I Did!
I haven't lost that Covid feeling......
Hello Long-Covid Corner, Long-Haulers, it has been a while since I’ve written to you. For those of you who are wondering if I went outside after I wrote my last Long-Covid piece last spring (Will I? - by Stephanie Schaible - Leaving Death in the Dust) while having that Covid feeling again, I did! I went outside and planted my garden which has turned out to be quite the beautiful little oasis of determination, perseverance, and persistence. My garden has been an epic 8-year project in the making, a transformation that has gone from cement clay, think brick making ground, that would grow nothing but grass, to what it is now- growing all kinds of things beautiful and edible, and it makes my heart want to sing. My heart is singing over it even more than I thought it would, especially after slogging through last year’s garden season of Long-Covid long-haul symptoms and June’s flash drought that added insult to my gardening injuries. I think I will share my happy victories with you before I dig into having the C-word again (as in right now, again):
I have not really been keeping up with the latest research on all things Long-Covid lately, and to be honest, I’ve enjoyed the break, especially since I’ve been able to be outside in my garden working with my hands and enjoying the fruits of my labors. However, the last article I read, last spring, was a pretty good one and it makes sense to me. The title of the article, Profound Immune Dysregulation and Inflammation Found in Long COVID – but no Autoimmunity, helps to explain a lot of things, but what to do about it all continues to be a good question.
Putting all the pieces together, the authors found a highly inflammatory state, probably driven by immune dysregulation or problems with immune regulation, was present. They concluded that a viral reservoir, reactivation of other viruses, or an autoimmune process could be responsible.
It’s looking like the Covid pattern for me is- getting reinfected about every 3-4 months. Thankfully, over the past 9 months this has not resulted in me going back into full blown mast cell activation and post viral chronic fatigue syndrome. I know it’s reinfection because my husband usually comes down with a “touch of something” around the same time I get sick again. This all generally starts off, for me, with a mild sore throat and something that feels like allergies which makes it hard to tell if it really is allergies until a couple of days later when the pain in my lower back, cheek bones, and ear ringing starts, and then that familiar covid head buzzing and pressure feeling sets in a few days after that, and then the lower back pain proceeds to travel around my body along with a feeling of pressure in my bones and a tired feeling comes with it. The thing that helps me the most during active infection is Ivermectin, I don’t know what I would do without it, and I usually only need to take it for 3-5 days to get things taken care of. My pain usually starts to go back down within 1 day of taking the first dose. I use the FLCCC protocol for dosing, if any of you are interested in learning more about that. In addition, I also use these supplements during active infection:
4g of fish oil- 1 capsule taken 4 times per day (Solgar Omega 3 Fish Oil Concentrate 1000mg per capsule).
Black Seed Oil- 1 capsule taken 2 times per day (Horbaach 1000 mg per capsule).
Tumeric- 1 capsule taken per day (Nutricost 95% Curcuminoids, 2300mg per serving).
Boswellia Extract- I use this for the pain, but it’s also good for many other things (NOW 500mg capsules, 1-2 times per day).
Zinc Lozenge- 1 per day until throat/sinus symptoms resolve or diminish (Seeking Health).
Vitamin A drops- 1 drop divided, on fingers, and rubbed into each nostril at onset of infection to help with nerve damage and to treat or prevent anosmia which is a Dr. Ben Lynch (Seeking Health) tip, see his YouTube videos for more on that (Seeking Health brand or Klair Labs to purchase).
Xlear MAX Saline Nasal Spray, Natural Formula with Xylitol, Capsicum- I read a research paper that said capsicum also helps with loss of smell due to nerve damage. Xylitol helps with biofilms that may prevent/heal sinus infections. ** Hot pepper side note- Hubby took a bite of a fresh, very hot, pepper while he was sick last week and the next day, his sore throat and lymph node swelling were totally gone. He’s also enjoying his Puckerbutt Father’s Day hot sauce gift as much as my dad is. *****
Monolaurin- 1000mg 1-4 times per day depending on tolerance (Lauricare).
L-Lysine- 500mg 2 times per day (NOW brand)
Gentle Iron (Iron Bisglycinate 25mg, Solgar brand)- When restless leg syndrome starts, I take one of these per day, with some orange juice (diluted with water) until it goes away.
Melatonin at bedtime, I feel like I need this more in the winter than in the summer because I get plenty of melatonin stimulating red light while gardening this time of year (NOW brand, 5mg).
