40 plus plus

[WorriesomeDad]

Thread for continuing long-term Coronavirus support

Also coming into my 5th week off work from Monday.

@eyebrowsofinstagram sometimes my pulse oximeter has a funny 5 mins. If it flashes and seems unrealistic, take it off, turn it off and on and try again.

@eyebrowsofinstagram

Hi, thanks for the link but I'm a bag of nerves as it is, so i'll maybe read it in the future.

Heart palpitations. Yes, my heart has been very noticeable to me throughout - especially at night. It's not skipping or fluttering, it's thumping very hard. So much so it makes breathing trembly at times.

In the past couple of days it seems to be beating even stronger whilst feeling sore, achy and heavy.

This was alongside SOB, raw lungs and painful back, so it could have been referred pain from my lungs.

I too have found child pose (and extended) helpful but sometimes my back / lungs feel so tight it felt like I was hurting my lungs. Cat Cow has also brought some relief.

@Lightsabre

Good to hear you're making progress. You're just a couple of days ahead of me i think, but as I probably mentioned before, having read your posts I relate so closely to your symptoms / timings / current situation.

Your current situation sounds exactly how I'd describe mine too but as mentioned above heart is beating hard.

Last week's blood results were all totally fine and the Dr said give it 6 weeks from onset.

@eyebrowsofinstagram I've scared myself reading stuff online, and I think that has a tendency to affect breathing and heart rate as well as making you light headed. It can be difficult to separate out anxiety from the symptoms at times. I don't think GPs can test for blood clots. It can be done at A+E (I had a full set of heart and lung tests there just over a week ago). Also, you might want to ask your GP to refer you to something called a Rapid Response Chest Pain Clinic. I'm continuing to get chest pains after 5 weeks, even with the slightest bit of exertion (it's not where my heart is but is over to the left and I'm pretty sure it's not lungs) so my GP has referred me to one of those for more tests. Ironically, despite it having the word "rapid", in the title, I've been told it'll be next week now.

5 weeks ago I was walking 10,000 steps a day, swimming vigorously once or twice a week and doing weights every few days. Since then I've had an average of four hours sleep a night, my step count is now something like 2,000 a day and I am constantly anxious. So on top of the virus, those kinds of "lifestyle changes" are probably not helping much. My blood pressure has been hideously high - at one point it was 187/102 which prompted the A+E visit. It's gradually going lower (this morning was 131/88), although my resting heart rate has been around 90 for several days, which very high for my age. I'm trying to find a balance between doing some activity (a slow short walk with no hills) and getting rest so I can recover. Good luck with getting checked out.

PS - sorry forgot to say. good luck with the test application

@MillStone, thanks. I don't have a lot of faith in this testing system- apparently the systems gone down according to another thread.
I'm having the thumping heart beat too - resting 85 and still up to 125 on exertion. It makes me feel jittery and shaky so I try and sit down as much as possible. GP not concerned unless the resting heart rate is 100 or above. I wonder why our heart rates are higher? I thought it was because the heart is working harder to pump blood around an inflamed/restricted respiratory system? However, not everyone's experiencing the breathlessness. Any GP's about?
Speaking of GP's - I hope @Babdoc is recovering well.

@Lightsabre I've been taking resting blood pressure and heart beat twice a day for the last week (on request of my GP). The average hb is 82 and at worst it can go up to 120 if I stand up. I was also wondering whether inflammation is contributing towards some of this. Normally for inflammation I'd take ibruprofen but there's so much conflicting info about it that I haven't. I asked my GP this morning about Asprin as it's meant to lower heart rate and reduces clotting and also reduces inflammation, especially if taken at bedtime. The WHO apparently changed their view on anti-inflammatories and COVID on April 15th. My doctor said it was OK for me to take it so I'm going to take a couple of tablets a day for a few days. (I wouldn't recommend anyone do this without talking to their GP first.)

@godhelpusall I think I have been suffering with LPR as well, although I hadn’t realised at the time.

