COVID Lungs 8wks plus

[baroqueandblue]

Saw the previous thread is almost full. Hope I've not duplicated a new thread! And I might not be the best person to be custodian of this one, so feel free someone else to start a replacement and I'll get this deleted. Otherwise -

Here we all are, at least 56 days plus 😕

@Crayfishforyou i’m Glad the propranolol is helping.

@Toptottie24 thank you - I am mainly ok now apart from some heart issues and mild fatigue. Just having a bit of a setback today. The up and down ness you describe is what most of us have experienced I think (more down than up though!) It’s so cruel - just as you think you are getting better it floors you again.

Wishing you a symptom-free day soon.

@fedupofbed
I joined as I was wondering if anyone else has had this for as long as me and I can’t believe I’m not alone in this Covid fight.
Honestly it’s a B***d of a virus.
Like I said before my Doctor has been amazing and is supporting me in this battle.
I’ve got 2 more weeks of monitoring breathing by blowing into a tube which measures my breathing levels, so far it’s pretty crap.
Oh well I’ll ride it out, definitely going to be a long and slow progress ☹️

@fedupofbed
I’m wishing you a speedy recovery, sorry to hear you’ve had rough time too x

@Toptottie24, I'm on week 9 and still having breathing problems which affect my mobility. Searing upper back pain, 'raw' windpipe/throat issues and chronic fatigue. My breathing is getting deeper but very, very slowly. I have lost nearly a stone and a half in weight. Chest X-ray and bloods around week 5/6 were clear. My GP won't do tests until 'inflammation has reduced' which could take up to 6 months apparently. Sick notes say 'post Covid or 'pneumonia' but I never had a cough or phlegm! My oxygen levels have been 98% throughout even when barely able to talk earlier on.

It's an absolute mystery as to what is going on.

So today I did something I haven't done in 7 weeks. I mowed the lawn. My back garden is kind of huge and the section I did was about 400sq ft. It was in an absolute state and the back section, an area I cleared by hand a few years ago after the previous owners had ignored it for decades, was full of nettles and dock leaf plants that were a few days off being too tall to mow. The last time I mowed the lawn was the last day that I thought I had recovered from the virus. That night I relapsed big time.

I'm actually afraid to go to sleep because I don't know how I'll be when I wake up. All of my muscles hurt, even in my hands. I'm really hoping it's a result of what was a tough 2 hour job on a body that's spent most of the last 10 weeks in bed. But I am definitely feeling it the worst on the upper right back, which is where I developed the pleurisy pain last time. And that's the side that the mower's throttle is on. So I reckon that's why that part of my chestwall got so inflamed last time. It really, really needed to be done though. So fingerscrossed I'm not paying for it for the next few weeks!!!

@alittleprivacy Really hope you are ok after your exertion yesterday - let us know how you feel today

@Lightsabre
Omg I feel for you, I had the tests as you did it was clear??
When they checked in A&E it was low hence why I needed the oxygen, but after still having breathing problems my doctor has been checking and it’s been 98?
I just need to continue blowing into a peak flow meter and log the result and then email to my doctor and go from there.
Can’t believe it’s been soooo long for you and for me.
I’m also limited to daily things I can do.
It’s frustrating. X

@Lightsabre
I’ve also had chronic fatigue since day one, it got so bad I couldn’t move and my breathing too so that’s when I went to A&E, I’ve never been so scared in my life, my partner had to carry me into A&E! And he wasn’t allowed to be with me and thought was this the last time he will see me.
I’m hoping you start to feel better soon I really do.
X

Morning. Day 68/69 of my symptoms. Still got the burning chest pain triggered by my dancing on Tuesday but my heart rate has come down and I feel generally tired but OK.

Hope everyone has an OK day.

HI all,
Please can anyone help.
I started with a numbness around chin/mouth and lips late last night, started to feel panicky and took me ages to fall asleep-not sure it was a panic attack?
Got up this morning and still feel numbness around mouth and lips, just feeling very scared and wanting it to go. Did anyone have this? Starting to get really worried about it being something related to the brain, hard to tell what’s real and what’s anxiety, was v close to going to hospital but really would prefer not to. Just waiting for it to pass.

