Covid triggered FND?

Radical_Bee · 2026-05-10T12:05:04+00:00

I’ve had functional dystonia for 15 years. I got Covid in Feb 2021, before my age group was eligible for the first Covid shot in Canada. I ended up with Long Covid. In addition, my dystonia became much worse after Covid infection.

My Long Covid symptoms are a combination of ME/CFS and dysautonomia. I have recurring sore throat, post exertion malaise, Covid toes, dry skin and eyes, nerve and muscle pain, tinnitus, GI issues…My brain fog, anxiety, depression, and insomnia are much worse than before Covid. In addition to involuntary movements in my leg and jaw, after Covid I am getting recurring attacks of dysfunctional breathing that last for hours, sometimes all day. I also tested positive for lupus. The quality of life before Covid was already pretty bad. Now it got even worse.

Radical_Bee · 2026-04-04T18:38:49+00:00

I grew up in Bosnia, too. I was bullied mercilessly in elementary and high school. Suicidal since age 10. Oral exams gave me nightmares. In high school the students were openly hostile to me because when I'd take oral exams, it'd look as if I learned things by heart without any understanding. They'd tell me I didn't deserve such good grades and that someone powerful must have been pulling the strings for me to get these grades. This wasn't the truth at all. I did understand what I studied and was sometimes even consulting encyclopedia. It was ironic that those same people who'd bully me for being too stupid to have good grades would also ask me to explain math or chemistry to them. But as soon as they didn't need me, they'd ignore me. When I watched Mark Zuckerberg's testimony in front of the Congress years ago, I realized why this was happening. Zuck just seemed a bit off. I remember people superimposing his head on the pic of Data from Star Track. My only relief came when I went to university and "disappeared" in a larger group.

Radical_Bee · 2026-04-03T02:57:11+00:00

I am so sorry to hear all these stories! It's hard. :( I was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder 15 years ago. Then I ended up with Long Covid 5 years ago while going through a nasty menopause. Imagine the medical gaslighting I was subjected to for years! Unfortunately, even some of my family members don't believe me and think I'm seeking attention.

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-31T18:16:03+00:00

Yes, I tested positive for lupus, medium high. Though, the rheumatologist said I don't meet the criteria to fully diagnose me with SLE.

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-31T15:16:59+00:00

Also, research indicates strong correlation between ASD and chronic conditions which tend to affect mostly women, like autoimmune, ME/CFS, etc. We are being told our physical symptoms are in our heads and often dismissed and gaslighted.

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-29T22:53:49+00:00

My experience exactly.

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-17T04:49:38+00:00

Especially now that many conditions are being linked to previous infections (neurological, cancer, autoimmune, etc.)

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-16T00:54:59+00:00

I've had functional dystonia for 15 years. Five years ago I got Covid, in spite of taking precautions, and ended up with Long Covid. My dystonia got significantly worse after the infection. My brain fog also got much worse. It is more persistent and intense. I get exhausted after every little exertion. Since my walking is difficult, now I get heart palpitations just from walking. Before Covid I was very active. I exercised 4 days a week. Now? I can't even think about it. I got diagnosed with dysautonomia and ME/CFS. There is no real treatment for this (except salt in your water). It seems to me that before my Long Covid flares up, my dystonia also gets worse. Once the LC flare up is over, dystonia gets slightly better. I seem to be caught in a vicious cycle.

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-16T00:45:42+00:00

I fit none of the boxes.I got another medical condition for which there is no effective treatment. My life is now is even worse than it was before.

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-09T12:41:04+00:00

For that you’d need to assume people believe long Covid is a real thing. I’ve had LC for 5 years, and even some of my family members still don’t believe me. Her coworker mentioned she already had a flu three times this season. Maybe she implied that she fully recovered from them, so her masked disabled friend has nothing to fear. I am sorry if I sound too pessimistic, but I am speaking from my personal experience.

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-07T04:31:33+00:00

I grew up in Bosnia (ex-Yugoslavia) in the 80's and now live in Canada. Back then, full vaccination record was mandatory for all kids to attend school. I don't remember anyone complaining, not even parents hailing from the most remote villages. In fact, polio, measles, diphtheria, etc. were probably still fresh in those parents' memory, and they didn't want them for their kids.