For me it slowly became more noticeable as I also begun to get heartburn type pains, these slowly progressed to what I figure is now Gastritis and as weird as it sounds the sore inflamed areas are slowly getting lower every day. What started out as pain quite high in the windpipe is now lower, mid stomach today I would say. From the beginning of this it seems like inflammation started in my throat and slowly worked it’s way down the windpipe, to cause slightly congested chest, then down to cause LPR, heartburn and now gastritis. Weirdly all areas have felt like how I would imagine a chemical burn to feel, we had a house fire a few years back and I liken the feeling to breathing in smoke from it. I have been suffering with mild gastro issues since first feeling ill 7 weeks ago which I initially put down to anxiety but I am now convinced it is viral. I have lost nearly half a stone, so am hoping I am back to normal soon as although weight loss is something I need to consider as I am slightly overweight the speed of this has been quite alarming.

I have been treating with Gaviscon and a low inflammatory diet. The Gaviscon has helped a bit especially with the sore dry throat and mucus I was experiencing but the diet seems to have really helped the most with the stomach issues I have been experiencing this last week. I am hopeful that this is now improving as after feeling nauseous and having mild diarrhoea and an excessively gassy tummy this week yesterday I woke starving and as well as my regular meals I couldn’t stop
Snacking all day! I also only needed two Gaviscon before bed instead of some during the day too.

I have been debating ordering some guardium to see if this helps but am very apprehensive about doing so as I have read online that they can cause further problems with stomach acid.

Interestingly I read a report yesterday where one of the government medical advisors (I think it was Dr Jenny Harris but cannot find the report now) stated she thinks she has had CV but did not suffer respiratory problems, mainly gastric but her situation sounded like so many I have read on here and heard of from others.

@Linus1972

Hi, that's interesting. I've been wondering what my own pressure is. Have you seen any change or trends to yours?

I have avoided taking Ibuprofen and my pressure (could ask a family member to drop a monitor round).

Yes thanks for feedback have asked for callback from GP.

Oxygen 98 this morning, now fluctuating between 90-94.

@Linus1972 that's interesting about guidance on aspirin possibly have changed. Might ask Gp about that.

I actually read that article after I experienced the bad symptoms as I was wanting to understand them. But everything written is speculation at this point and the only scientific studies they mention are done on samples of 41 patients who came into hospital in China- hopefully better studies will come through in due course due to the large volume of patients in Europe and USA.

Is anyone finding it really hard to find a proper balance between rest and 'exercise.' I find that if I do too much I start to get upper back/right lung pain and I can't catch my breath. But conversely, if I rest too much I start to feel seized up and my upper back/right lung aches and I can't catch my breath. I think I need to change my routine which tends to be getting through the day then a walk in the evening at a pace I can manage.

I think that early on I should do as brisk a walk as I can manage. Then pace the rest of my day from there. I also want to start a short pilates session after the walk if that seems doable as my muscles really do feel so tense. I've also decided to start taking ibuprofen as a course to try and bring down the pleurisy inflammation. I'm monitoring my blood oxygen levels closely while I do it and if I experience either an increase in shortness of breath or a dropping of oxygen levels I'll stop immediately but at this point I think following the doctors advice and bringing the inflammation down is necessary.

@changeofnametohidetgeshame
I said this to my DH yesterday! The prickly 'I've inhaled neat bleach with razorblades' feeling used to be across collarbone and armpit level. It's more sort of sternum area now and some flashes on pain on deep breaths at bra band level. Also the odd stab as though I'm getting a gastro bug or the bottom of my lungs.
It isn't as intense or constant as it was.
Day 25ish here and very very down.
Will I ever get better? Will I ever ride my bike again? Will never go back to my silks class? I cry when I think of my silks class, I lived for it. I have an acro hammock in the spare bedroom. DH has taken it down as I can't bear to for it to be there anymore.
I'm getting the odd bubble feeling when I breathe and my cough is deeper. I'm on day 3 of antibiotics my GP prescribed just in case.

I've also been taking my blood pressure as I have reduced kidney function anyway. My level says normal sometimes and high normal others. But the cuff is a little bit big so it may not be accurate.
Until I'm well I shan't sweat it over blood pressure. It's not in a danger area, and if it's my kidneys nothing much can be done about it for a while anyway.
It's probably going to sort itself out in time.

@MillStone The first four days I measured my BP it was around 145/95. The last reading was 131/88, which was similar to last night. I'll be happy if I can get down to 120/80. I have been sleeping better over the last three nights though still very anxious.

