I need a hand hold... in shock after positive Covid test

[EdinaMonsoon]

I'm 5 days away from getting the vaccine. I have stayed home an entire year except for walking my dog in the most remote spots I could find & medical appointments. Youngest DS picked it up at school (Y12). I'm terrified. Became symptomatic yesterday. Positive result today. I'm aching and coughing with a bit of a headache. I'm terrified. Please tell me your positive outcome Covid stories or just take my mind off this shit show.

Keep chatting to us if you feel well enough. I’m sure you will be absolutely fine 💐

My father aged 94 with various health problems had it and is absolutely fine. Likewise DH and me.

I was convinced I was going to hospital and I would die. It was actually the worst part, the gnawing fear. I am very fat but not fat enough to be considered vulnerable or be prioritized for the vaccine. I'm 39. I had suspected pneumonia and I had to lie down in the bath while I ran it because I just couldn't sit up.
But I didn't actually even go to hospital and it was all over in two weeks - I went from double steam mopping the floor to pneumonia to just being slightly breathless climbing the stairs.
The worst part is the not knowing and the fear that you will be the one who gets really sick. If you can find a way to mentally cope with that then it will make a big difference.

I had covid over New Year and absolutely the worst part was the worry over how it would pan out rather than the illness itself.

It was like a cold but with headache and more fatigue and I looked after a baby and a child throughout. I was totally better in a week with no long term issues.

Make sure you lie on your tummy for an couple of hours morning and afternoon and sleep on it you can (self prone) it increases oxygen levels to the base of your lungs.

Oh and be careful of the oximeter - I kept getting low readings but they told me I should sit up when trying it and it made a huge difference to the numbers! Also I was so sick I couldn't bare to get out of bed for about five days.

I had it, along with my DH and our two DC between Xmas and NY. OH was the worst hit; it was like a very heavy cold for him. For me it was like a moderate cold. The DCs were completely fine. We were all recovered after about a week though the fatigue and on/off headaches lingered for about 10 days, and my sense of smell didn’t return for a couple of weeks.

A friend with very severe asthma who is frequently hospitalised in ‘normal’ times caught it. She went to hospital but with asthma symptoms rather than Covid ones. She is now fine (actually not ‘fine’ because she never is thanks to her asthma, but she coped fine with the Covid).

Also....did you read about the 117 year-old French nun who got it? She tested positive but had no symptoms at all 😆 Hope for us all!

OP it's completely understandable to be worried. I'm the type that would panic if I caught it, despite not being in a high risk group. What you need to remember is that it's a very tiny percentage of people who actually get hospitalised and die from this. For the majority, it's a couple of weeks of feeling gritty. Get some rest, stay off google and get well soon

But OP - the reason I keep going on about how dreadful I felt etc is to show that despite that, despite the fear and the very genuine feelings of illness, I was just fine really. I absolutely wasn't a serious case even though I felt it, so even if you feel dreadful it doesn't mean you are going downhill

• grotty not gritty!

It’s so horrible. For me the worst part by far was the fear of how ill I would be. My 65+ year old mum also had it at the same time (she was legally in our bubble and we were hardly going anywhere so didn’t think we’d be in that position). We were both completely fine and have had worse colds. Symptoms similar to what you describe for a day or two. Then it felt like a sinus issue/head cold. Oxygen levels fine. This is in no way scientific but I think the fact that you don’t have a raging fever and are bedridden now is a very good sign that it will be mild. My dh was far more unwell and he was bedridden from day 1. It was very apparent then that he was going to be quite ill with it. I too felt so angry that we had got it after so long and so near to vaccination, after being very cautious.

You will most likely be fine but if you can, keep an eye on your oxygen levels with a pulse oximeter. My DH was hit hard with no underlying conditions but it is quite rare and he is on the mend now.

Don't panic, I'm 60 and fat, work in the NHS. I thought I'd be first on the ventilator. I had covid with zero symptoms, it was picked up in a routine test.
You may just have it very mildly. Just rest and drink lots of water.

Also the other night I woke up at 4am ill, felt awful with massive swollen glands - did three lateral flow tests and they were all negative. The virus I did havbe, just a cold I think was worse than when I had covid.

OP I really feel for you.

Do these breathing exercises:

A friend of mine (man, 50s, overweight) had Covid badly and the docs told if he did those exercises, he'd do much better.

