COVID lungs 7 weeks plus/ 49 days plus plus

[pinkoneblueone]

New thread,

I won't be a very good host as I tend to dip in and out of these things but have filled up the last thread. (Sorry)

Day 63/64. Feeling OK so far. Heart rate/SATS 79/98 resting and 101/96 walking which is an improvement.

Hope everyone has a reasonable weekend.

@Valsemove @hollieberrie my fear is that I still have the virus and the inflammation is my body's attempts to fight it. I'm taking omeprazole which has worked but is it undermining my immune response?
I have terrible health anxiety by the way @pinkoneblueone

@Valsemove

Interesting indeed. I've had gastric issues on and off all my life, but what I have been experiencing in the past few weeks is different. Ties into the news article I posted yesterday about a lower level of T cells found in severe cases of Covid. I'm more and more convinced that the reason we're not improving quickly, and indeed why some of the antibody tests are negative, is to do with this... Does anyone know if T cell levels are included as part of a standard blood test? Are the different white blood cells analysed individually?

Re. GERD/reflux/heartburn:

"In our opinion, the observed HRV spectra changes in both groups of patients support the hypothesis that not only is the parasympathetic activity impairment associated with the pathogenesis of GERD but it is also the primary factor contributing to the pathophysiological mechanism of reflux."

Ties in with what others have said previously about potential vagus nerve involvement in some or many of our symptoms.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15608363/

@AndsLee

A couple of years ago, I was found to have neutropenia (low count of neutrophils i.e. a type of white blood cell) but since then have seemed otherwise healthy.

Low level of neutrophils was the only thing flagged on my blood test results as being a possible COVID-19 marker when I went to A&E in March after breathing difficulties. As it can indicate a viral infection.

I've previously read that neutropenia can be 'normal' in younger women of European origin. (I am white and was 34 when neutropenia was flagged a couple of years ago, and had no known medical problems, so wasn't overly concerned and neither was my GP).

@Valsemove

Yip...

There's a connection to types of protein too. I am sure of it. I'm no scientist, but I wonder if the virus has caused an intolerance to certain types of protein, or can anchor more readily onto these proteins and thus the body's response is intolerence. Interestingly...following this idea...I have become intolerant of eggs. My staple when unwell.

@AndsLee

I am a strict vegan and have been since October, so can personally vouch for animal-origin proteins probably not being "the" problem. (Although I'm sure we all react to individual foods a bit differently, so not trying to suggest that you're not right about your body's response to egg.) Nor, as I can see, is being vegan. I don't drink alcohol either and haven't done for about 18 months due to pregnancy and breastfeeding. So it can't be alcohol or wine either, at least not for me.

@Valsemove

Hmmm... actually. I do remember a night of experiencing odd heartburn before Christmas...red wine induced. Pre Coronavirus. However, on the back of the other symptoms I'd say I've had it. Perhaps the virus anchors at the weaker spot, in my case the gastric system?

Article from yesterday. It's from the BBC, but if you google "T cells Coronavirus" some mord in depth stuff is starting to emerge...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52754280

Part of me is leaning towards giving in and taking omeprazole at least for a few weeks, as my body will hopefully return to normal a bit more during that time and the underlying cause of the reflux might recede.

I didn't get much sleep last night due to the pain, despite taking Gaviscon. And I'm sure my body needs sleep to repair.

On the other hand, my other symptoms seem to have eventually abated. So I feel maybe I should sit tight and see if the heartburn improves by itself. I was lucky not to have it in pregnancy, and I feel if lots of pregnant put up with it with Gaviscon and dietary changes offering only partial respite, then maybe I should too.

I'm reluctant to take medication mainly because I'm breastfeeding and I've already taken antibiotics, paracetamol and amitryptilene over the past month or so, though each was only for a few days. I'm fortunate enough to have never needed regular medication and it seems really unfair that the year I'm popping all these pills is when I'm breastfeeding

@Valsemove

You're a genius... this is brilliant. I've been banging on to my GP that this experience with GERD is different to usual! He's not back in until Tuesday, so next move is to ask if the bloods taken recently included analysis for lymphocytes. I presume if anything had been amiss I would have known, but I am going to specifically ask the question.

In the meantime I'm gonna cut down on the ranitidine, and maybe just take gaviscon if it's needed. Cracking on with the probiotics though, I do feel they make a difference.

Is anyone here familiar with the work of the psychologist Elaine Aron, regarding individuals with high measures of sensory processing sensitivity? This is often physiological as much as neurobiological or psychological. Apparently 20% of virtually any species can be considered highly sensitive. There's a lot of science behind it, even if the concept might attract many fans of 'woo'.

