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.

Hi worried dad,

Still here!

This is not as severe as the fatigue that came with the virus I caught 6 years ago, then I couldn’t get out of bed for 8 months. This is much less. The headache and lungs issues are new. Before I caught Covid, I was functioning at 90 percent of my old life as long as I was careful, this has knocked me down to about 40.

In some ways I’m lucky, this isn’t new for me, it’s another set back, and I have coping strategies and an already sympathetic employer. My advice would be don’t do nothing, but don’t do too much, google “spoons theory” for how to manage your energy without pushing too far. In the early days I pushed too hard and the set backs lasted months, not days. You have to learn to not look ahead, don’t count how many days sick, just do what you can today and worry about tomorrow tomorrow. Save some of your energy for your mind, otherwise the depression can be crippling, the more tired I am the less control I have over my emotions.

Thanks for the responses people with dizziness. Yes I do feel like I have blocked ears and sinuses.

Hi all, sorry so many of you are having another crappy day. Day 75 here. I've not posted much over the last couple of days as like many others I've really struggled physically and mentally.

I'm posting today though to report on my cardiologist appointment this morning. I had a private referral as I was really worried about my very fluctuating heart rate, palpitations, sore chest, breathlessness, etc which I know lots of you are going through. The ECT and echo were all fine, no damage at all. The test that recorded over a week (can't remember the name) showed lots of what the cardiologist called 'flutters', ie arrhythmia. He was very matter of fact about this, said I wasn't to worry and could be expected when recovering from a virus.

He's an extremely experienced cardiologist based in a city hospital (though not a teaching or research hospital and one which hasn't had a huge amount of Covid cases). His take was that I'm recovering from a very nasty virus. Although I'm really ill, all tests have been fine and I WILL recover. It will just take time. He also said that every year in his private practice they get a few cases like mine, but at the moment he is seeing many more, all presenting with my symptoms.

I had an antibody test which I'm slightly regretting not waiting till the Roche ones are rolled out. Cardiologist said that of all the people he'd seen like me, roughly 75% showed positive and 25% negative with this test.

Vitamin D - all the science points to this having a significant effect on covid recovery. We should all make sure we're having vit D3 at optimal levels but this is tricky as we can't know for sure exactly how much we need without having a blood test first. He's testing me for this too. For all those having bloods taken at their surgeries please do ask for vit D levels to be checked.

As my heart looks fine, he's given me the go ahead to start amitriptyline, for my anxiety but more importantly so that I can try and get a bit more sleep. I'm starting tonight- hope it works!

Finally, because I'm now so sedentary and my body weak, this isn't helping my heart rate either. So the more I can gradually get out of bed and move around (without overdoing it) the better.

Whilst I've come from this appointment with no real answers (because there aren't any!) and I'm still scared because I still feel really ill, it is a big relief to know that there's no lasting damage either, and my body is stronger than I think it is.

Sorry this is a bit long - didn't want to miss anything out which might be useful.

I think it would help to know it's post viral - rather than fretting about the never ending virus. How can we find out?

Hey @AltogetherAndrews thanks so much for the advice, it really is much appreciated. I’m beginning to get the impression this may be a very long recovery.

@fedupofbed thanks for the update. The Unknown’s are so scary but at least all the knowns are positive.

That is absolutely great news @fedofupbed! You must be so relieved!

@Linus1972 I took it for a week, then stopped on Saturday to see how it goes. Chest pain still there very vaguely but sob seems better. We will see if this carries on 🤞. I am week 9 so any old hand at these temporary reprieves 🤣.

@godhelpusall A&E said mine was postviral on the basis of my white blood cell counts.

@Egghead68 yes I had bloods done weeks ago that had normal wbc so no virus indicated. My stomach is swollen and nauseous- is that post viral? I'm so confused 🤷‍♀️
Good news about the heart @fedupofbed .
I've spent a short time in the garden this afternoon which has made me feel better in myself although still feel sick etc.

So annoyed, just need to vent
For over 3 weeks I have tried to book this blood test with my GP. It’s not even going to tell us anything much, it’s just going to check the standard stuff and vitamins.
Three weeks of back and forth for them to tell me I can only come in for a blood test before 12. For 3 weeks I’ve been asking for an afternoon appointment, repeatedly cancelling morning appointments, even having to have a phone triage with the GP (who then told me not to whisper as it will make my throat worse) I’m just so annoyed.
It’s actually easier for me to get to the main hospital than to the GP, I don’t know if their blood clinic is open.

@fedupofbed thanks for posting this - I hope the new drug helps with sleep. It's great to know there isn't lasting damage. I'm going to take a Vit D tablet now (I have them but keep forgetting). Can you let us know about the antibody test (I've been considering getting the Roche one when/if it's available).

@Kitcat122 thanks - I hope the chest pain stays manageable. I've been taking ibuprofen for 8 days now and I think it has made a difference to my pain (combined with cutting out most activity - the last 48 hours have been the most pain-free in those areas I've felt for weeks and the last 2 days feel like they've passed by much quicker). @alittleprivacy - with that said I've also had vocal cord dysfunction and a sore throat, and it occasionally feels like a lump there too, although I hadn't attributed it to the ibuprofen as those things have been coming and going for weeks (definitely have them at the moment). My throat feels so messed up due to the coughing and acid reflux I've had. The back of it is a horrible red colour. I started cough medicine yesterday and the coughing hasn't been as bad so far (I think the coughing has not helped either my throat or chest). Sometimes when I cough I produce white/clear spit. Not sure where it's coming from but it could be my sinuses. I suffer a lot from sinus issues anyway and regularly use a sinus wash. Lately when I've done the wash and tried to blow my nose afterwards I've had horrible sounds in my ears, the sound you get when you're really clogged up. It's hayfever season so could just be that, but even so, it's worse than usual. Have never had so many things wrong with me all at once!

