40+

[MilesJuppIsMyBitch]

A thread for people with CV19 symptoms that have lasted for more than a couple of weeks.

First thread here

(Called 40+ to keep a rough tab on when the first symptoms started being reported on MN).

@godhelpusall I am totally of the same opinion!!!
(Also I'm taking it as a good sign that I'm feeling well enough to be angry about it. But I am angry).

It's not right that I've had the worst illness of my life, my lungs feel really weird and my only advice has been self-isolate at home.

There should have been something like those corona taxis a pp mentioned in Germany, when you first feel symptoms a healthcare professional comes to assess you at home.

The advice to me if you're really worried about your breathing go to A&E 45mins away - oh but don't go by public transport or taxi. I'm a single mum and I can barely get out of bed to the kitchen for a drink- how on earth can I travel for 45 mins?

Apparently there is an expose of some sort in the Sunday times today. Definitely think lockdown should have been earlier.

But yes we are the silent people who are missing from all this. What should we do about it do you think?

Day 27 feeling ok, but weird feeling on bottom of my lungs.

Like you guys I am so angry too. It’s a horrible limbo to be in, not knowing what the hell is going on with us, with no help at all. Here is a link someone sent me to the times article. It really is astonishing. (Hope it works...)

<a class="break-all" href="https://archive.is/20200418182037/www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/coronavirus-38-days-when-britain-sleepwalked-into-disaster-hq3b9tlgh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">archive.is/20200418182037/www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/coronavirus-38-days-when-britain-sleepwalked-into-disaster-hq3b9tlgh

@TheDrsWife46 hope you are ok and are being seen by medics. With your history it’s worth it even if for reassurance.
Day 33 here, am being advised rather strongly by people I know to go for a walk outside. I think that would be too much. I’m increasing my activity each day and I think I’m pushing my boundaries without overdoing it.
Lots of leg pain lately which is usual with my CFS, so guessing I’m post viral. Going to concentrate on meal planning and cooking as well, at best I’ve been eating freezer food but I should now be able to prep some stuff like soups etc.

Feeling very low today. Also starting to get a bit angry. Not at the lack of medical assistance, they can’t really do much given the seriousness of so many other cases and the fact that the NHS was already operating with skeleton staff and funding before this whole thing. My anger is mainly with the government. It was bloody obvious what was going to happen and we just walked straight into it. I’m no scientist and I could see it coming. I’m self employed and took both kids out of nursery in Feb and began pretty much isolating with them. Unfortunately my wife works in health care and there was no chance of her not going to work. In reality immediate lockdown extensive testing and contract tracing should have been implemented early in February. The consequences of not doing so were already playing out in Italy in gruesome detail. Numerous scientists had predicted how serious this was going to get and advised the government accordingly.

Now I’m lying in bed yet again knocking on five and a half weeks of being very ill. I’m so thankful that my wife and children just seem to have had a mild dose.

Dizzy, heart racing, lungs hurting and feeling pretty emotional today. Utterly utterly sick of this horrible illness. Sorry folks. Hope you’re all having a better time of it. Rant over.

@Countingsheeps, @eyebrowsofinstagram and @godhelpusall I agree. I hold the government fully responsible for my illness (acquired 3 days before lockdown working in the NHS despite my full compliance with social distancing measures etc). The article in the Times yesterday was excellent. If there is anything good in the Sunday Times today I will post it. I hope there is a proper independent enquiry after this.

Agree @WorriesomeDad.

I started taking my own measures from 29th Feb but had to go to work (NHS) until 11th March as I repeatedly told “business as usual” and “you won’t get paid if you don’t work” despite being in the extremely vulnerable category. Four of my colleagues also caught it.

I can't read it. It's making me fucking furious 😡

5 days of feeling much better, actually able to count daily coughs and no chest pain... To a Saturday of chest/shoulder pain, wheezing and all day coughing. For no apparent reason. 🤷‍♀️

How are you?

@isitorisntit what day are do you on do you think?

Thankyou for so many encouraging messages just to say that im waiting for a timeslot to go to a coronahub and that I’ll be examined in the car. Apparently im allowed for DH and the kids with me as isolating together. I’ll report back.

Oh and i read that article on applenews last night. I was absolutely, I feel like Ive been maimed because the government used a herd immunity flu model when this was made clear it was no flu. To discover that testing companies weren't approached until April 1st sickened me.

Sorry I mean family can take me in the car as unavoidable whilst isolating together. Cant come in with me if admitted.

