Tested positive but need to get out, is this okay?

[Puffler]

I’ve tested positive for Covid-19. I don’t know where I’ve got it from as I’ve followed the rules rigidly. I wonder if one of my children is an asymptotic carrier.

I feel quite rough but I’m not in bed. One thing I always do is a lot of exercise. I walk or run about 8 miles a day and without it my mental health deteriorates rapidly. I paced round and round the house and our tiny garden to do 10k steps today and the thought of trying to do that tomorrow is making me anxious.

If I set the alarm for 6am, do you think it is acceptable to go out for a walk? I live rurally so can take a head torch and go down lanes and tracks where I’m 99% sure I won’t encounter anyone and there is no need for me to touch anything, no gates etc. I will wear a face mask. DH says it is too risky in case I have an accident of some sort (I’m not sure how) or need aid. He thinks that would be putting others in danger. He does agree the chance of seeing anyone is very remote.

What would you do? I have to stay in don’t I?

I wonder what people with dogs do when they are self isolating and if there is no one they know who can walk the dog....

Exactly what the OP is proposing I expect. Up early or out later at night. Going for a walk down deserted country lanes at 6am avoiding all contact is not going to give anyone covid, despite what the rules might say.

You need to stay in - that’s what quarantining and self isolating means, sorry.

Ah sorry @Puffler, I piled in with my two pence worth only to see you have already reached your conclusion. Hope you feel better soon.

And good luck with garden exercises, hope that can give you some relief.

I really hope you start feeling better soon @Puffler
I'm glad you're staying in, and hope it isn't too hard for you.
I know it isn't much, but this random internet stranger sends you strength

I’d go out in those circumstances.

I think you have an exercise addiction

@Puffler

Just to be clear, I am staying at home.

For those who don’t understand, do you understand when people are afraid to leave their house, or huge crowds of people? For me, staying home is like throwing someone suffering with the opposite onto a tube at rush hour (pre-Covid!). For me seeing a vast space and very distant horizon calms me down.

I do a lot more than 10k steps a day, more like 20k but I feel anxious until I hit the 10k. It’s not the exercise itself but the being out and I can’t do that on a treadmill or by doing a class.

But to be clear, I am staying home. I’ve not broken any Covid rules at all throughout the year. It’s been hard, very hard at times. Two very young children, homeschooling and two adults trying to do full time jobs from home... but I know it’s been hard for everyone and we are the lucky ones to still have jobs and to be able to WFH. We’ve had to be very careful because I’m classified as vulnerable - I’m not going to out myself with my medical history, but it’s where this probably stems from.

I feel really bad right now and physically wouldn’t be able to run, I am struggling to catch my breath. I obviously won’t leave the house.

@Puffler OP if you get anxious from not doing over 10k steps a day then that is not normal. Even professional competitive athletes don’t get anxious if they can’t do vast amounts of exercise. Are you a healthy weight, OP? This obsession of losing weight and doing lots of exercise everyday isn’t healthy.

Say you get hurt while you're out. The paramedics are risking their lives daily helping people who might have COVID. Imagine explaining to them that you know you're definitely positive.
The risks of you getting hurt are probably tiny but if you do the risks to others could be immense.

I’m glad you’ve decided to stay in OP and it must be very frustrating not to be able to do what you usually do when you’ve been so careful. But if you’ve been following the rules and being very careful, it’s worth remembering that you might have caught it because someone else didn’t.

I think normal service needs to be suspended until your isolation period is over (which is 10 days from the start of symptoms if you have a positive test, not 14). You need to find a different way to manage the anxiety, not a different way to exercise, as that’s not possible at the moment. Have you ever tried any of the mindfulness or meditation apps? Can you do knitting/crochet/sewing or anything else which can keep your hands occupied and your mind switched on to a task? Deep breathing exercises can be really good for anxiety. Would you listen to an audiobook or watch a film or box set?

Remove the step counter, it isn’t helping- sure if you want to pace around the garden or the house then go ahead, but use how you feel a a gauge for when to stop, not what the counter says. The counter doesn’t know you’ve got covid!

