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 😕

I thought I had symptoms many times, but actually I realised its since I had to move to working in son's bedroom.as he is staying with his dad now to help him. I've had ongoing cough, irritation that won't go. I even had fever, aches, but tested negative. I'm taking vitamins, eating healthily, etc.

@Crayfishforyou I think antidepressants can help around a half to two-thirds of depressed people to some extent. For mixed anxiety and depression they like to prescribe sertraline. It usually takes around a month to start working.

I hope everyone has a better day tomorrow.

Well after managing to nod off around midnight, I woke up at half 3 feeling very very shaky and very very sick.
The fun never stops!
At least I’m not freaking out and my chest pain seems to have deflated somewhat. I suppose that’s an improvement

Morning
CT scan came back clear, no infection or blood clot, it’s just the lingering Covid and doctor said no idea how long it will take to get better.
But...
The CT scan picked up that I have a lump in my breast!!
So I’m being referred to the cancer unit, hopefully next week.
Definitely wasn’t expecting that!!!!
Hope everyone is feeling better today.

Monty6 I am just catching up on the thread properly and I noticed you said your son was struggling with a sore tummy. My son has the same issue. He had a fever and diarrhoea about a week or so after my symptoms started and had a fairly constant sore tummy which then wore off and now seems worse in the evenings. He does not have any other symptoms, though. I tried cutting out wheat/gluten to reduce bloating which did seem to help a bit but not resolve the problem. The doctor did not seem hugely concerned when I asked her about it, as there were no other symptoms but if it continues, I will ask her again.

Regarding anxiety, I have been thinking about the posts on this. I suffered anxiety and panic attacks during a very stressful period a few years back. I also had some strange skin reactions as a result, which cleared up when the stress did. Neurologically, dizziness and headaches, yes and also some very strange deja vu but in and out of a dream like state which also triggered nausea. This last was the most disturbing.

So I can believe that anxiety can be the cause of a range of symptoms but I would not be convinced that neurological symptoms following covid 19 are only and solely caused by anxiety. I think it is good that your GP is doing additional tests, whatsnext

I hope you managed to get some rest crayfish

I still have some chest pain - my doctor is going to check in with me next week so hopefully I can get an x-Ray if it is still there. I am finding the exhaustion the hardest to cope with at the moment, and I seem to have fairly frequent headaches.

toptottie I cross posted with you, but that is a shocker. So good that it was picked up though and I hope you get a quick referral and the medical help you need

Morning. Day 70/71 for me.

The Guardian reports that the SAGE minutes include “The realisation that longer-term health problems are emerging, including “extreme tiredness and shortness of breath for months”.

Wishing everyone a better day.

I haven’t seen some of the longtimers on here for a while which may be a good sign!

@Toptottie24 oh goodness, how worrying for you. I’m so glad they spotted this early. I hope it doesn’t turn out to be sinister and that you get further help quickly.

Hi all. V sorry to all the posters experiencing awful and longstanding symptoms.

There is an article in the Times today about people’s experiences, evidence of organ effects even with “mild” cases, and potential long term health issues. Interview from a doctor in London who treated the PM. Mentions a study into long term effects being led by Prof James Chalmers at University of Dundee.

@Toptottie24 I’m so sorry that must be so stressful for you. I hope anything sinister is ruled out quickly and it’s just a cyst or something

@ Lightsabre Thanks for thinking of me Week 13 here..I'm doing ok! Still very much feel like I'm in recovery and am having to take things v slowly as still breathless and my left lung feels weird and stiff still and am very fatigued but am walking around the block everyday and pottering in the garden. I've got asthma which got quite bad but had a course of steroids a couple of weeks ago which really helped things, just trying to keep moving now as I was really unfit before all of this (pre existing cfs and other conditions) but after so long basically being in bed my legs hurt just walking round the block but am trying my best to build things up again. Hope everyone else is moving in the right direction..albeit slowly!

@ofwarren
The supplements are vit d and c capsules plus lots of water and healthy eating so lots of salad and fish, shellfish fruit , yoghurt and veg. I find bread and pastry set off the gerd symptoms and then the shortness of breath. So last night I had vegetable stir fry with noodles and prawns. This works for me It may not for you. I avoid spicy sauces. Breakfast is fresh fruit , yoghurt and muesli and a cup of tea. Lunch for example smoked maceral and salad. I find rice better than potatoes and I can eat veg ok. As soon as I introduce bread bang back comes the gerd, tightness and breathlessness.
However can not get rid of the aches under my shoulder blades.

