This modified excerpt from Version 8 of my COVID Guide is a review of the science that will be useful to anyone trying to understand the causes of long-COVID.
It is now clear that COVID, SARS, and MERS are weaponized versions of the coronavirus, which normally causes the “common cold.”1,2All forms of life-threatening critical illnesses, including ARDS, MOFS, eclampsia, SIRS, COVID, MERS, SARS, major trauma, and the surgical stress syndrome (SSS) occur when excessive quantities of tissue factor are released into circulating blood. 3,4 This triggers stress mechanism hyperactivity that can be controlled and cured using the following measures:
1. Elective endotracheal intubation to protect health care workers from the contagion, provide respiratory support, and monitor and manage inspired gas mixtures.
2. Dilute inspired oxygen with compressed air to maintain pulse oximeter readings no higher than 90 %.
3. General anesthesia using ½ MAC isoflurane
4. Treat with opioids to maintain exhaled carbon dioxide levels within the range of 50-100 torr.5-7
5. Antibiotics as needed
6. Intravenous magnesium sulphate using eclampsia protocols
1 Interlandi, J. Contagion: Controversy Erupts over Man-Made Pandemic Avian Flu Virus. Scientific American, 9 (2011).
2 Interlandi, J. A man-made contagion. Sci Am 306, 14, doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0212-14a (2012).
3 Coleman, L. S. A Stress Repair Mechanism that Maintains Vertebrate Structure during Stress. Cardiovasc Hematol Disord Drug Targets, doi:BSP/CHDDT/E-Pub/00015 [pii] (2010).
4 Coleman, L. S. 50 Years Lost in Medical Advance: The Discovery of Hans Selye’s Stress Mechanism. (The American Institute of Stress Press, 2021).
Do you have any thoughts on astaxanthin for long covid? I've seen some good results when it has been added - perhaps due to it's fibrolytic capacity, effect on superoxide and immune modulation... But reading this now I question whether it may interfere with antigen clearance. It does seem to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress while increasing certain b & t cell populations without increasing cytotoxic T cells, al least according to this study.
With long Covid, could there be an explanation for plasma pH at 8.5 and simultaneously urine pH at 6.8? They were measured a couple of days apart, so maybe it fluctuated, but theoretically is it possible that they differ?
Hi Chris, how would you check and address potential STAT3 / leptin resistance in Long Covid (strong loss of satiety signalling coupled with rapid weight gain on an otherwise health-conscious whole-foods Mediterranean diet, low-to-moderate protein intake, normal-to-optimal standard blood panel)? Fatigue and rapid exercise exhaustion is an issue as are waves of severe pain in feet and hands. Loss of smell and taste for over 1y but slowly improving. Thank you!
In essence, are you saying not to worry about the microclotting? My d-dimer has been between 1900 and 3400 for over 11 months. That has been my primary focus and now my vision is deteriorating and I have developed many floaters. I was attributing it to microclotting. Bilirubin, glucose, cholesterol all persistently high. Iron and ferritin normal, but I can see what you are suggesting in the early phases affecting it and I think I had a propensity for anemia pre-covid, funny how that has resolved but these other things have not. I'll have to re-read you suggestions but what are your thoughts on antivirals including TCM?
Great overview, thank you. I take my hat off to you for writing about complex issues in a way that is enjoyable and very easy to understand.
It is now clear that COVID, SARS, and MERS are weaponized versions of the coronavirus, which normally causes the “common cold.”1,2All forms of life-threatening critical illnesses, including ARDS, MOFS, eclampsia, SIRS, COVID, MERS, SARS, major trauma, and the surgical stress syndrome (SSS) occur when excessive quantities of tissue factor are released into circulating blood. 3,4 This triggers stress mechanism hyperactivity that can be controlled and cured using the following measures:
1. Elective endotracheal intubation to protect health care workers from the contagion, provide respiratory support, and monitor and manage inspired gas mixtures.
2. Dilute inspired oxygen with compressed air to maintain pulse oximeter readings no higher than 90 %.
3. General anesthesia using ½ MAC isoflurane
4. Treat with opioids to maintain exhaled carbon dioxide levels within the range of 50-100 torr.5-7
5. Antibiotics as needed
6. Intravenous magnesium sulphate using eclampsia protocols
More information is available via my website: www.stressmechanism.com
1 Interlandi, J. Contagion: Controversy Erupts over Man-Made Pandemic Avian Flu Virus. Scientific American, 9 (2011).
2 Interlandi, J. A man-made contagion. Sci Am 306, 14, doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0212-14a (2012).
3 Coleman, L. S. A Stress Repair Mechanism that Maintains Vertebrate Structure during Stress. Cardiovasc Hematol Disord Drug Targets, doi:BSP/CHDDT/E-Pub/00015 [pii] (2010).
4 Coleman, L. S. 50 Years Lost in Medical Advance: The Discovery of Hans Selye’s Stress Mechanism. (The American Institute of Stress Press, 2021).
5 Coleman, L. S. Four Forgotten Giants of Anesthesia History. Journal of Anesthesia and Surgery 3, 1-17 (2015). <http://www.ommegaonline.org/article-details/Four-Forgotten-Giants-of-Anesthesia-History/468>.
6 Crile GW, L. W. Anoci-association. (Saunders, 1914).
7 Henderson, Y. Resuscitation with Carbon Dioxide. Science 83, 399-402, doi:10.1126/science.83.2157.399 (1936).
Thanks Chris..this is a goldmine of information.
Do you have any thoughts on astaxanthin for long covid? I've seen some good results when it has been added - perhaps due to it's fibrolytic capacity, effect on superoxide and immune modulation... But reading this now I question whether it may interfere with antigen clearance. It does seem to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress while increasing certain b & t cell populations without increasing cytotoxic T cells, al least according to this study.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2845588/
With long Covid, could there be an explanation for plasma pH at 8.5 and simultaneously urine pH at 6.8? They were measured a couple of days apart, so maybe it fluctuated, but theoretically is it possible that they differ?
No mention whatsoever of orthostatic intolerance anywhere. Impossible to talk about Long Covid without even covering one of its main issues.
Hi Chris, how would you check and address potential STAT3 / leptin resistance in Long Covid (strong loss of satiety signalling coupled with rapid weight gain on an otherwise health-conscious whole-foods Mediterranean diet, low-to-moderate protein intake, normal-to-optimal standard blood panel)? Fatigue and rapid exercise exhaustion is an issue as are waves of severe pain in feet and hands. Loss of smell and taste for over 1y but slowly improving. Thank you!
In essence, are you saying not to worry about the microclotting? My d-dimer has been between 1900 and 3400 for over 11 months. That has been my primary focus and now my vision is deteriorating and I have developed many floaters. I was attributing it to microclotting. Bilirubin, glucose, cholesterol all persistently high. Iron and ferritin normal, but I can see what you are suggesting in the early phases affecting it and I think I had a propensity for anemia pre-covid, funny how that has resolved but these other things have not. I'll have to re-read you suggestions but what are your thoughts on antivirals including TCM?
Anything about post-covid constant foam in urine which isn't protein and doesn't seem to be kidney related?