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)

Morning all.

8.5 weeks in now and I can finally say with reasonable certainty that I am much better. Got my period 2 days ago and - unlike last time- didnt dip horrendously. Symptoms - burning in lungs, sinus pain- are still there but very mildly. Physically I'm much improved- can fine up and around the house all day, can do my share of the housework, cooking etc.

As for exercise, not anywhere near "there". Weekend before I got sick I was on a walking holiday with friends and did a 10 mile and a 6 miler with steep climbs no problem. Now I can do a gentle and a half on the flat before I need to stop. Going to try and build up gently and talk to my gp about a lung xray if I dont see progress over the next month.

I'm sorry to see so many names I recognize on this thread and I hope you too will see more good days than bad soon. Awareness of "long term" COVID survivors is growing through the work of the slack group and others so I hope the medical profession turns its attention this way and find ways to help us.

@andslee how interesting! For background if helpful I am 45 and perimenopausal but not on hrt (yet) so before all this I already had turbulent periods, headaches and hormones. I have found having this virus (not tested) that my whole monthly cycle has shortened and got more intense - on my symptom notes from the night before my last period I put that it felt like my usual pre-period symptoms (headache, hot flushes, hot eyes, elevated hr) had gone completely mad and intensified ten times over, it felt like my body was attacking itself. The rashes and burning skin were bizarre.I went to a&e with it at that point and all the tests were fine. I'm day 65 ish now, I definitely feel that things are settling so hope all that does not come back for the next period starting. Fingers crossed! Take care x

@Porcupineinwaiting that is good to hear! I hope you continue to make progress - thanks for coming back and reporting. I'm half a week behind you and have had 3 really good days apart from a bit of chest pain, SOB and feeling tired.

Today the tinnitus is raging a bit so I fear another 'relapse' but we shall see....

💐 to all of you still fighting this thing!

Linus I have also found that the deep breathing exercises seem to trigger my chest feeling more constricted and sinuses blocked. I will wake up in a panic that I cannot breathe properly, so I have mostly stopped doing them. I wonder if they were designed for other lung problems and don’t really work for what we have (after all, no-one really knows).

Sorry I'm 9 weeks today so half a week ahead... (brain fog!)

@Egghead68 in my case it's post-viral and hayfever, so it probably is for you too. Jackpot! 😕

@Linus1972 Ah so another symptom we all seem to have in common. Reassuring, though it's rubbish we are in this relentless quagmire of post-viral (?) hideousness... Thanks for letting me know xx I was planning cutting back the Ranitidine. Maybe not...xx

@emoojoo I'm 41, and also around 65 days (lost count, but I thought it was more when I intially piped up in this group). My periods have been a lot heavier the last few years I suppose, and funnily enough I often had ever so slight SOB during my time of the month anyway. But like you said, increase of tenfold this time. Yes to burny skin, rashes and stingy eyes, but the groggy throat causing SOB is rubbish! Xx

Yesterday wasn't a 'bad day'. Granted, I had that familiar 'good day' feeling that all the pain and breathing stuff was just dozing beneath the ice, but overall I got through the (deliberately lazy) day fairly cheerily, overall.

And then this morning, after a long sleep, I woke up feeling like I'd been battered again and feeling extremely gloomy, ie. can I go on living like this? Managed some stretches over the side of the bed for a few minutes before staggering to my feet. Made it my mission to get fruit and cereal down me and then run a bath. Have achieved that and now lying down for a bit. Breakfast and bath have given me a lift, and some texts back and forth with friends. But moving in the bath was slow and creaky and I'm totally fed up with the inflammation in my back and ribs. It hit me yesterday: I've broken a few ribs in the past and recovered much more quickly than this! As some of you might remember, I've also fractured my spine and granted that was a long recovery.

But the point of this post is to mention a book I started reading yesterday, 'The Inflamed Mind' about the links between inflammation and depression. Omg... 😲

Yes to burny skin, rashes and stingy eyes

Me too, @AndsLee

I just did a random thing...

I sent an email to the FM, highlighting our plight and including Paul Garner's blog piece...

I pointed out that we are stuck in limbo with the medical services because we contracted the virus at a time when testing wasn't available. To assist us by providing a diagnosis, I suggested those who presented to medical staff prior to lockdown with suspected Covid and are still symptomatic could be offered an antibody test? This way we will be able to access further medical care beyond the diagnosis of "anxiety related". I pointed out there won't be too many of us...

