If you’ve had confirmed Covid, how did it start?

[Popsicales]

I know the answer will be different for everyone but I’m looking to hear about people’s experiences of how it started.

I’m currently self isolating as I’ve been contacted by track and trace as I’ve had contact with a confirmed case exactly a week ago. I have a headache, sore throat and feel warm and sweaty but no temperature. I’ve lost my sense of smell. I have been tested but waiting for results.

What were your symptoms in the beginning?

[ComtesseDeSpair]

I felt a bit run down for a day or so, as though I had a cold coming; then the scratchy cough started and so I assumed the cold was bedding in. Then I had two days of chills and fever where I felt pretty rotten but still went into work and carried on my day to day life; then that broke and I had another day or so of feeling run down, then back to normal.

This was back in early February when Covid wasn’t supposed to have been in the UK. I’ve since had a positive antibody test and have to assume that the above was Covid / because it’s either that or I’ve had it completely asymptomatically since. So mine started very much like a normal cold or seasonal virus.

[Bagelsandbrie]

I had a day of high fever 38.9 ish and then another day of normal and then high fever on and off all day. Then the most horrendous upset stomach and stomach pains and running to the toilet and then a day after that horrible chest tightness and a cough. Felt really rough for about 2-3 weeks. Needed antibiotics and to use my inhalers more to shift it - I have moderate asthma.

[KnobChops]

Chill aches and pains, fatigue and mild fever 37.8. Went to bed and felt fine a few hours later. Had the mild fevers over the next few days but felt fine after paracetamol. A week later noticed mild shortness of breath on exertion and my sense of smell less good. Felt fine though and within a week back to normal. No cough really. Had worse colds. Was very unlike when I had the flu and thought I might die.

[PeaceAndHarmoneeee]

Sore throat, fatigue, shivery and cold but no temperature. Lost sense of smell.

I never got a high temperature and the persistent cough came a few days after.

[OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea]

I felt run down then a bit sinusy but only one side and without the usual pain in my teeth I get with sinusitis. Then I lost my sense of smell completely. It's not just like when it's all muffled when you have a cold, it is sticking your nose right in the pan of delicious stew the family claims is scenting the whole house and you might as well be in a vacuum.

It was before anosmia was a symptom though so I never got tested but then later had positive antibodies so have had it.

It was followed by weeks and weeks of tiredness, brain fog and constant viral type symptoms.

[Jontysmum]

Very sore throat for two days. Then felt totally well. Then got sinus cold that went after a week. Never had a high temperature, loss of taste or difficulty breathing. It wasn't as bad as most colds.

[SallyCylicAcid]

I got that feeling in the middle of the day when you know you're coming down with something but you've got no symptoms yet but you know something is coming. That was at around 12.

By 4pm I told my boss I had to go home and get to bed. I had that fluey/achy feeling and a terrible headache with a sore throat. I went to bed as soon as I got home and stayed in bed for a few days. I never had a terrible temperature but a low grade one.

Sore throat and headaches lasted a few days then the cough came.

My cough was only really awful at night. I lost my sense of taste and smell completely. I was ill in March and it only started coming back in June.

Dp unfortunately got it from me :( and he has severe asthma and needed medical treatment and he was tested and had it and they assume he got it from me as he had been at home. He was very ill for 3 weeks (temperature lasted that long) then weak for another 3 but weirdly he never had the cough as badly. We were both tested for antibodies after it and both had them.

[Porcupineinwaiting]

Loss of appetite, lethargy and diarrhoea. Then sore throat, raging thirst, oral thrush, chills (but no fever) and ice cold hands and feet. Cough arrived on day 6 after which I got really sick.

[tiktokmylife]

I had what I thought was a case of the flu. After about 3 days I wasn't getting any better and had the most god awful sore throat and cough. My temp went up to 41. I was told if I didn't improve within 24 hours I would be admitted to hospital....thankfully the temp reduced a bit and I was bot more "comfortable". I was in bed for 2 weeks and it took about 3 weeks before I could get about without sounding like I'd run a marathon.
Still have no sense of smell or taste 3 months down the line
Never felt so awful in all my life, but thankful it wasn't as bad as some people have had it x

[annonymousse]

Felt like the onset of a summer cold but as it evolved became more of a stomach upset and constant headache with high temperature. No cough from start to finish

[rhowton]

I went down hill fast.

I started to have blurred vision and my headache was the worst I have ever experienced. I went to bed at 3pm on Sunday and didn't wake up until 11am Monday and I could barely move. I had a temperature of 40.6 and it didn't come below 39.5 even with paracetamol. I then lost my sense of smell on the Wednesday, but felt relatively normal in myself. I had a temperature from March until July with it only coming under 37.7 mid August.

[Spacecadetagain]

I had a temperature of 38 in March 13th then felt fine for a few days then my temperature went up to 37.9 and went up and down for about three months . After the second temp spike I felt a bit rough . Achey and headachey and has two days of diarrhoea then a day if feeling freezing cold and literally shivering then felt ok then had two days of feeling hot with low grade temp and terrible back ache . Then a couple of days of feeling ok then started feeling as though I’d inhaled acid . My lungs felt raw . I developed terrible acid indigestion which caused me to actually be sick . Then a day or so later had horrific kidney pain and excruciating rib pain as though someone had smashed them all with a baseball bat . I then realised I couldn’t comfortably take a deep breath in and had a strange sensation as though I had a belt round my chest . On day 18 after a day of feeling as though my ribs were gearing against my lungs I called 111 who sent an ambulance . They said my left lung had crackles but I was better off at home despite having covid symptoms and being quite poorly . I then spent two weeks resting with the same symptoms and weeks and weeks trying to recover but having crippling exhaustion and breathlessness plus lung congestion . Six months later Im still not well and now been refered to the chest clinic and have CFS

[Spacecadetagain]

I should add that I never really had a cough

[mrsnorrismeow]

Runny nose and that was all it ever was.

[Elizacarr]

Hi,

I have confirmed Covid, and now in week two of 'recovery'.

Started as a cold, sore throat, sneezing, feeling cold for a week, then lost smell and taste completely, followed by:

ice-cold feet
sinus pressure,
slight dizziness
tremendous fatigue
pale lips, white pale face
bit shakey
chills
Tight chested- wheezy
no appetite really
slight sight focus issues

The above kicked in on day 4 of having confirmed covid.