My Lungs Part 7

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www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3872239-My-Lungs-Part-6?pg=1&order=

Thanks all. It’s driving me mad, it’s like I can’t breathe and the cough is awful 😩

I rang 111 to ask for antibiotics and they wanted to send an ambulance. I’m home alone with 3dc and too embarrassed for them to come 😩

@Mummypig2020, I don't think they're sending out ambulances for just anything, so don't be embarrassed. It's always better to be safe, and even if they can just give you some reassurance, that's got to be a good thing.

@AvocadoPrime, personally I've found it really difficult to work out when my symptoms started. I was wheezy, short of breath and had the pain around the bra line from Easter, but it was only last Sunday that I was worried enough to call 111, so it's either day 15 or day 8 for me - I know which I'd prefer!

I'd really like to know how you (general you) can be sure it's gone. Some people seem to wax and wane for ages. I've had two good days, although with a poor to middling night in between, and I'd really like to know when I can relax

@Mummypig2020, do you have an oximeter? If not and you're worried, it's best to let the paramedics check you over - they won't take you to hospital unless it's critical. Or do the Roth counting test.

I think it’s just my anxiety massively playing up too which is making me worried. All I keep thinking is omg I’m really fat, I’m going to die.

I cancelled the ambulance. I’m going to try and sleep and see how I feel in the morning. I just thought I had a chest infection And need some tablets :(

@Mummypig2020 The Anxiety of this virus does really play with your head i had the same once my breathing started playing up and the nasty gurgle on my lung along with the constant burn. but now its starting to settle down. You just need to try stay calm and think positive thoughts but if you need an ambulance please please do call them

How are you today @Mummypig2020

Has anyone else been sick with this. I've had d&v today alone with feeling rubbish. It's making me panicky!

@AvocadoPrime Yup, I had nausea & vomiting for the first two weeks and bad abdominal pains for the first 2 1/2 weeks. Apparently you have lots of ACE2 receptors in your digestive system as well as your lungs, hence the fact that the virus causes gastric issues too.

@AvocadoPrime Ugh - typo sorry. Nausea and vomiting for the first WEEK and then 2 1/2 weeks of abdominal pain.

Thank you @uncomfotablebadger how are you now? Very tearful and feeling negative today. I've taken myself off to bed and can hear my smallest (14mo) playing downstairs :(

@Mummypig2020 If you aren’t using an oximeter at home and if 111 are insisting on an ambulance, please do take heed. As many Day 20+ long-sufferers here will attest, 111 aren’t sending out crews unless people are clearly struggling to breathe so if they’re keen to get you seen, I’d relent. If you’re not monitoring your own SPo2 levels at home, please just let them check you over. Not saying this to worry you - many others on this and the earlier threads had ambulance crews called out for them & were grateful that they did.

@AvocadoPrime There is light at the end of the tunnel; you just have to be patient & let your immune system do the work. I’m day 33-34-ish now & I feel like myself again - the nasty symptoms were gone by the middle of week 3. Days 5-11 were the worst for me.

I’m still suffering with fatigue and headaches but I think that’s because I’m post viral. I’m prone to migraines anyway.

If you’re struggling to keep food down, little & often is helpful - fruit ice lollies, yoghurts and compotes were handy when I couldn’t face solid food.

The worst thing for me was that I just couldn’t sleep as I was in so much pain & so uncomfortable. I learned that lying semi-face down, half on my side whilst leaning over a long pillow was the most comfortable. Opened my lungs up at the back but avoided the sore burning chest.

Thank you @uncomfortablebadger I'm hoping I'm day 11 as sore throat started 11 days ago! But I have a very very occasional dry cough that started 2 days ago. Really hope its day 11!

I'm glad you are out the other side now! Thank you for replying. It helps alot just speaking to people who understand!

@AvocadoPrime Don’t fret - my cough didn’t kick in until my day 10 and even then, it was intermittent (& disappeared by day 14). I counted day 1 as being when the symptoms first started (chills, uncontrollable shaking, muscle aches, fainting, gastric issues).

