Covid Lungs Week 7/Day 49 and onwards

[Dandyish]

Support thread for those who've had Covid symptoms or post-viral fatigue for at least 7 weeks/49 days or longer.

If your symptoms haven't lasted that long, check out the Lung 7 thread (or later).It'll be more helpful as people there will be in a more similar position.

[Dimsummummy]

@myguy I definitely have very mild confusion e.g more on a level with brain freeze, forgetting and unable to recall words/having to circumnavigate other words/describe images/say what it feels/looks like as can remember it’s name etc to get my point across. However my thoughts themselves are clear- although maybe a bit slower than usual.
I think you should definitely get Dh checked out if it’s at a level above this. My understanding is it can be a symptom of some things e.g pneumonia
If nothing else this will offer some reassurance 💐

[Egghead68]

@SimpleKindofLife that sounds really frightening? How are your pulse and Sats? If you need to go to A&E I don’t think you should be scared of going.

[everythingisginandroses]

@myguy - 111 may have been worried about sepsis or pneumonia, confusion definitely needs checking out. Hope your DH is better soon

[Lightsabre]

@sleepwhenidie, it's so worrying when it's your children that are ill. Do you have any tummy settling tablets for children? Sometimes they can help and provide some comfort/relief.
@myguy, definitely get your dh seen as this can be a precursor to sepsis.

[SimpleKindofLife]

Sats are 97 and pulse is up and down, mainly around 100. That's probably due to me freaking out about A&E though! I keep trying to convince myself I'm fine and then I stand up and I know I'm not. I hope they investigate my heart properly though. Anyone know what kind of tests I need to ask for apart from the basics? I'm worried about my heart and blood clots mainly.

[Aisforharlot]

Day 52 here.
Have been working out as usual for the last two weeks. I feel normal except for fatigue in evenings. Cardio function seems fine - I’ve been on a couple of cycles and no chest pain.

[Lightsabre]

@SimpleKindofLife, those stats are the same for me and the docs are not in the slightest bit concerned. If you do have tests just ask for one that tests the heart enzymes - they'll show if the heart is stressed/inflamed in any way. They may also do a D-dimer blood test if you're breathless to check for a thrombosis.

[Rosesofeyam]

I mentioned memory issues to my consultant last week and they thought it was post viral inflammation in the body.
(I.e I have been putting things in the wrong place,forgetting to do something that is routine and going to the wrong place for something, doing online shopping takes ages as I can't think what we need.)

It's quite frustrating tbh.

[sleepwhenidie]

On the confusion, myguy that sounds alarming, I would definitely call 111 or GP.

DD definitely complains of low level confusion ‘my brain isn’t working’ or ‘my head feels all fuzzy’ especially when trying to do her schoolwork. She’s a bright little button usually and doesn’t struggle

[Dandyish]

Morning! Only 4-5hours sleep here but like a other poster that’s a win these days.

Also, have any of you been in hospital for treatment?

@myguy I was given oxygen for 5 hours and kept partially overnight in A&E a few days ago. So not admitted, if that’s what you mean, but technically a bit of treatment.

I do feel better for it. They said my breathing needed that kick-start.

[Egghead68]

@SimpleKindofLife my Sats and pulse at the moment are the same as yours. If you go to A&E they will probably test bloods for active infection, heart problems, kidney problems, do an ECG and chest X-Ray, monitor your vital signs and listen to your chest. I don’t think you will need to ask for anything in particular - they seem to have a protocol.

[myguy]

Thank you all.

Dh's confusion seems a bit better this morning, maybe not that different to what Dinsummummy said.

Dh called the GP this morning (after some nagging from me) and I and my dd heard the GP say dh should go into A&E and get tested, though she seemed mainly concerned about the ongoing SOB and low oxygen and chest pain.

But dh refused and afterwards said to me and dd that the GP thought he was fine and didn't want him to go to A&E at all! I do understand he's scared to go - our local hospitals are still overrun (contrary to what you read on the news or in some MN threads).

So I'm still keeping a close eye on him. It's difficult as I can't force him to go to hospital. Going without being allowed to have any visitors is not nice for anyone, I get that.

And yes, I was worried about eg sepsis or pneumonia too, as I've had experience of both of those in the family in recent years. My dm is currently in hospital with bacterial pneumonia (not Covid-related). So stressful at the moment.

Just watching and hoping the virus fades away again for my dh, as it often does.

Hope you all have good days too.

[sleepwhenidie]

Sounds the same as the tests they did for DD - throat swab, temperature check, listened to chest, bp and oxygenation, blood, urine, chest X-ray.

