My lungs feel like they are on fire. Anyone else? - Part 2

[longshot]

Hi all, new thread as we'd neared the end of the other.

I thought it might be useful to list symptoms we are having / have had:

Day 1 - Diarrhea (mild), slight aches and pains
Day 2 - Flu like symptons, achey joints, fatigue, chills, slight cough, slight chest discomfort, upper back ache
Day 3 - Flu like symptons, achey joings, fatigue, chills, slight cough but felt better than Day 3
Day 4 - Perked up, still a slight cough but more energetic, chest 'ache'
Day 5 - Back to flu like symptoms, burning lungs sensation and ache around bra line began, upper back ache
Day 6 - Pains in chest area (intermittent), cough, fever, very heavy achey chest, trouble sleeping, bit breathless, can't lie on my back as painful
Day 7 - Increase of Day 7 symptoms, pains got sharper in chest
Day 8 - Same as day 7, fever, breathless, can't lie on my back
Day 9 - Feverish, exhausted, achey limbs, chest easing
Day 10 - Feverish, exhausted, achey limbs, chest easing, sore boobs
Day 11 - No fever, felt a bit better, mild chest ache, slight cough
Day 12 - today, exhausted, no fever, chest easing

@Littleninja1 I think if you can I would try to be seen. I feel bad but I have waves of feeling ok now and can do washing, sit and play with DC’s etc then I have an hour where I can do nothing and feel awful again. I find any stress makes it much worse too.

Day 18 been out for a walk to the park. 3 weeks ago I was running 3 k today I had to lean against the wall on the way home up the hill. It's not a quick recovery. However I am recovering.

@courtney i have very mild discomfort in my chest but burning has eased. i feel much better in myself too, but not 100% back to normal.

@longshot do you mean seen as in a&e? I will phone my GP again I think. I don't like having no GP access with the weekend coming up.

Yesterday I felt much better for about 5 hours. Then downhill in evening but different to before. Even yesterday morning though I couldn't contemplate a walk but I thought there was a whole bunch of us on here the same but reading recent posts seems people are pottering about at least.

@littleninja1 if it helps I’m not pottering about at all .. I haven’t got the energy

No pottering for me today, that's for sure. I feel like Johnny Knoxville in Jackass 3 after he tries to rollerskate in a buffalo herd.

@Littleninja1 I’m also not really able to leave bed except for the toilet / to grab something quickly.

When people feel exhausted or headachy do they find they’re particularly sensitive to noise / sounds? I find that very challenging and then need to lie still for a bit / rest.

I haven't started pottering about either. Yesterday i had a wave of energy and emptied the dishwasher and then spent the whole day in bed.

Today I have only managed to make it downstairs for lunch, lay in the garden for 10 mins and then 3 flights back to my room.

I am not seeing any improvements in my energy levels. I am impressed that some people are actually working through this.

Thanks everyone. I don't want you all to be ill as well but it does make me feel less of an outlier.

GP phoning me later. Will ask how long til they'd expect me to be up and about and working again? I've been off work all week. I'm sure they think I'm a total shirker when everyone else in the team has a minor cough and is "cracking on with it"

Burning in chest still there, plus heartburn joining in, at day 15 or 12 since first cough. Loads of coughing last night. Weirdly breathing feels fine at times but gets worse with the coughing fits.

Has anyone’s family members caught it? Mine as super mild with just a bit of coughing. DH also has fatigue and muscle pain/weakness but able to work and seem well throughout.

I'm not able to get up or do anything either. I have never stayed in bed for more than a day with any illness. I really thought yesterday (day 10) was a turning point as I even went downstairs a couple of times and my temperature was lower and more stable all day but today I feel like I'm burning up and temp is up again.. Why won't this go away? I just want to cry...

I've very grateful for you all posting though as at least I'm not the only one and hopefully this is 'normal' progression for the 'mild' non hospital version...

@Needsomegoodnews - same here, felt better day 10 yesterday. It's rubbish.