Hi all, @Egghead68 I was just checking in and saw your post and thought I would update.

Day 81 here I think. Lost track a bit! I am ok. I had a relapse about 10 days ago which lasted 5 days, fever, exhaustion, general feeling crap but never as bad as in the early weeks. I think I had overdone it. Not so much physically but was doing more laptop time (work), more reading, more childcare, more house stuff and trying to increase my steps each day. My body said it didn’t like that I guess.

Anyway I’ve rested A LOT and I feel better for it. I’m not recovered but my symptoms are minimal really now. I am so very fatigued (min symptom) but with regular rest it is manageable. The only other thing I still have regularly now is achey back and ribs on and off, more so if I do stuff like walk.

I’ve cut all activity to a minimum for now and it seems to help. I still do about 4-5000 steps a day (big house and garden and 2 kids) and that usually includes a short ish stroll. That’s all I do and some yoga. If I do this at the moment I feel quite normal but I know if I try to work or do more so I’m not for now I’m just taking my time.

I’m also doing low carb and low sugar diet to reduce inflammation. I try for low stress to but this has been hard as my DD has been unwell like me and I have struggled to not worry about that.

Anxiety comments are interesting. I don’t really feel very anxious now, I do when I think of my DD and I can sort of see it could spiral. I’ve had anxiety before but personally for me this has not been anxiety but I think in these late stages it may play a part. For example my husband suggests a walk and I worry I may relapse. The mental side of this is hard. Give yourselves a break though, we’ve been very unwell for weeks on end and possibly nearly died. We are allowed to be anxious.

One thing I would advise everyone here is to meditate or find something similar that rests the brain and body. Put away the phone / screen and stay present in your body. I’m doing a lot of that. I’ve cut my screen time to about 1-1.5hour a day and I only watch one programme in the evening. This above everything has helped!

Hi @longshot! Thank you so much for updating! So pleased you are doing OK. Hope the fatigue continues to improve.

I seem to be able to tolerate around 3K steps and gentle yoga without relapsing too (day 70-71).

I wish I could tolerate Mindfulness etc. I think yoga gives me some of the benefits though. Lots of people like the Headspace app.

We will get there.

@Whatnext2018 I'm going to push for tests on thyroid and adrenal glands just to make sure. I'm not dismissing anxiety as it's very powerful but want to rule out physiological

Oh my word @Toptottie24 I'm so glad you went for that MRI! Hopefully that means whatever it is is totally treatable because it's early on.
So good to hear from @longshot and @Tangledyarn too. I'm glad both of you are seeing some improvements in between your symptoms. You were both lifesavers for me when I was at my worst.

elemental.medium.com/coronavirus-may-be-a-blood-vessel-disease-which-explains-everything-2c4032481ab2

@toptottie24 oh my !! glad everything is ok otherwise and the lump is being checked out. Fingers crossed it's nothing serious.

I almost feel like going for a CT scan now to find out if something else is going on that explains this fatigue, lack of appetite and brain fog !!

Thanks for the link @godhelpusall and the heads up about the Times article @Dozer.

Thanks for updating @Tangledyarn. I am glad you are doing OK.

@Whatnext2018 I know exactly what you mean about not even consciously feeling anxious when the scariest symptoms hit. The brain 'flips' and feeling like an old TV going in and out of a channel really scared me. As is the continuing brain fog (I'm scared I've got early onset dementia - I'm not even 40!). My GP explained the numbness was not lack of oxygen but lack of Co2. There's a really fine balance needed. I don't feel like I'm over-breathing either but when you read into it, it can be breathing more deeply than normal (subconsciously) which I guess many of us with this breathing/lung issue have been doing.

@Tangledyarn, good to hear from you and hopefully you continue to recover back to base level.

@Toptottie24, that must have been a shock. Hopefully you'll get seen quickly and I hope it's something benign.

Although it's not a thing to be undertaken lightly, a CT scan seems to be the only way they can have a good look at what is going on.

I think the Times article will be behind a paywall - can anyone who has access paraphrase it please?

@Meercatmama
I'm the same with the heavy carbs. GERD seems to be a really common symptom. I read somewhere yesterday that it can be triggered by a virus. I had no idea that it could.
I have it on and off anyway but a dose of PPIs usually sorts it. This is another level though and nothing is touching it.

@godhelpusall Yes I’m having those on Thursday, my doctor was surprised the other doctor had tested for so many other things but not this.