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Original poster

symptoms of covid are actually fatigue and headache?

80 replies

Tomatoesneedtoripen · 17/09/2020 20:55

anyone else hear this?
on radio 4, Kings College Hospital

not colds, well we knew it was not colds

OP posts:
Natsku · 18/09/2020 06:06

Not sure really, more annoyance for parents I suppose as we have to get our children tested for even the mildest symptoms, but at the same time more reassuring knowing that people aren't missing out on tests because their symptoms don't fit a limited list of official ones.

Original poster
Tomatoesneedtoripen · 18/09/2020 06:27

funnily enough on my chemist and in fact on my local asda it says dont come in with breathing difficulties,for an ex smoker asthmatic that is quite often me

OP posts:
midnightstar66 · 18/09/2020 07:08

It does make me wonder through. We've had a few dc falling asleep in school this week. Literally just dropping. Had been putting it down to the few weeks in burn out and the fact it's been unusually warm!

Morgan12 · 18/09/2020 07:11

I reckon I've had covid for around 8 years then.

Loftyloft · 18/09/2020 07:24

Super interesting.
DH and I had bad headaches and fatigue (days in bed, first time in DHs life) but no cough/fever in March. DS has very bad croup at night (wheeze but no cough in day) and diarrhea that same week. I’ve had negative antibody test.

Anyone else’s child experienced croup as a symptom?

Southernsoftie76 · 18/09/2020 07:30

It seems Covid affects many people differently, there has been reports of cold symptoms, runny nose, dry cough that turns wet after a few days, diarrhoea, sickness, sore throat, body aches, headache, fatigue, all very similar to the bout of flu we all had a couple of years ago. Going into winter with so many other viruses around that have the same symptoms how will we know what we have without a simple and easily accessible testing system.

InvincibleInvisibility · 18/09/2020 07:39

I had it in March (tested).

2 days before I got ill both DC were snotty and one had a sore throat and coughed (he has reflux so not that unusual).

I had 1 day of coughing and shortness of breath. 5 days of sore throat. 1 day of diarrhoea. 2 weeks of severe fatigue. 5 weeks of severe headaches. No temperature.

DH had 24 hours of fatigue.

Only Ive been tested but we think we all had it.

InvincibleInvisibility · 18/09/2020 07:39

A colleague had 3 weeks of temperature 40+

SheeshazAZ09 · 18/09/2020 07:44

Yep I and almost everyone I know who thinks they had covid had extreme fatigue and sometimes headache. Cough was rare symptom. Fever also rare. Sore throat common. Unfortunately none of us had tests cos they were not available.

Realitea · 18/09/2020 09:31

I know quite a few nurses who tested positive for antibodies and all they had was bad headaches for a few days. I also had the same late February. I remember googling ‘pulsating headaches’ to try and figure out what it could be.
Never had anything like it, it was relentless, all day and night. Then just disappeared before my dd and ds got ill.

Jenasaurus · 18/09/2020 09:44

In the last few days a number of my DS friends have tested positive and the symptoms for many were not the typical ones. The only reason they tested were becaise their partners had the typical symptoms and so got a test.

The wife of one of my DS friends is a teacher and had a typical cold, sore throat and snotty nose, no other symptoms, carried on working, then her DH caught it, started the same, but then he developed a temperature , cougha and lost his sense of tast and smell, got a test and found out he was positive. My DD works at a nursery and has also got a sore throat and sore eyes, she hasnt been tested and is carrying on working, but she is good friends with the wife (teacher) and regularly met up to dog walk. Its worrying as both of them continued to work in the school and nursery unaware they were possibly spreading the virus as not typical symptons of COVID and no need to get a test. It was only because the DH caught it and on day 3 the symptoms became classic COVID one she got a test, up until then he had contined to work at the airport.

Jenasaurus · 18/09/2020 09:46

Excuse my appauling grammar and spelling

Jrobhatch29 · 18/09/2020 09:53

@Jenasaurus

In the last few days a number of my DS friends have tested positive and the symptoms for many were not the typical ones. The only reason they tested were becaise their partners had the typical symptoms and so got a test.

