What follows is a selection of excerpts from the feedback of some of the ‘Challengers’ in the original ‘100 Day Moxa Challenge for Long COVID’. This was during the original informal study from which we deduced the currently optimal moxa protocol that we are now recommending. Variously, these accounts were reported to us after one week, after four weeks and after fifty days of moxa-ing (i.e. after each of the intervals at which we invited comments)

 

The extracts are published below exactly as written to us but are anonymised. While many may appear similar, each one reflects in a special way an individual longhauler’s unique struggle to recover from this debilitating condition. In other words, we think that any particular one may be helpful to someone else in a similar predicament in terms of understanding what might be expected from using daily moxa for helping recovery from Long COVID. Some of them report dramatic benefits, some much slower ones -  but, of course, we equally recognise that not all Challengers found the moxa-ing as beneficial as others (i.e. not every challenger responded to our request for feedback or offered anything that might be helpful). Nevertheless we feel that what is included below is reasonably representative of those who did.

 

Thank you for the helpful advice tips. On reflection, I definitely need to make my cones thinner and will try perfect the technique further.
I have already noticed an improvement in my energy levels and clarity of mind during this first week. 

I have managed to fit the St36 into my daily routine easily.

F.M.

 

I’ve found the whole introductory process to this really easy and your communications clear helpful and supportive so thank you!

L.I.

 

I enjoy moxaing!! Find it very relaxing.

I do it every evening and it easily fits into my day, only takes a few minutes.

In the beginning I burnt myself but that’s better now. I still struggle to do the rolling of the moxa like they demonstrate in the video. Instead I now form individual little rice-like moxa pieces. I prepare them at the beginning and then use them for the session. 

Benefits? I’m generally getting better. My lower back ache is improving. Maybe due to moxa??? Sense of smell still not properly back yet, still feeling low in mood and sleep not very restful, but sleep was a problem before covid.

M.L.

 

 

I am trying to get the hang of things and find the best way it works for me.

In general, I am feeling more positive about my health – as if I am more in control – I haven’t felt like that in ages.

I also appear to be walking a little better.

 The Moxa is going great.  I admit I missed a few days.  But other than that I find it very easy to fit into my day.  I believe I started the last week of August.  Those first few weeks were really good. Improved energy. Less pain. Palpitations and chest pain almost nonexistent. Better sleep. But I overdid it and experienced a really bad crash that has persisted for three weeks. A lot of symptoms that I had not seen in over a month returned.  It's been very disappointing.  But it can sometimes be so hard to know where the line is with this disease and it is easy to over do it and not realize it.  I am really enjoying the treatments.  They are very relaxing.  I fully intend to continue until the end.  

J

 

I'm coughing thick white phlegm up in the morning as i wake

I'm sleeping very well until approx 430am

Palpitations and the feeling of dying have really lessened

My partner thinks my snoring has improved a little (it's quieter)

My thumb nail which has been severely depressed is plumping up again (I can explain this better by speaking to you, it's been deformed for approx 10 years)

I still have no taste or smell

I am *very* sleepy in the afternoon, but I think I'm feeling a little better in my body. It's easy to fit it in my day.I do wonder if I've found the correct points!

D.K.

  

I have also been making and drinking kombucha to help my digestive symptoms. Your moxa regime, my acupuncture sessions and learning to accept what has happened to my health, where I am, pace myself, find my boundaries and stay hopeful have all helped me feel gradually but incrementally better.  Long covid is a journey and period of convalescence and I am really happy that self-administering moxa is providing me with a treatment that I can give myself. I feel more active in supporting my own recovery and nurturing my own health.  This is very helpful psychologically, emotionally and physically when GPs have said to me there is no treatment they can offer except rest.

 

To newcomers to the 100 day challenge I would say expect it to be tricky at first, don't give up, don't beat yourself up if you miss a day or few - keep coming back to it and you will feel subtle improvements over time.

C.B.

 

Long covid is a journey and period of convalescence and I am really happy that self-administering moxa is providing me with a treatment that I can give myself. I feel more active in supporting my own recovery and nurturing my own health.  This is very helpful psychologically, emotionally and physically when GPs have said to me there is no treatment they can offer except rest. To newcomers to the 100 day challenge I would say expect it to be tricky at first, don't give up, don't beat yourself up if you miss a day or few - keep coming back to it and you will feel subtle improvements over time.

