Oh crap I think I've got it???

[whatareyoucooking]

I work in a large secondary school where hygiene practices are... questionable

Started this weekend with a sore throat which gradually got worse (but not terrible) but I've been unable to sleep tonight due to a cough. It's a weird cough, there's mucus there (sorry TMI) but it's not being coughed up and I feel like I'm swallowing it a lot instead. Bleugh. No temperature/fever though.

DH is very blasé "ah it's just a cough" but it's the dreaded Corona isn't it?!

Have just emailed work anyway. At least fridge is stocked up and I've got a couple of loo rolls.

At the beginning of February, everyone in DH's small company (7 people) got really ill. Fever, cough, off work for a week.
At the time there were no CV cases in the UK, but if that happened now, we'd be 100% sure it was.
It may not be. Normal flu/colds abound at this time of year.
Try not to panic.

I hope you feel better soon OP

Isn’t it supposed to be a dry cough not mucus?

For me it started with an unbearably strong headache and a fever and then the chest pains, cough and breathlessness started

This is more in line with what I have. The cough is dry, no mucus at all.

Don't want to be the pedant but if you are able to bring it up to swallow it, you are bringing it up. Our lungs produce mucus so we can cough it up to be swallowed so our stomach acid can kill the virus.

To reassure you, coronavirus is a dry cough so the presence of mucus makes it less likely. I know this as I have frantically been googling symptoms because I have been ill for five days - I think there are a lot of us in this position, unwell but unsure. Without testing we might never know so best to err on the side of caution.

OP, I have EXACTLY the same symptoms. My DD was unwell with a heavy cold last weekend, probably picked up at her secondary school.

Thursday, Friday I started with a sore throat then over the weekend the sore throat died off but I’m left with a mucusy annoying cough that worse when laying down. As you say you keep feeling like there mucus coming up (or maybe it’s coming down from sinus but I don’t have a running nose) and you have to keep swallowing it.

No fever but my back feels tight as it usually does for me whenever I get a cold, I always get.chesty. My cough feels slightly productive.
I don’t think it’s Coronavirus as there’s been no fever. I have a horrible feeling I’ll look back on this cold and laugh as how mild it’s been.
The worst is yet to come, feel like a sitting target.

I had fever, tired, aches - both head and body and a dry, persistent cough. Fine in the morning, but high fever by 5pm. That lasted all weekend, but at least the feverish night sweats have finally stopped. Still have a slight temp and a cough.

I also work in a school and am self isolating for the week. There's still no guarantee it is CV, but another colleague is off with the same symptoms.

Have taken the week off.
@codename the confusion was with the cats... I always feel terrible around them.
Have taken the week off to be sure.
Hope everyone feels better. Didn't know about the ibuprofen that's good to know

Just spoken to work and they said they will get back to me about how long I need to be off.

Solitaryconfinement- yes exactly that, even my back is sore. Very possible it's just a run of the mill cold but if I was to go into school and cough it'd start the kids off possibly worse than when a wasp makes its way into the class in summer (I know teachers can relate!)

So am currently still in bed... DH work told them on Friday to go home 'for the foreseeable' so looks like it's a Netflix day for us

Predno- perhaps 'bringing it up' is the wrong expression. It just feels like it's there at the back of my throat so ends up getting swallowed. Maybe sinus stuff then? It doesn't move when I cough so the cough is mainly dry. Breathing in deep is sore so I'm taking shallow breaths.

In ireland guidelines have changed to say any new cough ( not just dry ).

I think there needs to be more exact details about how this virus makes you feel. If we're not to ring 111 or the gp, we can't tell if it's the cold or the corona. The worry would do me in alone, as I'm an anxious person. There's tons of handwashing advice but not so much how corona actually feels like.
As the government want us to get it, they should let us know how it manifests itself, exactly.

I started with what can only be described as a heavy feeling in my lungs on Friday, almost bubbly. Sore throat all weekend. Am now coughing. Breathing in too deeply triggers it.

I get no sick pay, and the culture at work so far dictates that those that call in sick have been laughed at and castigated, so I am going in. 🤒

I’m off too. High temp, sore throat, v slight cough.
I feel too ill to go in anyway so I’d be home either way. Told work I was going to be SI for the week.
No-one should be going in w a cough or temp ffs.

Reading this, it seems there are a lot of people with the same symptoms.

Op, I've felt the same.
Started Wednesday with a cough and temp of 39. Got worse and was calling 111 / gp Thursday.
Fever, chills, banging headache, midly short of breath, cough, but also felt mucousy at back of my throat.

GP gave antibiotics, in case it was just a chest infection, but I don't think they've helped.
I'm day 6 of isolation....! Going mad!

I'm kinda hoping that i have had CV... Because if it hasn't been that , I work in a hospital, so almost guaranteed it!

@Ivebeentohellanditscalledikea do they want you to come in earlier than a week or stay off for longer?!

@AnnoyedByAlfieBear they haven't called me back. I'd be surprised as I work with vulnerable children.

I still feel coldy as I'm starving and my chest/back aches.

Cough is still going strong but I can't shake that feeling of feeling like such a fraud! I would normally not think twice about going into work like this and i think of my colleagues covering for me while I'm sat at home watching Netflix. Ugh.

Mine started with feeling a bit meh, then the chills, dry cough and sore throat started a few days later. 2 days later I literally couldn't get out of bed for 48 hours, headaches, sweats, chills, and my whole body felt like I'd been hit by a bus. Had to take regular paracetamol to keep the pain away.

Then I got the shortness of breath pretty bad. Laboured breathing and couldn't talk in full sentences without needing to catch my breath. Ended up at A&E in isolation but couldn't get swabbed due to criteria. Allowed home after an inconclusive chest X-ray and clear blood tests. I isolated for 7 days as per the hospital advice.

The whole time I was exhausted and even in the hospital struggled to stay awake.

I'm 6 days along after the day at hospital and the cough has now become chesty. I'm sleeping downstairs as if I lie flat I wake up feeling as though I'm drowning. Cough still going strong and sore throat still there. Shortness of breath has thankfully lessened and it now only happens with activity. I'm feeling a lot better but still not fully recovered.

""Calm down" hmm I'm calm enough, thanks Phil."

I may steal that line from you OP for the various Phils in my life (well-meaning though this particular Phil may be)

Thank you for ringing in! Someone came in to my office today (having travelled from iran two weeks ago) feverish and coughing... absolutely brilliant common sense there.
Luckily he only got in to reception and a small office off reception. But that small office was mine . I’ve wiped all the surfaces down I just hope it’s enough.

fatgirlrunning that sounds horrible I hope you feel better quickly.

@whatareyoucooking that's exactly how I feel like I should be at work as I usually would be. My chest feels heavy and I have a cough but can't say I feel awful. I just feel really bad about work