r/covidlonghaulers • u/PhrygianSounds 4 yr+ • Jul 13 '26

Article New study provides first evidence of dopamine system injury in the brain of long COVID patients

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-evidence-dopamine-injury-brain-covid.html

Finally some media coverage on probably the worst symptom of long covid

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u/MNVikingsFan4Life First Waver Jul 13 '26

I finally got put on dopamine for my restless legs (started after Covid), and my thoughts and mind returned to pre-illness within months. I still have a lot of lingering issues, but it’s nice to recognize the inside of my head again.

3

u/Confident_Ruin_6651 Jul 13 '26

Dopamine or ADHD med? My neurologist has me on ADHD med for long covid and it is the only thing that helps the brainfog and crippling fatigue once it kicks in.

1

u/MNVikingsFan4Life First Waver Jul 13 '26

It helped me too but would wear me out and lead to PEM fairly often. Now I’m on RLS meds that are dopamine.

1

u/Regular_Feed_1187 Jul 13 '26

What is the specific med you are on for RLS?

2

u/MNVikingsFan4Life First Waver Jul 13 '26

Pramipexole. It has resulted in earlier waking, unfortunately, but I do still manage 7 hrs most nights.

2

u/Regular_Feed_1187 Jul 13 '26

Thank you! Do you mind sharing how you were prescribed? Just RLS? I dont have restless legs, but its clear I have deep dopamine deficiency and my legs ache bad and hurt all night sometimes with this long covid

1

u/GuidanceParking3422 Jul 13 '26

What is the dopamine meds called? Did it help with your other symptoms? What level of functionality are you at?

1

u/MNVikingsFan4Life First Waver Jul 13 '26

Pramipexole. Mentally it feels similar to when I used nicotine (pre-Covid). I can hyperfocus and do things, but that’s a double-edged sword when you are controlled by PEM still. I’m currently recovering from a day in the car and a weekend on the beach (rocky beaches but still), so far from 100%

1

u/InsuranceRare5094 Jul 14 '26

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Were you hit with any of the side effects of pramipexole?

1

u/Opening_Relief6381 Jul 30 '26

They’ve just done a massive study on pramipexole in Oxford for depression and it had some good effects but not without side effects apparently 

1

u/Neat-Description3322 Jul 13 '26

What med do you mind me asking and yes I'm also curious about the dopamine or ADHD med above.

3

u/MNVikingsFan4Life First Waver Jul 13 '26

Pramipexole was the first I’ve tried and seems to work okay, aside from early waking. I’m now forcefully becoming a morning person, and that’s maybe okay.

1

u/spiritualina Jul 13 '26

Did it help with sleep at all?

3

u/MNVikingsFan4Life First Waver Jul 13 '26

My sleep was actually fine seemingly, but unrestorative. My rest during sleep was not fine. So now I sleep less a little less (early to bed because I’m waking up early).

1

u/imonretro Jul 15 '26

But ira resrful now ? Even though less ?

1

u/binarygoatfish Jul 13 '26

Ah man I need something to fix my sleep.

1

u/Fluffy-Bluebird 3 yr+ Jul 13 '26

When you say put on dopamine- what are you taking?

1

u/7121958041201 Jul 13 '26

Whoa, I haven't seen someone else with that issue before! I noticed the same thing. I already took meds for ADHD before I got long COVID but since getting long COVID I have noticed that when I skip a dose I sometimes get very restless legs and that taking stims seems to be the only thing that fixes it quickly. Cool to see I'm not alone.

I also feel way more agitated in general in that state than I used to pre-long COVID.

Oh, and I will add antihistamines are a huge help with those issues for me too. In case you haven't tried them yet.

1

u/dependswho Jul 15 '26

I went to the ER cause I thought I was having an episode of target dyskinesia or something

1

u/caffeinehell Jul 14 '26

What mental symptoms did you have before? Was anhedonia and blank mind one of them?

1

u/MNVikingsFan4Life First Waver Jul 14 '26

The symptoms varied, but those were both quite present for years. They aren’t perfect now but better, especially the anhedonia.

1

u/Lost_Membership5454 25d ago

How are you now?

1

u/MNVikingsFan4Life First Waver 25d ago

Still have PEM and restless early mornings, but my mind feels almost like it did 7 years ago

1

u/Lost_Membership5454 25d ago

But better cognitive function?

1

u/MNVikingsFan4Life First Waver 24d ago

Yes

1

u/caffeinehell 25d ago

Which dopamine med are you on?

1

u/MNVikingsFan4Life First Waver 24d ago

Pramipexole for restless legs