My Lungs Part 7

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

Re. Isolating. I did as much as possible last week - stayed in the bedroom all day - but this week DH has had to go back to work, so it's not been practical. I still try to keep 6ft away and I wear a mask, but in a small house with two kids, there was a limit to what I could do. I feel dreadfully anxious about it, but, in the real world, DH had to work and so someone had to look after the kids.

@Cusano34 To add, none of the HCPs I spoke to advised to isolate within the house, just with regards to not leaving the house.

@SheilaTakeABow pleased you had a good night. GP has been very helpful & issued me with an oximeter to keep an eye on & help me at night. They said they think I’m getting better just gradually & it will take time.

@Cusano34 I think most of us on here can relate to this lingering on for ages. I feel the same if I’m having a good day by 7pm i am knackered. If like today & I’m sob then I’m resting all day. Its just so up & down ☹️

Thanks everyone for your replies.
Yeah I try and not get too close...washing hands and cleaning the bathroom etc no sharing of cutlery or glasses etc but like you say with young
Children it’s so hard. I can’t imagine what it’s like for single parents Who get it :(

Another thing I was confused about was 111 told me to go for a walk. I wasn’t sure about it at first but I have been on walks around the local park (keeping well away from people) and haven’t been into a shop or anything. But with no slots for click and collect I’m not sure how long I can leave it without food shopping 😳

I wish they would get testing sorted and research on how long you’re infectious for.

So I got my results back today and I am negative for covid. Annoying thing is I dont know if that means I've had it and it's gone or that I never had it at all. Today is day 15. First day I've been out of bed and finally starting to be able to eat but cant do much else. I've never been floored like this before. Hospital said yesterday I've had some sort of virus and that's what has caused this but obviously without antibody tests I wont know.

@avocadoPrime

This is how I feel too. My manager seemed pretty confident it meant I didn’t have it but, who knows? I was told it should be 1-5 days after symptoms start and for me it was longer than that :/
I really do wish there was an antibody test so we could find out :(
I think they’re the same tests they use on patients though so maybe they are correct? There’s a footballer who is still testing positive after 4 weeks so who knows x

@Cusano34 Single parent here on week 7 of recovery.

I am still getting chest pain on exertion & very breathless.

I might use your kind thoughts about single parents to get stuff out, if thats o.k! (I have name changed)

The scariest time for me was day 5 when I layed in bed with chest pain & thought it was a heart attack, knowing DD (6) was asleep in her room.

I kept calm and just went with it as it passed. Then 1 week after that I deteriorated & G.P said to call 999 if I got worse, I sounded like Darth Vader.

DD ended up co-sleeping with me (top & tailing) I think I felt better knowing I could see her at night.

She was taking jugs of water up to bed for me, to save me doing the stairs at night, whilst I locked up and we would go to bed about 18.00 to do colouring & read together. Some nights we had to sleep downstairs as the stairs were too much.

I told her I had hurt my back & I had a really bad cold, when she saw me crying. Some days I just really had enough.

She has watched far too much T.V, spent too much time on her Kindle and my worst day I managed to heat baked beans up & make toast for dinner. I feel like crap about that. But I kept saying we are warm, safe & we will be o.k.

I just could not clean to prevent DD getting it as I was so exhausted, I work in a hospital so maybe I got it there, maybe DD gave it to me from School, maybe it was Tesco.

Every day I would get up, make breakfast, lay on sofa, make lunch, lay on sofa, etc.

Its made me realise that I need to get more organised when I go back to work, as I work 5 days a week and actually I could do more in the evenings, instead of tidying and moaning!

I just wanted someone to cuddle me & say I will look after you.

I remember struggling with breathing at 05.30 a.m, I knew it would pass but I just needed to speak to someone for support, that was the worst.

Anyway, thank you, I needed that!
Im still not well, but its going to be o.k.

@arewehere

That made me feel so emotional reading that. One of the hardest parts is not being able to call in family members or friends who would usually help ☹️

What a lovely little girl you have though by the sounds of it, bringing you water. How lovely.
And well done for getting through it. You will carry on getting stronger now.

I too work in a hospital. I’ve been trying to think where I could have picked it up, but truth is, we will never know. I keep wondering why no one else in my office has it, out of everyone, why me 😩

@Cusano34 Thank you for your good wishes, I think in a way I knew we had to do it, as we have no family for hundreds of miles, and its always been like that since DD was born, no ex-partner near as when he ran off with OW, it too was hundreds of miles away (thank god!)

So we are used to going it alone, I bunged DD in the car last week & went and got a click & collect, they put it straight in the boot.
We have also been for a walk outdoors which is nice.

When I was really unwell, I wished there were 'child walkers' like dog walkers

I'm sure someone from work would have walked DD, but it wasn't worth the risk to them.

It was just myself & 1 other colleage that got it, we work in an office as well as on a ward.

I hope you get better as soon as possible, I've been told I now have post covid viral pnuemonia, so take care & take it easy, if you can!

