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.

I'm 41, healthy bmi, fairly fit (lots of walking and gym twice a week), no previous health issues.

I’m 40 and was very fit prior to Covid. Gym/running several times a week, yoga, didn’t drink much, took lots of supplements...

I’m peri menopausal and also hypothyroid and have wondered if hormones could be a factor? My blood tests show I’m slightly more hypo after having Covid, and I’ve also had to increase my Oestrogel dose.

Me too with the constricted throat. It’s not sore like a ‘sore throat’ it’s just hurts as the air goes in and out... horrid.

@Whatapickle78 It doesn’t really hurt, it is more like the inside of my windpipe is sensitive to my breathing. Difficult to describe. Anyone else?

Ughhh, got the rib pain, chest pain, earache and sore throat back today. I've been really careful to pace myself with my work over the past few days but feel a little relapse coming on.

39 no underlying conditions. Could do with losing a couple of stone. Have always been quite fit but that's slipped over the last few years. Slow metabolism. Poss IBS and irregular periods (37-43 days, bizarrely 28 days on the dot since covid), been quite stressed for 2 years. Teacher. Pale skinned, tend to keep out of the sun.

I read somewhere about the theory that if you've had a corona virus previously (common cold) then you've got a faster immune reponse than if you've not. I barely ever get colds. So in theory, if you've not had a corona virus at all, your immune response takes longer and therefore the virus gets into the CNS or blood vessels.

@moodgie yes, I totally get the 'fist holding the windpipe and squeezing' feeling. It then is followed by swollen neck glands and burning windpipe and chest for a few days.

I'm pale skined and work in schools.

@DianaT1969 I was on 25mg vit d plus multivits and iron for years before covid. Levels came back fine (those were tested, my inflammation was lost as well as antibody I think)

Can I ask if anyone has upper back pain? Also were your ears blocked during having covid? Did anyone have a seizure?

Sorry for the weird questions. Just trying to piece a puzzle together

I have upper back pain my daughter had terribly blocked ears she was deaf for weeks.

I have a woosh from one ear to another and bad tinitus and eye floaters. I has weird fizzing and 'blanks' a few weeks ago with a pressure in my forehead.

Hi all- been a bit better today although have eaten too much this evening and feel bloated and sick now. Totally get the I'm ok as long as I'm home and can rest. Not sure if id be able to go to work full time

41. Extremely fit prior to this. Was under a huge amount of stress in January/February and had a bad flu for the first time ever at the end of January. (Very, very different to this lots of snot/no lung issues, felt really, really bad for 5 days, tired for another week. absolutely fine after that.) I do have endometriosis and psoriasis, so autoimmune issues are very possibly a factor. That said, are there many people who don't have an autoimmune disease, so, so many conditions are autoimmune.

I fully believe my main problem was not resting fully after my initial recovery. I threw myself right back into (an at home version of) my normal exercise/fitness routine. And even though I felt recovered, I wasn't and I set off a range of post-viral conditions. If I wasn't a fit person I'd have recovered in April. And if I wasn't a fit person I wouldn't have repeatedly tried to 'exercise myself better' with yoga/pilates that I later realise put too much pressure on my chestwall and reactivated the GERD. If I hadn't injured my arm a few weeks ago and been put in a sling and on a strong anti-inflammatory that retriggered the GERD, I would be closer to better. And if I didn't have to be able to easily handle an incredibly intense exercise routine I'd consider myself fully recovered at a level I've been at many times but then pushed too hard too soon. I genuinely believe for a lot of us, our fitness, coupled with complete lack of knowledge, has been our curse. We are desperate to getting back to who we are, but as the 'pioneers' of this virus, nobody has been able to tell us to take things extremely easy. Not to exercise for a month (or whatever) after appearing recovered. Or that we'd definitely be fully well between 3-6 months. We'd be bored and frustrated but we wouldn't be resorting to trial and error to get better or despairing about if we ever will.

