Just home from hospital

[Sorehandsandfeet]

Hi,
I just want to add my experience for info and to remind people to be careful.
I am not yet 40, healthy weight with no real health problems. I am now in my 3rd week of Covid.
The first week was all flu like. Awful headache, pains in limbs, sore, hoarse throat. No smell and taste funny. The cough started after a few days.

The second week became hell, temperature spiking, lying in puddles of sweat, all other symptoms too. Phoned doctor and given an antibiotic incase I developed a secondary bacterial infection.
I lay in bed hoping to get over it, as the doctor said, I'm young and healthy.
My husband, after another week made me phone the doctor who told me to go to a and e.
My immune system had crashed and I have pneumonia. I'm home on steroids and antibiotics but have been told that it will be a long recovery.
Please take it seriously. I should have had a mild case if rumour were to be believed.

@SaltyAndFresh why is this somehow more honest than people's accounts of feeling mildly unwell or having it and not realising? We all know it can be dangerous, I'm sure most of us acknowledge/d the climbing daily death toll but everyone I know who has tested positive has had 'cold like' symptoms or none at all. Why is that so taboo on here?

I hope you feel better ASAP. Must be worrying and a shock.

I wonder if it’s worth getting a pneumonia jab incase? I got the flu jab as get it anyway due to heart condition and saw a poster for pneumonia. Maybe it’s worth doing?

Ooh I’ve done some research. The pneumonia vaccine is against viral pneumonia and covid can cause bacterial pneumonia. So vaccine is pointless!

11 million people die of infections every year, many millions more end up very ill/disabled from all types of infection. I really can't understand why suffering with covid is being portrayed as something new and different. It's a new virus, yes, but suffering from an infection is very much not new.

I also have no idea what the fuck 'take it seriously' means. I can take it as seriously as I like and still catch it, like the millions of people who've already caught it, so what difference will it make??

I'm very sorry for the OP and very sympathetic that she has been seriously ill, and hope she recovers quickly. And of course everyone should if they want share their stories of minor illness, major illness and everything in between - this is a chat site where people talk about their experiences. But, unless you have been living under a rock with no media access for the last few months, you will not find the OP's story particularly surprising nor will it make you likely to change your behaviour. People who are risk averse will continue to avoid risk as much as possible. People who aren't won't.

We know that lots of people get very ill with this disease. We know that there are some factors that make you more likely to become seriously ill, age among them. We know that some people without risk factors become seriously ill. We know that the most people do not become seriously ill. I didn't become seriously ill and neither did the vast majority of the people I know who had it. However, I don't want to get it again in case I do become seriously ill and I don't want to give it to anyone else.

One person's experience doesn't change most people's response. I can tell you I had a mild illness and felt a bit off for a few days. You're not going to start taking it less seriously.

@Ontopofthesunset I think you are right. My mum died from COVID so I do know how it can play out. Died on her own I might add.

I think the biggest worry with this virus is how little we know about it. And I think fears of mutation. I also think that the number of deaths with all the lockdown measures suggests it is worse than other infections.

We have had it in my family - some of us had very mild symptoms and one very bad requiring a trip to hospital. My worry is we are unlikely immune and one reinfection case got it worse second time. Other cases had a milder second infection.

Here's wishing you a speedy and full recovery

I think the difference with this infection is that it is new. We dont know anything yet about potential long term consequences simply because it hasnt been around long enough. We dont know how this infection will interact with other infections eg Covid + flu or Covid + norovirus.

Following the rules on mixing, distance, mask wearing etc will reduce transmission of Covid and other seasonal infections.

How's the recovery going OP?

Get well soon OP. My youngest daughter had pneumonia back in March and had to switch between 3 diff antibiotics as the first didn't help at all. She was aged 8 at the time, completely wiped out for 3 weeks ( as in unable to move, drink much, eat, sit up) It took her another 3 weeks to actually get anywhere near back to normal. I think it could well have been covid as we learnt of a positive case in her friends family at school. I wouldn't wish this reaction to it on anyone. Rest as much as you can xx