D.W

 

I have noticed a big improvement in my energy levels overall. My taste is still not 100% but getting better. Generally about 80% better. The throat feeling is diminishing, but I still feel I have more phlegm than normal. My mood has improved as well. Still a slight feeling of constriction when breathing, but much less than before. My energy levels are consistently great. So generally feeling much better, thank you.

D.A.

 

I enjoy moxaing!! Find it very relaxing.

I do it every evening and it easily fits into my day, only takes a few minutes. I’m doing very well with the moxa, doing the regime daily with only a few exceptions. I now feel my covid symptoms have almost entirely vanished. My sense of smell is still improving but so much better than it was. I also sleep better and my digestion is improved.

M.L.

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I’ve feeling much more confident when using the moxa and I’m finding I can do it much quicker.

So much happier about the whole process.

Personally, over the last week I can say that I feel as if I have more energy.

There has been hardly any sign of the fatigue that used to set in, particularly after lunch.

So hoping that this is a positive step forward and that it will continue.

My breathing is also noticeably easier without the tightness that can accompany the fatigue.

S.M.

 

I've just done Day 54, so just over half way. I'm definitely going to complete the 100 day challenge. 

I've been feeling much better, more awake alert able to walk further and able to do a steady gym session twice a week. I wanted to let you know I tasted hot horseradish and English mustard today for the first time this year (well since 11th January) over the moon.

D.K.

 

it's actually my seventh day today.

I'm getting on okay - I did find the moxa a bit tricky but am getting the hang of it and have done it every morning.

I have noticed a difference already. I feel I have more physical energy - I always used to have a lot of this and needed to go on lots of walks, bike rides, swims, etc., to use it up. Since COVID I have continued to do as much as I can manage but have had to cajole myself. Now I have that feeling of energy again but my muscles don't yet feel strong again.
I feel lighter and brighter in myself and less exhausted in the mornings.

I don't think there's been much improvement in my sleep yet...hopefully that will come.

I'm now on day 45.

The main improvement I have had is more energy for my morning walks. I had been finding it a real effort and had slowed my pace down, but always continued to walk despite this. Now I do the moxa after breakfast, then go for my walk and most of the time am back to my old, quick pace.

C.T.

 

 It was a bit of a challenge at the beginning but became a daily routine and quite easy within a few weeks … my symptoms have decreased and I’m 85% healed. 

G.S.

 

I did the moxa 100 day challenge and have found it transformative.

L.I.

 

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to use moxa.  I feel it
definitely has helped to help me relax and sleep because if I haven't
used it on a few days I don't sleep as well.  I would like to carry on
with using moxa.

B.G.

 

Still doing it everyday, probably missed 3 days total since I started, on days when I was too busy. All going well. Will be keeping going until the end. Am getting much better.

S.M.

 

So far I have not missed a single day and I am seeing some benefits. im not 'cured' im still very tired indeed... but for example; at the weekend i did a 3 hour (15k) hike on saturday which included some uphill... i did get breathless on those parts. and then on the sunday i was able to get up and out in the rain for a 90min walk around a forest , which was wet and miserable; but my body wasnt. 

these are quite significant changes to my health as 2 months ago i'd have had to have a day off inbetween being active. I didnt have any side affects from my exercise. 

this fills me with confidence. 

J.F.

 

My treatment is going well, 2 weeks now and a noticeable improvement in concentration and fatigue!! Yippee!

It's still going well, i'm feeling the benefits, certainly lots more clear headed, and more energy than before i started. These are huge benefits.

R.M.

 

So far my experience has been great! The biggest improvement i feel I've noticed is my energy levels. 

E.M.

 

I have been continuing to make slow and steady progress. I find I need less and reduced daily rests than previously. Pacing myself is key and I’ve learned to not to overdo. 

F.M.

 

Generally I feel alot more energized, no fatigue in the afternoons and I wake up quite refreshed most days (depending of course on when I went to bed). When walking the dog uphill in the forest it feels as my lungs are now back to their normal size and capacity. Before I didn´t have shortness of breath but it just felt as if they were half their normal size. And even less in the first months after the disease when I was very affected.

S.F.

 

I’ve been consistently doing the moxa and the biggest changes I’ve seen are: 1) improved concentration/decreased brain fog, and 2) decrease in post-exertional fatigue/better exercise tolerance.

K.M.

 

My energy has been improving in general.  Its hard to know exactly what the role of the moxa is as I'm doing various other things I hope will help also.  And then, its so easy to feel better, do too much, and feel worse again, so its all been quite up and down.  I do usually find that my energy feels stronger and more consolidated after doing the moxa treatment.  Sometimes I've noticed the moxa will ease or stop aches and pains and headache, for a time and sometimes I feel that it boosts my energy over the line and helps me get stuff done.  