Hello, I was looking for a support page. I'm only week 11 but cant find another thread.
If anyone could point me to one, I'd be very grateful.
I hope we all get better. I'm feeling low and not hopeful at all at the moment.

I think you can join this one Housemusic - it is really for ‘long-tail’ people, which you are, and I am sorry you also find yourself in this group. I felt very low at around week 10-11 but I did start to improve around the twelve week mark (briefly - having a bit of a relapse at the moment but it is not as bad as I felt two weeks ago).

I do believe we will get better, it just takes a lot of time. Our bodies have been dealing with a virus which is completely new and I think a lot of the narrative at the beginning (7-10 days for mild cases) was not very helpful. Now there is a realisation that you can have a severe case as in longer term. Nothing mild about it.

What are your main symptoms and have you been able to access medical care?

@oldbagface Hi, yes my first initial symptoms were ear ache and then severe SOB. The ear pain, mostly in my left ear comes and goes but it has improved a lot lately.

Not really sure what you mean by seizures In the first few weeks I was getting moderate convulsions / tremor / seizure episodes during the night.

Up until a few weeks ago I was still occasionally getting mild episodes during the night.

Someone on here (sorry forget your name) recommended Magnesium Bisglycinate, for sleeping issues. As well as helping my sleep the tremors also went when I started taking these. Magnesium Bisglycinate also regulates muscle and nerve function so maybe they've helped that too.

Who knows but thanks to the person who recommended them, they're been great.

Hope everyone is okay this morning.

@katysun thank you. This time around it's fatigue, muscle ache, breathlessness, dizziness and slight cough.

I've been back to work before this. Has anyone else resumed normal activity in between?

@whatnext2018 I'm a 42 yr old teacher too. I hardly get ill.
I had partial pneumonia 8 yrs ago but have kept it well under control since (asthma).
I've been watching what I eat in an attempt to lose weight. Not obese either but definitely over weight.

@oldbagface, mine started out with stabbing pains in the soft tissue under my ear and in my mouth under the jaw. I had dizziness too. After a few days the shortness of breath started, temperature etc. I have just started week 13 and still am short of breath affecting my mobility, upper back, arm and rib pain (this isn't as bad as it was) and throat/oesophageal issues.

I'm 52 and overweight. I didn't really do any fitness but am usually in a busy job walking about all day.

@Lightsabre How are you feeling after your outing to the coast?

Mine started exactly like this too at exactly the same time. Ear/gland and SOB.

At 13 weeks today, I’m just the same. Feeling stronger since wk 12 and my heart has improved a lot... but ditto on the rest.

My calfs ache like crazy still. It’s like the back pain but in my calfs. I’ve only read the Liverpool Dr (BMJ) mention this symptom. Don’t suppose anyone here has it too, or has seen it mentioned on Facebook or slack?

Hi @Millstone, could it be to do with your pulmonary embolism? Are they treating you for it? We had a good day out and I felt ok afterwards (didn't do much but sat on the beach). Throat/oesophageal discomfort returned yesterday. I'm still waiting for the respiratory appt to come through and signed off work until 31st July. Getting fed up now of the stalled progress.

@alittleprivacy Yes I think you are onto something there with the attempt to return to normal activity too soon setting off long term symptoms. However there are a lot of people who have not had a period of relative wellness after the initial infection at all. Like you, I returned to a limited version of normal activities after I was first ill, only to crash into a relapse around week 10 that I am still experiencing at nearly week16.

@Lightsabre good to hear you’re well after the long stint out of the house

I hope your apt. Comes through quickly.

Sorry your throat issues continue. It would be good to know why many of us are experiencing this issue. All I have been told is ‘post viral... it’s worth taking PPI meds’. But that’s an underwhelming explanation. I wonder if anyone has had an Endoscopy.

My calf pain started in wk 3 which could be when the clot formed (my guess). A few Drs have felt my calfs (wk5-11) and noted that they don’t feel swollen. The pain comes on after standing for a short while — just like the Upper back pain and breathlessness.