Covid Lungs 40 plus plus plus

[SimpleKindofLife]

New thread for those having longer symptoms of Covid.

Went for blood tests today. Was asked if I was happy for another sample to be taken - for research purposes with regards to antibodies - the surgery gets no results from these though.

Hi all, quick update on day 54.

I am not too bad most of the time now. The hardcore symptoms have all gone for me but I am left with:

Fatigue (on and off, generally had more energy in the day but do get tired every 2 hours or so and need a lie down / sit and read for 30 mins).
Headache - on and off, not generally severe
Rib pain / costochondritis - pretty bad at times (worst symptom now)
Dizzyness/vertigo - very slight on and off in the morning mainly
Chest ache - a little, still being careful because of this as don't want to overdo it (palpitations gone)

That's it. I sleep well and I rest 1hour in the afternoon every day. I am up from 8am-11pm every day feeling semi normal. I can look after kids, do a short stroll or two, some pilates, cook, clean (gently), a little bit of work but if I didn't have two crazy DCs running around more work would be possible.

What I can't do still is group zoom calls and work on the laptop for longer than 1hr at a time. I also find noise really hard to cope with still.

Good luck all.

Great news @longshot!
I’m day 59/42.
Symptoms still there: morning nausea and runny tummy. Sore glands in the neck, sore throat was gone but feels a bit tender today. Breathing was fine tomorrow, today a bit off. Fatigue come and goes.

Brilliant news @longshot! I hope you are feeling fully better soon.

@Moodgie my doctor took an antibodies test from me on Thursday I wonder if it was for this too

@Tangledyarn My breathing/chest is better if I'm leant forward or on my front than my back or sitting back.

I just find it weird as I breathe best with my chest closed rather than open. It's like the opposite of what's normal. It makes me feel like it's definitely patches of inflammation causing the problem rather than whole chest inflammation, which I guess is positive.

I just went for a walk and halfway through without thinking, I stupidly ran across the road ahead of a car rather wait for it to pass. I couldn't catch my breath after and stopped, held onto a wall and did some belly breathing for a few breaths. I tried to walk on and the world started spinning. Crouched down and checked my blood oxygen levels and it was down to 96. I know that's not crazy low but I've been 99-100 all through the pleurisy. Luckily I was just a few minutes away from home, as I do circuits around the block, so I went straight home. My levels are back up to 99 now but I'm a bit shook up by it.

Haven't caught up with the thread since last night but just wanted to let you all know I'm still feeling positive change has happened at last. Something feels like it has shifted, and that's even with heavy hay-fever and some lingering painful muscle aches. Like many of you I've had a long illness and that awful worry that it wouldn't really ever go away and my lungs would be irreparably damaged. Well, I'm not quite running for buses yet but I'm breathing better more of the time and my lungs don't feel so inflamed.

I'll keep you posted, and I know it's hard but try not to worry. I've had a lot of chronic pain and illness in my lifetime and feared this would be the one that finished me off. At times it felt like it was. I definitely don't feel that way now!

Hi I'm sorry I haven't read through all of this recently, I just feel so exhausted. Where can I get an ELISA antibody test? Can I get one on the NHS or do I have to pay? How much are they? I don't have spare money but would like to know whether I've had it. I don't want to get ripped off

@baroqueandblue

This is great news, so uplifting. Can I ask what day you're on, and when you started to feel better?

@baroqueandblue that is so good to hear. Can I ask How many weeks are you on please?

Thanks for updating @longshot and @baroqueandblue that's great news! So pleased for you both.

Oh no @alittleprivacy! I guess it'll take time to adjust to our new (but hopefully temporary!) limitations. But good news you're out and about - that seems a world away to me atm!

Hopefully I'm not too far behind you all 🤞

@Moodgie @pinkoneblueone glad to hear the doctors are taking samples now! Good step in the right direction.

I've been taking tons of supplements, eating loads of veg and drinking smoothies and fruit juice. Hoping it helps.

And I've also bought one of these! A salt lamp. No idea if it works but someone recommended one to me and I'm at the stage of trying anything!! I'll also be having a salt bath later, apparently very healing.

@toothfairy73 the press are saying an antibody test may be available on the NHS shortly (currently it’s just private or research).

From the Times:

A new coronavirus antibody test has been approved for use in the UK and may be widely available on the NHS by mid-May.

Roche, the Swiss company, has announced that its Covid-19 antibody test has been approved for markets accepting the CE mark, including the UK.

The serology test supports the detection of antibodies in patients who have been exposed to the virus, which could indicate if a person has immunity. It could also help to identify people who have been infected but did not display any symptoms.