@Coleoptera we are at the sahh NI e stage. I was recovered until a few days ago and I'm now in the pits of nausea dizziness and general yuk feeling. I've also got a random pain behind my ear, in my stomach centre and right, and a pain in my left thigh that I'm hoping isn't a dvt.

@fedupofbed Great, reassuring news, thank you for sharing.

@LetsBeSensible I think the morning appointments may be justified in that the samples have to be taken to the lab on the day and they do that pretty early on the day.

Gosh it’s horrible to hear how many people are struggling with this for so long

I hope it’s ok to post my ds’s (10 years old) result here just in case it’s useful for anyone? It’s not a test result but something useful from the gp.

I’ve posted ds’s symptoms before so I’ll try to keep it brief:

Starting nearly 8 weeks ago, fever over 39 degrees, painful chest and cough for 3 weeks, chicken pox type rash, cold sores, fatigue, and (currently) sore throat and raised lymph gland. 54 days in, he’s still tired and having symptoms of his immune system being low.

I talked to the gp today, and they think Kawasaki type illness following possible covid19.

I’m assuming a mild Kawasaki type illness as we haven’t needed to go to hospital at any point and he’s now much better in himself, but we need to keep an eye out for any other weird symptoms. Hopefully though he’ll carry on improving, although it may take some time.

I’m just thanking our luck that it was a mild case as hearing that other children were ending up in hospital was pretty scary. I think the parents of those poor kids must be ready to smack anyone who blithely says “oh it doesn’t affect kids!” as I certainly am!

@Coleoptera, I am week 9 and still (albeit mild) strange pain in chest and back and still have sob. Spoke to a doctor about week 4. Haven't rang back as I am improving but very very slowly. Thinking to speak to doc again in a few weeks if not marked improvement.

@UtterlyPerfectCartoonGiraffe thank you for sharing. I think it's even more worrying when it's your child who's affected. Sorry he's been so ill, but a relief that he didn't have to be admitted, and hopefully he will continue to recover.

My current thinking (though it changes a lot!) is that we are post viral and this strange new virus has set off a strange new immune response/disorder. Hopefully it will fade with rest and time.

@Moodgie and @Crayfishforyou I hope you're both okay today.

Hi all, I went to A&E yesterday after suffering another dip and pains in my calf and wanted to update you all. I'll be week 7 (or possibly 8) on Sat.

Much better experience than last time, they were really kind to me. Said they'd seen a few of us now.

My dips consist of chest pain, which is mainly around my heart area, burning upper back pain, shaky/juddering chest (which then makes me feel sick, it's my worst symptom now), racing heart rate and mild SOB. My breathlessness had gone until recently but back again this week. I'm exhausted as well, but think that's mostly due to lack of sleep.

They did all the usual checks (BP, SATS, bloods) and also a CT scan to check my heart and lungs for damage/blood clots - all clear, which is a massive relief.

I told her I feel like I'm actually dying on some days but the doctor said that's understandable after such a bad virus. She said the tissue, muscles and cartilage around my chest and back are very inflamed as is the tissue around my heart but not the actual heart itself. The inflammation can cause the heart to race and a racing heart can exacerbate the inflammation!

The doctor said to keep moving around (gently, no exercise - as if!) to avoid blood clots and loosen up the joints.

So, nothing ‘serious’! (Apart from some severe residual inflammation from a killer virus in a pandemic!)

I'm relieved but I've cried again today after another chest juddering and heart rate episode. I'm so fucking done with this now. But I'm going to write off May now and hope for better days in June. Sorry to hear lots of you are still suffering too

@fedupofbed OKish barcthe clockwork nausea / runny tummy in the morning plus tight chest (it doesn’t feel tight as such but it feels like I am not taking a proper deep breath). I went for a walk and activity doesn’t seem to affect this.

@SimpleKindofLife I'm completely with you. There's the relief of knowing that all the tests are fine, and also at long last our symptoms are being recognised as more than anxiety. But yes I'm still so frightened by the funny turns, palpitations and shortness of breath.

@Moodgie glad you made it out for a walk, good for the soul.

@SimpleKindofLife thanks for the update - so glad for you that you were treated well and got some answers and 'reassurance'. I wonder if that's what lots of us are also experiencing. Is gentle walking okay, as long as not strenuous, do you think? Was there any guidance about this?

@hollieberrie Thank you, that was kind. My DDs are adopted and both of them have attachment issues. DD2 (8) in particular has been anxious about me; I reassure her that I'm going to be okay, but she knows that people do die of COVID-19. She's also really missing her friends now, and I find it difficult that I can't tell her how long it will be until she can play with them again. She plays with them on roblox but it isn't the same.

DD1 (11) has SEN and struggles with friendships anyway so I'm her case it's about not being able to see her grandmas, as well as the lack of routine, and the absence of out of school activities.

It's just so hard, as a mum, not being able to change any of this for them. And of course, still being so unwell, I feel so helpless anyway, and guilty too, but want to appear positive in front of them.

We have a holiday booked in August and DD2 in particular is counting the sleeps. I just hope we don't have to cancel it.

@fedupofbed yes, the symptoms make me anxious, not the other way round. But nobody at A&E even mentioned it. My GP was keen on pushing the anxiety route and I must say I'm tempted to agree, just to try some medication and see if it helps?! These funny turns are just destroying me.

@Moominmamma33 I guess just listen to your body. If you're comfortable doing a gentle walk, I'm sure it's totally fine. The doctor said it's important to stay active as much as you feel comfortable with.

I'm not comfortable slowly walking up the stairs at the moment without my heart rate shooting up and getting shaky. So I'm resting as much as I can.