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Covid

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Covid delirium (not older person)

11 replies

HappyDaysToCome · 19/03/2021 17:06

Has anyone any experience of Covid delirium NOT in an older person? (As that’s all that comes up when I google).

Person in question is late 40s, healthy, no mental health problems that I know of (and never any inkling that there could be). We are closest relatives, an hour away. He lives alone. Hasn’t been in contact all week, several family members have finally been able to contact him:

  • he’s unwell (nothing specific said about what), but has been into work (briefly)
  • he kept going quiet, maybe zoning out, when talking
  • paranoid - thinks someone’s been in his house because something's been moved, thinks someone’s hacked his work computer, etc.
  • didn’t seem with it generally.

It’s the paranoia that’s most odd and not like him at all.

Could be anything of course, maybe a temperature, maybe the loneliness getting to him, he’s seen no family since Christmas.

I’ve ordered a covid test to be sent to him (no test centres within walking distance unfortunately), so I hope that will arrive tomorrow. Apparently he’d tried to call the doctors but not got through.

We’re going to see him, take him some shopping, but not go inside or anywhere near him obviously. But unless it’s bad enough for urgent medical attention I’m not sure what we can do. I’m also worried DH will get too close and catch it.

OP posts:
DogsSausages · 19/03/2021 17:12

Does he normally zone out and feel disorientated. It could be a number of things, I would call for medical help, either his gp or 111, you wont know the cause or how urgent it is, not everything is caused by covid.

holliebelles · 19/03/2021 17:16

Kind of. I'm 48 and had Covid at Christmas. I had really bad brain fog, couldn't remember names of things, or words, forgot what I was saying etc. I was delusional in that I was convinced a certain comedian had called me to check I was ok (with hindsight it was test and trace with a similar accent, but I was convinced at the time). I couldn't add up, once my isolation was over I went food shopping and came back empty handed, I'd just focussed on the getting to the supermarket and completely forgotten about buying food!

I don't think I had paranoia, although I did seriously wonder at one point if I had nanobots inside me as my aches and pains were in areas I'd had previous injuries.

I went back to work after three weeks but it's obvious with hindsight I wasn't well, and it was probably a couple of months before I felt vaguely like me again.

HappyDaysToCome · 19/03/2021 17:19

No I’ve never known him to zone out/ be disoriented before. I think we’ll have to call GP/ 111 when we get there and actually see how he is, hard to really know how he is on the phone.

OP posts:
HappyDaysToCome · 19/03/2021 17:22

@holliebelles

Kind of. I'm 48 and had Covid at Christmas. I had really bad brain fog, couldn't remember names of things, or words, forgot what I was saying etc. I was delusional in that I was convinced a certain comedian had called me to check I was ok (with hindsight it was test and trace with a similar accent, but I was convinced at the time). I couldn't add up, once my isolation was over I went food shopping and came back empty handed, I'd just focussed on the getting to the supermarket and completely forgotten about buying food!

I don't think I had paranoia, although I did seriously wonder at one point if I had nanobots inside me as my aches and pains were in areas I'd had previous injuries.

I went back to work after three weeks but it's obvious with hindsight I wasn't well, and it was probably a couple of months before I felt vaguely like me again.

I hope you feel better now.

My Dsis had it and definitely had the brain fog too.

OP posts:
giletrouge · 19/03/2021 17:24

There was a thread where OP's husband was in hospital with Covid and was what could be called delirious, not understanding where he was etc OP. There was a high temp involved. Sounds worrying.
Hope you can get him some medical attention. I'd say ASAP, but it's not easy to get that is it.
Can you ring 111 on his behalf?

idontlikealdi · 19/03/2021 17:29

I wouldn't be jumping to covid tbh all sorts could be causing it.

HappyDaysToCome · 19/03/2021 17:54

So now I’ve heard via another family member that he’s lost his sense of taste and smell, so I’m certain it IS Covid. Sadly he’s been to work yesterday so probably infected people!

OP posts:
HappyDaysToCome · 21/03/2021 11:24

So it’s not covid, or at least not just covid (test not done yet but I suspect the taste/smell thing is a red herring, I’m not sure how that conversation actually went).

It’s mental illness, or outside chance of something neurological I suppose, that’s been building for some time, obvious enough that the neighbours have been very worried.

Trying to get the right help now.

We’ve been smugly following the rules, staying local, supporting the older people in our family, and had no clue. To say we’ve dropped a ball is an understatement.

OP posts:
Dizzywizz · 21/03/2021 11:46

Oh no @HappyDaysToCome, that must be so worrying

giletrouge · 21/03/2021 12:04

Sorry to hear this. I hope you can get him some help OP.

Greybeardy · 21/03/2021 13:31

This last year has been utterly miserable for people living alone with no local family/friends and I suspect a small army of similar folk might be discovered once lockdown’s officially done. Your relative is lucky if he has you/other family who’ve spotted the problem now and care enough to help. Hope it turns out well.

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