St. John’s Wort- If my mood starts to drop, which tends to happen at some point every time I get re-infected, I will take some of this until I start to feel my mood lifting again (Nature’s Bounty 300mg), I usually only need 1 capsule per day. Side note- I think this also helps my gut issues as sluggishness in the bowel is associated with low serotonin.
My digestive system always seems to take a hit with each reinfection, and it has never really been the same since Covid came to visit us. I still have not been able to take any probiotics at all, which are usually recommended. Fasting and eating '“light” is the only thing that really gives me relief here. I have started taking proteolytic enzymes on an empty stomach, digestive enzymes with my meals, and I’m taking a butyrate supplement (Tributyrin) as well which are also included as a part of my- what I’m taking as a part of my daily maintenance protocol after active infection stage is over. Much of our immune system resides in the gut and much of our overall health is related to our ability to digest our food properly so that nutrients can be made available to our bodies for proper metabolism.
Speaking of which, I have been having good, consistent, results with my maintenance supplements, so now is probably a good time to share that which has been consistently working for me and is mostly centered around metabolic support, keeping my mitochondria happily producing much needed energy, keeping inflammation down, and keeping my nerves happy:
Zyrtec- I take one at bedtime every night. I had a lot of mast cell issues with Covid hell last year and allergies have been worse living in a post-covid world. Sometimes I switch it up with Allegra and Claritin, but Zyrtec works best for me. I will add in Benadryl if anything flares up with hives or itching.
MCT oil- 1 teaspoonful every morning to help keep the gut sealed up and the brain cells fed.
Fish Oil and Turmeric- (see above for specific details) as well as a spoonful of hempseed oil (Nutiva, raw and cold pressed). I use these as needed for inflammation, and I determine my usage or dosage on how my joint pain is doing. Dr. Ben Lynch recommends “pulsing” for supplements which means you use a supplement like you would any other medicine, as needed, and not necessarily every day. For example, I might only take the fish oil 3 times per week and then use the hemp seed and Turmeric on days when my joint pain acts up and increase the fish oil to every day until my pain goes back down.
Vitamins- Covid likes to deplete our bodies of things, especially vitamin D (see FLCCC link above for more on that). I tested low on my vitamin D last spring, so I take a “Multivitamin One” capsule (Seeking Health brand) and 5,000 IU of D3 with 100mcg K2 (MK-7) every morning.
Gamma E, mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols (Life Extension) - Endothelial damage can occur with Covid. I’m going to drop these links here for you to take a look at. Dr. Berg has also mentioned that it may help with POTs.
Amazon.com: Life Extension Gamma E Mixed Tocopherols & Tocotrienols
Tocotrienols: The Little-Known Benefits - Life Extension Tocotrienols are increasingly being recognized for their potential roles in protecting against cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, liver disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and even osteoporosis.
Importance of Gamma E Overlooked - page 1 - Life Extension This article uncovers new research showing the ability of gamma tocopherol to combat conditions as diverse as asthma, cancer, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular conditions, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease.
Take This IMMEDIATELY after a Stroke - YouTube
Magnesium- I take 3 types of magnesium. I take it with Taurine and a potassium rich food like banana or avocado: Morning- 200 mg Magnesium Malate (for nerve health/energy) taken with 1/3 of a capsule of 500mg Taurine (NOW brand). Afternoon- 100-200mg Magnesium Citrate (for bowel health/constipation) taken with 1/3 of a capsule of 500mg Taurine (NOW brand). Evening- 100 mg Magnesium Glycinate taken with 1/3 of a capsule of 500mg Taurine (NOW brand) (for muscle relaxation).
Alpha Lipoic Acid and Acetyl L-Carnitine- For metabolism and nerve health. I take 500-1000mg of each, 1-2 times per day, in the morning or in the morning and afternoon.
Co Q-10- For mitochondrial energy production. 200mg, taken 2 times per day. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
B Vitamins (B1, B6, B12)- Super important for nerve health and cellular function. Certain herbicides and high coffee consumption can deplete them, especially B1. Check out the notes in this video to learn more as well:
The 3 Vitamin Deficiencies in Sciatica and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - YouTube
I take 1 “Natural Factors, BioCoenzymated, Active B Complex” capsule every morning. It has the more bioavailable B’s (i.e. B1-Benfotiamine) in it and this was recommended to me by someone with Parkinson’s.
I also take Allithiamine TTFD (another more bioavailable form of B1) 50mg 1-2 times per day. You can learn more about B1 deficiency, its effects on the nerves, and its association with chronic pain and degenerative disease and how to supplement here-
EONutrition - YouTube
Korean Red Ginseng- 1000-2000 mg every day for 1 month at a time, take breaks, use when energy levels are low, and an energy boost is needed.
