Worried I have Coronavirus

[ohshit2020]

I know this might sound silly or far fetched but hear me out..

I'm very rarely ill. Probably once a year if that. But now I have the most horrendous cough, I can't catch my breath sometimes when the coughing starts. It's come out of nowhere and I'm absolutely floored.

Im seriously worried that it's something sinister. Like I said I'm rarely ill so this is out of sorts for me. I feel like I can't function because of the sore throat, coughing and general feeling of being unwell.

AIBU here? It's just so scary with everything that is going on at the moment, I'm thinking all sorts in my head.

Exactly, Tatiana.

OP - i had a v bad sore throat, followed by a hi temp, shaking, shivering, super bad productive and then dry cough, fainted, SATs low and blood pressure v low, was off work for 10 days, i've still got the cough but it is almost gone.
This started early january.... the version of flu doing the rounds this winter is very similar to corona apparently & often ends up with a chest infection too, so i either had that or we've all been lied too?

Yours sound pretty mild, i'd not be too concerned.

What's your point, Tatiana?

I don't suffer from health anxiety myself but I have witnessed how debilitating it can be for some people.

I can understand your anxieties OP. I'm rarely unwell and suddenly feeling like shit.
However I saw a doctor and I just have a cold/viral infection.

It's the weather and being run down etc.
Health anxiety is horrible but for peace of mind please call 111 or see a doctor just to ease your mind.

*Why have the two people in the UK been quarantined then?! Why ha be multiple people died from it in China then?!

Get your facts right*

Wow two people in a country of 70 million, the chinese percentages aren't large eithier

Get your facts right back at you so many causing unessecary panic

I think lots of people are anxious at the moment, it's completely normal to feel nervous about it but also this year's flu is pretty bad. A friend of mine was ill with the common flu and was off work for 3 weeks and it took ages to recover. Is there any chance that you could call your GP tomorrow and see what they say? some GPs prefer if you don't go to their clinic if you think you have the flu and might arrange a home visit instead.

@GlendaSugarbeanIsJudgingYou her point is that it used to be called hypochondria.

OP, I really would call 111 if I were you, they'll be able to tell you if you have any cause for concern. If you have a severe chest infection, you might need antibiotics, otherwise just carry on with the advice for treating colds and flu at home.

As other posters have said, the chances of you catching this in the way you describe (via a work colleague of your husband's) are nil. Last time I heard, none of the people who have been repatriated from China have developed symptoms. So I don't think it's that easy to catch.

I think we are all aware of the negative connotations that come with the word hypochondria.

That's why people don't use it anymore.

Don’t listen to Tatiana. But please don’t be worried, unless you’ve been around anyone who’s been to wuhan I think you’re fine

You have a nasty winter cold, and as you don't get ill very often, the symptoms have given you a fright.

If you have a sore throat and a cough that is dragging on a bit, plus a tendency towards stress or anxiety, then it’s possible you are getting silent gastric reflux at night. You can buy esomeprazone (nexium) over the counter. Try 20mg every evening and see if any better after 3-4 days. It’s a surprisingly common cause of cough and people often don’t realise they are getting reflux. If it helps, then a pharmacist can advise you how long to take it or whether to consult your GP. But won’t do you any harm to try it for a few days to see if it improves things.

OP in the worst but unlikely
Scenario that you did have it, for most people it's only as serious as regular flu... unpleasant but not life threatening for most. Consider that out of 20,000 people diagnosed with it, only 370 have died-the hysteria about it is unhelpful.

Try not to fixate on it and treat your heavy cold as you normally would... hope you feel better soon...

Then maybe some counselling or CBT for the anxiety-I know how crushing it can be-and I do sympathise.

Bet someone has advised you to call 111 on here, for a chest infection. Haven't read the whole thread, but you know 111 will be forced to send a 999 ambulance for shortness of breath, even though it clearly isn't a need if you are posting on mumsnet about it. This is why the NHS is failing dramatically

With the most gentlest way OP I'm sorry your feeling sick hopefully it will pass soon as most cold do but get a grip, unless you have recently travelled or worked there or even had a freind visit that's caught it then no you will be fine. I'd consider speaking to someone about your severe anxiety it's not normal

OP sorry but your body temperature is totally normal - so without even a fever you honestly don’t have any symptoms of corona!

I know you have anxiety so please speak to someone about that instead.

The most horrendous cold and cough has just swept through our household. For once it wasn’t one of the kids bringing it in but DH via a colleague. Him, elder 2, youngest, me and then (I guess slightly different) DH is back at the start with the sore throat, headache and nose threatening again. We were all achy and very tired the first couple of days, I’m currently at the taking a box of tissues and hand gel with me into every room stage 😯 it’s not fun. The kids have bounced back though.

OP, you poor thing. My mum suffers from health anxiety and I know how real her concerns are in her head. She is also irrationally worried about the coronavirus, not helped by the fact that she has experienced some other issues which have affected her breathing quite recently.

I think there have been racist undertones in a lot of the press coverage of this virus, and I was horrified to hear that my friend's small son was being ostracised in the playground because he might have the "Chinese virus". Concerns about the spread of the virus should not be used to try to legitimise racist bullying or stereotypes.

However, having said all of that, I really don't think the OP is being racist in wondering about the connection with her husband's Chinese colleague because health anxiety is just like that. People who suffer with health anxiety take the tiniest, most tenuous link or evidence and then catastrophise about it, assuming the worst. My mother has worried about the most ridiculous things over the years, but somehow, she always finds little shreds of "evidence" that convince her that her concerns are valid. I'm sure that the OP would be every bit as concerned if it was a white British colleague who had recently returned from China, or indeed, from York where there have been two confirmed cases.

OP, I hope you feel better soon, but please do seek help for your anxiety. It's no way to live, and I've observed it getting progressively worse for my mother as she has got older and experiences more health issues.

To be fair to @TatianaLarina, the NHS also refers to hypochondria as a synonym for health anxiety

Health anxiety

Health anxiety (sometimes called hypochondria) is when you spend so much time worrying you're ill, or about getting ill, that it starts to take over your life.

And none NHS sources - ie Dr Wikipedia - use multiple names as follows

Hypochondriasis
Other names
Hypochondria, health anxiety (HA), illness anxiety disorder, somatic symptom disorder

Which is the correct name?

OhShit, can you go to the GP and ask about whooping cough?

Realistically, people in the U.K. will have it. So I wouldn’t laugh at the OP even if it is highly unlikely. Not least as that is how it will spread! I would phone your GP OP

Neither is it racist to be concerned about people recently back from China. I work in a city where there are many Chinese students who commute home and back a lot. As I have elderly parents I am keeping a watchful eye on the whole thing, yes.

I go to Chinese places quite a lot, supermarket, restaurants, but frankly if they had caught the virus they'd be displaying symptoms by now.

I doubt any staff would want to visit Wuhan right at this minute though!

OP hope you get some help and reassurance to calm down. What does your husband say about you panicking?

Get well soon OP there has been all sorts going around this winter, a bad virus or actual flu is no joke. Lots of rest and water and see your GP if you have anything very out of the ordinary or unmanageable.

Re: coronavirus, if you've not been in contact with a patient and haven't travelled from China- it's very very unlikely to be possible.