Drugs Get Mathew Most of the Way and Hyperbaric Oxygen Does the Rest

Source of the Story

Provided to Health Rising

Resource Type

Patient Story

Name

Dr. Mathew Robinson

Diagnosis

1. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
2. POTS (Postural Tachycardia Orthostatic Syndrome)
3. Long COVID

Disease Course Over Time

I was infected with COVID in February 2020 and was incredibly sick for one month. After getting through the initial infection, my “Long-COVID” symptoms began about a month later, in April 2020. It started with sporadic dizziness that eventually became chronic, unrelenting dizziness that was present always, for 4 years.

Then, fatigue set in a few months later, along with post-exertional malaise (these would become my most problematic symptoms over time), and brain fog started about a year into my illness. Triggers included screen time, sun exposure, heat, and any physical or cognitive exertion.

I was bed-bound about 20-22 hours a day but still managed to work for all but 4 months as a University professor.

Type of Onset

acute flu-like

Duration

2-5 years

Functionality at it's Worst

Mostly bedbound

Symptoms

chronic dizziness, fatigue, post-exertional malaise, brain fog, upset stomach, lower back pain

Treatments That Made A Big Difference

Midodrine, low dose Abilify, and low dose naltrexone reduced my symptoms by 80 percent over 2 years. Ultimately, 3 months of hyperbaric oxygen therapy made me all the way better

Treatments That Had No Effect

acupuncture, diclofenac, Verapamil, prednisone, nortriptyline, gabapentin, ivermectin,

Treatments That Made You Worse

clonazepam, meclizine, oxalacetate

Present State of Health

1. Fully recovered - no restrictions at all

Practitioner Associated With Recovery

Bateman Horne Center / Aviv Clinic

Words of Advice

Never give up. For years, I thought recovery would be impossible and that I would never get better. I also thought my illnesses would kill me, that I would pass in my sleep and be found dead in my bed. But I never gave up hope that something would eventually work, and I kept seeking out help from as many experts and doctors as I could. I slowly got better through medicines at Bateman Horne Clinic but then had a major relapse which lasted more than a month. That is when I found Aviv Clinics and 3 months of treatment there completely healed me. I got better because I never gave up!

Suggested Resources

• Please see my book: The Long-Haul: My Four-Year Battle to Beat Long-COVID, ME/CFS, and POTS, available at Amazon:
• Also, check out the websites of Bateman Horne Clinic, where I saw 80% Improvement over 2 years:
• AND Aviv Clinics, where I got my hyperbaric oxygen therapy and got all the way better over 3 months: