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[WorriesomeDad]

Thread for continuing long-term Coronavirus support

Well all the thrush treatments have done nothing for my sore throat/swollen throat feeling so am guessing I just need to wait it out. I wanted to try to go back to work 3 hours a day next week (can work from home at the moment) but not sure how I'm going to manage as I have to talk a lot in my job (mental health) and i start to lose my voice after a few mins of talking.

Hi, yesterday I wrote a positive post about how I thought I was feeling a bit better and trying to measure progress weekly rather than daily.

Ha! Trying hard to follow my own advice today as I've gone and had another major dip again today. Tight chest, chills, temperature, 'jittery', feel like I'm going to pass out all the time, tummy upset. Feeling a bit hopeless again. However I did completely overdo it yesterday (wasn't entirely my fault, had a blood test and had to wait 10 minutes for it standing up in the surgery car park as DH couldn't park nearby). The rational part of me is saying that after my body's had a good rest I'll start to feel more human again. I'm trying really hard to listen to this rational voice instead of getting all panicky.

Reading your stories, there's so many of us in the same boat.

@eyebrowsofinstagram your description of your chest/ heart is exactly how I feel right now. I have a temperature and my skin feels hot to touch yet my chest feels restricted and icy. I think you're right about positive thinking, especially dealing mentally with being unwell for so long. I'm trying!

Yes @fedupofbed I've been getting chills too.

The positive thinking came up with an old man called Bill who was in his 90s and was on breakfast tv as he'd been discharged from hospital following Coronavirus.

His message was the importance of positive thinking and that you've got a pharmacy inside your body.

I think of that a lot- as there is no drug to treat it - we're relying on the pharmacy inside our body to do the job.
And the most help we can give our body the better with lots of rest healthy food (and I guess sunshine if it doesn't make us worse) going outside tired me out a lot, but I've heard vitamin D is important

Wondering

1. Do you all look ill? The teenager keeps reminding me I look shit.

1. Do you still think you are infectious? GP told me I was fine to go out after 7 days, but when you still have symptoms, what do you do.

I am a cleaner, I don't think I will be able to ever work at the pace required again after this.

@tootsey Yeah I look terrible, grey yellow skin with massive bags under my eyes. I dont think I'm contagious now but I'm on week 7. My gp told me to keep staying in when I was on week 4, the official rule is 7 days but that's obviously not long enough!
I'm sure you will get back to normal it might just take a good while!

I completely agree @eyebrowsofinstagram I'm sure positive thinking has some kind of effect on recovery, and conversely that stress and anxiety makes everything worse. Just trying to put it into practice...

That is the question I have too tootsey, occupational health said I can go out shopping and return to work after 7 days, but I have to be symptoms free 48 hours before returning to work.

my temperature just like a set clock, it loves keep on the mark as 37.8-37.9 with regular paracetamol, I work in hospital so I cannot go back like that but I feel so guilty when everyone out there is busy.

My husband is suffering from terrible bloating and constipation and at times he thinks this is not helping his shortness of breath. He also been burping a lot. Has anyone else had this problem and what have they done that has helped. He has taken Gaviscon to help

@Meercatmama YES!! I'm taking Lansoprazole for the reflux. And Gaviscon Advance. I take Fybogel and Lactulose for the constipation. For bloat, peppermint tea is good. Massage abdomen lightly im circular motions from right to left to get bowel moving. I'm suffering trapped wind badly today. Going up and downstairs a few times helps release the gas sometimes.

Day 36 I think, barely able to feed myself today. Had a lie down on the hall floor for ten mins after getting the shopping in. I hate fatigue.

Day 24ish
Bad day.
Struggling for breath and dizzy even though my sats say 98-99. Deep breaths even through yawning is impossible.
It feels as though I've pulled all the muscles in my legs and well.

@meercatmama yes me! I've been on omaprazole and despite this feel tight chested and it helps to burp so I'm sipping carbonated water and that helps with relieving pressure.
Heartburn and acid reflux was my first symptom some 35 days ago now. Usually Nexium clears it within two doses but nothing was shifting this 7 days into Nexium and I then knew it wasn't my usual acid reflux.

Dorual
Thank you so much I will order some peppermint tea on line and in the morning go to the chemist and get some Fybogel and Lactulose. Knowing someone else has these symptoms has made him feel much more at ease. I had it the other way.

@Meercatmama I've had acid reflux since the start as well, though no stomach bloating. I think it's given me an ulcer in my oseophogus as it starts burning there when I lie down (I'm sleeping propped up with three pillows). I'm taking esomeprazol which is similar to omazaprole and have modified my diet - I've cut out caffeine (which resulted in a bad headache for a couple of days), citrus fruit, chocolate, fried food (chips brought it on the worst) and am waiting for food to cool down before eating it. I'm also making sure I chew everything a lot before I swallow and trying to avoid having large meals but instead have a biscuit or banana if my stomach gurgles between meals. I'm taking 3 tbsps of Gavascon Double Action before bed. This has made sleeping easier (I'm getting around 6 hours now). I've read that honey can help and I'm taking a tsp of that in warm lemon/ginger tea 2-3 times a day. (which sometimes helps to clear the throat as well).

