Tested positive for coronavirus - now what?

[CornishGiant]

I got my test results back this morning and now I can't continue pretending it's just a bad cold.
I have a cough that seems to be getting worse and feel tired and achy. I know it's silly but ever since my results came back I am worried about ending up in hospital or dying.
I'm 28 with no other health conditions. I have 2 young children who both seem fine. Someone tell me I'm going to be ok.

Also, if you have confirmed Covid, your husband/ partner and your children should be self isolating now, right? Or have I misinterpreted the rules?

It depends when he was last back, I'd tell him though so he can get guidance from his employer. Obviously if he has been home recently then that's more disruption.

@Pheobeasy

You'll be fine, imagine if it had said negative, would you then be worried about being hospitalised because of your current symptoms? Track and trace is largely to help lower the spread, not to tell people they're in danger. Make sure you get as much rest as you can, but try not to worry. My DH works away and personally I wouldn't call him back unless I couldn't manage with the DC, otherwise that's him isolating from work for 14 days

My husband had Covid and, although it was relatively mild and he wasn’t hospitalised, he was in no way well enough to have taken care of our children. If you’re struggling, you should get him home.

Hi OP I hope you're feeling ok, I'm interested when you say you thought it was a bad cold, did you have cold like symptoms at the beginning?

If you’re struggling, you should get him home.

That's what I said?

@Pheobeasy

If you’re struggling, you should get him home.

That's what I said?

Ok

If you are feeling well now then batch cook.
Do an online shop or send a relative for food.
Stock up on soup and easy cook healthy food.
Paracetamol, cough medicine and sweets.
Lucozade to keep sugars up.
Get some new toys/craft items/ books to keep kids entertained.
DH might need to isolate anyway if he has been home recently. Might as well get him home.

I’ve come down with a sore throat and awful headache today, progressively getting worse. No tests available. How did you feel at the start op? How many days in are you?

Hope you feel better soon...don’t listen to the news or read about COVID on social media

Headache, sore throat, snotty nose. No real couugh but a temperature. I'm 5/6 days in now and definitely have a bad cough and achy body. Kids are home. DH now coming back too.

I didn't get a test until temperature and DH was already away although he did see me before I was ill so he does need to get back and isolate too.

OP, I’m sure you will be fine! If you’re 5/6 days in, you’ll probably start feeling better in the next few days. Definitely agree with PP about avoiding covid related news and doom mongering.

Interesting that you started with usual cold symptoms like a sore throat and snotty nose. I work in a school, and already many staff and children have been coming in with those very symptoms. Children with coughs coming in, too...

Bless you. I'm sure it's very nasty but you'll be fine.
If you're able to look after the kids ok, and tv/tablet time is entirely justified in this scenario, then best to keep your husband out of it though if he's only recently left then he's probably been exposed and should come home anyway. If he's been away for some days I think best to keep him away for now if you can but don't hesitate to call him back if you can't cope with the children. Pleased they are ok for now. They might well have it and be asymptomatic which is good as hopefully means they will be at low risk of getting it again.

ok given what you said pleased that DP is coming back. He might well get it but for now he can take care of the kids while you rest.

@Namechanger45627

OP, I’m sure you will be fine! If you’re 5/6 days in, you’ll probably start feeling better in the next few days. Definitely agree with PP about avoiding covid related news and doom mongering.

Interesting that you started with usual cold symptoms like a sore throat and snotty nose. I work in a school, and already many staff and children have been coming in with those very symptoms. Children with coughs coming in, too...

This is what my dc had too, snotty noses and sore throat/hoarse voice. Minor cough a couple of days later and then tested positive.

Mippi yes its worrying you can see how easily it would be dismissed as nothing. I'm worried me and DC were infecting people before I realised I had a temperature when the sore throat and nose started. I feel really guilty and a worried.

You can't do anything about the possibility of having infected somebody. Track and trace will be in touch and deal with that. The good thing is you've had a positive test and now know to isolate. We found track and trace really good. They rang my DH and went through everything with him. I also had a call today asking donate plasma. Concentrate on getting well.

No point in feeling guilty about the past OP - you didn't deliberately infect anyone and you did the responsible thing in getting tested. If it helps I know three people who have had it now, all early 30s - all said they felt pretty bad for a week but never like they were in danger, and recovered shortly after.

Don’t feel guilty - you had no way of knowing until you were tested. And, given that the government doesn’t count sore throat/blocked nose as a symptom, you can hardly blame yourself! You definitely did the right thing in getting tested when you started with a cough. Bless you, I hope you feel better soon.

Ah bless you, don't feel guilty. You've done nothing wrong... Infact you have done everything right.

No point in feeling guilty about the past
Sorry to butt in but I wish that more people had this attitude.

I have been working through a few things and have realised that guilt has literally been ruining my life.

It doesn't help that my parents will often bring up things that I did when I was a teenager when "helping me see where I am going wrong in my life"

"@Bol87*

Do not become a hypercondriac, you don’t need a bloody oxygen monitor. If you can’t breathe, call an ambulance
Buying a pulse oximeter doesn't make you a hyperchondriac. It Is actually a sensible, inexpensive piece of kit to have. A pulse oximeter is a brilliant idea because it will give you reassurance that, in most cases, even if you become breathless, your oxygen saturation levels won't have fallen. Conversely, if sats do fall, you know to seek help.

There is no point in wasting the time of paramedics if you become breathless and oxygen levels are stable. That's the whole point of the oximeter. No point putting unnecessary strain on hospitals.

The vast majority of people of your age and BMI wont need to go anywhere need a hospital. You need to rest when you can and will hopefully start feeling better soon. If you can beg or borrow an oximeter that shows if you are getting worse before you feel worse, so is a very sensible thing to have. If you have a garden sunshine will up your vitamin D levels, ignore any suggestion you need to stay in the house if you can sit away from people. If you dont and you have any vitamin D pills take a couple with a meal containing fat.

The positive part of this is that you are going to feel a lot more relaxed about shopping/ eating out/ going on holiday once you've got over this. Keep wearing a mask though.

Don't feel guilty OP, it sounds like you've done all you can, and had a test as well which is the responsible thing to do.

Don’t feel guilty, track and trace will contact everybody who you have been in contact with, so they can isolate and get tested. Feel better soon and Amazon the kids lots of bits too keep them happy and entertained!

Don’t feel guilty. For all you know the kids and you have a cold on top of Covid. The Covid might be completely asymptomatic but your immune system is weakened so you’ve also succumbed to a cold. Who knows? You’ve done exactly the right thing and no one can expect any more ☺️