Anyone had Covid twice. My symptoms seem to have come back

[Thatsnotsnowy]

Hi there, I tested positive for covid 19 at the beginning of May. Had it mildly but was in bed for a week, felt like flu.

It’s taken me a few weeks to get back to full strength but this morning I’ve woken up with a sore throat and that familiar tired feeling and feel sniffly.

What should I do? Could I have caught it again?
I’m working from home and have only been out for walks and to the shops for food.

Any advice? Thank you . x

I've been wondering too.
Although I tested + beginning of May, and have recovred and gone back to work I have a day or two every now and then where I feel like it's back, aching bones, coughing, heavy eyes and the headache crown.
It feels never ending.

Both my colleagues got it in March and are still ill 12 weeks later. The symptoms seem to improve and worsen again in cycles, maybe depending on how much they exert themselves. One of them was in hospital again this weekend. It seems never ending for some people unfortunately.

I would definitely get re-tested. There are cases of US marines on a carrier ship that have tested positive twice. (Of course there is nowhere else for them to go, but to keep reinfecting each other....) Also, it may be a different strain of Covid. The other thing to consider is the post-viral syndrome.

You should get retested.

Isolate, get a new test we have no idea if you can get this twice yet.

What do people do when they start to feel poorly again. Does the whole household have to isolate again?

@Thatsnotsnowy

What do people do when they start to feel poorly again. Does the whole household have to isolate again?

Yes

Not much info yet on whether can get it twice. Seems likely.

But more likely that it’s just another, more ordinary virus.

One of my DC and I have had 6 ordinary colds since lockdown.

Get another test. Go on the gov website to book

It could well be just another virus. Is your immune system low? Are you eating drinking and sleeping really well? Taking a multivitimin / extra strength vit C?

Seems more likely to be post viral imho. I caught it end March, still having recurring symptoms (though less intense & less frequent)

Long term effects of this still being discovered & debated

My DP had it very mildly. 3 weeks later he started feeling exhausted and 8 weeks on from that he is so ill: exhausted, dizzy, confusion etc he can barely move around for more than 10 mins before having to lay down for 3 hrs. He's never ill, and is the type to really push through usually but this has floored him. We thought he might have it again but negative test and GP is convinced its a post viral syndrome. A Lot of people seem to suffer ongoing and returning symptoms for weeks and months post initial infection.

Check it isn't just an ordinary cold as I wasn't snivvely when I had COVID.

Having said that, mine started at the end of March, I felt ill but relatively mildly, it then came back at the start of April and was very bad indeed. Over the recovery time the symptoms improved and then came back again in waves. At first I thought I'd caught it a second time but looking back, I just feel it was the same episode re emerging until my body could clear it completely. Only now am I completely back to normal, I have tested positive for antibodies too so I know I'm completely over it currently.

I sneezed a lot when my symptoms first started. The day I went for the test I literally couldn’t stop sneezing and my nose was running.

Thanks for all the advice. The doctor is going to give me a ring for some advice this morning. I haven’t been anywhere to catch anything really, but work has been stressful so maybe I’ve got run down.

Hmm I have those kind of symptoms as described by OP for 10 days now but assumed not Covid as no temperature really, no cough and still taste etc. I didn't think it could be Covid.

I started feeling as though I had a cold, lots of sneezing and aching. That lasted for about three or four days. Then the cough and a bit of breathlessness started. I never had a temperature. I completely lost my sense of taste and smell, not a thing for about two weeks and it’s still not back to what it was. Also I just felt completely exhausted... a tiredness like I’ve never known, but couldn’t sleep.

I was only thinking yesterday how well I felt, then a sore throat started at bedtime.

OP your message reminded me of this article I read.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/07/it-feels-endless-four-women-struggling-to-recover-from-covid-19-coronavirus-symptoms

One of the women in it described having relapses where her symptoms came back. Such a strange and horrible virus.

It’s probably post viral - my dd3 always gets them as her immune system was already battered. If she gets ill I know it will be a good couple of months before she is back to normal

There's lots of other similar bugs too, plus there's slight genetic variations within covid so could mutate - order a test . I think I had it in March and have some symptoms now but the problem is that I have hay fever and there's a major overlap of symptoms

Thanks for all the responses and advice... it’s really appreciated.

My GP rang and explained that I’ve probably been left low and therefore I’m more susceptible to picking up other mild cold viruses.

He said it’s highly unlikely to be covid-19 again, particularly as I do or have any typical symptoms. He said we didn’t need to isolate again either.

I think because I’ve thought I felt so well over this last week, I’ve overdone it and got run down.

I’m going to spend the day in bed and see how I am tomorrow.

Did you have a test later on to confirm you’d recovered? I don’t think we’re routinely testing people who aren’t very ill to see if they’re clear of the infection.

But as other posters have said, I don’t think your case is unusual, I’ve seen lots of similar anecdotal reports that symptoms have waxed and wained for quite a while.

I think I would try and get another test too.

I have “relapses” too. Symptoms flare up for a few days then disappear. Had original virus end of January.

Hope you feel better soon.
Good advice from the doctor.
It can take months to get over, so take it easy. Your immune system will take a while to pick up because it's depleted from Covid. I'd suggest more rest, a healthy diet and perhaps extra vitamins. I think I had it late Feb, early March (before testing was available) and it took about 6 weeks before I felt completely ok. I was having a good week, then a bad week, for about a month.
Take care

Thanks all, the doc said no point in being re tested as I don’t have any of the typical symptoms and often you can test positive for quite a few weeks as your body clears itself of the virus, but this doesn’t mean the virus is active or that a person is contagious.
I’ve been eating well, but have stopped the vitamins, will start those again today.
I’m so sorry to hear how many of us have had symptoms, even if mild, for so long afterwards.

The doctor also said how it was a psychological battle as well as physical.. he is absolutely right there.

The day I went for the test I literally couldn’t stop sneezing and my nose was running.

Oh that's interesting, I thought runny nose wasn't a symptom. Maybe another respy infection at same time?