Covid lingering symptoms/Long Covid support thread

[Piggywaspushed]

Hello

As agreed with a few on the double vaxxed and feeling ugh thread, I am starting a supportive thread for those still suffering delta related symptoms. I don't want to tread on any toes as am aware there is a longstanding thread but some of us are newer to this horrible business.

I'll kick off : tested positive on 6 August. Initial symptoms were nausea, anxiety and impending doom, followed by short lived cough and then vomiting and nausea. Seen in A and E around Day 6 and then admitted to hospital on Day 14 with a flare up of gastric symptoms. Now in endless cycle of fatigue, night sweats, broken sleep and nausea with twitching jelly legs. I have missed out on every planned event for my summer holiday and very frustrated and sad. Had my second jab 16th May.

Come and join me for general moral support, kind words, anxious moments.

I tested positive 4 and a half weeks ago, still have symptoms now.

I have psoriatic arthritis (had just started taking Sulfasalazine in the week prior to testing positive), Ehlers Danlos, asthma and a variety of EDS related woes like fibro, unstable bladder, IBS, raynauds, fainting etc. I was not deemed clinically vulnerable enough to be prioritised for a jab in group 6. My second jab was done in early July.

My first symptom was a headache and I very quickly developed typical cold symptoms - stuffy and runny nose, sinus pain, fatigue etc. The cough developed after a few days and steadily got worse and I almost completely lost my sense of smell. My peak flow and oxygen readings have all been good.

I was supported to care for myself at home by my local Covid monitoring team on the grounds of my underlying conditions. They told me people with autoimmune arthritis and EDS seem to take longer to recover. They also told me to keep resting to reduce my risk of long Covid.

In the last 4 and a bit weeks I have had a chest infection, a UTI and a kidney infection and am on my second course of antibiotics. I am still coughing loads, especially in the evening. I have a lot of fatigue and tire easily. This has improved a little - my post shower fatigue doesn't last as long. My sense of smell has improved, not quite as it was before Covid but I can now smell food cooking.

I still feel dreadful though, a lot of fatigue and a general 'bleurgh' feeling, some headaches and joint and muscle pains making my legs feel week.

I have had a couple of days where I've felt better but they haven't lasted. I hope they are a good sign. Tbf it's also hard to know atm what is Covid and what is the kidney infection. However, I had a kidney infection 8 years ago which was caught at a later stage than this one - I was vomiting so much my GP was convinced I was pregnant. I recovered from that one after 3 days off sick.

I am so grateful to be fully jabbed as I fear I would have been in hospital without it.

IWishTheBishopWell I started in a similar way with the headache. Secondary infection seems a common theme and was probably what landed me in hospital. I was on IV antibiotics for five days and I reckon that was a game changer. I wonder if you need something stronger?

Interesting thoughts on vaccine protection Piggy.
In my case I have RA as well as a couple of other conditions and a history of cancer which shouldn't have any impact. I was classed as CEV. My understanding is that it's probably the drugs rather than the condition that make me vulnerable. Sulphasalazine, hydroxychloroquine and steroids. The first two are not considered strong immunosuppressents but I have read research from US that puts steroids, even at small doses, at the top of the list.
The thing is I know I had antibodies.
I take part in VirusWatch research and have done antibody tests since February. I was very slow to produce them but tested positive for vaccine antibodies 10 weeks after my first vaccination and still tested positive in July. I haven't done the August test yet but will do it next week. Hopefully it will now show covid antibodies as well.

So why, fully vaccinated have some of us got so ill? There are a lot of people playing covid down because their experience is that it's trivial or their 80 year old aunty had no symptoms. And yet, my thoughts are that if you wind back to 2020 then many perfectly healthy middle aged people died within a few weeks of infection. Also I was in hospital with some women who were 40s, very fit and healthy lifestyles and unvaccinated. All of them fared much worse than me.

It's hard to know isn't it? I guess it's a puzzle to me because I have no underlying health conditions and am rarely ill. Anaemia has been the only recent thing for me but nothing major.

You could try a travel sickness type antihistamine for the dizziness. I get vestibular migraines with dizziness and these really help. I also had dizziness after my covid vaccine and was triggered by high histamine foods so a low histamine diet for a while might help with some symptoms?
As an aside I had a viral infection three or so years ago where I had a constant headache for at least a week after but it eventually went away.

I did some chores today and had to sit down for two hours as I felt so jelly-like. I also had to take DD somewhere which was prob a 1.5k walk and it was actually really nice getting the fresh air. So far no dizziness but I feel a headache forming 😫

I hate the jelly legs. It's quite debilitating.

Yes I’m very interested as to why I’ve been more seriously affected by this than I would’ve imagined. I’m wondering if it is my age (45)? Everything else is benign (slim, exercise regularly, non-smoker, don't drink often…)

@Piggywaspushed

I hate the jelly legs. It's quite debilitating.

It’s really unnerving

That's a better word actually, yes.

Oh god the jelly legs are awful, it takes me ages to recover from a shower.