Get well soon.

OP, I hope you are feeling OK today.

You really must not exercise when you have a virus. You put yourself at risk of ‘long COVID’ or ongoing fatigue. You need to rest and let your body out energy into fighting the infection and healing.

Wrap up REALLY warm and sit in the garden watching the clouds, or after dark, the moon and stars.

Think about some meditation techniques.

You can train yourself to focus on another way to support your MH. I had to do it as my form of exercise / escape dried up due to the pandemic.

@Poppystars

People like you are why the country is in a mess.

Stop it with the sanctimonious bollocks.

People like the OP who are struggling with their mental health and trying to balance the need to get out with the rules about isolation are most definitely not the problem. Did it make you feel superior to have a wee snide dig at someone who's struggling? Shame on you.

In your case OP I would do what you're suggesting. Your mental health and well-being is important.

I live rurally and whilst not busy at 6am I couldn’t be sure I wouldn’t meet someone- around here it’s when lots of the locals walk their dogs or do exercise before they start work and the day trippers arrive (yep, still plenty of those) Also, farmers!

@Puffler do you have an exercise addiction?

www.waldeneatingdisorders.com/blog/9-warning-signs-of-exercise-addiction/

1). Missing a workout makes you/them irritable, anxious or depressed – For instance, if you notice someone or yourself getting clearly agitated or uncomfortable after missing a workout, even after a long string of consecutive days, it could be a warning sign.
2). You/they work out when sick, injured or exhausted – It is important to listen to your bodily cues. Those who have an addiction to exercise push themselves through a pulled muscle, the flu or even a stress fracture, failing to rest when it’s clearly needed.
3). Exercise becomes a way to “escape”–
4). Workouts start to impact relationships
5). Other priorities suffer.
6). Happiness is re-defined: Mood or happiness are solely dictated by the outcome of the latest workout.
7). You/they continually extend workouts.
8). You/they excessively work out.

your dh is right.
can you do some yoga?

unfair on any paramedics op. you know you are positive.

i also would have not thought twice about going out op but until i read your dh's point.

Use this opportunity to break your obsession with/addiction to exercise

Mental health and well-being is incredibly important but if you have Covid, you stay at home. If everyone made up their own rules, transmission would increase. Self isolation is for a very short period of time.

For all those people who cant see the harm in OP breaking quarantine:

The OP doesnt know how she caught covid. Chances are she caught it from someone who couldnt see the harm.

I agree with your dh

I can’t believe the number of ppl saying it will be fine because you won’t wont anyone at 6am! @damnthatanxiety I am self isolating and have 2 dogs so I’ll tell you the answer- I don’t take them out because I can’t leave the house. I may be able to walk walk somewhere and not anyone but what happens if I fall over and break a bone? Or collapse for some reason and some poor passerby offers me first aid? Or CPR? And what if I have to attend A&E following an accident? there are lots of potential possible events that would lead to me having to see and therefore infect others if I leave the house.

Surely if you feel quite rough going out running is the last thing you should do, what if you collapse you then put everyone else that helps you in danger of getting it.

You must follow the rules with no exceptions and isolate, I do understand very much about peoples mental health and well being goodness we have been isolating with our son since March and are climbing the walls at times, but if everyone just followed the rules we would be in a better place than we are now.

The rules state that a positive test means you must self isolate. That's it. I'm sorry about your individual circumstances op but it frightens me to think about the number of people saying "well it doesn't mean ME because of x y and z"
I live rurally. I went out for a walk with a torch last night. I saw two people walking their dogs. What if they were positive and had thought like you?
Unfortunately it's a case of self sacrifice. Following the rules is easy when you're not actually making any kind of sacrifice.
I'm sorry but you need to exercise indoors op.

I think you should be conserving your energy to fight the virus, not expending it running. Plus, you do need to self-isolate!

Only you can decided.

Also, if you did decide to walk/run outside - would you really enjoy it or be anxious.

For mental health - they are some great exercise classes on youtube and mindfulness exercises you can do.

Take care and hope you are ok.