Various herbs (tinctures and teas)- Lemon Balm, Ashwagandha, Ginger, Licorice, and Camomile for relaxation.
Proteolytic and Digestive Enzymes- As needed, on empty stomach and with meals.
See more on how to do this here-
Lessons from The Miracle Doctors: A Step-by-Step Guide to Optimum Health and Relief from Catastrophic Illness: Jon Barron
Optimizing Your Gut Ecosystem: Butyrate, Enzymes and Betaine HCl - YouTube
Tributyrin X- Must see educational info can be found here:
3 Supplements Anyone with Gut Issues Should Try (Part 3): Tributyrin - YouTube
BUTYRATE-GUT-MUSCLE AXIS and Immunity with Steven Wright/Tributyrin-X Butyrate - YouTube
I hope all of this is clear. If not, leave me a comment, I have that C-Vid feeling again and may not be communicating as clearly as I think I am. I think it’s important to understand each symptom and supplement that is being used to treat it. This is how we can help ourselves better achieve our own healing goals. Thanks in advance for your patience! And remember, sharing what I do, is descriptive not prescriptive because-
*Leaving Death in the Dust is a newsletter and is not a replacement for professional, regulated, medical, healthcare. It is informational and educational. Some of us in this community may have worked in the healthcare system, but we are not your medical provider and whatever you find here is not the establishment of a professional medical relationship or medical advice.
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Continuing my views on LC:
8. So, LC should largely be the legacy of 2020 and 2021 infections. The mild Omicron, present since early 2022, does not carry the auto immune phase. So should be free from LC. However, it should still be treated with early URT medications to prevent viral load build up, onto resident viral loads and onto LC. If countries like the USA have continued to carry LC loads through 2022 and into 2023, this is the reason. Failure to use medications in the early infection (of individuals). It is possible that LCs from the Omicron era are mild, not prolonged and easily treatable with anti histamines, since they mostly colonise upper airways and the incidence of their migration to other places in the body can be low. By way of research, it is necessary to follow LC cohorts by the year of their origin.
9. While prescribing treatments related to the affected organ in LC, it is necessary to add anti virals to eliminate resident viral loads. This elimination may not happen by normal body mechanisms. It must include courses of anti histamines - which can also be anti virals by virtue of their predominant structural class as CADs ( Cationic Amphiphilic Drugs). This can be a powerful mechanism for anti viral performance. People have reported benefits from symptoms like brain fog in LC from short courses of Loratidine. Personally, I feel anti convulsants like Pregabalin or Gabapentin might also help in LC. There is a strong view in favour of covid disease itself being an allergy and thus LC too can be regarded as a pestering allergy condition. Whatever the angle, anti histamines become a central component of treatment.
10. Long covid is also like shingles in how it occurs in some. Dormant viruses becoming active after a time elapse. We have to watch this trend over several years. It is interesting the shingles (herpes) has been one of the major manifestation of LC.
11. Finally, vaccines, particularly the mRNA ones, are a red herring in the story of LC. Like natural virus, the SP segments from the vaccines need not be totally eliminated in time. They can take refuge, out of detection range, only to appear as LC later in some people. One way or the other, the linkage needs to be established.
These are my main points as I wrote them in August 2022. Since then vaccine remnants have emerged as a major causative in LC. Not inappropriately, references like long vax have emerged. In fact much of Omicron derived LC or 2022 cases could be of vaccine origin. Repeated vaccinations have afforded an extended residency of synthetic SP segments in populations. So, LC (or long vax) too lives on in those places.
Since I am not a medical practitioner, my views should not be taken as unequivocal. I go by what I have seen around. The use of these drugs as initial treatments became extensive and widespread in India during the serious delta wave in mid 2021. Serious illness, hospitalisations and even deaths began dropping precipitously. With the same protocol, a huge Omicron wave in early 2022 was also contained quickly. Through all these and upto now, LC has hardly been talked about here. I was an Omicron patient in Jan 22 and I knew of 12-15 in the family. No one had LC. On the contrary, LC has not abated in the USA, including frequent reporting/comments in the press. Against these backdrop, it is my conviction that this early protocol doesn’t allow formation of virus reservoirs. The scope of LC is shut. I am only extending this premise to suggest that these medicines can flush out residual viral loads, a pre requirement for early recovery from LC. A more conventional detox. I would request you to seek a more informed opinion on this premise with your contacts. Here is something that looks very promising but I have my doubts if USA would put it through its paces.