term Covid-19 Complications


As someone who had a mild COVID-like illness in March, but never fully recovered (with the primary remaining symptom being body fatigue, sometimes post-nasal drip, and some tingling in the extremities, none of which are showing signs of improvement after 5 months), I want to survey the HN community about similar complications.

It seems like it isn't uncommon to have lingering COVID-like symptoms after testing negative for the live culture, with varying degrees of severity [0][1][2].

Please leave your story if you've had similar symptoms. I'm especially interested in how you've been treating it and if you've had any success.

[0] https://www.wsj.com/articles/three-months-in-these-patients-are-still-ravaged-by-covids-fallout-11593612004

[1] https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/brain-fog-heart-damage-covid-19-s-lingering-problems-alarm-scientists

[2] https://www.statnews.com/2020/08/12/after-covid19-mental-neurological-effects-smolder/

  👤 adventured Accepted Answer ✓
If the tingling is non-trivial and persistent, I'd strongly suggest R-Lipoic acid (not Alpha-Lipoic acid) for the possible nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy). It's over the counter, you can buy it from Amazon etc. 100mg once per day, take it with food. It will drop your blood sugar levels a bit, you may notice that initially (which is a reason to take it with or right after food). Cost is about $8 per month equivalent typically. It'll be worth trying to see if it removes the tingling, particularly if it becomes more severe over time. It's often quite effective for peripheral neuropathy. Also of course research R-Lipoic acid (if you haven't yet) and see what you think independent of what I'm saying.
👤 bluecup
Definitely resonates with me. I had relatively non-mild covid symptoms in March / April but never went to the hospital.

I've pretty much experienced what lots of other people have related over the past 4-5 months--different symptoms popping up and going away every day, all falling into the kind of umbrella of post-viral symptoms.

I've definitely noticed a pretty big improvement the last few weeks but I still get hit out of the blue with fatigue, brain fog, and occasionally a heavy chest. I would be more concerned but I went through a very similar experience with mono a few years ago, and hoping things will continue to slowly lift with time and as u/notahacker mentioned rest, low intensity exercise, and healthy food.

👤 notahacker
The main lingering symptom for me was periods of discomfort in the thymus and to a lesser extent swelling in my lymph nodes under the armpits, mainly cropping up when I was tired [much more easily than usual], undergoing physical exercise, or drinking even small quantities of alcohol. Assume this was my immune system being more easily stressed than usual. Seems to have subsided as a response to fatigue now, and I can happily go running or stay up later without issue.

All I've done are the generic health recommendations [sleep more, eat well, avoid alcohol, take regular low intensity exercise, avoid sources of stress]