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Original poster

No fever, no cough but....

38 replies

Timtims · 26/09/2020 09:31

DS got sent home from school c12 days ago as there was a positive case in his class. He's self isolated and had zero symptoms. I've hardly been anywhere myself in the past fortnight (one visit to local shop), but DH has been in work.

For the past 4 days I've had a bad headache. Not severe enough to completely wipe me out, but bad enough to need constant painkillers, a lot of quiet, and very early nights. Feels a bit sinusy but no mucus.

I've had no continuous cough (just a slight tickle), no loss of taste, and no fever, so don't meet the criteria for testing. But I don't seem to be improving. Bizarrely DH had a migraine on Monday, but has felt fine since, so probably completely unrelated.

Wwyd, should I try to get a test or not? Does anyone know if a bad headache is a symptom?

OP posts:
VioletCharlotte · 26/09/2020 09:34

No, you don't need a test. A headache alone is not one of the symptoms that triggers a test. It could well be stress related due to worrying about everything. I've been suffering with a headache all week, so I know how feel and sympathise.

CKBJ · 26/09/2020 09:35

Definitely not unless I had one of the 3 symptoms. If I had a headache for that long requiring medication (which would be completely out of the ordinary for me) I would be contacting my gp surgery. There are still all the other medical problems out there.

CKBJ · 26/09/2020 09:36

Just to add I believe the Zoe app does say headache CAN be a symptom BUT one of the 3 main symptoms appears too.

Adirondack · 26/09/2020 09:43

I think headache alone can be a symptom, yes. I believe we had it in February. Dd had a sore throat, up and down temperature, and snotty nose. After about 4 weeks (was no longer bunged up) she had about two days when she couldn’t smell or taste anything. At the same time I had a sore throat and intermittent bad headaches.

Porcupineinwaiting · 26/09/2020 09:47

A lot of people do start COVID with headaches and fatigue but usually go on to develop other symptoms too. Maybe start by speaking to your gp?

myhobbyisouting · 26/09/2020 09:48

@Adirondack why on earth would you think that was Covid? It's highly unlikely you had it in February statistically anyway. But the fact that you were displaying no symptoms of respiratory illness either means you just had a cold

myhobbyisouting · 26/09/2020 09:50

"should I try to get a test or not?"

No, because you don't need one and there's a shortage for people who do need one. For this exact reason.

To get a test you'd have to repeatedly lie that you were symptomatic too

Dillydallyingthrough · 26/09/2020 10:12

No you shouldn't get at test. However a colleague had a headache for days and very slight sore throat and tested positive (tested for work), she is not the only one quite a few have tested positive with headaches alone. But many have tested negative with the same symptoms, if testing was better it may be wise to have one but not in the current circumstances. So maybe be a bit more careful with washing hands, social distancing, etc.

Magissa · 26/09/2020 10:14

I feel exactly the same! Headache since Tues. So tired I went to bed by 8. A bit of a cough but not a bad cough. The difference is my DH visited my ds on Sunday. On Monday DS felt nausea and fatigue. Tuesday fatigue. Wednesday fever. He tested and the result this morning is positive for Covid.
Now I am thinking what if DH carried it back to me. DH has had a bit of a cold since Tuesday. Neither of us meet the criteria to be tested but assuming we should now self isolate. DS hasn't had a cough at all and until a Fever on Weds which lasted less than 12 hours no "normal symptoms".

Original poster
Timtims · 26/09/2020 10:18

Thanks all. So hard to know what to do. It does feel quite sinusy, so fingers crossed. I'm certainly in no desperate hurry to get a test, but didn't want to be irresponsible. I'll leave it for now and see what happens.

OP posts:
Original poster
Timtims · 26/09/2020 10:25

Sorry, just saw the last 2 comments. Just highlights how tricky it is. I've cancelled meeting up with a friend this weekend as a precaution and will stay in, and will ensure DH and DCs only see people outside at a distance. I wfh so can stay in the house for the foreseeable just in case.

But DCs are meant to be back in school on Monday.... And DH back in work. Although on the long shot that it is covid, DS will have been the asymptomatic carrier I would imagine, so would have had it a week or so ago.