[OmartheGoose]

I'm on day 55ish. I don't think my symptoms have been as bad as some of you - I've had very little chest pain for example - but I still have a cough. Thought it might be finally going last week but it seems to be stronger again this week. Also very fatigued and grumpy with the family.

One thing I've noticed twice on my fitbit: my heart rate has gone up to 194 once and 181 another time. This was doing mild exercise. Obviously could be just my fitbit going mad but it's never happened before. Has anyone had anything like this? I have had no heart symptoms at all and am generally reasonably fit.

[myguy]

Dandyish, good to hear that you found a short hospital visit helpful.

It's stories like these that might help persuade my dh that visiting A&E might not be so bad.

After all, it's not like he needs to worry about getting Covid...

[Meercatmama]

Hi Just a quick update day 52 After my active day yesterday I slept for 10 hours. I thought I would wake up feeling bad. Funny but I feel ok chest is generally ok but walking up and downstairs quickly made me breathless but no pains. A little tired an the cough comes and goes mainly if I over exert myself. Will be off to work in 1/2 hour so will let you know how it goes this evening. Thinking of all of you that are still suffering

[Moodgie]

@Meercatmama Great to hear and good luck!

[Tangledyarn]

GP rang me back and I got some steroids for my asthma so hopefully that'll help and I'll then be able to move around a bit more to build up. GP says he is hearing a lot about ongoing shortness of breath, chest pain and lungs feeling restricted so we are definitely not alone!

[KatySun]

Hello, just checking in if that is okay.

I am on day 47 from when the coughing started... I still have chest pain which feels like there is something stuck in the centre of my chest if that makes sense.

I don’t feel like this is post-viral, having read the leaflet helpfully posted on the last thread. More like just the same range of symptoms varying in intensity. Last night the back of my head, just above my neck started aching, which has never happened before.
Good luck with work meercatmama please do update.

I hope everyone who is still suffering gets some relief soon

[Arewehere]

longshot

My underarm pain was my lymph nodes, they say its fighting the viral infection. Mine are less painful now, hopefully they have done their work.

I still feel crap though, but less crap.

[longshot]

@arewehere yes I’ve read that, I’ve also read that all the virus that’s been dealt with gets ‘dumped’ in the lymph nodes in different places, for me this seems my armpits and for DD it seems her tummy so they can be painful after a recent infection. We are both a lot better now so I don’t feel I’m fighting it anymore but feel maybe the residual stuff needs to get out of my body still. The pains are definitely much better but I’ve read that basically drinking water, going to the toilet, sweating and dry body brushing all help it go as does moving around. I’m doing all those things although not really sweating as don’t feel up to cardio yet. Really wishing I had a sauna!

[TheWooisStrong]

Day 55 here.
Mostly better - I have a lingering chesty cough on waking in the morning, but my breathing feels clear. Other symptoms are fatigue, some minor chest/back aches that have improved over the last week, palpitations if I get tired, and acid reflux type symptoms.

[JackJackIncredible]

Just checking in as I approach week 8. I feel much better but still tired :( and I need to build up some strength. Muscles ache, probably from doing very little. Essentially, I feel post viral but I can see improvements despite this and I’m hopeful I’m continuing to recover.

Thinking of everyone, always here for you. xx

[TheWooisStrong]

Oh and glands in my next up and down.

[SimpleKindofLife]

Well A&E didn't go well! The nurse at the door was dismissive of me having Covid and said how could I know if I haven't been swabbed? "And I highly doubt it if you haven't had a fever!"

I said well no I didn't know, but it was a best guess and that the GP agreed and said that I wasn't contagious anymore. She said how did I know I wasn't contagious anymore and I said well, yes I don't know really...but it's been 6 weeks and that I wasn't necessarily worried about the Covid symptoms now, it was more the after effects on my heart and risk of blood clots but she just cut me off to call the Covid Isolation ward and said, "lady here thinks she's got Covid (while glancing at the other nurse), been ill for 2 (?!) weeks and worried about her heart apparently!" And booked me in to go. I was gobsmacked! I said if you don't think I've got it, why are you sending me there but she shrugged her shoulders, I said ok, although I'm worried about catching it if I haven't had it already and she said "well you're not coming in here!" (Main A&E ward.)

I cried at that point. I'm a 39 year old grown woman, ffs... But I'm so scared and exhausted and in pain and I was full of doubt about whether I deserved to be there anyway. So I left. I just couldn't face it. Stupid thing to do, I know.

Telling myself it's not personal, she's probably had a really long shift or a really crap day and is probably scared of catching it herself. I know it's hard for them atm, but I'm really struggling with the emotional side of this as well as the physical, it's hard to be dismissed like that. I'll try again tomorrow when I'm hopefully feeling a bit stronger.