Recovered 3 weeks ago - cough suddenly worsened today?

[CarinaMarina]

I fell ill on 8th Nov, tested positive on 13th Nov, got pretty sick but was fully back to normal with no fatigue or much of a cough by 27th November.

Whilst sick my cough was minimal, just a dry irritation amidst the utter horror of the rest of it really. In the nearly 3 weeks since feeling better, I've had days where I've coughed a bit and had a tight chest, and others where I've not coughed at all.

Today the cough has suddenly become quite bad. But why would it suddenly worsen now? I can't work out if it's a new cough, or the old one. I'm really quite wheezy and can't talk without coughing, I've gone backwards.

Is this a thing? I know about post viral cough etc, but I wouldn't expect to have had a couple of weeks gap before it started...

I would get that checked our by a doctor. It could be that you have a bacterial pneumonia casing you to cough more . This can sometimes follow on from viral illnesses.

Or of course it could be nothing but I would definitely speak to your GP

I had exactly this back in March and it was a secondary bacterial chest infection - had to have two courses of antibiotics. Get checked out.

Oo crikey. I feel alright, just suddenly had a bad day of coughing. Nothing at all overnight, but I'll probably start again if I talk or laugh!

It's dry and non-productive, will see how it is today when I get going.

Have you thought about having another test ?
People have had it twice.

No point having another test as they say you can carry on testing positive for 90 days after having it but that doesn’t mean a new infection or that you’re infectious.

Definitely get medical advice.

I met someone in a virtual work meeting last week who said if he talked for too long it gave him a bad coughing fit and it was 2 or 3 months since he had covid.

Eesh, I talk for a living. It's definitely worse with talking and laughing, but the irritation (and the pain and the wheezy sound) is primarily in my throat.

If I get covid a second time I hope to christ it's not as bad as the first.

Have you thought about having another test ?

Not many people at all have actually had it twice, and those that have its been much longer than a few weeks later. OP I've definitely heard of people slipping backwards after a few weeks but still think it's worth speaking to your doctor to rule out an infection. There's also long covid to consider, hopefully it isn't that!

Do speak to your GP. I had a mild illness for 1.5 weeks then 2 weeks after that it hit me again like a truck and I suddenly had breathing problems (and all the rest). It was then that I was sent to hospital.

This is how covid goes sometimes. I would take time off if possible and seek medical advice asap.

The worst thing to do is soldier on. Hope it clears up.

We have a fair bit of walking, chatting and fresh air planned today, so I'll see how it goes - if the cough persists I'll book an appointment so the GP can have a listen. DH and I have just been having an animated discussion about property auctions and I haven't really coughed (have you heard of the Modern Method of Auction, looks horrendous)!

DH did call an ambulance when I was really sick and my obs showed good oxygen sats but reduced lung sounds on the left, so I suppose there's potential for it to have caused some issues. But whilst I felt horribly ill for 6 days, I didn't need to go to hospital and it was "a mild illness" by most accounts. It doesn't feel mild in the thick of it but afterwards you're very grateful not to have needed a hospital bed or a ventilator!

I honestly wouldn’t go walking. You need some days resting, not exertion. The people I know who have gone backwards and ended up with long covid are people who kept soldiering on.

@JacobReesMogadishu

I honestly wouldn’t go walking. You need some days resting, not exertion. The people I know who have gone backwards and ended up with long covid are people who kept soldiering on.

This 100%

Cancel the walking. Speak to the doctor.

Ok, advice noted - thanks! The weather is actually pretty miserable so the walking may be shelved anyway. I've hardly coughed at all this morning so maybe it was a false alarm...

Either way I think you need a consultation with your GP. The after effects of covid are becoming increasingly apparent and given you’ve not long recovered any support that your GP can provide eases the burden on your body to recover. There’s a lot that could be going on unseen leaving you vulnerable to other infections.

That’s not meant to frighten you btw it’s just you sound very ‘stiff upper lip’ which is commendable but in this case possibly not the best course of action long term.

I think stiff upper lip will have contributed to many bad outcomes with covid

My brother got worse 3 weeks post and then felt pretty fatigued for several months. Even though it might be a false alarm, treat it cautiously and rest up in case you are fighting it off.

Doing my best, but DH is even more stiff upper lip than me and is now keen to go and meet some friends by socially distancing outside a coffee shop in the wind and rain.

One up him and tell him to go alone because you’re having a therapeutic ice bath with the windows open

I completely understand the pull of a chance at normality, especially after this year but you do need to be gentle with yourself. Look after yourself the same way you would look after someone else.

A drink outside, well wrapped up might not be too bad but it’s completely dependent on how you feel about it and your ability to call it to an end if you’ve had enough.

Well, that went well.

We had 2 walks planned - changed the first to a town meet up, cancelled the second. Whilst having a socially distanced outdoor chat in a big warm long winter coat, cosy if a little soggy, DH's phone rings and it's the second lot of walkers trying to persuade us to walk with them despite the rain.

DH doesn't want to let them down. We had boots in the car but my warm down coat is not waterproof and my walking coat is 25 minutes away at home, in the wrong direction. I was offered an alternative coat by our walker friends, so I agreed on the understanding that it would only be a short walk.

It was pissing down, my jeans got soaked, and there were several steep hills involved over the 90 minute trail. I didn't cough but I was blowing quite hard and I do have some pain in my chest if I breathe in deeply (now I'm back home, showered and dry and cosy under a blanket snuggled up with a tired dog).

I should have avoided that rainy hill walk really, but we'd promised and we don't like being fair-weather dog owners...and we did enjoy the walk!

I dunno, I think that sounds foolish on your part and uncaring on your husband's, but in all likelihood you will get away with it as most people don't develop long covid. So hopefully all will be well.

For anyone else reading the thread, I think this is an example of what NOT to do after a covid positive result with lingering symptoms!

Sorry, I was a bit bossy there! I really do hope you get fully better.

It’s such a scary recovery process. I had felt much better at the end of the first week and then ended up in hospital at the beginning of the second. I am now into week three and despite feeling better again you always have that feeling it’s not quite gone away as I have a cough / bad chest. I really get it’s so hard to know what your fine / not fine to attempt yet.

I’m sorry but I think you were completely irresponsible today. We are in the middle of a pandemic and it’s not just you at risk. If you had collapsed while out walking it would have taken an ambulance and hospital visit that someone else could need.

I hope you feel better soon, but please do stay home and rest!