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)

@Needsomegoodnews I think @starlilly88 had a positive antibody test as well? Is that right @starlilly88?

Yes, mine was positive the other day

@ernieshere did you have a positive test? Wonder if the gp would test me for cv...

@longshot how many days / weeks are you now? Interesting about the endo, I have adenomyosis and wasn’t wondering if there’s a link. Both my big relapses have been around PMT/period time.

I'm 9.5weeks, now. I'm just past my last period though. I expected a big relapse for it but I started taking evening primrose oil a couple of days before it started as my breastpain was off the charts. The breastpain faded away after a day and a half and my period was pretty tame and didn't set me back. Though maybe stopping taking the evening primrose oil is making me a bit low now. It's just that with my mouth/throat getting so sore I wanted to stop taking everything that could be causing it.

Happy birthday!! @Linus1972

Hello everyone at the end of my week 8/10
I am still so much better than I was two weeks ago. But I'm still not well well.
I can do 1000 steps a day on average now. I did buy some wireless bras from M&S but the band is still too tight and gives me palpitations. I swear a proper fitting band sends my BPM up by 10.
Back to the horrid and pointless ballet bra I go.
Lifting my arms above my head sends me up to well over 100. And I still can't shower.
The lightheadedness and the palpitations are just horrendous.
Dsis was told by her GP a lot of people fail to understand how long it takes for some people to overcome post viral stuff, and to not overdo it. If you try exercise or extra stuff, give it up to three days afterwards to see if you crash. Try to keep BPM below 110 and fluids, fluids, fluids.

But I have news. DH has a friend who is a consultant. He has told DH health staff are now getting antibody tests on the NHS, they are using the Abbott tests. You can buy them but they aren't as reliable as the blood should really be taken from a vein. So if you buy one, click the clicker over a vein, and be aware it still may not be accurate.

@godhelpusall and @KatySun. Sorry you are having lousy days. This illness really sucks.

@Crayfishforyou really good advice about fluids,

Thank you so much everyone for your congratulations on my test result. Really touched. No one in my real life understands how much it means and how awful this whole thing has been. This thread and you lovely people have really got me through the whole thing! I've never been on a long running MN thread before. It's so good to have the support and encouragement here.

Good luck everyone with test results if you're waiting. I'm pleased I got it done in a clinic but it was £££ which wasnt ideal and if I wasn't so squeamish I def would have tried to do it at home.

Re: auto immune issues. I don't have any but I've always been a bit "sickly"! Catching everything going, taking ages to heal etc.

@Crayfishforyou That's really helpful advice from your sisters GP, thanks for sharing

Very comforting to hear from all of you. My legs and body is aching terribly today and I have been completely inactive as a result. It is so tiring feeling I need to justify my need to rest to everyone around me who still doesn't seem to get that I am not well. It's hard when you are already experiencing overwhelming fatigue. I wonder if my auto immune conditions (coeliac and psoriasis ) are part of it for me, or if this is standard for CV.
@hollieberrie sorry if you already said, but how did you get hold of an antibody test? I'd love to access one

I just suddenly get really weak arms like my muscles are drained. Anyone else?

@TiddleTaddleTat I found a private GP who is doing them in clinic but you can buy online from Superdrug and Blue horizon I think.

@godhelpusall yes I get this in arms and legs, I call it going to jelly. I explain it to others by saying the battery in my legs just ran out. FYI I’ve always had a bit of it through CFS so it doesn't bother me (it is odd though).
@Crayfishforyou that is interesting info. I upped my steps a little today so will see how that goes. Also am wearing a real bra for the first time in ages.
We are about to fill up the thread, is it too soon to start a new one? I think we should add the link to c19recovery awareness in the first post for any newbies

Thanks @hollieberrie I will look into that, or maybe sit on my hands until it's cheaper...

I'm always unclipping my bra too!

Thank you Egghead
I have got really low with it all now. I know others on this thread have been there too.

@TiddleTaddleTat Hopefully the Roche ones will be available soon and may be cheaper. They are also supposed to have slightly higher detection levels if you had it more than 40 days ago

Virtual hand hold @KatySun Sorry you're hvaing a bad day. I hate this virus so much. What day are you on?

I have a racing heart today which i havent had for weeks. Had forgotten how unnerving it is.

Hi Ladies day gosh knows what! I continue to slowly improve. Energy levels good, although I seem to need alot more sleep than I used to. Chest pains only slightly there if I over do it. Sob definitely improving. Still cannot do any cardio but can walk at a good pace every morning now. Its slow progress but now I've come to terms with that I'm OK to wait it out. No autoimmune issues here x

Thank you hollie - day 64. Nine weeks yesterday since I got a cough although I was feeling ill a couple of days before that.

I thought I was improving around day 50 but it seems to have gone backwards again these last few days and I feel as bad as I did in week five which was my first relapse. Anyway, tomorrow is another day...

Good that you got a positive antibody test, though! I hope the racing heart settles.

Katy- the relapses are so tough. Hang in there. I'm.hoping they get slightly shorter and easier each time? This is the first one I've hard for a couple of weeks.

@KatySun I'm also struggling with a relapse. It's so hard isn't it? I can't feel optimistic anymore. It's really affecting my mental health.

I guess I'm having a relapse too. It's helpful to think of it that way rather than as though I'm still not getting any better. This is a relapse. What causes them, do you think?
I'm under a huge amount of stress. No doubt this has affected my recovery. There's only so much I can do about the stress but getting signed off is a first step.
It's the anxiety and covid interaction that gets me. The racing heart and hot flushes I get when standing up too long, or feeling dizzy if I move about too much.
It can get confusing what's anxiety and what's covid.
I'm still trying to convince people I had covid, but what's the point. If they think it's psychosomatic, so be it. I've always been known as a hypochondriac in my family (unfairly, I think!) and a family member with CFS is written off as a whinger.... you know these type of people. Stiff upper lip rubbish, really doesn't help when you are recovering, does it? So dismissive.

Hi @katysun, been there too, we are all with you in this. Same for anyone else reading who's having a hard day. Try to be kind to yourself, take it a day at a time.

@KatySun @TiddleTaddleTat @godhelpusall I'm struggling today too. Here's to a better day tomorrow.

@Kitcat122 glad to hear you're slowly getting there.

arstechnica.com/science/2020/05/a-look-at-what-covid-patients-are-telling-us-about-the-virus-and-risks/?amp=1 Just saw this on the Slack group. Interesting, the parts about inflammation especially seems to pertain to what's happening with us. There's not much explanation about it though. Also notable as it seems to rule out the theory of different strains.

crookedtimber.org/2020/05/18/indefinitely-ill-post-covid-fatigue/