Covid - will I get worse? Terrified about pneumonia/day 5 deterioration

[cherieamore]

Hi all, looking for some advice please. Eldest son (16) tested positive for Covid 8 days ago then my husband did a day later. Since then the whole family (except 4-year-old) have tested positive. I have 5 kids and all the younger ones have been fine but my eldest son has had a rough week. My husband is totally wiped out and does seem to be taking a long time to recover.
I am on day 3, the first day I had a high temperature, fatigue, headache etc but I feel fine now. A little tired and light headed but not too bad. My worry is that the virus will get into my chest, I have mild asthma and I am not double vaccinated. I’ve read a few scare stories online (I know, I know!) that on day 5 or 6 that things can get much worse. Has anyone experienced anything like this? Honestly, the fear is keeping me awake. Thanks so much.

I'm really sorry you are feeling so poorly.

Without wanting to minimize how worrying this is, you have the overwhelming likelihood on your side that all will be just fine (if you are young enough to be in the later vaccine cohort - also mild asthma without another illness is probably less of a concern than first thought.)

Good luck x

Have you got an oxometer?

@Autumngoldleaf I second the oxymeter. My chest started feeling really odd around days 7-8 and it was reassuring to be able to check oxygen levels.

If you're at least 3 weeks after the first dose, that will help a lot, even if you're not yet double jabbed.

I thought it was more like 10 days for it to get better or worse, but maybe that was just at the beginning when they didn't really know what to do about it.

All the advice I've read is just to rest as much as you can (not easy with kids though!) and to not try to get back to things too fast. good luck

Thanks all, just got an oximeter today. Oxygen levels reading at 98 for now. I just strangely feel okay, a little blocked up, like a heavy cold but nothing too bad. It’s just this fear about things taking a turn for the worst that is really bothering me especially with the kids to look after.

I had it badly early on (was hospitalised briefly despite being under 40 at the time), and had the "classic" experience of feeling better for a day about a week in and then suddenly getting a lot worse. I don't know if Delta follows the same pattern or not though, there seems to be much less emphasis on the "downhill after a week" danger point now so perhaps it doesn't.

there seems to be much less emphasis on the "downhill after a week" danger point now so perhaps it doesn't.
I think this is true for most full vaccinated people. In my case I got worse at a week and doctors told me days 7 to 10 are the worst.
If it's any help I have asthma and although I was ill my asthma was fine.

Thanks so much to everyone who has replied.
@MossyBottom and @kalidasa you both said you got worse roughly a week in. That terrifies me! Do you remember how you felt in the days leading up to getting worse? Did you have a cough? Or no symptoms? Did you just suddenly become ill? So fearful of getting very sick. Thanks so much.

Ive had it and no real deterioration at day 5. I also have asthma and it was ok. It obviously differs for everyone but my experience was fine. I think if you’re managing currently you’re in a good place to keep improving so try not to worry x

@Jablies

Ive had it and no real deterioration at day 5. I also have asthma and it was ok. It obviously differs for everyone but my experience was fine. I think if you’re managing currently you’re in a good place to keep improving so try not to worry x

Thank you Jablies, that’s really reassuring to hear. I do feel absolutely fine but it’s the scare stories that I have read that are really putting the fear into me. There also doesn’t seem to be much information about the day to day symptoms for the Delta variant. Fingers crossed that it doesn’t get any worse.

Same boat here. Ive had 3 days of headache, now starting to cough up white stuff, heartrate is high but oxygen ok. Im CV so am worried and just hoping things dont get worse. Im day 5 now i think

I had 3 days of headache and mild sore throat. The way you feel when a cold is coming on. The sore throat stopped day 4 but I lost sense of taste and smell. Then I started with nausea, dizziness, cough and fatigue from day 5.

In the nicest possible way, OP, no-one can tell you whether you are going to get worse.

You are very, very, very probably NOT going to be seriously ill. But no-one can tell you for sure. You just need to do the standard self-care (rest, fluids, etc) and monitor temperature and (if you wish) sats, and wait to feel better.

I felt unwell in the first week: tired and breathless with a tight chest, but not terrible. Honestly I think I was silly -- DH was really stressed at the time and the children were off school and I didn't take any time to rest. I suspect if I'd done the sensible thing and gone to bed for a couple of days in week 1 I might I have avoided being really ill.

I am on day 13 now and also have asthma, late 40s. It will vary by person, age etc. I am double vaccinated as is dh. I found an oximeter useful as I have felt quite out of breathe at times but worse it has been is 93/94 and that is lying down, if I sit up it goes back to 95. It has made sleeping difficult and after sleeping I feel horrendous dizzy, upset stomach / sick for half day then improve every day atm. Its unpleasant, would say more no improvement than worsening. Lost taste and smell but now coming back a bit and slight improvement on oximeter. I would try not to worry, if you get scared or feel extremely ill call 111 and get help. Its very variable though some people are not ill, some just a few days. Its like a flu, you feel really rough, but dont feel about to die.

I had general symptoms day 1 - 5 - dizziness, headache, skin pain, back pain, dry cough - but the rest didn't come until day 6. High temp, nausea, diarrhoea, high heart rate, body pain.

I also remember being very frightened at that point and worried what would happen! But that was as bad as it got, luckily. It's like the worst flu you've ever had...it's rough, but you will get through it and recover. A small USB fan and a cold wet flannel were helpful, if only to "distract" from the sensations.

Fingers crossed you're over the worst and everyone starts feeling better soon.

Keep an eye on your pulse rate on the oximeter. Dh’s went really high around day 5, we called the dr and they prescribed antibiotics for suspected secondary infection.
I was fine after 3 days of feeling ill.