COVID long-termers 14 weeks+

[isitorisntit]

Welcome all. I'm sad that many of us are still here but at least we have each other. The other thread is full, hence this new one.

Welcome anyone else who is struggling with a long recovery from COVID. They're a supportive lot, here.

Sorry that was in response to whatnext

I realise you also asked about chest tightness - I did have that but I think it is not so bad now. I do notice it if I do more physical exertion than usual and then it is sore if I breathe in deeply.

@fedupofbed that's good. Yes it might take a couple of days to feel any positive effect maybe. I'd be interested to hear how you get on as it's something I've been thinking about myself (mainly for the tinnitus!). Good luck for your next session!

Thanks so much @KatySun I also sometimes feel the heart is playing a role also as it does tend to centre more on the left at times. It’s not painful as such, it’s just not ‘Right’ 🤷‍♀️ It comes on and off. I think I’ll get checked just to be sure. Please let me know the results of your test, I think by looking at it, many here have had similar and all clear, it’s just strange as chest issues were never really a problem for me except at the very start I sometimes had a tight chest, but no real cough etc 🤷‍♀️
I’ve also got the stingy eyes back the last couple of days. Really odd how things just vanish for ages then pop right back up again.

@Whatnext2018 interesting you mention stingy eyes, I've noticed that over the past few days with my right eye. Put some eye drops in last night thinking they must be dry from Computer etc., but made no difference. Didn't make the link with covid!

@TiddleTaddleTat I know 🙄they were also one of the things I had near to the start/middle and ended up looking it up and seeing it was a ‘Thing’ isn’t a big problem but just another weird thing to happen?!

@TiddleTaddleTat, yes I'm so glad that this didn't happen last year - I wouldn't have been able to do a thing. Glad that we have a small but lovely garden to convalesce in also and it's peaceful here. Don't miss Zone 2 much!

I managed my first social meet up today - just a couple of hours in a garden. I felt my throat hurting after an hour or so and felt breathless walking back to the car but am glad I went. I've taken a couple of paracetamol as my upper back also hurts again. Private GP appt tomorrow to get an examination and discuss steroids.

@fedupofbed sorry your acupuncture didn't go as planned

@Lightsabre good news on your social event and best of luck with your appointment. Please keep us posted, if you don't mind

Yesterday I had a call from the Hospital and a breathing test has been arranged for this Monday. Not sure what it involves... but I also learned that that the Pulmonary dept is still closed and that's why I haven't had an appointment yet. Hopefully soon.

Either way, should be able to discuss the Q Scan and breathing test results with Infectious Diseases on Tuesday. Will update if there are any interesting findings.

I'm also going to enquire about the lumpy, scratchy, reflux, swallowing issues. During my last apt. all that was really said was it's not uncommon when post viral. I think these issues are closely related to the SOB.

Lightsabre, don't suppose you've noticed that during an episode of SOB, a few decent coughs helps to reduce it at all?

Hi Everyone, I am feeling OK working now which is a huge positive. Although a student in my class had a positive parent this week so waiting for their test to come back was scary. My daughter said you'll die mum if you get it again now - bless her. Negative thank god but a scary thought for September. Still have the ongoing chest pain intermittent throughout the day. It comes and goes with times when I feel completely normal. Sob and chest pain still with any level of activity. I walked home a few days last week. It's an easy 15 minutes walk but could feel chest pain and sob. Still waiting for my chest xray date. It will be nice to get that out the way and hopefully clear.

Just checking in. Back at work full time doing child care and setting up my classroom as my class return next week in bubbles of 15 so will be teaching four days in class and have one day to prepare work. Still very tired and have noticed by the end of the day I have a sore throat. The cough still comes and goes. Reading this thread I noticed people complain about joints and legs and arms aching. I have that at various times especially the tops of my arms and elbows. Often I wake up with the joints in the fingers and toes hurting. Never had this before. However I can work and I am starting to get back to normal.
Husband who is two weeks behind me still getting tightness of the chest and SOB in the evenings and now has been prescribed an inhaler. He also is still complaining about his sinus being block and his throat feeling swollen.
Hope every one has a better week

Hi @Kitcat122 good to hear you're feeling okay.

This SOB and chest pain is bizarre. With the amount of people (worldwide) now suffering long term, and people seeking medical attention... It's surprising there aren't more ideas as to the cause.

@Meercatmama good to hear you're getting stronger too

How far along are you and your husband?

Hi @MillStone, glad to hear of your appointments this week - hope you finally get a diagnosis. No, my Sob doesn't clear with coughing unfortunately. I can walk for longer periods now - I can do about 3/4 mile on the flat and gently walking. I'm still struggling with any incline or talking and walking at the same time or even standing and talking.

Also good to hear @Kitcat122 and @Meercatmama are back at work. Hope you'll be allowed to take it easy for a while.

With the aching/bruised arm feelings, I'm wondering if this virus sets off auto immune inflammatory conditions such as rheumatism or fibromyalgia. I might ask my GP if there are special blood tests to check for this.

