I tested as clear about 10 days ago. Since then, I've felt fine, except for two things:

1. I needed about 11 or 12 hours of sleep per day.
2. I had plenty of energy, but almost no initiative. That is, once I started doing something I could get it done with no problem, but it was significantly harder than usual to get started.

Those two things went on until yesterday, when I read something from James Fallows, who is a writer I admire, and a really sharp guy. Fallows had COVID, and his post-COVID experience sounds similar to mine. [fallows.substack.com]

TL/DR-Turns out that COVID can cause a vitamin B12 deficiency; Fallows got tested for it, had the deficiency, took a B12 supplement, and felt quite a bit better.

After reading this, I remembered I had some B12 around, so I took some, and it made a big difference for me. I slept less last night and felt fully rested, and I have plenty of initiative today.

So this may be psychosomatic, it may a coincidence, etc. I'm reporting on an N of 1, in case anyone else wants to give it a shot. The only downside I see is that I end up voiding some unusually expensive urine....

B12 “cured” my Multiple Sclerosis symptoms. Metformin and Prilosec can cause lower B12.

B12 is one of those deficiencies that some people might not really notice until it hits them that they lack energy or "omph" to do things.

Reminder also that an estimated 40% of the U.S. population is vitamin D deficient: [www.uth.edu]
... and the symptoms of deficiency are pretty vague/nonspecific... fatigue, problems sleeping, loss of appetite, etc. ... longer-term though, you're talking about increased rates of cancer and heart disease.

Moral of this story: get your levels checked! As tests go, they're not particularly expensive and usually covered by insurance.

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)

This was my B-12 level last Dec. I was taken off my vitamins over a week ago for my upcoming surgery and I can already notice a lack of energy. Also no NSAID's and my joints are feeling it.

Vitamin B-12: 332 pg/mL
Normal levels: 232 - 1,245 pg/mL

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Grateful11

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Quote
Grateful11
This was my B-12 level last Dec. I was taken off my vitamins over a week ago for my upcoming surgery and I can already notice a lack of energy. Also no NSAID's and my joints are feeling it.

Vitamin B-12: 332 pg/mL
Normal levels: 232 - 1,245 pg/mL

Supposedly it takes awhile (years?) to become B12 deficient (or to restore B12 levels), but I've found that it doesn't really take that long. [www.health.harvard.edu]

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)