The wife of one of my DS friends is a teacher and had a typical cold, sore throat and snotty nose, no other symptoms, carried on working, then her DH caught it, started the same, but then he developed a temperature , cougha and lost his sense of tast and smell, got a test and found out he was positive. My DD works at a nursery and has also got a sore throat and sore eyes, she hasnt been tested and is carrying on working, but she is good friends with the wife (teacher) and regularly met up to dog walk. Its worrying as both of them continued to work in the school and nursery unaware they were possibly spreading the virus as not typical symptons of COVID and no need to get a test. It was only because the DH caught it and on day 3 the symptoms became classic COVID one she got a test, up until then he had contined to work at the airport.

Yeah this is quite worrying isn't it. I've known two people test positive in the last few weeks who described it as a cold and feeling more tired than usual Hope your DD is okay
Lozz22 · 18/09/2020 09:56

Well I must permanently have it then

Jenasaurus · 18/09/2020 10:19

Thank you Jrobhatch29 She lost lots of weight during lockdown and is now a healthy BMI I would have been more worried if she caught it in March if the link between complications and weight is correct.

My sons friend who has it, was a denier of COVID and he is feeling rubbish now, I am not happy he got it but he was very much of the mindset that his parents would willingly sacrifice their lives to the virus so the younger people can live theirs as it is only the elderly at risk. His dad is 70 and his mum 60 so not really high risk and very much still part of society so a strange comment to make.

I am currently sitting in bed with ear ache, scratchy hot throat, headache and feeling tired, hopefully its nothing as I am still very overweight and also 55 so not in the best group to catch it :(

Angrymum22 · 18/09/2020 11:18

I had classic symptoms early Feb. Dry continuous cough for a week followed by headaches for 3 weeks with fluctuating temp. Fatigue and lost sense of smell. The loss of smell lasted for nearly 3 months. I had it too early for testing but had antibody test which was negative.
I work in very high risk job so over the years my immune system has built up superhuman response to most colds and flu viruses. I rarely get more than tickly throat and bit of a sniff when the rest of the household are dying of manflu, so I didn’t expect to be positive to antibodies. My Tcell response is usually mega.
I am experiencing a mild cold at the moment but no loss of smell, just slightly bunged up and had slightly raised temp last weekend. Its just a cold.

reikizen · 18/09/2020 11:23

It is possible that people are not spiking a temp because they are taking paracetamol for other symptoms of course so I worry that is misleading sometimes. Also, I know I had a thermometer when the kids were little but I don’t now so wouldn’t even know if I was spiking a temp (as a menopausal woman this is doubly difficult!)

Kaktus · 18/09/2020 11:24

@reikizen

It is possible that people are not spiking a temp because they are taking paracetamol for other symptoms of course so I worry that is misleading sometimes. Also, I know I had a thermometer when the kids were little but I don’t now so wouldn’t even know if I was spiking a temp (as a menopausal woman this is doubly difficult!)
That is a possibility in some cases. I didn’t have a temperature with my confirmed case, but wasn’t taking paracetamol for any other symptoms. My mum has a high temp despite taking paracetamol for the severe head pain.
igotdemons · 18/09/2020 16:47

This is interesting reading. I’ve had a bad head (with nausea and woozy feelings on and off) for the past 4 weeks. No other symptoms at all, no temperature at any point. After 2 weeks I called my GP surgery and the Nurse they triaged me through to just asked me whether I was stressed (no more than usual!) and told me to take painkillers regularly for 2 weeks and if they continued to call back. Well I’d already been doing that but they weren’t helping which was why I rang in the first place! Hmm Called my GP surgery back again this week and the Doctor I spoke to wanted to see me. He took my oxygen levels (99), blood pressure and did lots of reflex and eye tests etc. No mention of COVID. Just told me to continue with painkillers for another 2 weeks (i.e. he’s not idea!). Reading this makes me wonder whether the symptoms I’ve had are COVID because I’ve never had a bad head last this long before! The nausea and wooziness are sporadic thankfully but horrible none the less...

