Lung Problems After COVID?

By Andrea M. Jensen CHES AE-C

2 min read

After 2 years, I ventured back to my book club. I love reading and discussing books with neighbors, but I am still afraid to go to gatherings. So I wore a mask.

Everyone was surprised to see me and wondered why I was still wearing a mask. It was because I am very worried about getting COVID again!

It has been 5 months since my first bout with COVID (yes, it took me this long to get it), and my lungs are not getting better.

My COVID experience as someone with asthma

I was terrified to get COVID – and for good reason! I got COVID on Mother’s Day this year (some present, right?!), but my lungs still have not healed. That is very unusual for me.

Am I going to be one of those people with long COVID? I do have the worst luck in the world, so I would not be surprised. Sigh.

When I had COVID in May, it was brutal. I had nebulizers on each floor of my house and was doing breathing treatments every 4 hours around the clock. I had a hard time breaking up with my nebulizers. I just could not live without them.

I also took Paxlovid and back-to-back doses of oral steroids (prednisone). I was sure I would get better soon.

When I get pneumonia, I am usually sick for about a month, then slowly bounce back. In our family of 5, there are 4 of us who have asthma. At least one of us gets pneumonia or bronchitis every winter.

But COVID is different. I am going on month 5 after COVID, and my lungs are not getting better. I am really worried!

Bumping up asthma meds

I have to wait 3 months to see my asthma doctor, so I went to my primary care doctor. He bumped up my dual-controller inhaler to a higher dose. I thought for sure that would help. I went through a month of the higher dose, but my lungs are still cranky.

So, I went back to see him. I am depressed that I am not getting better. We decided to add a long-acting muscarinic to my high-dose maintenance inhaler. It has only been a few days, so I cannot tell a difference yet.

Lung problems 5 months after COVID

One thing I have noticed is that I cannot take a deep breath like I used to. It actually hurts to breathe deeply. Ouch! But I know that if I do not force myself to breathe deeply, I can get pneumonia. So I do my yoga breaths every morning and every night.

Deep breath in (ouch) and slooow, deep breath out. Yep, it hurts. But I am going to keep doing it.

I am also coughing up junk out of my lungs 5 months later. Ugh. You would think I smoked or something!

And I am still exhausted. I apologize for all those times my mom wanted me to take a nap as a toddler. I take it back! I want to nap now, but since I am an adult with a busy national job, I can't!

The primary care doctor says he can diagnose me with long COVID at 6 months. Experts are still learning about long COVID, when to diagnose people, and how to treat them.

Is anyone else still having cranky lungs after COVID? Do you have lung problems that are different than when you have had bronchitis or pneumonia? What has helped you recover?

Share your story!

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slh122 Member
<inline-mention username="Andrea M. Jensen CHES AE-C" user-id="3001956"/> I’m so sorry you had to go through COVID. I had similar in counter with COVID as well. I had COVID and was doing breathing treatments every 4 hours like my life dependent on it. I was prescribe oral steroid during COVID, and had 2 back-back rounds of oral steroid as well. On top of that I develop blood clots that was in my left leg and multiple in the lower lungs. That made my recovery even worse. I did so well on my Symbicort for a while until COVID. Than I got into my pulmonologist which got me on Sprivia which helped for a month along with blood work to get complete blood count and test for Immunoglobulin E. The IgE level and eosinophils came back elevated. They diagnosed me with allergic asthma and said if I can’t be control on the traditional medicine, than we will have to get more aggressive with treatment and put me on Xolair (biologic). I had a horrible on going flare from June-August. Thankfully, Xolair has been a life saver and it has made my asthma stable. I still have days that my lungs are feeling horrible, but nothing as nearly as it was. I give all the prompts to my pulmonologist and the nurse practitioner in my pulmonologist office. It such a relief to have a great specialist like that. 
1. Melissa.Arnold Community Admin
 <inline-mention username="slh122" user-id="4160496"/> This is all great news (except for the bad injection, of course)! Have you ever used a biologic before? I'm happy you have access to it and it sounds like you are also tolerating it well. Everyone is different, but we are always thrilled to hear when someone finds what works for them. When is your next injection? I hope the time passes quickly and you continue to make good progress. Thanks a lot for sharing! -Melissa, <a href='https://astha.net' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>astha.net</a> team
2. slh122 Member
 <inline-mention username="Melissa.Arnold" user-id="3030220"/> It’s such a great news and I am extremely happy to it has given my asthma stability. This was my first biologic I have ever had. Happy to have access to this and get the benefits. So thankful tolerating it well. I just received my next injection last week and I was able to get trained to self inject for my future injections at home. I continue to see process and doing great.
Rebecca C Moderator & Contributor
<inline-mention username="Andrea M. Jensen CHES AE-C" user-id="3001956"/> - I have had a horrible time with my asthma since catching Covid in November 2021. Prior to having Covid, I was managing asthma very well with preventatives and a rescue inhaler (rarely used). It's been 12 months now and my lungs still act up. I have been put on Flovent with no results, and now Symbicort the last 2 months to help get that lower lung feeling (on deep breadth) of congestion and goo (very thick mucus) out. It has been very difficult to manage especially at night when I lie down for the evening. I feel like I can't catch my breath and have to sit up and rest for a while. Thankfully I see a great immunoallergist who is willing to keep trying to help. And, it is easing ever so slightly. As my doctor says, it will take time to ease this Covid lung issue. It's just taking longer than I had hoped. So sorry you're having such a hard time. I am grateful I didn't get much worse. Rebecca (comm advc)
1. Rebecca C Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Leon Lebowitz, RRT" user-id="3025394"/> To follow up - I was advised that I could use SMI exercises (sustained maximal inspiration) in place of getting an inspiratory spirometer - that this is equivalent to and a great alternative when not having a device. I was told to do deep inspirations, hold 3-4 secs, and release to maximum exhale. I have been working on using these exercises twice daily and find I am taking deep breaths as the week progresses. I was a little dizzy at first, but seems to be helping with clearing my lungs and getting more oxygen into my pulmonary circulatory system. Rebecca (comm advc) 
2. Leon Lebowitz, RRT Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Rebecca C" user-id="3003427"/> Hi Rebecca - thank you for following up. I also appreciate the explanation using sustained maximal inspiration (SMI) exercises in lieu of any device. Keep up the good work! Leon (site moderator asthma.net)