Unvaccinated, positive and scared

[mummyofthreemunchkins]

I have just tested positive for covid, I am as of yet unvaccinated (please don't lynch me for the decision, anxiety has played a massive part in my hesitation, ironically 🙄)
I have had, what feels like a cold since Tuesday, daily lateral flows have been negative until today. Had a PCR test which I am pretty certain will also be positive.
I am absolute petrified right now, keep randomly crying, am isolating in the bedroom and really missing the kids, struggling with not seeing the youngest (we have a very special bond, she has pulled me through the toughest times when I lost my mum and sister to cancer 😢)
I know there is a very mixed bag of symptoms, with both vaccinated and unvaccinated, so far I have a sore throat and headache. It does feel like my throat feels tight and I can't get a full breath, I think that's more the anxiety and panic.
Right now I could really do with some reassurance from people that aren't yet vaccinated and been ok.
We recently lost my mil after she was double vaccinated so all I have is horror stories going around my head 😢

Had it before vaccine was around

It was like having flu

Don't stress, use this as an excuse to watch Netflix for days haha

Stay hydrated, if you struggle to breath call 999

I couldn't read and run. I tested positive a few days ago. I'm unvaccinated, in my third trimester of pregnancy and very overweight. I felt like I had everything against me. I had only just decided the vaccine in pregnancy was right for me... but then I got covid before I went for my vaccine.
I've been ok. Very tired, horrible cough and cold symptoms but I feel like I'm improving a little each day.
Try and keep calm (easier said than done I know) lots of fluids and vitamins. Lots of healthy fresh food. You will be ok. An oximeter is a good idea. I could check myself and feel reassured whenever I've needed to which has helped.

Care home worker. Had it before vaccines and passed it to my kids as well. I did feel poorly and had a few days in bed but then fine xx. Rest up xx

Try not to worry anxiety and fear is what will make you feel worse I’ve had covid twice no vaccinations and thankfully for me I have had worse flu. My children where climb all over me and not affected in any way (single mum and no choice) I think people need to remember that for most it is a very high recovery rate. I would just recommend that drink plenty fluid and only do what is necessary in house.

@Mex100 Have you informed your maternity unit you’ve tested positive? There is additional surveillance in place for pregnant women and also fetal wellbeing assessment as we know pregnancy is a risk factor (I’m a midwife). You also need to have a low threshold for seeking further help. Your maternity unit should be able to provide you with a sats monitor if you don’t have one.

Rest, rehydrate, rest more. Paracetamol (our GP said to avoid ibuprofen- he rang after our positive tests, we didn’t need to contact any medical professionals). Don’t do things you don’t feel up to, keep resting if that’s what you need.
Someone suggested vit D, but not sure how helpful it actually is.

My 80 year old grandpa had it last winter before the vaccine was available. He's obese and has chronic heart issues, but he pulled through after 10 days of fever and exhaustion.

The statistics are on your side.

@Madwife123 I called my midwife when I had my positive result. She informed me they weren't actively doing any extra monitoring but if I felt really unwell or if my movements changed then I was to call triage. She didn't ask me to but I had gotten hold of an Oximeter anyway and I haven't had a reading below 98%O2. Thank you for checking in with me, I appreciate it.

Myself, dp and DS had it in August. DP no vaccines at all, I had only had my 1st and DS is only 3. For us it was mostly like a bad cold/flu. Generally just felt a bit crap and we both lost our taste and smell,it was the tiredness that got us more than anything which probably lasted around 10 days but then we were both fine. DS had no symptoms at all thankfully. Hope you're feeling better soon op

The good thing about the pulse oximeter is that, unless you actually stop breathing due to anxiety, what it measures won't be affected by the anxiety. It can be very reassuring, and you've got a clear number to give to a health professional if it drops and you have to phone someone up for advice.

My relative (35) had it and passed to wife (28) and kid (5). It was last year before vaccination. Tbh the main problem was how to keep LO occupied because apart from light cold everything was fine so parents were exhausted mostly by their child not by Covid. They live in a flat so no outside space.

@Mex100 Seems like sadly it’s another postcode lottery. At my trust we admit pregnant women to a virtual ward, give them a sats monitor, assess them for VTE risk as some will require anticoagulants and then following recovery arrange a growth scan.

I’ve just had it, not vaccinated, and I’ve been fine. Feeling a bit off for a week, slight temperature, that’s about it. (Although no taste or smell at the moment) My husband the same. Make sure you eat healthily, take vitamins and rest (and don’t panic!).

Also check out these guidelines for home treatment, I found them very useful (certainly better than the standard nhs advice which seemed to be take paracetamol and that’s it!)

worldcouncilforhealth.org/resources/early-covid-19-treatment-guidelines-a-practical-approach-to-home-based-care-for-healthy-families/

One thing I would say is REST.

As a pp said 99% of people are still us after catching and that’s including the elderly. The stats are lower for the 30yo category.

But from what I’ve seen around me, the peop,ec who struggle more are the ones who refuse to stop (eg work through it from home) and then wonder why they store to recover…..

Hi Op, I got it in August and was unvaccinated. DH and the rest of his family were all vaxed. I caught it from DH after he caught it from his family.