I'd bet this is related to the virus and unlikely to go away until my body is clear of it so all I can do at the moment is try to manage it and avoid doing more damage to the ulcer. When it's very bad I just have cold rice pudding or natural yoghurt with honey in. Even with all that, I'm still getting a painful episode every few days. (Normally, I'd be worried about it but I'm more worried about the inexplicable chest pains that come on whenever I do the tiniest bit of exertion like carrying washing downstairs this morning.)

Just don’t get this thing. After mega relapse two nights ago I was in absolute bits, but then pretty much fine by mid morning after a bite to eat and a 20min snooze. Queue nice day but feeling bit tired followed by best sleep since this whole thing kicked off. 10 hours and I think I only woke up once or twice. Lovely day pottering about and even had a very socially distanced alcohol free beer in the sunshine in my mates garden. Absolute bliss. 10pm comes round, tingles up the back of my neck and mega relapse once again, tight chest, rollercoaster waves of nausea, SOB and a feeling like I wanted to cough my guts up and basically zero sleep. Once again in a very low place both mentally and physically. Food, snooze and shower and symptoms pretty much gone by midday today. Another pleasant day but now The Fear looms large. What’s tonight going to bring, another amazing sleep or exhausted doom laden terror?! I just don’t really know what to think any more.

Oh yeah, and here’s a whole other online Covid rabbit hole to disappear down. This support group is getting pretty big, there’s people from all over the world. We are very far from alone:

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScM2EeJhgisTUdo5Op6euyx1PYu8O-aNeDVYhXuPFa_Gs9PnQ/viewform?fbzx=-415647506350010806

1. Do you look ill .

I had a zoom get together with my book group last night and got told how unwell I was still looking. So I guess that's a yes.

Tbf DH and ds1 who both had the mildest of cases still have days when they look washed out and crap.

@Linus1972
Thank you I am passing on your suggestions especially about the food you have cut out that have helped. It is a comfort to him that he is not the only one suffering these symptoms. So sorry about the ulcer it sounds very painful.

@WorriesomeDad I'm sorry it's so wretched. How much are you doing when you feel well? Could you be unconsciously doing too much and it's catching up on you later?

Hello all, I hope you're keeping positive.

After a decent night, today was a day of thumping heart palpitations and a sore heart(!?) where just I can't get comfortable in any position -- even laying on my front. My whole body was jerking with every beat. Much worse than before.

A few days ago my GP suggested it could be in part down to the fact I've gone from doing a very large amount of daily exercise to pretty much nothing for a month.

I've also had a really hot face but my temp was only 36.7.

And of course the terrible back ache that comes as quickly as it goes. Raw heavy lungs, hot prickly breath, tight wheezy chest, legs like lead weights and zero energy.

Maybe the legs like lead weights are also related to lack of exercise / movement.

Sorry you’ve had another dip @fedupofbed. I’m trying to do as little as possible when I feel ok. Tricky with a five month old and a two year old though, my wife has been absolutely amazing. One symptom I haven’t had since about week 2 is fatigue. The main thing is the waves of nausea and breathing/chest issues for me. These just seem to flare up whenever they want. I’ve tried and tried to work out if there are any triggers to no avail, it seems totally random.

@WorriesomeDad same here. I felt awful this morning but by 4:30pm I was feeling fine and energetic. No idea what tomorrow will bring.

@WorriesomeDad oh gosh that's hard with such a young family too. I just don't know, it's such a mystery isn't it? The good days feel like such a relief and then it just seems so cruel to be struck down again.

I really hope tonight goes okay for you, and also for all you others who have had a bad one today.

Dont be offended but I havent read the updates purely because if I read symptoms I’m worried that I’ll think I have them again as I really dont know whats real or not in terms of illness v’s anxiety.

After i went to the hospital the other day I called the GP to explain that I cant cope with these buzzing/fizzing/prickly nerve sensations. He prescribed me amytriptiline saying although its an antidepressant, which Ive never had before, its used more to treat nerve pains and is a sedative. Ive had one for the last two nights and all nerve sensations have been dampened down and i slept 11pm- 7/8am both nights without waking which hasnt happened since 23rd march. Whilst im having little dips like diarrhoea that send me into a mini panic, Im able to just sit amongst the family more. Im struggling to stand/move etc in my legs, arms and neck I AM more comfortable.
Im on day 33(I think) and my symptoms at the moment are largely just the immobility from whatever my legs/nerves issues are. Incidentally another mnetter messaged me privately and she took diazepam and that helped her sleep and just get a foot hold in getting some rest.

Stay strong everyone. Ive never taken any anxiety medication etc, but this had definitely helped me sleep and stop the nerves so if you think thats you. Don't be ashamed to speak to the doctor for something to help you manage.

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