Day 5 of covid, symptoms

[Kiwiblue02]

Hi everyone, I caught covid and had a minor cough for first few days which gradually got worse. Woken up day 5 and now my chest hurts, feels like pressure is on it, throat so sore and exhausted. I'm feeling really scared. For those who have had this, how did your symptoms go, is there a time when symptoms get worse and when did you get better? Do you have any tips?
Also I'm working from home...am I wrong to call in sick as feel awful or would you still try and work

Hi I started like that on 2 Feb and it got worse (not hospitalised). Im usually the type of person that powers through but I was too ill to work after day 5. The temperature and exhaustion ( plus everything else) was too much. Tried to go back two weeks later but was still really ill and am still signed off. I think I've been unlucky though. Definitely take time off to try and recover.

Drs have said that day 8 is a turning point. Things either start to get better or deteriorate. That was true for me - I began to get a little better but it's taking a long time.

Tips:

1. If you don't have one get a pulse oximeter. It has enabled me to monitor stats and keep drs in loop. I've been surprised at the change in my stats;

1. Don't be afraid to call 111 even if it is just for advice;

1. Drink lots of fluids;

1. If you have a temp, take paracetamol;

1. REST!

1. Rd your cough. If you can steam eg in the shower do.

Really hope you get better soon.

I had it at Christmas. I second everything ok ok has said. Call in sick and concentrate on getting lots of fluids and try to relax. I found it scary too so stopped using phone etc. I didn’t really have the energy to anyway.
Lie on your front and rest rest rest.
I hope you feel better soon but don’t rush it.

Call in sick. You need to rest so your body can concentrate on getting rid of this virus.

I had Covid in January. It was horrible but I was able to recover at home without medical help.

Everyone is different but for me one if the main differences between Covid and other illness is just how prolonged it can be. I'm used to being ill for a few days and then feeling better and recovering quickly once the initial illness has passed. With Covid, for me everything was a lot more drawn out.

My first week was fairly mild - mostly sinus pain and earache. I thought I was almost better on day 8 but then relapsed.

The second week was truly horrible with fatigue and nausea.

The third week was a very very gradual recovery.

As you don't know what each day may bring you must rest and focus on yourself not work.

I'm into my second week with Covid and like other posters, have had to call in sick for the last week even though I work from home currently. The fatigue is like nothing I've known before! Nausea has weirdly kicked in but only after 5PM?! By 8PM I'm ready for bed.
Am unsure whether to call in sick again next week or try to work. I need to see how I manage walking my DD into school first!

As others have said, plenty of fluids, alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen and get as much rest as you possibly can. Hope you start to recover soon x

I'm 10 weeks into covid and still having coughing fits everyday. I was ok for the first few days and then got gradually worse after about a week. Not ill enough for hospital, just exhausted and zombiefied!
Be careful as you will have days where you think you are better and will start to do things, then you'll spend the next 2 days in bed as you've overdone it!

I'm gonna try and take this week off as don't think a stressful job is gonna help me recover even though I work fromhome. I'm shocked by how little energy I have. I felt slightly better this morning so walked around my flat a bit and knocked back for six again, out of breath with burning chest pain!!

Did any of you have random days with different symptoms crop up? I had a metal taste in my mouth for a couple days, now my nose is blocked

@Kiwiblue02

I'm gonna try and take this week off as don't think a stressful job is gonna help me recover even though I work fromhome. I'm shocked by how little energy I have. I felt slightly better this morning so walked around my flat a bit and knocked back for six again, out of breath with burning chest pain!!

Did any of you have random days with different symptoms crop up? I had a metal taste in my mouth for a couple days, now my nose is blocked

Yeah I had one day with random joint pains, then another day with a really odd taste in my mouth. Symptoms do seem to change frequently! I would definitely take time off if you can. If you can't be off sick with covid, when can you!

Another vote for taking time off. I tried to work through, even a little bit, but found that half an hour of answering emails wiped me out. So I gave up trying It took until 2 weeks before I started to have enough energy for me than shower, dress, get food and clear up. That was a day's work. It then took another two weeks of gradually improving energy till I would say I was over it and able to do a normal day's activity.

I had also heard about day 8/9 being a turning point, and breathed a sigh of relief when I reached day 10. I also had symptoms which came and went, as well as the cough which was the only persistent one, apart from the fatigue. But I'd had the cough a couple of days before the fatigue really started, and a stuffy nose before that. I had a fever just for half a day, and diarrhoea for a few days.

Yes I had random symptoms. I gradually collected symptoms I could have turned into a book 🤪.

I have a stressful desk based job (solicitor). I tried to go back after 2 weeks and was honestly distraught by the 2nd day. I'm usually the one to power though but my gp signed me off for another 2.5 weeks. I've gone back today and whilst I'm better than before I can feel my brain isn't as sharp and I'm bloody shattered still with a raging temp!

Honestly try to rest as much as you can. Really hope you get better soon.

I agree. Call in sick. Plenty fluids and rest. Hope you feel better soon. I had it in October and I felt awful for a month.