I was a bit poorly but certainly not the most ill I've ever been. I had no cough, respiratory issues or fever with it at all. It was mostly sinus pain, dizziness, nausea and loss of taste and smell. I certainly wasn't more ill than DH who was fully vaxed (had his second jab 3.5 weeks before catching it). The kids also both caught it and were both, thankfully symptomatic.

Think of all the people who caught it before there was a vaccine and were fine. Getting very ill and dying was unusual even then. Statistically you will be fine.

Take it easy, I hope your feel better soon

I’m vaccinated and boosted as I work on a ward. I’ve not caught it amazingly considering I’ve been exposed to it plenty enough pre and post vaccine. ( not convinced by blue surgical mask is complete protection somehow!)

However I do think sometimes your own body/immunity and reaction to the vaccine ( or not) comes into play too. Some people just seem to get more ill regardless. I’ve a vaccinated friend who at 40 had been ill and in bed for ten days: heavy chest/fatigue/gastro/ throat symptoms. He has not needed hospital or anything like that but I wouldn’t call it mild at all. Said friend gets ill a easily though just general virus type illnesses.

I also know people who have barely been ill with covid both vaccinated and unvaccinated. My uncle and friend in 30s with a health condition have died pre vaccine. Covid seems so random sometimes.

Try not to panic. Eat healthily if you can, vitamins won’t be a bad thing, rest lots and hydrate. If you have a pulse oximeter they can be useful for o2 if concerned about breathing.

Many, many of us got it pre vaccine. Millions of us, in fact.
I felt like I had a moderate cold. Tight chested for a few days. 4 days with no sense of smell or taste.
I have just had the ‘not covid’ cold that is going round and that was far worse than my bout of covid, only just beginning to feel human again 2 weeks later.

Most people, unvaccinated or vaccinated, are overwhelmingly fine OP. Chances are you will be too ❤️

All my family got it at once, only one vaccinated (she got it too), aged 1.5 - mid 50s and everyone was fine.

I totally get why your scared (Laura Dodsworth has a great book on this!) and you’ve also lost someone to it. But try and keep calm with the plain, factual data if you can. It’s staggeringly likely you’ll be fine.

My sister (30 years old) caught covid and had it very mildly. She was unvaccinated at the time.

@mummyofthreemunchkins

I have just tested positive for covid, I am as of yet unvaccinated (please don't lynch me for the decision, anxiety has played a massive part in my hesitation, ironically 🙄) I have had, what feels like a cold since Tuesday, daily lateral flows have been negative until today. Had a PCR test which I am pretty certain will also be positive. I am absolute petrified right now, keep randomly crying, am isolating in the bedroom and really missing the kids, struggling with not seeing the youngest (we have a very special bond, she has pulled me through the toughest times when I lost my mum and sister to cancer 😢) I know there is a very mixed bag of symptoms, with both vaccinated and unvaccinated, so far I have a sore throat and headache. It does feel like my throat feels tight and I can't get a full breath, I think that's more the anxiety and panic. Right now I could really do with some reassurance from people that aren't yet vaccinated and been ok. We recently lost my mil after she was double vaccinated so all I have is horror stories going around my head 😢

The statistics are overwhelmingly in your favour OP

I may be wrong but I'm pretty sure the chances of you being killed by a champagne cork are higher than you being hospilisatised with COVID! (I'm sure I will be fact checked on that one )

Put on a trashy netflix series, facetime your kids, and get lots of rest x

[quote stripeypaws]I’ve just had it, not vaccinated, and I’ve been fine. Feeling a bit off for a week, slight temperature, that’s about it. (Although no taste or smell at the moment) My husband the same. Make sure you eat healthily, take vitamins and rest (and don’t panic!).

Also check out these guidelines for home treatment, I found them very useful (certainly better than the standard nhs advice which seemed to be take paracetamol and that’s it!)

worldcouncilforhealth.org/resources/early-covid-19-treatment-guidelines-a-practical-approach-to-home-based-care-for-healthy-families/[/quote]
I think this is a rather dodgy website that appears to be run by antivaxxers and pushers of ivermectin and the like.

ugh yes @weesmallhours, they are advising ivermectin and a load of other things that have no evidence to recommend them as COVID treatments.

All the usual line up on the steering commitee and funnily enough they are anti-vaccine too.

Try not too worry, my family all caught Covid about 6 weeks ago including my husband who was double jabbed. At the time I had only had the one vaccine as I had put off getting my second and I was, like you, really anxious about it. But, in reality I wasn’t too bad, felt bit ill for a week and then another week to feel bit more normal. TBH I felt million times worse a few years back when I had some sort of flu/virus. That time I was ill for three weeks and could barely get out of bed. So I’d say try not too worry and just get some extra naps in during the day if you need to

Thank you everyone for the replies and hand holding, it's definitely helping.
I have been reading the posts in-between trying to sleep.
My positive result has now come through tonight.
Although I am feeling a bit more rough than I was earlier, the temple is starting to creep up, have taken paracetamol to try and help but feel very shivery.
So how do I go about working out what day I might be on?
I started with what felt like a cold on Tuesday, did my PCR on Friday, lateral flow had very faint line yesterday, they were all clear up until yesterday.

Temperature, not temple 🙄