When my DS caught Covid in January we all did those exercises every day. We managed not to catch it from him luckily but it was a scary couple of weeks.

Good luck to you, it must be awfully scary but you are young enough and fit and female so I'm sure you'll be ok.

I had what my GP is now pretty certain was Covid back in February 20 just before it really hit the UK. I am prone to chest infections and assumed that this was one of those, albeit a pretty grim one. I admit I felt awful for about 5 days, really aching, feverish and generally crap but went to bed most of the time and waited for it to go. It did, and although it took a while for me to get back to normal it was ok in the end.

I think if I’d had a positive test I’d have been a lot more worried about the “what might happen” and I completely understand why you’re so anxious, but try not to overdo the worry about that and take each day as it comes.

I am sorry you are feeling so distraught about it.
However I'm going to add 50% to the total number of known cases (because it is ridiculously low and could probably be doubled) 126000/6450000 = 1.95%. (Deaths/by cases). Let's bear in mind that almost all of the people who have died have had co-morbidities and many have died with not of covid.

As a well 50 year old with no co-morbidities the chance of you dying is infinitesimal - less than crossing a road. And the UK has destroyed its economy for the next generation based on a campaign of fear that has borne scant regard to the true statistics.

Do still get your vaccine when you are better.

Had it a year ago. I had a bit of a cough and no sense of taste or smell for a couple of weeks. Otherwise the whole body effects that lasted a few days were much the same as my colleagues are getting from the vaccine. I think some are actually getting that bit worse than I did as many have been off work with it and I could have worked through (if not contagious obviously).

It is horrible, and it gets everyone differently, but the main thing is to just rest, try to keep your breathing 'normal' and lots of water and paracetamol.

No point in keeping yourself separate from your family as you're all isolating together anyway (please remember DH has to even if he doesn't have symptoms at the moment, sorry to nag but you joked about sending him out for ciggies earlier )

I’m 60, ex-smoker, diabetic, asthmatic. Caught Covid in New Year, admitted to hospital for 6 days on oxygen. Felt weak and tired for a couple of weeks after discharge but am now walking 15k steps daily plus just started back weight training again. We are all different and there are no guarantees how individuals will respond but the vast majority of people recover well.

I believe the viral load plays a key factor as to how unwell you will be. Since you got it off your son, I’m assuming ( keeping fingers crossed) that the shedding from him is not a huge amount therefore your viral load is lesser than you directly contracting it?
As the others have others have pointed out-
Take your vitamins
Plenty of rest and fluids
Close eye on oxygen
And any change please call for help

I understand how scary this is. We have spent 12 months and more of everyone and everything around is reminding us to be very scared. I’m like you- don’t go out except for walks, everything online and still wash groceries. I’m terrified of catching it as well- but have a child in primary so feel like a sitting duck.

“ I believe the viral load plays a key factor as to how unwell you will be. Since you got it off your son, I’m assuming ( keeping fingers crossed) that the shedding from him is not a huge amount therefore your viral load is lesser than you directly contracting it?”

Huh?

Statistically speaking it's highly likely you will have mild Covid and recover quickly OP. Sitting panicking will not help you recover. Take care of yourself - plenty of fluids, painkillers, get some rest and it's likely you'll be better in a few days. Even if you are one of the unlucky few your age to be more seriously affected, be glad that the treatment in hospital is much better now than it was and outcomes are miles better.

I’m CEV being immunosuppressed. I caught it at new year, the first few days just a bit achy, pains in back, legs, stomach and tired. After day 6 I went down hill and didn’t improve until day 14, I never coughed once though! I was breathless, very cold and couldn’t warm up, aches and pain, headaches, nausea and very dizzy.
I caught it off DH, maybe he got it from a supermarket. The kids caught it and felt rough for a couple of days only.

[quote EdinaMonsoon]@Emeraldshamrock DS got a positive too. He's doing okay. Seems very relaxed about it all. He's got a cough and cold & thankfully no temp or muscle/headache.

@EmbarrassingAdmissions Will take a look at that link now. Is it an NHS trial?[/quote]
Yes, it's run out of Oxford. You can self-enrol but they handle notifying your GP practice.

The PRINCIPLE Trial is entirely remote. You can participate from the comfort of your own home from anywhere in the UK with no face-to-face visits required. The trial team and your own GP will be available for you to contact throughout.

www.principletrial.org/participants