To ask if you have this horrible “cold”?!

[DelusionalBrilliance]

I can’t remember feeling this unwell in years! So blocked up I can’t breathe, sinus pain, aches all over, so weak and dizzy, could happily sleep all day! Only a slight cough on and off, but I can’t get hold of Covid tests anywhere locally to rule that out, but I’ve never knowingly had it so can’t even tell if that’s what it feels like.

Im in NI if that makes a difference, have you had this recently or know people who have? Seems rife here and worse than a basic cold, the exhaustion and lightheaded feeling are next level!

I actually wonder if it is just a basic cold but because of pandemic times my immune system has forgotten what getting sick feels like at this point

I have the same. It's a stinker. When it started I was sure it was just a very bad cold (also no tests) because that's what it felt like. And the list of Covid symptoms is now so long it's meaningless. They'll be adding 'and a broken toe' next. What's making me question now if it's Covid is how long it's dragging on for. I'm past the worst of the acute bit but a long way from being over it, which I would expect to be by now if it was 'just' a cold.

Yeah, I had the same for 2 weeks, awful, but not COVID, did a few tests too.

Yes almost better after three weeks.

Yes, feel shit.

Yep.
10 days and finally feeling better. I thought it was Covid but tested negative every day.
Caught it from my grandson

I had Covid. I'm still ill a month on. I haven't felt this bad since I had proper flu/ pneumonia 15 years ago.

Started with sneezing/ runny nose/ headache/ nausea/aching all over/ cough. Symptoms stopped after 2 weeks but I'm left with extreme tiredness and just feeling ill. I'm in bed half of every day, on the sofa the other half. I'm really fed up with it.

There's something doing the rounds again in the office. I've got several people out, at least two are COVID positive.

It's like late September / early October all over again.

I've had similar, for me lasted three weeks, had a couple of days starting to feel better then came down with another one (similar but different, more of a head cold) Four weeks on and I'm still ill, it's driving me potty!
Not covid, just nasty winter bugs. I might hibernate next autumn.

Yep it's done the rounds in our house. DD 6 months had/has it along with tonsillitis, ear infection and chest infection.

I had it and then DH went to bed at 2pm yesterday with a temperature of 39.7c and woke up at 7am this morning.

We're all completely wiped out.

Get well soon!

Yea I had this! Caught it from ds who started at Uni in October. Terrible, vile ‘cold’. Also not Covid as I tested. Maybe all the cold viruses are sulking about being held back by masks and lockdowns and this is their revenge 😉

Had covid beginning of october, recovered, got a bad cold beginning of november, tested and def not covid, but my biggest symptom was the cough. Even now im well again, i'll sometimes realise im wheezing when breathing and have to cough to clear it. My left ear is also not right, it popped about 5 days ago and since then it feels like im under water, it will ocasionally clear for a second or two if i pop it again, then right back to muffled, and a weird full feeling. Possibly a perforated ear drum, it's driving me mad!

I've got whatever it is at the moment. It's a heavy head cold I think but feels like shit. Currently under a blanket with a cat pressed against me, we're keeping each other warm

Oh my goodness I hope you all start to feel better soon! Especially the poor poster with the little baby so unwell, wee mite.

Its actually the dizziness and muscle aches that’s getting to me, I can run after the kids with a runny nose but I feel so off balance it’s making me loathe having to move 😫

The latest variants don't reliably show up on available tests, so it may well be Covid even if you're getting a neg. (There is LOADs of it about, not that you'd know it at all if you aren't personally connected to medics. Nothing in the media.)

I have a horrible cold at the moment, I am sure there are plenty of colds going around though and there is no way of telling whether what I have is what anyone else has.

No idea if it's covid, I have no tests and am not planning on buying any either.

I'm going into week six now with this whatever -it-is. Symptoms keep changing, sometimes it seems to be getting better and I have a day when I feel like I'm 'on the mend', then I wake up the next day with a sore throat/cough/runny nose/body aches (select a few!). Sick of it now.

All four of us coughing and spluttering. DH has been off work 2 weeks. Its like living on a TB ward

I had this last week, still have a bit - did a covid test as was meant to be going to the spa, it was positive. Never had it before somehow, it is a bit 'different' with the aches and body sensitivity, and definitely draining.

Since last weekend, I've had something that I can only describe as being like a snot-free cold. I have a sore throat, earache, muscle aches and pains, slight cough, very painful gland on one side of my neck and feel absolutely knackered. Just like a cold, but no runny nose or sneezing.

It's not Covid, I've tested twice, but I actually feel considerably worse than when I did have Covid.

The last time I had a sore throat this painful was over 50 years ago, when I still had tonsils.

Yup - and I got off the back of the flu!

Snot, snot snot, sinus pain, headache, lost my voice, cough, still more snot - currently at the end of week 2 - it is mildly better than it was - no longer waking up stuck to the pillow!

I tested for Covid a fair few times - nope

Same - DD1 paying us a visit from Uni

I caught a cold a couple of weeks into this semester, so probably mid September, it turned into a sinus infection, which triggered a lingering tooth infection, I’m on my third (?) round of antibiotics and still stuffed up, snotty, and tired..

Same symptoms as me, I tested positive for covid though.

I'm testing negative for COVID but I've had it for going on about 2 weeks now. I'll feel better one day then wiped out and dizzy the next. It's really weird. I'm glad I'm not the only one experiencing this.
I agree with Unraveling's theory - it's the revenge of the cold virus. It'd make a terrible film!

Uuuggh, baby picked it up from nursery had it 2 weeks ago with a crazy fever, 40.5 which refused to come down with Calpol. Endless snot, coughing, sticky eyes and really miserable. Then I got it Monday and it was horrendous, still sick. Cleaner came around midweek, was going to hide upstairs to not expose her but she also had had the exact same thing! Now partner has it. Horrible feeling of pressure behind eyes, nose and ears. It's really All LF tests say it's not COVID but it feels exactly like it. Apparently the LF test from NHS don't pick up new strains of COVID. People who tested negative find they are positive using PCR tests.

Ordered about 20 bottles of Sambucol which we forgot to use this winter. It was amazing last year and kids were not getting sick as much!