Thank goodness for click and collect!!! Luckily I can usually manage to get one once a week.

My GP said that there was no need to isolate within the house as they probably would have picked it up by now anyway (although he wasnt sure what symptoms were). Well neither DH or kids have symptoms 3 weeks later, so lets hope so!

Theforest I rhink I am going to try to get click & collect or a delivery forever more after this, I used to spend too much time in Supermarkets after work.

The only thing I did throughout the virus was DD & I had a separate bar of dettol soap each and a separate hand towel,

Ive had glandular fever before & this fatigue is so similar, thats a pain in the arse

Im glad your DC & DH are o.k,

Lets hope we all get there asap!

That's a bugger about the tests @AvocadoPrime and @Cusano34 - there does seem to be such a limited window which isn't helpful if you don't immediately present with a cough and fever. Which is becoming a real bugbear of mine. Let's hope there's continued progress with antibody tests.
I'm glad your GP was helpful @Annie20061, and I hope the oximeter is helpful. I've certainly found it really comforting, both in terms of knowing that I was getting enough oxygen but knowing I would have the numbers to back me up if I needed medical attention.
I've continued to have a good day, but I'm under no illusions that it's all done and dusted.
I hope everyone has a good weekend and tries to relax as much as possible

@SheilaTakeABow thank you had a rough day today with the tight chest and breathing until about 7 tonight. Feeling ok now led in bed hope it means sleep & rest tonight. I think i overdid it yesterday. Yes the oximeter has been used today and it is a great comfort knowing that you can instantly see what is going on. I have ordered one of amazon - i think this one will go back to GP monday. Still waiting my covid test results 5 days today - going to chase it monday if I haven’t heard back by then.

Wishing everyone a good night’s rest 👍

💐 Arewehere I have decided I will deliver meals to my single parent friend if they get it (really hope they don’t) But the child walking idea is would be good too! And as I’ve had it now I’m hoping I’m immune.
I’m so fed up of feeling awful! Day 9 and splitting headache, fuzzy/disorientated, exhausted, nauseated (white coating on tongue which returns minutes after brushing) and bit of diarrhoea.

Breathing not so good overnight and put me out of sorts today. Ordered oximeter from Amazon too - here Monday.
Just going to take it easy as possible today...

I think this thread more knowledgeable than most! I hope you're all on the mend really soon.
I've been so out of breath and headache-y the last couple of days. No cough. But the weirdest (and most panic inducing!) thing is that my throat feels so constricted. This sounds bizarre but it's like the sides of my throat are touching each other Is this even a thing?! I think my husband thinks I'm crazy but it's actually really scary, especially alongside not being able to get a deep breath.

@KindnessCrusader The constricted throat was a big part for me also you just feel like there is a lump or something there that just wont shift. It does get better but slowly. I still get bad days and im over 3 weeks into it the pain has almost one of lungs the gurgle is still there from time to time and yes its scary but keeping calm drinking lots of water helps a lot sleep with your head elevated

Thank you so much for your reply @RickyBooth In a way I feel less panicked knowing it's a symptom someone else has had and not something else entirely!

seems strange as a symptom but lots seem to have had it the virus seems to move up and down throat im just full of gunk now the odd left lung pain and a lump that's still there but comes and goes what to watch out for is when it gets to your chest and use the 111 number if you get really worried or anxiety or of course you start to really struggle.

Sure enough having very bad palpitations and I'm enormously lightheaded. Pre Covid I would probably have called for help by now, but now...I'm not sure what to do.

Still call for help if you need it

@KindnessCrusader I know exactly how you feel, but you must do it.

After really not wanting to, I did the 111 questionnaire today, and got the "call the GP" response. So on a Sunday, I chose the out of hours. Got a call within 20 minutes with a fantastic nursing practioner who after a discussion made an appointment at the COVID drive in clinic. She took my temperature, blood oxygen and pulse (resting and after light exercise, ie walk/jog a bit). I was surprised I was in the normal ranges. I have been given antibiotics in case of bacterial pneumonia.

I am feeling better just being assessed to be honest.

Just to add that she didn't make me feel I was wasting her time. She was very supportive and helpful.

Although its a scary prospect, it is the best thing to do if you are concerned.

Sorry about my feet but I have just found this 8 weeks on and I'm really worried I am still getting really off days. I am very worried has anyone else had this late
On?

@pinkoneblueone I just woke up and checked in briefly - hope you're ok. I have some odd faint purple/red patches on my feet (soles, toes), i noticed them this week (day 45 ish). They are more visible some times than others. specifically pointed them out in a&e yesterday as was worried, and the doc (who checked my hands and feet over very carefully) did not seem worried by them at all. (He didn't tell me what they were either) - but hope that reassures.
Ps. I'm awake after first couple of hrs of sleep but seem to have had first bit of night in 6 weeks with a settled heart rate so far. It feels so weird and alien that I had to take a break before trying to get back to sleep! Maybe the tablets I started from the gp have helped this (can't remember name but are for reflux)
Hope you can relax and rest