I'm going back to my GP next week on the cough, I'm having multiple coughing fits a day, early to mid morning and then from mid afternoon to bedtime. They're the 'I'm coughing so much I'm going to be sick' type. Utterly fed up of it.

As an asthmatic I'm used to lingering coughs but I've never had one this bad before.

In spite of my underlying conditions I'm normally pretty fit. Walk 5k a day, do pilates and a few weights, good diet, healthy weight.

My jelly legs are now the worst bit. My lungs are definitely not great but are steadily improving but my legs . It's almost as if it's some kind of neurological thing? My toes and feet are a bit numb and I walk as though my legs are not connected. Just weird. I have allergic asthma and normally cough a lot but since week 2 of this I haven't coughed. So odd how differently this gets us @IWishTheBishopWell

I finally finished self isolation today. 27 days since first symptoms . DH took me out in car (I don't trust jelly legs to drive). It was like emerging from lockdown all over again.

Anyone else find symptoms are worse in the morning and improve as day goes on. I find that my legs are most achey and shakey first thing and improve as the day goes on so long I take it easy.
I'm also noticing that my balance seems off as well.

@Mynameisthecatwhogotthecream

Anyone else find symptoms are worse in the morning and improve as day goes on. I find that my legs are most achey and shakey first thing and improve as the day goes on so long I take it easy. I'm also noticing that my balance seems off as well.

Yes I take ages to come to in the morning. This morning I was full of vile snot (sorry), sore throat rough as sandpaper and by about 8pm I’m not good for much

The dizziness has stopped for me I hope it does for you it was really unnerving

I'm not too bad in the morning. Bit wobbly when getting up, but then I'm ok. By the afternoon I feel awful. Definite jelly legs here too.

I definitely feel worse in the morning and usually improve for a few hours after lunch and then I feel worse again late afternoon and the evening.

I'm having a lot of brain fog, I feel very slow mentally at times and I keep forgetting what I've said or done, or I think to do something and immediately forget.

For me, it varies. If I haven't slept (like last night!) morning is worse and I may be better by evening. If I sleep OK, I hit a wall about 2pm.

I know what you mean about the brain fog. I feel liek I have forgotten how to drive, for example.

it is often hard to appreciate that being off work is as hard as being there as well, as you still have to set work that kids will actually do, and cope with the fall out on return.

Please don't do this if you're too ill, and certainly not beyond the first five days. I'm dreading getting Covid and being expected to just drag myself into the classroom with no let up on workload afterwards. I'll be waiting until I'm well enough to return because there sure as hell won't be any allowances made for me.

I have lots of sixth form, which is a blessing and a burden. as no cover teacher. My HOD is keen to keep them going, obviously as it is the beginning of the year. However, they are being very supportive and telling me to play it by ear. Just not sure what my ears are telling me!

Theoretically, I don't need a sick not til Thursday and given a vital piece of teaching equipment in my room is broken , it adds to all the hassle!!

That dreaded feeling varies with me, some days it’s early mornings, others later in the afternoon when I was hoping for a symptom free day. Today I’ve got the woolly head feeling and waiting for the paracetamol to lift it. Queasy stomach but that normal for me when I don’t feel well.

I was tired last night but could I sleep? No! So I feel groggy again. I had a shower and washed my hair and felt out of breath so this is depressing

It's a month now since the first symptoms. In the last two days I've made progress in that my breathing is much better.
Decided to try a walk today and got about 100m. I normally walk 4/5 k a day.

piggy I can't think of any other job where you have to work while off sick. Its appalling. DS1 is a teacher and I know he wouldn't go off sick unless absolutely forced because it's harder.

Yes, it is a teaching issue! To be fair, my HOD will sort out younger classes.

Struggling this afternoon.
I've been doing all the back to school chores this morning. Didn't feel too bad so I thought I'd attempt a drive to the shops this afternoon, it was ok but I struggled with the lifting of the bags at the end. Everything felt so heavy.
Got to about 3.30pm and just needed to sit down. I felt like I was spinning and a headache was starting.
A friend popped over late morning and she's had Covid too. Her smell and taste returned but it took about 4 weeks after her isolation ended. She is still struggling with the brain fog though. I think she's about 6 weeks on from end of isolation if I recall correctly.

It sounds as if lots of us are having similar experiences of good days and bad days. It’s so frustrating and for me at least there’s no rhyme or reason - I went for a short walk with the DC yesterday but didn’t do much else and had the headache and crushing fatigue return (ended up falling asleep on the sofa); I’ve been on the go with chores all day today but have been much less tired. But I’ve had a return of the strange chest pain that alerted me to the fact I might have Covid - it feels as if part of my right lung about the size of a 10p is inflamed and painful.

Is anyone actively trying anything to help you through this phase? I’ve been trying to eat really healthily, and have wondered about acupuncture. I had a couple of sessions a few years ago for very pad PMT and insomnia. It worked a treat, and I’m thinking about booking myself in but it’s not cheap. I’m also a natural fixer and always looking for a solution; I may just need to accept the fact that I can’t really control this!

I have only just started eating again really so not at any healthy eating stage. I did buy bananas...

Trying to limit activity and just taking it easy really.