Hi all. I've been reading through all these posts trying to find someone with my symptoms. I'm another long termer with symptoms from March 14th. I was 7 weeks postnatal when I got the virus ( whatever it was, no one, including the doctor, thinks it was Covid) I had postnatal hypertension which kept me in hospital for 2 weeks and on 3 lots of medication after having my son. I'm still on two lots now. I was petrified of us catching the virus and just before lockdown only went where I absolutely had to. Which was the drs for my postnatal check and chemist. Anyway, my symptoms were blocked and itchy nose, cough, headache, night sweats, sore throat, aches and pains, fatigue, off food stomach pain, kidney ache, breathlessness. It's all a bit of a blur as I was trying to focus on getting feeding right, which has been a huge issue as my baby has cmpa and reflux. Towards the end of illness after 2-3 weeks I was left with horrible upper back pain and a sharp pain in my chest to the right of my sternum. It went through the house, my husband was really poorly for 14 days exactly but had had a normal recovery. My teenage son had no taste or smell for 4 weeks and he says everything now tastes different 3 months on? My older two had flu like symptoms for 5 days. Luckily my baby had no or very mild symptoms which could have been the start of his cmpa. I am one stressed out exhausted mum.
My long term symptoms are fatigue, aching joints ( but I think that's more of a postnatal/ breastfeeding thing) which come and go, Sharp chest pain in same place by sternum on right , I now have wheeziness and crackling which comes from the exact spot of sharp pain, I'm coughing lots of watery phlegm up from this spot, upper back pain at lower ribs/ kidney area on right side. All chest symptoms are on one side, I've never had anything like it?
The dr sent me for a chest X-ray which came back clear, I got back in touch with her and she now wants me to try an inhaler the try and come off one of my anti hypertensives, which she said can cause a cough ( dry cough) I just know these symptoms come from the virus and feel like I'm getting no where. I'm so bitter that the first 6 months of my babies life have been so utterly crap thanks to Covid.
I'm an older mum, 44, 2-3 stone overweight with high bp. Desperately trying to lose weight but no energy for exercise and starving all the time due to breastfeeding. Going round in circles x

@lightsabre I have the “hit by a truck” muscles, I’ve experienced it before as well, it’s CFS. I also have fibromyalgia which is similar but (in my experience) slightly worse with bonus extras.
@4boysx welcome, sorry you have had to find us but come in and have a sit down, all the same.

@4boysx Hi, so sorry you’re going through all this, especially with a new baby, that must be very hard. Your symptoms do sound similar to a lot of other people’s, I just wish someone could help us all out.

Well, woke this morning with strange dizzy feelings again and heartbeat is low at 50 sometimes when sat drinking tea. Hands difficult to get a grip again and just feel a bit out of it really.
After 10 ish much better days, felt this was coming yesterday.

@Lightsabre I think the ANA blood test is specific for auto immune disorders.

@4boysx

Sorry you are feeling so bad, I bet the fatigue & aching joints are post Covid as well.

Is your health visitor supporting you?

Ask her or google the phone number for your local Therapy Dept in the hospital, and ask for the Post Covid Team.

Im being treated by the Respiritory Post Covid Team, and I have an O.T, Physio & SALT.

I self referred by getting their email address, and you dont need to have had a + result (we wern't tested in March anyway!)

I also rang the British Lung Foundation in mar h, who were great, a respiritory nurse told me to expect to recover in at least 6 months.

They will really support you

@4boysx I'm so sorry, having to manage all those symptoms with a new born baby, plus CMPA and reflux (DD has this too, so hard). I'm incredulous that no one will diagnose covid when you/your family have classic listed symptoms of breathlessness and no taste or smell.

@Lightsabre I had a weak positive for autoimmune disorders (ANA blood test). I've since had more tests - so far all clear, but just waiting for one more result. If that's clear too I suspect I'll be given a CFS diagnosis. GP also emailed me a copy of all my most recent general blood tests. And boy I'm super healthy on paper! Most things were in the mid range, not much high or low end. Such a mystery,

I'll ask about any post covid support too @Ernieshere but suspect there's not much available where I am, and probably targeted more towards ICU cases. For anyone in London I read that St Thomas is providing support for cases like ours.

@MillStone let us know how your appointment goes. I've also found a couple of short sharp coughs can temporarily reduce my SOB. I've never had crackle, wheeze or any mucus - always very dry. I've found the blue reliever inhaler can sometimes help. The brown preventer inhaler causes an immediate shortness of breath so I've never managed to get beyond that to see if it's of any long term help.

@Ernieshere your therapy sounds good. Is it useful? How does it help you with the breathing side of things?

Hey guys. If anyone is taking medication for GERD and still experiencing a sore throat/burning oesophagus, check for a candida infection. PPI medication often leads to an imbalance that can cause thrush to flourish in the oesophagus, throat and mouth. I stopped taking the PPIs and started taking lacto-acidophilus, a probiotic, for the thrush and ginger root capsules for the GERD. After a few days the results have been amazing. The sore throat is nearly gone, despite going skating for several hours on Wednesday and Friday nights. And I've had very little return of the GERD as there are studies show that ginger can be just as effective as PPI medication. Ginger is also great for inflammation and even helps with thrush. I'm also taking tumeric, which also helps with all three.

Checking in to say I think I am 104 or 105 days since my initial symptoms and have been getting better since day 79. I feel 95% well now. I’m working long hours and doing 5 exercise classes a week. My plan is to add in jogging in 2 weeks and build back up to running (and also to lose the stone I have gained in weight!) I still haven’t lost the fear of relapsing though and every time I feel a bit tired or achy I think o-oh.

Sending good vibes to everyone.

@Egghead68 that's great to hear. I'm so pleased for you and a little jealous. Xx

Oh @Egghead68 that's fantastic! So pleased for you. Would you say your heart rate is now back to normal?

@alittleprivacy that's interesting about the ginger. I've been drinking hot water with ginger and lemon for some time now, and also Symprove probiotics. Although I still have my other symptoms, I've had no real GI or GERD issues for the last few weeks and have also come off the omeprazole. It always feels like I'm tempting fate when I says these things out loud though!