My lungs Part 5

[Spacecadetagain]

New thread for us

[Spacecadetagain]

Previous thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3865832-my-lungs-part-4?watched=1&msgid=95238256#95238256

[SchrodingersKitty]

Thanks for the new thread @Spacecadetagain.

[ofwarren]

Thanks for the new thread.
Day 9 has been a good day for me.
I am still very wobbly, weak and light headed but I've managed to be with the family today.
I've had a couple of episodes of slight breathlessness and I have to crawl up the stairs but other than that, today has been a good day.

[tangledyarn]

Thanks @mumlurker I know how you feel..I'm on day 26ish and it is worrying as I still feel quite unwell and very far from normal functioning still. I have heard it's very normal for it to wax and wane, to feel better and then worse again so I'm holding onto that. My GP said it might take me 6 weeks to feel better.

[SchrodingersKitty]

@ofwarren - are you only on day 9? I thought you'd been around on the threads longer than that. Is the crawling up the stairs because of vertigo or weakness? I definitely haven't been that weak through the whole thing (though several times like that with flu in the past).

[mumlurker]

tangledyarn

I'm sorry you're still feeling rubbish on day 26! Can I ask what symptoms you're still experiencing? At the moment, I'm happy when I have a day where I don't have any of the breathing/chest pain symptoms, even if I feel rotten otherwise.

[Zzzexhaustedzzz]

@tangledyarn six weeks!!?

Well, got to rest more then.
Certainly not back to my normal self yet anyway.
The face swelling can bugger off! I don’t think it’s swollen at all, just feels really odd.
Still got the gaspy feeling when lungs are fine now.
I’m dreading finishing these steroids tomorrow. I mean, from 8 tablets to inhalers? I just have no experience with these things. I will ring my GP for advice tomorrow.
(Day 21)

[ofwarren]

@SchrodingersKitty yes, only 9 days.
If I try to climb the stairs, I just can't breathe. The breathlessness feeling gets so much worse and my heart races.
Even just walking I feel like I'm going to fall forward.
I don't mind so much though. Much better than the other symptoms I had.
I do still have burning in my back and chest but other than that, I've been ok.

[Spacecadetagain]

@tangledyarn I saw a report that said mild cases take around 2 weeks to recover from clinical onset of symptoms and more severe cases can take 3-6 weeks

[stayathomegardener]

Thanks Spacecadet!
I do think it is worth flagging up early on that this is a gentle supportive thread for those that are unwell.
No we haven't been tested in the main.

New posters may find the following helpful.
If you are concerned regarding symptoms there is a wealth of information from posters with timelines on the previous 4 threads.

If you feel you may have symptoms do get yourself an fingertip Oximeter, found on eBay for under £20. Very reassuring if you feel you can't breathe or to update 111 with stats.

[stayathomegardener]

@KinderWild I have asked my consultant the question regarding long term recovery and should expect a reply in 3-5 days.

[Crayfishforyou]

Joining.
I think I'm on day 5. Or 20. I had what I thought was a cold 3 weeks ago, but with lung pain. It might have been just a cold. It didn't quite go though, I stayed a bit bunged.
But I will assume it was and I'm on day 5
Day 1. Really burning sore eyes and tiredness
Day 2. Tiredness, slight cough and stuffy nose. Assume cold is back.
Day 3. DH comes down with dry cough and feels very unwell. DD (7) spends the day looking white and off food. I feel very dizzy, lungs feel full of glass, chest is tight.
Day 4. DH spends day in dressing gown coughing.
DD is fine.
I get bouts of feeling freezing cold, still with hurting lungs and looking decidedly grey.
Day 5. DH spends entire day asleep. Apart from my chest hurting and my heart racing when I do things I don't feel too bad until lunchtime. Then I feel freezing cold. I can breathe deeply again.

I haven't had a temperature at all, I guess I shall either get better or worse over the next few days.

[IamEarthymama]

Hi I have lurked on the other threads as I have felt grotty for a couple of weeks, just under the weather
Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in bed or on the sofa, aching joints, couldn't sleep because of pain in legs, breathless, tearful, sleepy.
Today I felt awful in the morning, had an awful coughing fit, coughed up some phlegm, had a bath (necessary for the well-being of all) and now I feel ok!
My head has cleared and I am watching University Challenge now and getting some answers right, I feel as though I have awoken from a dream.

So that was a virus but not CV wasn't it?
Do I need to self isolate? I wouldn't want to put anyone at risk. Obviously I will
See how I am in the morning.
Why isn't there a test yet!! (You don't need to answer that😉)

[WaktiWapnasi]

I had a panic today realising I'm coming up to the point where on average people die from this and I'm still feeling pretty shitty. I'm also worried that I've become reinfected by DS3 because although I've been having symptoms since about the 10th of March, I've just this week had fever, chills, body aches and a loss of smell and taste, after him having the same last week. I know I should just step away from the internet but I keep seeing cases of people my age dying and I'm starting to really feel anxious.

On the upside my cough actually seems a little better today and I didn't throw up for the first day in about five, so hopefully I'm actually on the mend and not about to pop my clogs.