@changeofnametohidetgeshame I have had GERD too for the past 5 weeks with this. Diet changes have helped a bit too and I don't get any pain after eating now. I am taking one esomeprazol in the evening and some Gavascon liquid at bed-time, also sleeping propped up, otherwise whenever I lie down the burning travels up my gullet, burning what's probably an ulcerated area and I get a horrible sour taste in my mouth. My stomach gurgles quite a lot and I'm snacking to give the acid something else to do. Even though you're advised not to eat before bed-time, I've found that having a snack about an hour before bed usually helps as well.

Hi Lightsabre! Thanks for the kind wishes. Not actually a GP, by the way- I’m a retired hospital doc (anaesthetics and ITU). It’s now 16 days since I was discharged from hospital, and like most patients I’m finding it frustratingly slow to get my fitness and strength back.
Best I’m managing is a slow potter to the village shop (about 100 yards!) and an amble to the farm for potatoes (200 yards). I’ve been bothered by laryngitis and intermittent cough, and living alone means I get scared that the virus is coming back, every time I get symptoms.
I think this illness is very much a marathon, not a sprint, and we are all likely to have problems with post viral fatigue and potential inflammatory damage to lung tissue.
Pace yourselves gently, aim to build up your walking gradually, and accept that full recovery will take longer than you ever imagined at the start of all this. But also try to keep positive and focus on each small improvement as a sign that you are indeed making progress. For me, being able to sleep for 6 straight hours without gasping for breath is something I celebrate - I will never take breathing for granted again!

I know it won’t last but today on day 34/35 I feel so well I can’t stop smiling.

Sorry to everyone suffering. Good days will come (and then there will be relapses but more good dats after).

That's good @Egghead68 enjoy it to the max!

Ugh. Hadn't considered a lung blood clot. I'd be short of breath right? Oxygen levels would be down?

@Egghead68 good for you! Enjoy
@Crayfishforyou omg the period, it’s floored me in the middle of a good patch. So weak and floppy.

Day 36 or 37 I really don’t know. Need to step away from human contact. Made the mistake of letting a few people know I was having a bad few days and got the Spanish Inquisition about what I’m eating, if I’m resting enough, if I’m exercising enough, what my symptoms are...fatigue.I’m already fatigued and you want me to explain the fatigue and ask me questions about fatigue.

I feel like that. I skate and apart from my DS it's the absolute love of my life. I was already down enough thinking about the rink closing and all the events cancelled. But I'd prepared. I had online lessons for things I wanted to learn in a small space. Prepared my livingroom to be easily cleared into having as much floorspace as possible. I'd been working on handstands and cartwheels so I'd be ready when I could go back to the skatepark. I was getting really close to being able to do a forwards split in my inlines. The weather is so good right now, I'd probably even be able to go out on early morning skates with DS if the paths are quiet enough at that time. On top of that, all my favourite youtubers are doing small space tutorials. But now I wonder if I'll ever, ever manage to skate again. I did it once when I thought I was better and developed what I now know is pleurisy in my right lung as a result. I just want to cry when I think about it. I was so, so fucking fit from it too. And now I can't catch my breath most days and all my muscle definition is disappearing.

That last post was aimed at Crayfish and her silks.

@alittleprivacy I'm not even attempting exercise at the moment tbh. I am now able to spend most of the day out of bed, a bit of pottering or sat down but every fibre of my being is telling me to rest. Not sure if its physical or psychological tbh, I am terrified of another relapse (last one was triggered by my period rather than overdoing it though I think).

@Babdoc, very good to hear from you. You've been through such an ordeal. Glad you are recovering, albeit slowly, and I hope you have people around to help you out during your convalescence.
@Egghead68, so glad to hear some good news - long may it last!
@alittleprivacy - being fit will hopefully help you to recover well.

That's good news that you're making progress@babdoc.

I started to feel much better more consistently from a week ago, which was day 32. I've built up to some quite long walks-over an hour, albeit not at a very fast pace- and since yesterday I've had hot and sore lungs and a general unwell feeling. I'm assuming that's the price of overdoing it. It's so hard to know if I might have felt like this regardless, or what to do for the best.

@alittleprivacy I could have written your post, I’m exactly the same but with running. I’ve been so upset and frustrated! lots and lots of sympathy, hope we can both get back to it very soon