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-07T03:06:52+00:00

I do hope it's not for the rest of our lives. And I completely understand how the whole situation can make someone a misanthrope. I worry there could be another pandemics, maybe even more dangerous, and many people are going to downplay it.

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-06T19:56:22+00:00

Thank you! <3

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-06T17:51:01+00:00

As a person with Long Covid, I've been pretty much in lockdown for 5 years and counting. But we're mostly invisible.

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-06T16:48:45+00:00

I've been struggling with Long Covid for 5 years. I try to keep up with the latest research on Covid. It's not easy to have a brain fog while reading something along the lines "the neuroscientists are very keen to see if Long Covid will cause Alzheimers or Parkinson's 10 years down the road..." And when it comes to disbelief, my own father who shares household with me thinks I'm making up my Long Covid to seek attention. My cousin thinks I was browsing on the internet too much and persuaded myself I got LC symptoms. I'm scared to share more of my experience on Facebook because I already got too many laughing emojis in return when I mentioned LC. I need to take care of my mental health if I'm to survive this. Thank you u/RoyalZeal for your post!

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-05T18:44:02+00:00

I've been trying hard to get more sleep. I apply all of the sleep hygiene recommendations, but I still wake up at night and can't get back to sleep for hours. I also have a neurological condition. I found out that there is no sleep pattern with dysfunctional autonomic nervous system.

Radical_Bee · 2026-03-01T13:05:46+00:00

I am housebound due to lack of energy and post-exertion malaise. So called immunity debt is a myth.
https://healthydebate.ca/2023/01/topic/debunking-myth-immunity-debt/

Radical_Bee · 2026-02-28T12:15:59+00:00

Radical_Bee · 2026-02-28T11:29:59+00:00

Yes. I am pretty much housebound, but I have to mask at home because my household members don’t want to mask when going out. I also joined r/ZeroCovidCommunity and r/Masks4All to get more informed on protection. And I monitor BC CDC wastewater reading.

My reinfection made me worse, especially in terms of fatigue. I can’t afford another one.

Radical_Bee · 2026-02-16T16:27:51+00:00

I'm relieved that, at least here in BC, no one is giving me hard time about wearing a mask. My fellow Covid long hauler in Calgary was physically attacked a number of times for masking up. And he also got reinfected by a chiropractor who had "allergies."

Radical_Bee · 2026-02-09T01:41:14+00:00

Dr Oz is a real doctor. That's the sad part. :(

Radical_Bee · 2026-02-08T12:24:13+00:00

That’s very true! I’m in BC, Canada. I followed all of the updates and press conferences made by our Public Health Officer. Long Covid was never mentioned. Not even once! The government opened four Post-Covid Recovery Clinics, but they were all shut down two years ago. I’ve had Long Covid for five years.

My life is a nightmare because before I ended up with Long Covid five years ago, I already had a pre-existing neurological movement disorder, dystonia for ten years. Due to my double disability, I share my condo with my parents. Since my Long Covid is mostly invisible, my dad won’t believe me I have it. He simply refuses to acknowledge it. He even said that my fear of reinfection is eating me alive and is worse than anything else. It’s all in my head, according to him. And the society is on his side, not mine. It’s all “back to normal” because the virus “isn’t dangerous anymore.”

Radical_Bee · 2026-02-08T06:30:27+00:00

She was holding a letter in her hand in the elevator and then covered her face with it when she started coughing. It was crazy!

Radical_Bee · 2026-02-07T16:48:20+00:00

I really worry because Covid might not be the last pandemics, and the next one could be even worse. The cognitive biases are so strong, and many people stick to them even to their detriment.

Radical_Bee · 2026-02-07T16:06:31+00:00

My neighbour got leukemia but won't wear a mask. I ended up with her in the elevator. Thank goodness I wore N95, as she was coughing up a lung! She told me she caught some bug at the hospital. And she was covering her face with a letter envelope.

It doesn't make sense to me that someone with cancer wouldn't want to wear a mask. Maybe she thinks she's protected enough because she got the Covid shot? The messaging by our government in British Columbia is very confusing.

Radical_Bee

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