Post viral symptoms / syndrome

Hi zlatka1990, I am sorry you are not well. I have a coleqgue with very similar symptoms, she and I support each other and exchange theories and possible solutions. She is about 14 months since the onset and now feeling better. What helped her, and again, this is not medical advice, was vitamin c and b’s (some effervescent powder she drinks every morning) and clonazepam. I do not think it is anxiety, you don’t abruptly turn anxious. Look up mast cell activation syndrome and see if that fits. I think it might. It is triggered by a virus or some other irritant, sometimes a traumatic event... basically your body treats everything as an allergy. And your instincts are right, it starts in the gut and it affects your whole body. I belive you will get better slowly, it’s a trial and error process. I found azelastine nose spray helpful. My colleague has massages and physical therapy for her neck, and it helped with her head and sinuses. Benzos (like clonazepam) help bring your tension down, so you tolerate people, cars, and noises better. In time you can probably reintroduce some of the foods and see how it goes. Arugula might be good for you too, if that’s what it is. I hope you start feeling better soon. Tests won’t necessarily show much, and unless a doctor is specializing in this MCAS, he will likely dismiss it. But you still only treat the symptoms, so it does not matter much what they think. I know it sounds kooky, and there is a lot of weird information out there, but have faith that you will get better. Your mind is a powerful thing. 

7Thank you so much for your feedback and help. I haven't heard of MCAS before. When I look at the symptoms it has so many similarities to Candida owergrowth, CFS, Post-viral syndrome or food intolerances. I feel that everything has the same root and luckily, the treatments are similar so you don't necessarily need the real diagnosis. Massages also help me to relax the neck and lower tension in head. I take vitamins, probiotics and eat healthy so I believe this crazy state will leave me soon. Sending support to all of you who are still fighting.

Thank you so much for your feedback and help. I haven't heard of MCAS before. When I look at the symptoms it has so many similarities to Candida owergrowth, CFS, Post-viral syndrome or food intolerances. I feel that everything has the same root and luckily, the treatments are similar so you don't necessarily need the real diagnosis. Massages also help me to relax the neck and lower tension in head. I take vitamins, probiotics and eat healthy so I believe this crazy state will leave me soon. Sending support to all of you who are still fighting.

If you still have symptoms, I’d say to try cutting back on probiotics. Look up high histamine vs. low histamine probiotic strands and guide your intake from that. That might help w the stuffy nose and the congestion. Good luck!

Dear Lilum, thank you so much. I will, have to try everything. What bothers me these days more than sinuses (it's finally getting better) is tension in chest and neck, a feeling of poison around my lungs and sometimes feeling of being unable to breathe properly. I have a mild rash on hands and back, too. Also, I sometimes feel tremor, my whole body is shaking and it seems I'm cold although I'm not. Could this be a sign that things are getting better, the body is getting rid of toxins? Does anyone have such experience?

I think lots of people have these symptoms. I don’t know about toxins, maybe more like a body response to an irritant. 

Symptoms of overactive mast cells may include:

skin rashes/hives

swelling/edema

flushing

itching

abdominal pain

nausea/vomiting

diarrhea

wheezing

shortness of breath

heart palpitations

anxiety, difficulty concentrating

headaches

brain fog

low blood pressure

fatigue

Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is a condition symptoms involving the skin, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurologic systems. It can be classified into primary (clonal proliferation or mastocytosis), secondary (due to a specific stimulus), and idiopathic (no identifiable cause). Proposed criteria for the diagnosis of MCAS included episodic symptoms consistent with mast cell mediator release affecting two or more organ systems with hives, swelling, flushing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, low blood pressure, fainting, heart palpitations, wheezing, red eyes, itching, and/or nasal congestion.

i copied that from jillcarnahan.com. 

What works for me is dr Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 breathing. Also, seek medical care if you cannot breathe, of course!  Good luck. 

Also, try to move as much as you can. Exercise will make it go away faster and make symptoms easier to bear. (My other post’s been waiting to be moderated for a while now). 

Hi lilum,

You sure you mean exercise more? Seems contary to what is usually said that's all and my own experience is more doing (things) totally means less (abilityto do anything else! ) balance is key.

My friend who had post viral and now CFS/me uses something called bio freeze for the chest pain. Her sinuses flare up sometimes on and off

Beverley

I find yoga and massages helpful. Also walking when you are able to do it and cooking, cleaning...everything that won't make you exhausted works for me. However, I wouldn't recommend gym or running, it can leave you so fatigued.

Right. Any degree of movement that you can tolerate. That’s what I meant. At the peak of my symptoms I walked like a madwoman, when I could not sleep I’d put on my sneakers and walk around the neighborhood for an hour. It helped my gut move and my nerves to talk to each other. 

Hi Beverly, see my note below. Any movement you can tolerate. Just don’t lie in bed for weeks, it’s not going to get your blood flowing and your guts moving. 

zlatka1990 can I ask what type of yoga you do and is it manageable. I used to be quite fit, a few marathons under my feet but I'm barely able to walk for 20 minutes every 3rd day now.

Sorry to hear that. Well, I feel better in the late afternoon/evening so I can do  stretching at home, sometimes it's just 10 minutes, sometimes one hour and I have to admit that it helps. When I'm tired, I just give up. You have a lot of great videos for yoga beginners on YouTube and there is also a series of short videos (day by day, 30 days programme, I tried "yoga with Adrianne" which is perfect for us with this strange condition.

Thanks for that. I will have a look on you tube.