Covid positive and feeling horrendous

[Flippingcovid]

Hoping for some help. Started with sore throat, swollen glands and sneezing for a couple of days. Now I feel like there’s an anvil sitting on my chest and lungs have burning sensation. It’s definitely getting worse not better. I can feel it going deeper in to lower respiratory tract and getting gurgling noises in lungs. I can’t get out of bed. What point do I seek medical advice. I know it used to be if you can’t breathe and blue lips

Are you vaccinated?

Only one here - still waiting second

I also have diagnosed hypertension

Have you got someone at home with you? Get them to call 101 and seek advice - how old are you? I hope you’re ok x

Oh you poor thing. I'd call 111 now, that advice was from the beginning when hospitals are overstretched.
Have you an oximeter or can you borrow one? Knowing you're sats are OK would be reassuring.

You need to try and keep moving about. Can you rotate between sofa and bed three hours at a time? Sleep on your front. That will help. Order an oximeter from amazon next day delivery and keep an eye on your numbers.

Sorry I meant 111

Hi I’m early forties. Thanks so much for responses I will try to move. Trying not to infect the family though

I’m with the others. Call 111 and get a proper assessment and they can advise you. Don’t leave it, it’s much better to get treatment promptly if that’s what you need.

Please call 111.
If they advise you to monitor at home and assuming no overnight changes, please send a family member out first thing for an oximeter. Recall an ICU doctor saying some months ago that they are a very good indicator. Some people admitted after struggling to cope at home had shockingly low blood oxygen saturation levels but had no idea.

All the best X

I assume you already had the hypertension diagnosis, rather than covid causing it (simply it doesn't sound like you've been to see a doctor)

Do you have a blood pressure monitor at home?
If yes, keep an eye on it - covid lead to my blood pressure rising extremely high (I didn't have hypertension prior to covid.)
If no, it might be worth getting one if you can to monitor at home.

An oximeter can be useful. They're very cheap, but are a good way to monitor how much oxygen you're getting.

Try it not to panic. I had Covid in January (before vaccinations) and was really poorly, experiencing the same symptoms as you. I was really scared as I have never had any sort of breathing problems before. I was only getting a reading of around 91 or 92 on my oximeter. I'm 59 (well 60 tomorrow!) and also have hypertension.

I ended up having to go to A&E (on the advice of my GP) due to my low oxygen levels. However, when I got there they told me that although my oxygen levels were low they were "acceptable" for someone with Covid (they did rise to 94 whilst I was there) but they were also able to reassure me that my lungs were clear, despite my breathing difficulties. That really helped to calm me and although it was a good 2 more weeks before I felt better just having that reassurance helped me. May be speak to your GP on the phone?

I'm sure you will be OK Op but I know how scary it is. Have a handhold from me.

Also, meant to say, lie on your front, it really helped me.

Thanks so much everyone. Yes hypertension has been diagnosed years ago. Just done a reading and it’s 160/110 so pretty high :(

I’ll need to get an oximeter or send away for one. Also when I cough I get a taste like blood but no blood.

Thanks for your kind wishes it is so much appreciated

www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/12/C1212-Suspected-Coronavirus-COVID-19-important-information-to-keep-you-safe-at-home-leaflet-V2.pdf

Please call 111 for an assessment.

Sorry to hear you’re so poorly. If you have an oximetre, please monitor your oxygen levels and call 111 with your readings. You can feel “ok” with Covid but can get very poorly extremely quickly.

In January, my friend who is 40, healthy and a marathon runner caught covid. Despite not feeling “too bad” she had an oximetre and regularly checked her oxygen readings against the last page of this leaflet. She called 111 with her readings and was blue lighted and then admitted to hospital. She spent two weeks there on oxygen and various other medications. Had she not called 111 when she knew things weren’t quite right, the outcome for her could have been so much worse.

So if you’re feeling very unwell, please don’t wait and phone 111 for help!! Always better to be safe than risk it, you’re NOT wasting anyone’s time!!

Wishing you a speedy recovery x

Things to do tonight: get hold of an oximeter (if you buy via Prime on Amazon it will be with you by tomorrow). Doesnt need to be an expensive one, just as long as it has the CE kitemark and you read the instructions.

The "burning" in your lungs is a normal sensation w COVID. The first thread about it in here in March 2020 was called "Are anybody elses lungs burning".

I found steam inhalation and lying on my front forr periods helpful.

Tomorrow: contact your gp re your hypertension. Illness does raise your bp but they should be able to tell you how high is too high. They may also prescribe some steroids for your breathing.