Hey @Lightsabre

Said this a few times... but our past symptoms, timings and current wellbeing are identical.

You said Your GP won't do tests until inflammation has reduced. Did your last blood work show signs of inflammation? What tests are you after?

Morning all. Not a great night's sleep and feeling incredibly tired. However, this is the second morning waking up without the intense anxiety/ feeling of doom sensation which is a welcome relief.

@Whatnext2018 I'm sorry you're struggling with those symptoms. I've never had numbness I'm afraid so not much help. If it were me I'd give my GP a call but I know some surgeries aren't as supportive as others.

Thanks @Toptottie24, hope your symptoms eventually lessen too.

@MillStone, my lymphocyte/white blood cell count was good apparently - no sign of infection and I haven't had a temperature luckily since the first couple of days. I'm looking for some sort of throat/bronchial examination and also lung function tests (spirometry etc). Ideally I'd like a CT scan as I've seen posts on here from the Slack group in the US where normal chest X-Rays are not picking up issues with the lungs but a CT scan does. However, I know there is exposure to radiation with a ct scan so I'm going to have to wait to see how things pan out over the next two months. I'm praying for a substantial change. How are you today?

Didn't sleep well last night which is unusual so even groggier than usual today. Going to try to get some stronger ibuprofen gel from the chemist if I can make it out.

@Whatnext2018, quite a lot of people seem to be having neurological symptoms too. Some are using Amytriptiline tablets but you'd need to discuss this with your GP.

@Lightsabre

Hope your morning is okay and good that your last results were okay. My Dr warned against CT scans too. Apparently the die they use can also cause problems.

What are the CT scans showing is wrong with people in the Slack group?

Thanks, same old story here... I feel reasonably good but I’m hardly doing anything and Focusing on rest and relaxation. My fatigue, breathing and heart have improved a lot in the past few day’s because of this but the pain in my chest and back is still awful. I know if I move my SOB and pain will quickly return so I’m hoping there becomes a point when the rest and recuperation becomes permanent.

I started taking omeprazole again yesterday because the reflux was bad. I’ve halved the dose to just 1 x 20mg in the AM, so hoping the side effects I had last time will be less.

@MillStone, very small clots, lung tissue scarring and inflammation apparently- I'm not on the Slack group - it's just what people on these threads have been posting from the Slack group.

@SparklingIsolation, most people on this longer term symptoms thread became ill before lock down so testing wasn't available generally until the end of April when the virus would no longer be active in our bodies. I got tested on Day 28 which was the third day the Govt released tests to key workers. It was negative. However, from the beginning all of the GP's (I've spoken to about 6 now at my surgery), A and E doctor and paramedics who attended to me at one point said it's Covid. None of them could give an explanation of anything else it could be given I was healthy one day and struck down with some of the classic symptoms the next day and have been unwell since.

I may never know for sure which is hugely frustrating.

Hi, I don't even know what day I'm on now. I had the virus approximately 2 months ago I think?
I posted on the original threads and thought I was getting better but here I am!
My symptoms over the past week have been so strange. It can't be anything new as we are shielding and literally don't leave the house and we bleach or quarantine everything that comes in.
I'm so bloody weak its unreal. Whenever I try to do anything, even just the slightest housework or getting dressed, my head starts pounding, my heart rate goes up, I sweat profusely and I feel sick. It only stops when I lie down.
My lungs themselves feel fine but I do still have bad acid reflux which came on with the virus and never left.
I'm going to read the rest of the thread now and see if anyone else is experiencing similar. I just feel so exhausted all the time. Brain fog and wanting to go to sleep.

I took private blood tests. My B12, Iron, Ferritin, Vit D, CRP and cholesterol are all good. My blood pressure is normal as is my heart rate, except when I get this feeling when trying to do anything.

@Lightsabre Going to try to get some stronger ibuprofen gel from the chemist if I can make it out.

What strength gel are you using? I've been using 5% all along but only realised last night that 10% gel exists. Is there anything stronger than that? I'm going to try and get some as taking ibuprofen or aspirin aggravates my GERD.