OP posts:
alreadytaken · 26/09/2020 11:58

Not yet. Try taking an ibuprofen if you have one and/or an antihistamine - does your headache subside? If so most probably some other cause. Also try a steamy bath or shower - if sinus issues it may improve in the damp atmosphere.

Adirondack · 26/09/2020 12:17

@myhobbyisouting because DD was in a school which had lots of cases of covid (teachers and pupils) at the time.

StellaGib · 26/09/2020 12:20

Bad headache is a symptom, but not one you can get a test for.

I’d probably just be cautious and stay home til you feel better. Obviously if you develop a cough or temperature etc then get a test.

Original poster
Timtims · 26/09/2020 12:54

Headache is not subsiding much with painkillers. Its not completely debilitating, but uncomfortable and tiring. Especially after 3 or 4 days... And it does feel fluey to me, just without the temperature iyswim. Haven't lost appetite though.

Will rest up in isolation this weekend, and if further symptoms present, I'll get a test and get the rest of the family to isolate too.

OP posts:
Inkpaperstars · 26/09/2020 14:47

I'm not sure if this is out of date, but I think the accuracy of the tests diminishes significantly with time so the earlier you get one the more chance of it being helpful. I understand the hesitation though since demand is so high.

DarceyDashwood · 26/09/2020 14:58

Download the Zoe app if you haven’t already and start to log Your symptoms. This is a useful thing to do anyway but one day I recorded i had a headache and it invited me to take a test. If they do that to you then they clearly think a test could be useful to their research and you wouldn’t have to feel uncomfortable trying to get a test without one of the main symptoms. That’s presuming the app would invite you to get a test.

Mrsfred · 26/09/2020 15:20

I believe I had covid in the first few weeks of lockdown. My first symptom was a blinding headache and being wiped for one day, then four days of feeling 'off' (slight headache, stomach ache and feeling odd), then the cough started on day 5.

I had a tickly throat but no temperature. Not sure about the loss of smell because at the time it wasn't listed as a symptom and I wasn't aware of it!

The horrendous cough and flu-like symptoms plus a tight chest, shortness of breath and on/off stomach upset carried on for nearly four weeks.

I was never ill enough to need a doctor and at the time we were in lockdown so there was no actual need for a test - just kept a very safe distance from the rest of the family and bleached everything in the house that I went near.

alreadytaken · 26/09/2020 15:59

Do you have a carbon monoxide monitor and if not does going outside ease your symptoms?

DishRanAwayWithTheSpoon · 26/09/2020 16:06

@magissa you have a cough so you do meet the criteria to be tested?

Mistigri · 26/09/2020 16:11

DS's main symptom was a headache. He was a contact of a confirmed case (whose main symptom was also headache), and he tested positive on the day the headache came on. He also had a tickly throat but no continuous cough, no fever, and no alteration of smell or taste.

The U.K. testing symptoms are very restrictive and don't include some symptoms that seem to be common in younger patients. It wouldn't be totally unreasonable to (try to) get a test if there have been cases in your child's class.

Magissa · 26/09/2020 18:19

@DishRanAwayWithTheSpoon
My cough is just here and there. Just a bit of a tickle. The website says continuous cough for more than an hour or three over 24 hours. It definitely isn't a cough that is continuous. In normal times I may not have even thought about it. We have decided to isolate for 14 days from contact which was last Sunday in DH case. He went into work this week so he has informed relevant people. He planned working from home anyway this coming week.
We all have the test and trace up on our phones. As it was only up and running from Thursday neither of us have anything showing up whereas my DS has got a countdown to remaining days in quarantine.

Original poster
Timtims · 26/09/2020 18:28

I think this thread illustrates just how difficult it is to know what to do. Headache is still bad (I do have carbon monoxide monitor), but still no other symptoms.

Does anyone have experience of getting covid from an asymptomatic case? If it was covid i can only think it can be from DS, but he has been fit as a fiddle throughout the 14 day isolation.

OP posts:
ethelredonagoodday · 26/09/2020 18:34

Our friend is a doctor and had CV earlier this year. He only had a headache but tested positive. I'd try to get a test OP.

Pinktornado · 26/09/2020 18:35

3 generations of my family currently ill with covid and tested positive - only symptoms were a chronic headache and a fever (not in uk so got private tests) so keep an eye on your temp.