Long COVID 

Picture Long COVID as the houseguest who simply won’t take a hint—lingering well past the end of the viral soirée. Officially, it’s known as “post-COVID-19 condition”: new, returning, or persistent symptoms that stick around for three months or more after your initial COVID infection, refusing to be explained away by anything else. It’s a chameleon—sometimes symptoms come and go, sometimes they unpack and move in. And while a positive test helps, it isn’t mandatory (COVID tests are infamous for ghosting up to half the time!). If you’re living with lingering issues after a likely infection, you’re not imagining things—and you’re not alone.

If Long COVID dropped a greatest hits album, the track list would include:

• The Fatigue Finale: Exhaustion and “post-exertional malaise”—where even a walk across the room can put you in slow-mo for days.
• Brain Fog Blues: That “I swear I had a thought a second ago…” feeling.
• The Wandering Ache: Achy muscles and joints on a tour of your body.
• Shortness of Breath Solo: Wheezy or heavy chest despite stellar X-rays.
• Dizzy Hits & Headaches: Lightheadedness, temperature swings, and headaches that RSVP with no end date.
• Tinnitus Tango: Persistent ear ringing.
• Cough & Chorus: Lingering cough, throat clearing, and “is this phlegm ever leaving?”.
• Taste/Smell Remixes: Odd or lost senses (sometimes they return as “remixes”).
• Sleep Disturbance Drums: Insomnia, disrupted sleep, strange dreams.
• Mood Swing Medley: Anxiety, depression, or mood whiplash.
• Allergy Encore: Rashes, hives, allergies blooming like wildflowers.
• Women’s Track: Period changes, endometriosis flares, or surprise perimenopause.

It’s a dizzying playlist—over 200 symptoms and counting! Everyone’s experience has a different soundtrack.

Most party-crasher symptoms head for the exit over weeks to months—but some seem to take up residence. A 2025 meta-analysis found half of people still had at least one symptom up to two years later! Most folks do slowly improve, but healing can feel like waiting for dial-up internet (remember that?). Younger people, milder cases, and those with fewer health issues tend to bounce back faster.

The secret sauce: pace yourself, try targeted therapies, and trust your body’s detective skills. There’s no miracle potion yet—but there’s plenty of hope on the horizon.

Long COVID doesn’t play favorites, but it does have a guest list:

• Those with severe COVID-19 (old-timers at the viral party)
• Women—especially if you’re navigating perimenopause or period woes
• People with pre-existing health quirks (asthma, diabetes, obesity)
• Those with allergies, autoimmunity, or a history of “mystery maladies”

Yes, even healthy folks and kids can end up on the list—but it’s rarer
Oh, and every round of COVID can up your odds. Prevention really is the best RSVP.

No golden ticket, sorry! There’s no single test for Long COVID. Diagnosis is detective work: ruling out other culprits (thyroid, iron, B12, sugar, heart, lungs…), tracking your COVID history, and connecting the symptom dots. Smart bloodwork includes CRP (for inflammation), thyroid labs, testosterone (sometimes), iron, B12, and glucose—great for sorting real brain fog from lurking COVID goblins. Your doctor’s clinical eye and your story still matter most.

No “one-pill fixes-all,” but your toolkit is growing:

• Pacing: Master the art of “don’t overdo it”—stop before the crash!
• Rehab: Physical and cognitive rehab help, but pace yourself if post-exertional malaise (PEM) is your nemesis.
• Medications:
• For histamine-fests (rashes, hives): duo antihistamines (think cetirizine + SERC) and liposomal quercetin
• NAC, glutathione, and herbs (grindelia, thyme) for cough or mucus
• Beta blockers plus salt for racing hearts (POTS)
• Low-dose dextromethorphan (brain fog, PEM) but steer clear if you’re on SSRIs
• Low-dose Abilify® for heavyweight brain fog (truly select cases)
• Metformin (off-label, but showing promise for brain fog/fatigue)
• Supplements: Short-term zinc, B vitamins, carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, and nutrients to feed those “hangry” mitochondria

Remember: personalization, patience, and persistence are the real MVPs.

Yes! Being fully vaccinated before a COVID infection significantly slashes your risk for Long COVID (think of it as bouncer security for your immune system). A prior infection helps as well, but the risk never truly vanishes—especially with new variants prowling about. Every fresh infection rolls the dice again.

Medicine loves a doppelgänger. Start sleuthing if:

• New or clearly different symptoms popped up after COVID
• No other obvious cause shows up on tests, exams, or scans

Symptoms “cluster” after your COVID adventure (especially combos like brain fog + new allergies or funky dizziness).

When in doubt, ask your care team—we’re trained at separating lookalikes from the real deal.

Long COVID’s “neuro-symphony” can feature:

• Brain fog: Trouble focusing, finding words, or remembering simple stuff
• Headaches and dizziness: Uninvited but all-too-common guests
• Tinnitus: The soundtrack you didn’t ask for

Management mixtape:

• Pace your mental energy (ditch multitasking!)
• Prioritize sleep and R&R
• Play “brain games” or try gentle memory exercises
• Use “noise therapy” for tinnitus
• Rule out other causes (thyroid, sleep apnea, anemia, glucose)

For persistent symptoms: ask us about dextromethorphan, Abilify, or our allergy-fighting antihistamine + quercetin protocol (especially for tinnitus).

It’s about tuning your brain back to clarity—one note at a time.

Oh, absolutely—“COVID-period weirdness” is a real phenomenon. From wild cycle changes to earlier menopause and endometriosis flares, Long COVID can stir up hormonal drama, thanks to inflammation and hormone sensitivity. If your period’s gone off-script post-COVID, track your symptoms and reach out for help—we can decode together.

Yes! COVID loves to throw your body’s “allergy brakes” overboard, making histamine run wild. Result: Rashes, hives, or allergies that put your previous symptoms to shame. Dr. Parmar’s “mast cell calm-down bootcamp” (dual antihistamines + quercetin, usually for 2 weeks) is a patient favourite with plenty of success stories.

Absolutely—think “science meets spa day”:

• Supplements: Zinc (short term during illness), NAC (mucus vanquisher), mitochondria heroes (NMN, l-carnitine, alpha lipoic acid), liposomal quercetin (for histamine overload)
• Herbals: Grindelia, licorice, thyme (for cough), cleavers, dandelion leaf (lymph rescues)
• Diet: Minimize added sugar, pile on fruits and veggies—your immune system loves color
• Lifestyle: Rest, hydrate, pace, protect from stress/heat/overexertion, and try castor oil packs for swelling

Restore, rebalance, repeat—and always check with your doctor before starting new therapies. Your mitochondria are rooting for you!

If you develop chest pain, severe shortness of breath, fainting, new confusion, or a pounding heart, head to urgent care—stat. For everything else, keep your care team posted if you’re not improving, and flag any new “red alert” symptoms. Most people turn the corner with time and support, but you’re never expected to wing it solo.