S.M.

 

I am feeling more energetic and over the past 2 weeks have been able to resume regular walks (and even a few gentle runs) for exercise, which I had not been able to engage with since having covid in January.  I’m very encouraged. My brain fog has also improved. 

V.H.

 

Improvments –

1. My sense of smell has returned not fully but if a strong scent I can now smell for 1st time since aug 21 which is amazing for me

2. My taste has improved - can taste all foods now not just strong spices foods or foods with garlic ect. 

3. Seem to be able to last a little longer between energy drains & the fatigue wipes me out though this is small amounts but hope it begins to last longer.

The changes have felt incredible though.

B.S.

 

Overall in the last two weeks, I have noticed a good and positive improvement in:

Energy - I still wake feeling fatigued and underpowered. I am not able to exercise as before, can walk 5-6 km and do a physical activity like cleaning/gardening for more than two hours before quickly tiring and being affected the following day. Also because of this, I would often need to nap or to lay down because of pain. Now on a normal office day, I can get through the whole day but with a noticeable low point after 7-8 hours. Previously the whole day was punctuated with cat naps.

I still have poor lung capacity response to exertion. 

Sleep - Beginning to sleep really well, occasionally up to 6 unbroken hours. I look forward to going to sleep, lots of vivid dreams. 

Concentration - Being self employed, there are lots of 'to do' and 'could do' lists and schedules which are helpful as my concentration can wander and I can get distracted if interrupted. however overall this is much much better

Dexterity and hand eye coordination for writing/keyboard/phone - although a much higher number of typos than normal have been noticeable, this has decreased significantly in the last two weeks.

Memory: Can be a little sketchy at times, recall of names, dates and words can be poor but speech and linking ideas and information through sentences is much better. 

Smell: I was not aware that this had been effected as much but have noticed a sensitivity/heightened awareness to 'smoky, rotten, putrid'. I think these are present all the time in the environment but we learn to filter these out to an awareness level to be able to work. I think the new sensitivity is part of the healing process, in similar way that motor/sensory nerve injury moves from pain, to P'nN, to numbness and eventually recovery.

No more headaches - Yay!

I appreciate that recovery is a long and slow process and there is a possibility that there may be some loss but overall, I am feeling positive and optimistic with good expectations for the future.

D.C.

 

[One month in] The moxa does feel very good. Already now I can see the differency in my condition when I walk up a hill; no headache anymore and more strength.

R.H.

 

So far, it’s going great. Within a few days I started getting regular bowel movements. I had been severely constipated until then, only going 2-3 times per week. Now I go almost every day and sometimes in the mornings upon waking, something which has never been a habit for me.

 As for my other symptoms, such as “brain fog,” they started improving within the first week. The strange feeling in my throat has completely disappeared. Overall, I feel much better.

P.R.

 

I am starting to notice that I'm more comfortable in myself (physically and mentally) than I was before, I still have little energy and get tired easily but it seems to be getting a bit less and it doesn't worry me so much anymore.

The palpitations and arrhythmia has definitely improved. It is not longer a daily occurrence, I am probably only experiencing discomfort in my heart once every few days/a week, which I am very grateful for as that makes me feel much better and not as tired quite as quickly.

N.C.

 

  I participated in your long covid moxa study from August to November of 2022. I found it very helpful. Though I do still have long covid symptoms that keep me from being able to work and engaging with my life with the abilities I had prior to my infection. 

J.

 

 I felt I was doing better but had a little set back the past 2 days with coughing and breathing. However, I’m very pleased that I am seeing even a little progress because nothing had helped previously!

I always have a lot of pain even prior to Covid infections (due to autoimmune arthritis issues). This of course worsened with the long haul Covid. I have already noticed a large reduction in pain making the pain less than before the long haul. That also makes me have a lot of hope this will help.  The other big change is we both have noticed my stamina is improving and I am having less fatigue. 

D.B.

 

Breathing is easier, brain fog is mitigated if not fully relieved, and mood regulation is much better.

Scalp follicular stimulation is to a healthier baseline (my hair was very thin after Covid infection) and there is marked improvement of head hair growth and appropriate thickness.

My dermatophyte/dermatitis post-Covid is also markedly better with flair ups decreasing to monthly (they were weekly) and lasting only a day (instead of 2-3 days). So the immune system response is much more regulated.

A.R.

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