If you got Covid, was it better or worse than you feared?

[Summerfreeze]

Just that.

I feel like if/when it reaches my family (assuming it hasn't already) it's going to be a scary, horrible experience, but of course that isn't the case for many people.

If you definitely had it (with a positive test), was it better or worse than you had thought it was going to be? And how do you feel now it's over? Relieved? Safer?

[Porcupineinwaiting]

Far worse. Relieved that after 7 months I am finally more or less recovered. And no I dont feel any safer because my antibodies disappeared after a few months.

[Summerfreeze]

@Porcupineinwaiting Oh wow that's been a long haul - poor you. Was it worse in that it just went on way longer than you'd ever anticipated or were the initial symptoms more intense? Glad you're better at last and hope that you've got other immunity even if the antibodies are fading.

[Summerfreeze]

Really? Only one person on Mumsnet had Covid?

[Aquamarine1029]

I had no expectations, but for me I definitely got lucky. Really awful headache for days, body aches, congestion, diarrhea, ridiculous sweating, but nothing really serious. I must say the thought of catching it again is frightening.

[Summerfreeze]

Gosh I'm not sure I'd feel lucky with those symptoms as it sounds horrible. Glad you are ok.

[Missandra]

I tested positive. It was much better than I imagined. I had flu and pneumonia about 5 years ago and I definitely didn’t feel as ill as that.

[Egghead68]

Worse in terms of length of symptoms (still not recovered after over 7 months). Better in terms of severity (I am clinically extremely vulnerable and didn’t require hospitalisation). Really wish I’d never caught it though.

[Egghead68]

And I’m terrified of catching it again.

[SionnachRua]

My partner lost all smell and taste - that was it, absolutely nothing else wrong. 6 months on though and his sense of smell isn't quite right. He gets a very burning, acrid smell occasionally now, not sparked by anything (or at least we haven't found the trigger).

My smell and taste were perfectly fine but physically I was hit badly. My energy levels would drop through the floor within seconds and I'd be hit with a sort of brain fog, fatigue and shivering. Couldn't do anything but sit on the couch then as I'd be afraid of falling if I stood. Couldn't focus on anything - podcasts, films, you name it! Luckily I was off work at the time because there's no way I'd have coped.

I reckon it took me about two weeks to get over those symptoms and then a little longer to get fully back up and running. No issues now.

We are a young couple, no underlying conditions etc.

[Missandra]

When people say they are not fully recovered in what way do you mean?

[MummyPop00]

Better than I thought cos I’m not dead

Still have occasional symptoms of Long Covid (after 7 months) but I’m feeling pretty positive & am out exercising on good days.

I feel pretty positive about the chances of natural immunity going forward too, but we’ll see.

[MiniElvis]

Worst.

I caught it and then ended up in intensive care after telling dh I’m just gonna have a sleep. I’ve never been that unwell and certainly not woken up in hospital with not a clue what was going on. I would not wish it on anyone it’s such awful illness.

[Egghead68]

@Missandra I still get mild to severe fatigue, chest burning and fast heart rate.

@minielvis how terrifying. I hope you are better now.

[IvorHughJarrs]

I haven't had it myself but have friends and colleagues who have:
First had no symptoms but tiredness and altered tastes, still tires easily after several months, antibody test positive
Second no symptoms at all, no after effects, antibody test positive
Third, sore throat with 1 day temperature and feeling flu-ey, tired easily for about 3 weeks, now back to normal
I worry about catching it as every cold leads to a chest infection for me

[MiniElvis]

Egghead I’m getting better. Need to have regular check up with gp so they can measure my oxygen levels.

[Egghead68]

Pleased to hear it @MiniElvis.

[NRJ688]

Had a really bad cough last December back in 'normal times'(unremarkable times but feel lIke heaven now, dont know what you had till its gone)
not sure it was covid but was very unusual for me, think i had headaches aswell, apparently it was around in UK then

[janetmendoza]

Worse than I expected as although in my 50s I have no underlying conditions and am (was!) very fit. Three weeks on from diagnosis I am still exhausted all the time. Feels like the worst sort of anaemia-light headed on standing, racing pulse and sleeping in the afternoons. No sense of smell. But I am over the fever and headaches but still got gastro symptoms and crazy lucid dreams. At certain points I felt like I would die but hadn't got the energy to do anything about it!

[lovelemoncurd]

Worse. Only stopped sleeping during the day in August and I contracted it beginning of March. Chest pain, breathlessness, palpitations, head fog, jitteriness, gastrointestinal upsets. Awful.

[MoirasRoses]

I haven’t but several friends have. All fairly mild. Bad headaches & exhaustion being the main thing. No coughs between any of them, which I find weird. Not them, not their partners or children. Who all tested positive. All recovered in a couple weeks. My marathon runner friend is back running ridiculous lengths. We are all in our 30’s though.. no underlying.

[Daydreamer89]

Jeez this post is scary!

The thing is there's no vaccine. So it's. Choice of having this or hiding home for years.

[headinthedrawer]

Wasn't so bad when I had it.In bed for a week...exhausted for a month.I could watch TV snd paracetomol took away the horrible aches.But I had a terrible wheeze when I had it and day 5 was scary .Now have asthma from it 6 months on and need to use an inhaler.Chest x-ray fine.Sense of smell still not 100%.Husband had it and was fine...mild flu.He has asthma and it was him I was worried about but I got it worse.

[TwilightSkies]

I lost my sense of taste and smell for a few days, that was literally it.
I wasn’t scared of getting it though and didn’t think I’d get it too badly.

[Flaxmeadow]

I suppose better because I didn't realise, until my GP told me, that I had it. I was told to isolate for 7 days. Which was the rule back then.

Back in March and April the emphasis was different. I had all the symptoms we know now, apart from the continuous cough, but they weren't showing in the way I expected. I thought you would get them all at once, I thought I would be bed ridden and coughing all the time.

What happened first was the headaches, as if I had a massive hangover every morning thatblasted all day, but I hadnt been drinking at all. Back then this was not a symptom. Then I had a very noticable loss of smell and taste. Again not a symptom at the time. Then I had breathlessness but it only lasted about 12 hours but again I thought someone with covid had to feel like that for days, and with a coniltinous cough. I also had very noticable fatigue, I was falling asleep 2 times a day, even though I'd had a really good nights sleep. Very very unusual for me. The symptoms came one after the other, but I had expected that they would happen all at the same time. One of the reasons my GP said, over the phone, I probably had it was because I was in a an area where at the time a lot people had it, 2 of neighbours, different households, sadly died of it. It was also at a time, March/April, that its now estimated when 100,000 people a day were catching it

I suppose I felt a little bit safer for a time afterwards but it doesn't make me feel safer now because there are reports that immunity wanes and might only last 6 months at the most

[tearstainedbakes]

Worse. No underlying health conditions but left with many, 7 months later. Still at best 80% better for a few weeks then a relapse where I'm back to 10 - 20% for a week or so.

Like someone upthread, now that my baseline is far lower I'm very worried about catching it again