What was the exact timeline of your symptoms?

[Mnuchkin]

If you know you’ve definitely had it, or have it, can you give the exact order of symptoms? The information out there is so conflicting - understandably - but it would be helpful to see some actual timelines, and all in the same place so they’re easier to compare. I desperately need to understand the timeline and how it progresses.

I've also had a lot of chest pain, a metallic taste in my mouth, I feel sense of smell and taste was reduced, conjunctivitis once but sore eyes a lot, can't tell if I'm hungry and for the last ten days only eaten because dh made me and not because I wanted to. Fear of leaving the bedroom but I suspect that's my MH being shit and not the virus.

@sunshinecake Yeah I've just been told to carry on isolating and I've already isolated for 4 weeks. I think there is some concern that as long as you carry on being symptomatic you can still be contagious. I read something yesterday that said up to 37 days was possible, although contagiousness decreases as days pass.

My Dad is in hospital currently - confirmed Covid.

What I can categorically tell you is that by the time he got the cough he was already a very very sick man and infection had already taken hold and started pneumonia in his lungs. In fact he only really "coughed" and started gasping for breath when he exerted himself ie got up and walked about. Sitting/lying he didn't cough at all and his breathing was just quiet, albeit shallow, breaths.

Initially it was a general feeling of being "unwell" that he couldn't quite articulate, that progressed to headaches and diarrhoea. From there extreme fatigue, and fever. He said he felt cold and shivery but the paramedics measured his temperature at well over 38.

We also believe DS had it several weeks ago (not had any contact with my Dad though) and his timeline of symptoms was almost identical just milder versions - general feeling of "unwell", upset stomach with loose stools but not proper diarrhoea, headache, body aches and then lastly, the cough when he walked around but non-existed sitting still!!

Someone asked about people having a cough/tight chest but nothing else - yes I did for around 3/4 days at the same time DS had symptoms, again made worse by walking around etc. I felt a bit tired at the sane time but that's it.

So, Dad confirmed, DS not but sane symptoms so probably, me - who knows!!

@blueskys72 my GP said this is probably a secondary ear infection (though I had no ear pain or anything else to suggest I had one). Everything I am experiencing now is secondary infection I suspect. Very irritating.

I would say my mental health and outlook is now better because I'm less worried about catching it and the unknown.

Thank you. So frustrating not to be tested, especially when the nurse said we all present in different ways and I still might have it even with a clear lung X-ray. So what is the point of any of it.

The paramedics who attended my Dad said the majority of cases they've attended were all very similar to my Dad, she even commented about how a lot have had diarrhoea but not a cough yet they're not listing this in the symptoms to look out for.

They initially didn't attend my Dad for suspected Covid, the doctor who saw him first called it in as something else, but the paramedics fast changed their minds within a few minutes of being the room with him.

I know someone who had sickness and nausea for a week (thought they'd got a sickness bug off their DP). Collapsed about a week after start, admitted to hospital. If was only then breathlessness started, so tested and confirmed positive. Not the typical early symptoms, so makes you think.

GP said very likely but I wasn't tested
Day 1-3 dizziness particularly when laying down
4-8 fatigue, muscle aches, AWFUL constant cough, so so tired. No sore throat, no sneezing.
8 - felt mildly better. Went to see my horses and by the time I'd walked to the stables had a weird, raw feeling in lungs, like I was breathing in freezing cold, burning air. Had to sit down.
Day 8,9,10 - felt terrible. All other symptoms plus breathlessness. Glimpsed myself in bathroom mirror. Looked grey. Thought I am going to have to ring 111.
Day 11. Felt less hideous. Absolutely no sense of smell, like literally none. Rang gp who said sounded as though on mend.
Day 12, 13, 14 - slowly improved but realised improvement massively improved by rest so did nothing.
Day 15 - was pottering about.
Three weeks later, still have mild cough and smell improved.

Oh and missed out awful indigestion. Sent dh to get gaviscon and drank whole bottle over a week. Lemsip helped a bit and the only thing I could face eating was toast and marmite. Lost half a stone.

This is putting my own situation in context. I keep "relapsing'. I was told I had a chest infection around end of february. Temperature. Cough. Aches etc. So before total lockdown. I was signed off work then work closed a few days later. I have asthma so was taking precautions. Anyway. Since then iv had episodes of fatigue, cough, chest pain, breathless, wheeze but no temperature. Yesterday was the worst. Felt like concrete. Sore throat. GP has prescribed antibiotics and steroids.
My own conclusion is that I have had it but I am struggling to get fully recovered bit I dont really know if it is the virus or my asthma being a bastard. The chest pain though is very unique. Intense pain but it calms down, appears to have resolved itself before coming back.

I got psyched up and got up. Took a couple of attempts as in had to go back to bed for a bit but I got dressed and went downstairs. Loaded dishwasher and put guinea pig out to play. Then had to sit. Fell out with dh and so with that and the breathlessness I am back in bed.