I had a crap night of sleep. Probably as a mix of stress about how I'd be today and maybe even adrenaline from the shock of physical work. My wellness is mixed this morning. The pain up my sternum has returned and is more of the costochondritis pain than the burning from GERD. There is a dull throb even when I do nothing and I feel it sharply when I put even the tiniest of pressure on my chest, like if I put my hand on the chair as I stand up. My upper back is tight tight and tense with an ache near where the back of each lung is. I'm hoping the latter is more muscular than inflammation. The glands in my throat also feel quite swollen.

The good news is that I have not relapsed to any breathing problems. So the triggered costochondritis hasn't impacted my lungs and the pleurisy hasn't gotten any worse. But I know that I need to rest, rest, rest now and let that new inflammation heal up or it could get worse. Another day of activity like yesterday probably would make it harder to breathe. I was hoping to be able to tackle my front garden today and then tomorrow sort out my back patio which is an unbelievable mess. But my new plan is to rest all day and hopefully have a walk this evening. I might go so far as to stick a lounger in the back garden and head out with a book or podcast to get some more vitamin D! I've taken some ibuprofen, covered myself in deep heat and am going to watch Mrs America with a cup of peppermint tea.

I'm disappointed to feel the sternum inflammation again but overall I think how I am today is actually really positive. Yesterday was really hard going. There is heavy play equipment in the back garden and I had to move that around too. And to have been able to manage all that with a really moderate 'relapse' is a big step up from a few weeks ago when just tidying the kitchen on a good day would ensure another two days of crappy breathing.

Hi all, with you all since the first thread I believe. Hope everyone is ok and has a good day today. I just wanted to share what I hope is good news, I think I might be getting better at last..! It's been 11 weeks. The last 6 days I have had normal temperatures every day and felt hardly any symptoms. A very slight tight chest on one of the days and slight GERD symptoms but easy to cope with. I've also managed slightly longer slow walks this week and not had relapses (yet). Still far from full fitness and not attempted anything that raises my heart rate.BIt's possible it's a false dawn, however I feel different now. Also I took a swab test earlier in the week which was negative, unsurprisingly at day 70+! Just wanted to confirm I wasn't contagious and in case I need to go to the hospital at some point.

I'm day 67, just worked it out by looking through my phone messages.
I'm guessing since my bloods, blood pressure and heart rate are normal that the doctors can't do anything, even though I feel like I'm walking through treacle most of the time.
Does anyone know how long post viral fatigue is supposed to last?

Hello @ofwarren I remember you from the prepping threads.
Sorry to hear you're still feeling effects of covid. I came down with covid (or a similar virus) in mid-March and it was by all accounts 'mild' although with the typical symptoms.
I'm kicking myself as I returned to wfh and being very busy and stressed from when I recovered from the peak of the illness until recently. So I've had about 2 months of doing minimal exercise but lots of stress and dragging myself from task to task.
The fatigue hit me like a tonne of bricks a few days ago, brought on by the start of my period, I think.
I'm now starting to feel marginally better after nearly a week of absolutely minimal physical and mental exertion.
Now I'm worried about what could prompt such a return of the symptoms. The hot flushes/ temperatures and heart beating fast episodes are the worst, along with bone crunching fatigue.
I have come to accept that I can't do what i want to do. Living in a half renovated house that we've been DIYing makes this harder, but. Health first.

@Moominmamma33 whoop I'm so pleased for you! Thank you so much for letting us know. It really is encouraging when people report back with recovery stories.

@ofwarren sorry that you're back again. Your symptoms do seem familiar, as does the pattern of relapses. Hopefully it will be a short one. How long did you feel better for before symptoms returned?

@fedupofbed
I never got back to full health, I was still weak and got tired easily but the chest symptoms themselves went after about 3 weeks except for the acid reflux. It just seems to have ramped up the past week or so. I paid for private bloods to rule out all the usual suspects so on paper I should be feeling fine.
I assumed I would get progressively better but it seems not.

@TiddleTaddleTat your account sounds exactly like what is happening with me. So disheartening as I just assumed I would progressively get better. I thought the up and down of covid had gone!