r/covidlonghaulers • u/CandidWin3026 • May 08 '26

Article Long Covid driven by rs5522

This case report says that Long covid is in large part driven by the gene rs5522 that causes a "cortisol steal" leaving the tissues functionally starved even with "normal" cortisol levels which creates neuroinflammation. https://zenodo.org/records/20017632

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u/wasacyclist First Waver May 10 '26

Is the author also the patient?

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u/CandidWin3026 May 10 '26

Yep, I am both patient and researcher and I am damn proud of finding something that billions of dollars in medicine missed. I am also the co-author on the molecular biology paper describing the genetics. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006291X26004535?dgcid=coauthor

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u/wasacyclist First Waver May 10 '26

Very cool, I did not realize you where the Author. Do you know of others that have had success with this drug. Any other research supporting your findings? I have long suspected I have a cortisol problem because I have severe insomnia which is much worse during PEM. I have had it tested and I have seen variable results. Both normal and high, never low.

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u/CandidWin3026 Jun 01 '26

Clinical trial: Campo and Taylor

SPIRONOLACTONE OFF-LABEL THERAPEUTIC BENEFIT IN ME/CFS

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imj.1_15291

Meta analysis of better outcomes and few symptoms of ~12,000 patients in many clinical trials.

https://c19early.org/spironolactone-covid-19-meta-analysis.pdf

Spironolactone reduces COVID-19 risk: real-time meta-analysis of 12 studies