I can certainly identify with many of the traits of high sensitivity, especially reactions to food, medicines and to stimuli such as noise, though I am not a highly allergic person. My husband is always struck by how sensitive I am to stuff and he isn't the first.

I wonder if others here can identify with this and whether this ties in with the 'sensitivity to proteins' hypothesis that somebody here said a doctor at the hospital mentioned recently.

@Valsemove That’s interesting about the sensitivity part, I consider myself to have aspects of that too. Can you elaborate more on the proteins part please? I don’t quite get it, most likely my fuzzy head!

@AndsLee

I'm really glad to hear that your finding probiotics helpful. I have a pack of probiotic non-refrigerated capsules but have read that probiotic foods and drinks can be gentler and work better for some, so I think I will try those first. I felt really odd and quite unwell when I took a probiotic capsule about a month ago, though it was probably just the virus then. Still, I'm a bit scared to try again. Gaviscon is already upsetting my tummy.

*you're

@Whatnext2018

Not sure that the proteins theory was elaborated on much here, or even by the doctor who the poster saw. From my very limited understanding, the proteins concerned were viral proteins, but perhaps the immune system ends up reacting to other proteins too? I'm a total layperson so I have no idea what could possibly happen.--

Re. sensitivity - Wondering if we might end up seeing a theme emerging here! Though apparently it's 5% of people who contract COVID-19 who have the long tail version, not 20% as in the proportion of Highly Sensitive People across worldwide populations. But who knows? I've wondered for a while if there's a trait that ties all of us here together somehow, beyond being MNetters of course

@Valsemove I started with the Yakult brand... I did feel it soothing, and ended up taking two a day!

Got some Actimel now, and taking a pill each day too. Maybe a bit overload...

Omeprazole didn't suit me at all, hence the Ranitidine. Also, Ranitidine is an H2 antagonist, and there was a tenuous link a few weeks back when a New York doctor noticed that patients in China taking H2 antagonists rather than Omeprazole seemed to heal quicker. Like I said, tenuous, but every little helps, right?

@Valsemove @Whatnext2018

Sorry...my bad...
I was talking about the connection between my own irritated stomach and protein, and how I've become intolerant of eggs. More a speculation really! Sorry!

@Valsemove
Link about New York trails, just for interest. But the H2 Antagonists (Cimetidine, Ranitidine) seem to be less harsh on the side effects than omeprazole.
www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/new-york-clinical-trial-quietly-tests-heartburn-remedy-against-coronavirus

@Whatnext2018 just a quick thought on antihistamines. For years I took cetirizine (generic) and it did the trick. Could never take loratadine coz it gave me awful migraines. But cetirizine lost its effectiveness for me over time and my GP prescribed me one called Phenergan (promethazine hydrochloride) and it makes a huge difference. I take half a tablet mid evening and it helps me sleep nice and long after a couple of hours, and then the effect on my allergy symptoms the next day is pretty good.

Worth a try if you haven't

So far I'm having a better day. Very little pain, good long sleep, breathing fine. Can feel my ribs getting a bit achey now I've been up a few hours and have only gently pottered around - well, ok, earlier I did get a bit carried away dancing in my seat to a track from the new Moby album - but such a contrast with yesterday morning.

Happy Birthday to Me (today). I am opening one card every hour or so, to make the experience last as long as possible. Since I stopped the esomeprazol 5 days ago I haven't experienced gas/bloating but last night and this morning after eating my throat felt tight and breathing felt a bit difficult for about 10 minutes. Have taken and come off ant-acid medication twice before but never had trouble with them. I'm not sure if it's due to taking ibuprofen after eating. Or it could be hayfever. Or it could just be the virus. @Valsemove Interesting about inflammation perhaps causing the GERD issues, that would make sense considering that like you my other main issue is chest wall inflammation.

Happy Birthday @Linus1972! Hope you have a lovely day. Belated thanks for your post to me yesterday.

Happy birthday @Linus1972

Just rushed over to share this bbc story on how thee is such a high level of False Negatives on the antibody tests....

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52762939

So it’s near 100% accurate for giving a positive where there should be one, but not very reliable if it gives you a negative....as usual many in this covivor/pioneer gang are ahead of the curve. We knew something was up with those tests!!!!!

@Linus1972, Happy Birthday!

Day 54, feeling a bit weak and shaky today. Underarm aches have been bad the last couple of days as has my upper back. Trying to rest as much as I can so I can cut down on the pain killers.

Happy Birthday @Linus1972!

@Linus1972

Happy Birthday!