allthelinterdit · 18/09/2020 19:33

@igotdemons

This is interesting reading. I’ve had a bad head (with nausea and woozy feelings on and off) for the past 4 weeks. No other symptoms at all, no temperature at any point. After 2 weeks I called my GP surgery and the Nurse they triaged me through to just asked me whether I was stressed (no more than usual!) and told me to take painkillers regularly for 2 weeks and if they continued to call back. Well I’d already been doing that but they weren’t helping which was why I rang in the first place! Hmm Called my GP surgery back again this week and the Doctor I spoke to wanted to see me. He took my oxygen levels (99), blood pressure and did lots of reflex and eye tests etc. No mention of COVID. Just told me to continue with painkillers for another 2 weeks (i.e. he’s not idea!). Reading this makes me wonder whether the symptoms I’ve had are COVID because I’ve never had a bad head last this long before! The nausea and wooziness are sporadic thankfully but horrible none the less...
I've felt the same for a couple of weeks, also trouble with eye pain. I've been connecting it to my sore neck, so been for treatment for that, and also had a consultation with the optician. But I've just got this underlying niggly head and eye pain, and now reading this has me thinking. How are you now?
allthelinterdit · 18/09/2020 20:16

@Loftyloft

Super interesting. DH and I had bad headaches and fatigue (days in bed, first time in DHs life) but no cough/fever in March. DS has very bad croup at night (wheeze but no cough in day) and diarrhea that same week. I’ve had negative antibody test.

Anyone else’s child experienced croup as a symptom?

Croup is an infection itself, I'm not sure it can be a symptom of Covid?
allthelinterdit · 18/09/2020 20:19

@Dozens

I am currently awake worrying. Monday / Tuesday I developed a headache, a really crushing pressure in my head. Felt a bit tired, under the weather etc. Occasionally coughing, strange dizzy disjointed feeling.

DD also developed tummy pains, chills, bit of a cough on Wednesday.

Yesterday I got a call from work, I’d popped into the office for an hour last Wednesday and the person I saw herself developed symptoms on Sunday and confirmed a positive result this Wednesday.

I managed to book a test for myself and DD last night, now just awaiting results.

I have no fever, no real cough.

I feel spaced out, neck and head pains, could just sleep / rest with eyes closed all the time as I also have eye pain. Ringing in my ears too. Slightly tight chested but I am also aware that I feel anxious which probably doesn’t help.

If this is Covid then it’s nothing like the textbook symptoms.

I also have constant head, neck and eye pains. No fatigue to mention. Please let me know your results
igotdemons · 18/09/2020 21:08

@allthelinterdit Yes, me too! The head pain lingers above my eyes but I have also had pain on the top of my head, going all the way down into my neck. I also saw an optician 2 weeks ago to rule out my vision as a source of my headaches and he categorically said my eyes were definitely not the issue. I even bought a new carbon monoxide detector in case my boiler was leaking but it said 0 like my existing one. For the first couple of weeks my usual painkillers (as I do suffer from migraines) weren’t touching it but the past week or so they have been helping so I’m hopeful that whatever this is is on it’s way out. I’m not keen on relying on pain relief so I haven’t taken any for the past 2 days and I’m OK so far (although definitely not 100%). It’s the wooziness that’s the worst part as it just makes trying to get on with normal daily tasks unpleasant.

How are you feeling now? I hope you feel better soon, it’s so horrible but it’s reassuring in a way that others are having the same symptoms as it hopefully means it will pass!

Loftyloft · 18/09/2020 21:13

I think croup can be caused by a range of viruses, there was a study showing a link between past coronaviruses and croup.

www.jwatch.org/id201009220000005/2010/09/22/new-coronavirus-associated-with-croup

jasjas1973 · 18/09/2020 21:16

WHO list many more symptoms for CV than our Govt does, inc headache and fatigue.

www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_3

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