Keep drinking and make sure you keep seeing.

Hopefully you'll feel better soon. This can be a very nasty virus which can make you feel terrible even if you dont get seriously ill.

weeing. It is very important that you are able to pee.

That blood pressure is high. What do you normally run at? Are you on anti hypertensives? Regardless of the covid I think you should also ring 111 about your blood pressure.

The oxometer saved my sanity when I had covid in January this year. Even though it felt like I couldn't breathe, my stats were consistently 99 or 98 which calmed me instantly.

Also I had a jug of honey and lemon water by my bed which I sipped constantly. Went through 2 jars of honey and 4 nets of lemons over 2 weeks. But kept me hydrated which is really important.

Laid in bed and watched light hearted TV, listened to audio books and avoided the news as it was all doom and gloom at the time. I found the fear was almost the hardest part of it tbh.

Thanks 🙏 for taking the time to reply to all of you. My BP is normally high I’m on BP meds so it’s usually circa 150/98 average.

I’m under the care of renal/ hypertension unit .

I am ordering oximeter now. Also been feeling dizzy but I guess that’s normal. My nails don’t look blue or discoloured so that’s reassuring.

I will call 111

Aw it's really awful, I had it in December quite badly . I remember that feeling of it going down into my chest .such an odd feeling ! I had steroids and two lots of antibiotics ( second lot as still had chest pain 3 weeks after . Things that helped : drinking a lot of water , much more than I would normally drink , breathing exercises , lying on my front, I avoided dairy - I don't know if this helps everyone but I'm asthmatic and I always find it helps to avoid as stops me being so phlegmy ! Also I tried to keep my mind busy so I wasn't constantly thinking about it and worrying . I felt quite sick , so just ate what I fancied now and again .
Having the Pulse oximeter really helped reassure me .
Hope you feel better soon !

I had it back in March last year and I'd second those saying get an oximeter, don't hesitate to call 111 if you're at all worried that you're getting worse, lie on your front as much as possible, especially for sleeping, and make sure you rest. Three additional points:

1. On oximeters: depending on what your circulation is like, it might or might not be easy for your oximeter to pick up your readings. (I have poor circulation in my fingers and also very slim fingers, so it can take some fiddling to get it right.) There should be three figures showing on the screen, SPO2 (oxygen saturation), PI% (perfusion index), and pulse rate. If the PI% is very low (below 0.5 especially) the other figures are unlikely to be remotely accurate. So don't panic immediately if it takes a little while to get a constant and clear reading, and keep an eye on the PI% so that you know when it's got a good read on you.

2. On rest: this is really serious and you must not push yourself! Do not try to do anything beyond basic self care, even if you start feeling a bit better. I thought I was improving a few times and got up to read to my toddler or get him dressed to give my husband a break and each time my fever came raging back with a vengeance within the hour. Towards the end of the illness I thought I was a lot better and I was sick of feeling useless so I made dinner (sitting down throughout) and was then so ill and exhausted I couldn't eat any of it and yup, back came the fever. Could barely breathe or move for the next day.

3. Not sure if you're struggling with chest congestion? I felt like I was drowning and had to get up around every 45 minutes to clear my lungs. It was horrible but it was really, really worth doing. Drink lots of water to keep the mucus loose, and clear it as often as you can manage. Then sit back down, breathe slowly, and try not to panic if it takes a while to get your breath under control again. It will happen, and then you should feel quite a bit better for a while.

I hope you're doing ok.

Do you have a Samsung phone? Mine (S10) has an oximeter on.

Second all the people saying don’t panic, but also get an oximeter off Amazon if you can. Normal sats should be >96% for you. My 38 year old fit and well husband had Covid last year and his saturation’s dropped to 88%, his heart rate was 140 and his temp was 40 degrees. I’m an ICU consultant so my family is unlucky in that I don’t necessarily act very quickly, but even I packed the hospital bag at that point! But luckily he turned a corner the next day. I would advise if your saturation’s go below 90% you go to A&E. Equally if you find the work of breathing is more difficult. It is a miserable disease… I had it ‘mild’ and felt like death with constant coughing, chest pain, fevers, chills and laryngitis. But my saturation’s never dropped below 97%.

Other things I did: Prone yourself multiple times a day (lie on your front) and try to lie on your front or at last your side to sleep. Brush teeth regularly and use mouthwash, take good dose of vitamin D and do deep breathing exercises regularly in the day (eg. Breathe in deep, hold breathe for 4-5 seconds if you can and release, repeat a few times).

Let us know how you get on and never be too worried about getting help early.

How are you doing today ?