Long covid without knowingly having had covid?

[User5827372728]

Anyone else feel like they have long covid without having a confirmed pcr positive test?

The last 5 months I’ve just felt so unwell. Constant tonsillitis which I’ve never had before, achey joints, headaches, colds, I’m so tired, like I want to cry with exhaustion most days. My mouth is full of ulcers, my throat is always sore. I’ve never felt like this before. Ever. It’s starting to really damage me mentally as well. Should I see a GP ? Ask for blood works? I’m at a loss, I’m trying to eat well, exercise, get loads of fresh air and sleep well but even that isn’t helping.

Any ideas?

No idea if that’s related to covid or not but I think you should see a GP about it whatever it is. Sounds nasty.

Without having covid confirmed there is no way to know, I'd argue it's not long covid since you actually have to have had covid.

Could be glandular fever, could be a virus, could be a million other things. See your GP.

My OH keeps saying he’s got Long Covid - but I’d like to know when he actually had Covid. But his symptoms correspond with what Dr Google suggests are Long Covid symptoms! He’s had blood tests but he’s not heard back.

@PaperMonster

Can blood tests confirm long covid?

I feel like because of my circumstances, kids are 2 different settings, work in a school maybe I had covid but didn’t have symptoms at the time?

I'd ask for a full health check at Gp .

Could be low vit d or something else or just coming out of lockdown and catching alllll the bugs.

Peri menopause?

Mn classic but Low thyroid has a lot of those symptoms.

Either way, let Gp check.

Zinc is also helpful for immunity, but I'd see Gp first.

It is worth seeing your GP for those symptoms - it may be long covid or it may be something else.
I have long covid confirmed test at time and they still did extensive blood tests to check for other reasons for my symptoms.

Ok thanks all, I’ll try and get an elusive GP appointment for this week!

Hope not peri menopause as I’m 32 and would like another child… when I’m feeling less like the waking dead!!

Do you have loose bowel movements too? That sounds a lot like bowel disease (Crohn’s) especially the achey joints

These symptoms and indeed long symptoms can be caused by any virus or infection. Any invader to the body can freak out the immune system. So it's possible that some other illness has triggered this in you.

@Hairbrush123

Yes to loose bowel movements, but that’s been in the last 4 weeks since I had the Pfizer jab. I’m already on my third poo this morning!!!

This sounds exactly like I was when I had glandular fever.

There are lots of asymptomatic people who have gone on to develop long covid
www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200811/asymptomatic-covid-silent-but-maybe-not-harmless

Having said that the symotoms could be a whole host of other things, peri menopause, thyroid, lyme deisease etc. I would get your bloods done and maybe hormone levels too.

@Didiusfalco

Can that be picked up by bloods?

You can get tested for covid antibodies. But if you've just had your jab it won't tell you much. Sorry not much help.

Definitely go and see your GP.

I was just going there say it sounds like when my friend was diagnosed as having glandular fever.

Could be coeliac disease too - make sure they test for that (and don't stop eating gluten as that will invalidate the tests).

@Amboseli

You can get tested for covid antibodies. But if you've just had your jab it won't tell you much. Sorry not much help.

Definitely go and see your GP.

They will. There are different antibody tests. They can test for just vu]iris acquired antibodies, so having had the vaccine doesn't matter.

The one I had (ordered for free via the Government website - we clicked we were doing the Zoe research app) only tests for virus acquired antibodies, not vaccine ones.

I had pcr confirmed covid in October and it showed antibodies.
Dd also just done one (not had covid afaik) and she doesn't have virus acquired antibodies. She has had her first vaccine but it didn't test for that.

A change in bowel habit lasting longer than four weeks needs to be investigated and paired with those symptoms - it sounds like it definitely could be some sort of bowel disease. Ask your GP for a blood test (checks for inflammation), faecal calprotectin test and a referral to a gastroenterologist.

Yes, a blood test could tell you if you have glandular fever. Particularly the fact you’ve had repeated tonsillitis jumped out at me - I don’t think that would be a covid sign but definitely happened as I was starting with glandular fever.

I have long covid and it wasn't like the thing you are describing. Good idea to see your GP.

See your GP

Thank you all. I couldn’t get a phone call GP app for today but will try again tomo!

@User5827372728 I have no idea if bloods can test for Long Covid, but he’s given the GP his symptoms and GP has just ordered bloods to be taken.