Great news you are being seen @TheDrsWife46

@WorriesomeDad similar day here today too. I’m more short of breath again with chest tightness. Woke with upper back and shoulder pain as well but that’s eased. Wiped out again and feeling like I’m just not getting better. (34 days since first fever hit).

I’m furious that there is a complete denial of this middle ground, despite the fact it has huge implications for how things move forward. If they were testing they’d know if we had it and could test if we still had it if symptoms persist after say a month. If we don’t still have the virus, we could get checked for why we’re not recovering. If we do, they’re going to have to rethink their whole strategy. The lack of action early on which led to this mess is also infuriating - many of us could see the potential for this coming. I kept saying to my husband ‘why on earth aren’t they shutting the schools’ when so many countries were. Then my 5 year old caught it at school and brought it home...

I’ve now ordered an oximeter - since we can’t get checked we all have to try to monitor ourselves! I’m hoping it will help me feel more in control.

So the minty taste had gone and has come back today. I'm so sick of this. I want to be tested!

Up and dressed here. Cold air seems to make my chest worse, so sitting outside is always a fail. Just inflamed lungs, and dry coughing making it sore and tight.

Does anyone have any contacts in the media? I wonder if it's worth trying to get some coverage on the experiences of those of us who have been struggling for so long and are being overlooked by the government/ medical people.

That we are relying on mumsnet to provide support

@Needsomegoodnews Feeling similar. Had upper back ache for two days, not there at the moment, but like you - tightness, more short of breath and wiped out.

Update: i just copied it from a text i sent so apologies if its garbled.

Got reviewed by the coronahub. Spent all morning on the phone to 4 clinicians and then i was meant to drive to the coronahub to be examined. Cos leg weakness is worse, pins and needles is bad and urgency to wee when i dont need to go, like i cant hold it.

The coronahub man called my phone and said can we have a chat first because i dont want you to drive here if im gonna redirect you to hospital again because you’re ill and you dont need to be driving about. He said i take temperature/oxygen/heart rate and if you have all that as a concern I admit you, if not I send u home.

I burst into tears and said “i keep being reduced to a breathing organism but then you ask can i do my usual stuff like watch tv or make a meal and no i cant!”

Then he said that the other clinicians (3 of them) had detailed on my notes that they suspected guillian barre syndrome.

He asked have I soiled myself? Can i wiggle my toes, can i feel someone touching my legs, can i control my bum and said he didnt think it was guillian barre but probably post viral. But that if i get any single one of those additional symptoms to call back and they’ll admit me to neurology straight away on the basis of guillian barre. He asked do i want to drive over so he can take my readings etc and feel better that i had human contact. I said no because i can give you my sats myself...he said my readings give me haemotology risk score of 0%

He said I was his 8th call today and the rest have all had a positive tests and discharged from hospital and all describing the same things except my leg issues. I said well how long for recovery then? He said usually on big viruses like meningitis we’d say it’ll take 14 days for it to be out of your system but this, our new guidance says for moderate cases around 38 days. He said try to remember when you vomit, diarrhoea or cough its just your bodies way of trying to get it out of you. He said whilst you’ve come through the extreme part of the virus your now at the debilitating part but you ARE at 28 days so you should be getting better soon. He said not yet, whilst you feel this severe i imagine that may remain unchanged for some days but it should start to get to the end. And if I get any of the neurological symptoms like i cant feel touch or have pelvic issues then to call and i can go straight into neurology for the electro test things.

@Egghead68
Breathing exercises have helped me tremendously. I have been doing the 'cat and cow pose' yoga breathing . I personally find this more effective than the Queens video. This lets me exhale more powerfully and take more oxygen in.

@TheDrsWife46 thanks for that. How do you feel now? I have to say I am on day 39 and I still don't feel like I'm shot of it. I'm so glad you were listened to and that the option of admission is there if anything gets worse.

@TheDrsWife46

I'm really glad you got to talk to someone - that's really interesting about the 38 days! Do you feel reassured?

@TheDrsWife46
To write something this detailed with accuracy shows your alertness at 100%. I wish you feel better soon.

@TheDrsWife46 your symptoms have sounded really troubling, so glad you finally got to speak to a specialist. It sounds like you’re in the clear for Guillian Barre.

Sat here feeling somewhat hopeless and emotional at 37 days, with the same symptoms as I had at 7 days, I really really really want his advice for moderate cases being out the system by 38 days to be bang on the money!