[IamEarthymama]

Oh and I have had periods of sweating and freezing on and off too.

[tangledyarn]

@mumlurker Yeah it's a long time!
Mild shortness of breath now. Was horrendous at one point just at rest but now mostly if I'm moving around, going up the stairs.
Have burning and left lung pain/pressure.
Am really fatigued, am still struggling to do quite a lot of normal day to day things in the house and having to rest most of the day.
If I do too much my sore throat gets really bad, get a bad headache, lung pain worsens pulse rises and I feel really fluey again.
It is seeming to vary a lot from day to day, yesterday I felt really unwell again,l and couldnt get out of bed atall, today it's been totally manageable as long as I rest a lot. Confusing!

Just to reassure new people, I do have underlying conditions and so was not in a great place to catch this to start with. I was also really unwell a week or so ago so it's not surprising that its going to take some time I guess. For contrast my boyfriend has felt a bit rough and had a bad cough for the same length of time but hasn't ever felt particularly unwell as such and is back at work.

[TheDrsWife46]

Hi guys, im back on here because my dd(11) is upset saying her legs are shaking, shes had the cough for 12 days and no real symptoms. Today shes very frightened because “my legs wont stop shaking and I dont know why” and “i feel like I cant breathe in properly”

Ive given her double inhaler so i know thats jittery anyway. And paracetamol. And the oximeter.


But because ive been like this for 10 days im shit scared for her now. She hasnt seen anything of how ive been because i isolated within the house. She doesnt know that Ive been crying and begging for valium to combat this. Trying not to projecf fear on to her. She, like all of us, can feel how poorly she feels saying “i think we have coronavirus” so im telling her that that means we’ll do the antibody test the moment we’re able and we’ll be able to help everyone on our road then.

But shes breaking my heart. I dont want this for my babies

[Spacecadetagain]

@stayathomegardener . Yes absolutely. None of us know if we have said virus and some of us have been told that we likely have by 111 etc.. but it’s good for us all to virtually have hold and reassure each other . It would be really helpful if we could get the antibody test at some point I think . Certainly if we do have it .. that’s the WHO guidelines for recovery so probably helps in a way for those of us past two weeks wondering if there’s a light at the end of the tunnel !

[TheDrsWife46]

Shes tortured lying in bed focusing on how shes feeling so im getting her up. But what shall i do with her!! Im still bad myself so i flee to the garden for air when i cant cope.

Im scared for us both now

[LetsBeSensible]

I’m on day 14 and have been really breathless today, seems like a relapse.
I’m not massively tired or feverish, I was at the start.
I thought I was recovering a few days ago.
Glad to have found you all, I don’t know anyone IRL who has it and many friends are so scared and anxious, I don’t want them to know (I have underlying conditions)

[ofwarren]

TheDrsWife yes, get her up. It's worse when you are lying in bed.
She might not need the garden like you did as I felt better just from pacing.
Try and distract her somehow.
Poor thing 🥺

[TheDrsWife46]

Fuck. Im too ill myself to care for someone else and she needs me. Im soothing her, stroking her. Making a hot water bottle for her legs as I found that a distraction from the shakes.

Shes been coughing since Friday 20th so 13 days. Shes been largely brilliant other than flaking out on sun 22nd on me. Her cough is productive now and in sheer desperation I did a mild form of pummelling/cupping on her chest as she was struggling to cough anything up which she said helped.

There’s four of us in the house. Shes on day 13, me day 10, dd2 (8) started coughing yesterday and DH nothing. I feel like I can’t cope with this at all. Im not a strong enough person.

Has anyone else found anything else works for then that i can try with her? For me ive literally laid face down over pillows in an open window, but i have to rock my legs/pace/walk the garden. Shes frightened and crying and Im still ill myself so struggling not to freak out and she needs me.

[putastrawunderbaby]

I feel guilty asking when some are suffering really badly, but has anyone had a very mild case? I've had a dry cough for 4 days now, worse at night, mild chest pains like my lungs have been scrubbed inside, occasional hot flush but no temperature, general unwell feeling, a bit achey, tight headache on and off. I feel like I ought to be a lot more unwell and maybe this is something else? I'm isolating anyway, obviously. Wish I knew for sure if this was it, or if it's a coincidental thing.

[SchrodingersKitty]

@TheDrsWife46: how was her oximeter reading? If it was ok, you know that she is getting enough oxygen. Hold on to that. You need not to panic or she will pick up on it. You know that the jittery feeling is your nerves reacting and that you have got through it every time before. Can you make it into a bit of a challenge or game - can you both pace around trying to kick the virus out? Pacing round the garden at night might be distracting enough to take her mind off things.

[TheDrsWife46]

Shes next to me. Hot water bottle on legs. And the dog. And ive got her doing a puzzle book. Shes crying that “i cant stop the feelings to sleep and i wont be able to do my school work” (teacher uploads it online).

I want this virus out if my house so I can be like every other person on instagram etc moaning they’re bored and baking banana bread.