It sounds like we’re all doing “ok” and will get through this as the “mild” non hospital version but it just takes 2-3 weeks as per the WHO website. It’s very frustrating though and definitely doesn’t feel “mild”! Day 11 here and also a struggle but I imagine most will be feeling more normal in a few days time...fingers crossed

@littleninja1 I'm 21 days in now and still mostly in bed if it helps. Today I sat in the garden for half an hour and last night watched tele downstairs for a couple of hours but that's about it...so dont panic. It is just a long illness for some and recovery is up and down and v slow!

This has been the worst illness I have ever encountered. I have had it all this week, I thought I was genuinely dying like my organs were all giving up! The burning in the chest is the worst, feels like someone is sitting on my chest constantly. I have waves of feeling dizzy and have had insane brain fog. It's been a very draining, long winded time. I sympathise with everyone but on a positive once we are all recovered, hopefully testing will be out so we can all know for sure. Its nice to know others have been through the same in a bitter sweet way, my anxiety has been through the roof so threads like this makes me feel reassured. Hope everyone makes a full recovery xx

Has anyone tried lying on their front? It’s how they are nursing the patients when possible, helps their oxygenation

@carriemac I’m finding lying on my front is the only way I can sleep at the moment

Day 17 and I am up for the first time in three days. Managed to record a voice-over for a powerpoint lecture for one of my uni classes and about to try and write another lecture. Then back to bed to read some books so I can try and catch up more tomorrow.

I am definitely not feeling well, but I wouldn't have been able to do any of this yesterday, so that must count as improvement. I'm less exhausted and coughing less. My lungs are still not better, but less tight. One new weird symptom (can't believe I'm still getting new symptoms this far in) is a heaviness right across the top of my chest - feels sort of solid. But peak flow rate is fine and don't feel as breathless so I'm trying to ignore it.

I think of the virus now as a safe cracker (I've obviously been binge-watching too many episodes of Hustle) trying to find a way in. It seems to work its way round trying all sorts of modes of access.

For people just beginning this journey, the main advice I can give is to listen to your body. If you feel exhausted stop and go to bed. I did this too late and I regret it. My body has been demanding constant hot drinks - herb tea - rather than water, and that seems to be borne out by advice coming from Chinese doctors that warm rather than cold drinks are less of a shock to the chest. Other tips - fresh air as much as possible, a hot water bottle to relieve lung pains in back (though not if you have a temperature), and eat as regularly as you can. I feel much less ill when I've eaten and given my body something to fight back with. Hot showers also help with the breathlessness.

Good luck to everyone. And bring on the antibody test.

I find the anxiety alone at night is exhausting- it’s so hard to sleep anyway with a tight chest and burning lungs, but I get quite panicky at 3am.
The other disheartening thing is how you can feel quite a bit better after a few days, and think you are on the mend, only to go downhill again.
I would so love a hug or hand hold, or to see my adult daughters, but all human contact is forbidden as I’m quarantined in my house. So it’s just me and the cat.
My church minister has been leaving home cooked lasagne on my doorstep- practical Christianity! - which is v kind. And she has put her church service online for everyone.
Can I send a “virtual hug” to anyone else facing this alone, and include you in my prayers.

I have just taken a turn for the worse. Not sure if partly anxiety attack or what but could not get up off the floor. DH got me in bed, been here an hour. Struggling to type this.

GP calling again. My whole body is shaking and painful, have not felt this bad since day 7. Terrified again as thought I was recovering

@Babdoc that does sound lonely and it's natural to feel anxious. I dread the evenings now. For some reason my symptoms tend to get worse and then lying alone in bed in pain and breathless is hard to stay positive! Is your cat helping? Mine has been glued to me since this started and she's been my little comfort blanket so many times.

We need to have this antibody test so that when people get sick they don't have to be alone. All of us "post-covid" can volunteer. I'd give you a hug if I could

@longshot thinking of you. You will get through this. Stay strong, you've got this

@longshot sending you a virtual handhold and lots of love

I hope you feel better soon @longshot how scary.