It is being independently evaluated by Public Health England and initial results are expected by the end of this week. Roche is in discussion with the NHS and the government about a phased roll-out of the test from later this month. The company aims to provide hundreds of thousands of antibody tests to the UK per week.

@longshot that sounds great! Thanks for the update.

Hi everyone, just trying to catch up with posts. Firstly, hope the night shift people, @pinkoneblueone and @Dandyish are okay? Did you call 111 in the end? I also hope @JackJackIncredible that you're feeling a bit better today? Lovely positive news from @baroqueandblue and @longshot, long may it continue. Sending love to @SimpleKindofLife and all others who have relapsed or still in the thick of it.

After my misery post yesterday, yesterday is definitely a bit better. I slept a bit more which has helped. I'm still exhausted in bed but my resting heart rate has come down a bit and less SOB incidents. I've also eaten quite well. One day at a time.

@Crayfishforyou I hope your day is going okay so far. I'm excited as my CBD oil arrived today. I got a light one as I'm a bit of a woos but hoping it will help.

I've also ordered CBD oil! Hoping it helps me sleep through the night.

Is anyone getting leg pains? I've had an intense, deep ache in my right leg for a couple of weeks now. Doc seemed unconcerned but I'm worried about clots!

Hi all, after some reassurance, scared after another relapse! Started being breathless again today, and feeling a tight chest feeling which I've not noticed before. Probably have just overdone the exercise at the weekend wondering if I should I contact my GP again?

Thanks @fedupofbed I didn’t get to sleep until after 5am and only woke up a few hours ago. I am going to get DH to drop me off at A&E soon. The Dr I saw there last time did say to come straight back if I worsened. We agreed what my baseline was and I’m worse than that, so I think I’ll go back in. Highly doubt there’s much they can do as I’m not turning blue but better to be safe then sorry.

@fedupofbed I am ok thanks to some reassurance thank you. had about 5 hours sleep and seem to be ok for the moment, my anxiety attack seems to have triggered my rib and chest pain to return and I woke with a headache otherwise I am ok. How

I'm still hanging on in there.
I'm doing literally nothing, I've learned the hard way about doing too much on good days.
I'm a bit breathless today but I've been worse.
Chest pain is a bit sharp but it feels less swollen.
Dizziness is nowhere near as bad as the weekend.
My hips hurt, but that feels mechanical. I've done sod all for five weeks and just started going from 400 steps a day to 1500.
I'm able to stand longer today. I've noticed I get very dizzy if I bend over and then stand back up. And my chest pain is worse if I bend over.
I can move my arms above my head though it makes me lightheaded.
Underarm pain isn't as bad as it was, although that comes and goes anyway, it's a bit raw.
I feel as though I've turned a corner. I just don't know how long it will last. I've had three big dips so far.
It's the not knowing that is shredding me.
It's all a bit better since I started on the ibuprofen.

I've been following your journeys and want to say thank you. This thread has been a godsend when I've felt so alone going through this. @Egghead68 I think we are about the same timescale. @longshot and @baroqueandblue thats great news. I spoke to GP 11 days ago after feeling I couldn't cope anymore and was given appt at Covid Clinic. Dr took temperature, sats and blood pressure, crackling on r/h lung so prescribed doxycycline. There were no other patients there but I have driven myself frantic thinking If i didn't already have covid I will have now. My anxiety is through the roof. Aching, bad chest pains, cold feet, sob and insomnia. (Its the sob that panics me) @Crayfishforyou I might try the cbd oil to see if it helps. My dm is 83 and lives with me, she has alzheimers and copd. It's been so hard trying to keep her safe as she doesnt understand why I cant get close to her. I ordered 2 home testing kits for us from the gov.uk website and will be doing them tonight, 2 GP's told me I would be post viral now but the last one said my symptoms still sound infectious so who knows. They will be picked up tomorrow so will be interesting to see what the tests come back as. Dm had really bad cough end of February - 2 wks of antibiotics then fine.

Oh @Crayfishforyou really hoping no more dips for you.

I'm still too chicken to take ibuprofen... But I think it'll really help the inflammation!

Hope everyone is ok.
I’m a bit better today, waiting to hear from consultant. Usually hear back within a day.

Good luck @Dandyish

Hi all, I haven't posted on this thread yet as I have been very very slowly improving with no real new symptoms presenting themselves.

I'm now on day 43, and feel mostly normal except for strange heart/chest feeling that is stronger when I lie down.

I can't really lie on my back at all, it just feels frighteningly wrong.

I'm not going to call a Gp at this stage as I feel it's mostly pointless- I've had so many conversations with them over the weeks where they just tell me to continue self-isolating, and in one case hinted that I was imagining it!

I don't think I have post-viral fatigue. But aside from a short walk outside each day I'm still resting a lot.