@AvocadoPrime PS when you do start to feel better (which you will!), don’t “trust” the recovery and start trying to go back to normal too soon. I made this mistake. It’s a non-linear recovery pattern so you’ll have a day or two of feeling really good followed by a “bad” day, which will be particularly bad if you’ve overdone it the day before. Even things like cleaning the house, exercising etc can be too much. Just go carefully & quietly, letting yourself rest.

Also don’t be surprised if you end up with a whack-a-mole of new symptoms: I have new symptoms turning up every two to three days. I randomly ended up with blisters in my nose last week!

@uncomfortablebadger blimey, fainting?! Sounds awful. I have health anxiety too so that is probably not helping me. I havent had a fever throughout so I guess that's good. I've got an oximeter and BP machine. I just need to stop worrying so much as probably not helping.

I'm adding to this thread because I want to reassure you.
I think I had Covid 19. I don't know, because I wasn't tested. So, I was in contact with a friend who works for the NHS and she was tested positive about 2 weeks after I spent a weekend with her. She only had mild symptoms. I'm fairly certain I caught if off her, but I don't know.

Anyway, this is how it was for me: Felt generally unwell for a couple of days, just like you do when you're coming down with a cold. Then I got a dry throat and and a cough, it wasn't a bad cough, but I felt like I needed to clear my throat. Then I had what I thought was reflux (I never get reflux) and had indigestion. Then my bra felt too tight, and I felt some restriction. I was more aware of my breathing. I still felt generally ok, and just assumed it was a bug. This lasted for about 5 days. I picked up for a day or two and these symptoms subsided. Then I realised that my muscles ached, and I had really sharp shooting pains in my legs and arms. I took my temp and it was really low. I was extremely lethargic and could barely get out of bed. My skin hurt and I couldn't bear the shower on it, (it reminded me of when I had shingles).
I had no rash, but awful pains and dizziness. This lasted a further 3 days.
After two weeks from the start of my symptoms the aches and pains went, my temp went up to normal and I felt generally better. I noticed a rash on my chest, and brownish blue bruising on my toes. My toes hurt, like sunburn pain. It hurt to put my toes on. I felt I needed to wear socks all the time to protect this. I know this sounds odd but it was how I felt. I also had a few blisters appear on my face and a large bruise on my foot. These all disappeared after about 4 days. I also had itchy red eyes in the second week. I took paracetamol on and off over the whole 3 to 4 weeks.

This was all about 8 weeks ago, so before lockdown, social distancing etc., and before the schools closed.

Now I'm much better. I realise some of you have been (and are) very poorly, and I had a mild case. I suppose the reason I've posted my experience is to reassure you that if you are in the middle of symptoms like mine, it doesn't always get worse.

Another friend has a relative in her 80s, overweight, diabetic, and she has been released from a Covid ward (only needed oxygen) after 4 weeks in.
Sorry to hijack your thread, and I hope you all make a full recovery.

Edit: It hurt to put my shoes on, not toes on!

Hi @sophieb100 I've just popped in from 40++ thread. thank you for your post, you say you are 8 weeks on and better - please can I ask when you stopped getting symptoms and felt clear? (Day 39ish here and have relapsed last 7 days)

I’m still coughing lots today but I don’t when I’m asleep?

I have been suffering with heartburn and I didn’t even put the 2 together.

@emoojoo
I would say a month from start to finish.
I would add that the worse thing you can do is push your luck - I mean I had days when I did more than I could - I decided I'd had enough of lazing around, felt almost normal, and tried to push through it - cut the grass, pushed the hoover round, went for a walk, then I set myself back a couple of days.
Looking back, I should have rested more in the last week or so.
Hope you feel better soon. It can take weeks for a virus to leave the system, any virus. So don't think because it's taking longer it will get worse - it just needs the immune system to win against it. And resting is what the immune system needs to do, to win.

@Mummypig2020 The heartburn for me was more of a problem than the cough.

My CV test at day 30 has come back negative. Glad to know now that my symptoms are secondary infection or/and post viral.

@sophieb100 thank you. I'm so pleased to hear a recovery story! Will keep resting here.