I know the frontline staff need to take priority, but from a health perspective we are still unwell. With a positive antibody test further medical physical investigations are more likely should there be further complications.

I feel a bit daft now...
Och well...it's sent.

I also have unexpected coughing fits still, which leave me breathless and exhausted. I'm so drained by the whole experience.

The one positive thing is that now that I've tested negative to the virus, I no longer need to self-isolate from my DDs, and have been enjoying some sorely missed snuggle times with them.

@AndsLee excellent, well done!

Not daft at all Ands - good idea; in fact I might write my own letter - and complain about the lack of medical attention available (I am in Scotland if you are referring to the FM here). It was five weeks before I was even able to see a doctor at the coronavirus hub. I do not know whether to call 111 this weekend because my chest pain and fatigue have consigned me to the sofa or wait until Tuesday to speak to my GP - I do not have any confidence in anyone actually being able to help.

So yes, I think letter writing is a great idea.

@KatySun Aye xxx

@KatySun NHS24 has suggested I should be seen on 4 different occasions. As you know - Glasgow based. Once I am through to out of hours staff in the Highlands, "you have anxiety". I haven't been seen yet. The staff in Glasgow were appalled when I explained this...

*have suggested. Sorry.

Ok...so I tested negative for the virus on 1 May, so I don't need to self isolate even if I still have symptoms?

Hi all,
I wanted to check if anyone else had the same as me or if I’m going out of my mind and it’s sonethinh worse. It’s happened a couple of times the last week and a half mainly.
As I’m falling to sleep my heart races and I feel almost like I can’t breathe and it wakes me up every time, it won’t let me sleep. My face and head tingle and even my teeth chatter. I have to walk around and centre myself, last time it happened three times as I was drifting off to sleep, it’s v scary. My dp thinks is anxiety and internal tremors. I’m not so sure as I was v relaxed, I’d had my antihistamine some time before, camomile tea and had watched mindless crap on tv. I can feel it starting as I’m just about to fall asleep, it’s horrendous and is making me dread nighttime.
This morning I checked my heart rate and it was 115-120 and I felt shaky. My jaw:teeth area feels funny today. Is it anxiety? I’m starting to worry it’s something serious head related.

The only other thing I can maybe think is I’m prone to low magnesium and take extra, otherwise I get kidney stones. I started taking vitamin D3 a few weeks ago and o read it possibly increases calcium. I’m not sure, just don’t understand why this keeps happening.

Also in Glasgow here! Have any of you had any luck being checked over/getting tests/x-rays/scans etc? My own outraged mother offered to write to the FM on my behalf!

I also have a sharp feeling/blockage in my throat?

Link to continuing thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3918481-COVID-Lungs-8wks-plus

Hi @Whatnext2018 I have many of those symptoms and have done for some time now.

I often have exactly the same feelings dropping off. Like you, it's a feeling like it could be anxiety but there's no reason behind it, just totally random. I always wake up in a bit of a state too - feeling of panic and dread.

Over the last couple of weeks I've started getting more and more similar symptoms in the day. I'm very jittery and my teeth chatter a lot. I also get a funny feeling in my jaw as if my muscles don't work and I frequently have headaches. I don't get tingles (yet!) though.

I've reported all these symptoms to my GP. To be fair, she's pretty thorough (I've had lots of other tests over the last few months) and she's not seemed particularly concerned so I'm trying not to worry about them. Like others have said, I'm wondering if there's a link with the vagus nerve/ our parasympathetic system.

I still sleep really badly but find lying on my tummy listening to a lightweight podcast helps. I also take CBD oil but not sure how much this is helping. I've just started taking a magnesium supplement before bed too but it's early days yet.

GP wants me to take anxiety meds but I'm resisting at the moment. I feel too scared to be sedated as I worry about my heart rate and breathing at night. I'm starting talking therapy on Tuesday but don't have great hopes as I think frankly it will exhaust me.

I'm on day 86, so coming up to 3 months now 🥺.

Hi @Whatnext2018 I have had those symptoms and I also had them in the past. Was told it was “stress” although it was at a very stress free nice time in my life. Was told I had “stress I didn’t know about” so...yeah. May as well just diagnose me with hysteria.

Thank you for getting back to me about metallic taste I haven’t been paying attention to how much water I have been drinking lately so it could be that.