I think allergies made my long COVID worse.
The U.S. ME/CFS Clinician Coalition recommends allergy testing for Patients with “chronic allergies and reactions; history of hayfever, asthma, skin allergies, anaphylaxis (swelling, hypotension, rashes)” in their testing guidelines.
In the middle of long COVID I had congestion for months, so I asked my primary care physician about allergy testing. He thought it was a good idea. Getting tested took over four months. By that time I was no longer having post-exertional malaise. I still had some coughing, but I felt so much better that I almost didn’t go to the appointment.
The testing revealed that I’m allergic to dust mites and mold. I took basic dust mite actions like
- washing sheets weekly at 130F
- encasing pillows and mattress
- not using a down comforter
After I did all three my mild congestion subsided and I had even more energy. I strongly suspect the allergies were dragging me down the whole time.
Allergies can change over time, especially after having long COVID. Allergies are a lot easier to treat than long COVID. For me it was worth testing and taking some simple actions.