“Long covid” both me and DH !?!?

[DottyWott]

I’ve put it in “” because apparently the medical definition is 12 weeks + but DH and I have had symptoms for 5 weeks from our positive tests.
Our DC had positive tests too and recovered after a couple of days minor illness.
Our illness started mild enough (and we thanked our lucky stars we were getting a mild dose) but it has never lifted. If anything it got worse. We are bone tired, aching, trembling, stiff. We also have the brain fog. Neither of us had a particularly severe cough and our chests have cleared up now. It strikes me as odd we both have the same symptoms, it is supposed to be unusual to have prolonged symptoms anyway so for us both to do so?!
😩 It is so hard tag teaming to get through the day with the DC, who are thankfully at school and pretty low maintenance.
Has anyone else’s illness followed a long course? Clutching at straws, but what helped?
Did anyone who had a long course have another household member run a long course too?
Does anyone else have a long illness without the prolonged cough and poorly chest that most Long Coviders seem to suffer?

I was tested positive the beginning of October and it dragged on for ages. Absolute lethargy until about a week ago - I could fall asleep at any time. Going for even the shortest walk left me exhausted - I mean really short like just around the block. I'm in my 50s, so not young but I was running half marathons before this, so I was fit. Just this last week I felt I was pretty much back to normal. But yesterday I was giving a lecture in one of those places with step and tiers and I was 'running' up and down the steps to give out paperwork and talk to student personally and when I got back to the podium I was completely out of breath. It was astonishing. I nearly had to call it off, but ended up doing the rest of the session sitting down. So Im definitely not right yet, but somewhat better. I guess we will get there in time.

That’s quite positive for me @janetmendoza thank you. The course of the illness is so unpredictable, it’s good to hear you felt improvement after a spell like this (although I hope you feel completely well again soon).
What gets to me is how I can have a reasonable-ish day and get my hopes up, followed by a terrible day! Really knocks my mood.

I believe I had it in March but tested positive with milder symptoms in May. After that it dragged on a long time, particularly with fatigue. I'm in my 50s, and not very fit. I have been nearly completely well for ages now but have the occasional bad day which for me might be getting unusually fatigued on a walk or having the chills for a while. The bad days have got further and further apart like weeks or even months. What helped was allowing myself to take it easy if I felt that way.

I didn't have a prolonged cough but my chest was irritated and I was prescribed an inhaler.

@DottyWott I have had long covid for 8 months (was tested). I am much much improved now but not 100% still! The first 12 weeks were very hard and similar to what you have described. Much of which I was in bed / sofa bound but then it improved. I am pretty much normal now with lingering brain fog and fatigue at times meaning I can't really exercise more than short walks but can work and do all general daily stuff now. Previously I was super fit running half marathons etc. No previous conditions, v healthy. I would suggest going on the FB long covid group for support. I have left that now as I am feeling much improved but they really helped me for several months. There's a lot more info on long covid out there now. Another tip is to watch Gez Medinger's videos on youtube as they are v informative. I have found GP's largely useless. My DP also had it but much more mildly than me, he has odd symptoms that come and go still but it hasn't really affected life too much for him thankfully as I am not sure how we would have managed with 2 DCs!

@dottywatt the other thing I would say (which you are likely doing) is to really really rest. As much as I constantly wanted to get back to doing stuff every time I tried I was floored with exhaustion. Unlike anything I have ever experienced, nearest i can compare to is early pregnancy exhaustion but it was worse than that as felt unwell too. I am much better at managing this now but for he first few months I just had to let it all go (house work, work etc) because I just couldn't do it. I kept trying to get back to it and making myself more ill.

@longshot thank you for the tips and information.
I have been off work since it started. I physically would not even manage the journey let alone get through the day (it’s a fairly physical job and lots of concentration).
I start a new job in January- am desperate to be well enough to get back to my old job first and wrap things up properly, and start my new job fighting fit!
But I am trying to really rest. It’s hard with DC! The school run is a killer, even though we drive!

@dottywatt there is so much info on supplements out there but I would suggest watching this video as a starting point...also if fatigue is a problem then CoQ10 is good. I have been taking that since May and it has helped!

Take care of yourself and I hope you recover fast.