Tips for making Covid a little less hellish

[inigomontoyahwillcox]

I'm on day 4 since testing positive - day 1-3 were utterly awful, but I'm hoping a slight corner has been turned as the headache has lessened and the temperature is down. Still feeling really rough though.

Thought I'd start a thread of things that people have found helpful to alleviate the symptoms, I'll go first:

• Was hardly able to lift my head off the pillow for the first few days but the constant pressure of lying down made my headache even worse, so I used a hot water bottle filled with cold water as a pillow (like a mini water bed) which helped the headache and the fever.

Rest as much as you can.

Tested positive last night for the first time. It’s uncomfortable in the heat and living in a rather airless house. I’m eating a lot of cold cherries and drinking cold water. I haven’t much appetite but home made apple, lemon and fresh ginger juice seems to be helping. The ginger is very soothing on my scratchy throat.

I’m lying down, but doing a bit of work (emails etc). takes my mind off my symptoms.

Are you taking ibuprofen? I found it so much better than paracetamol, although of course you can't take many per day.

Also lots of water, and just rest. If you've had it badly you'll likely be very tired for a few weeks afterwards - do not push yourself. I went for a normal lunchtime walk around my neighbourhood on day 12 and scared myself with how breathless and exhausted I felt.

Paracetamol and keep drinking

Lemsip max really eased the sore throat and blocked nose, I also went through a freezer full of ice lollies which helped.

Try to keep the balance between resting and pushing through. It takes 3 days to start deconditioning muscles so it’s good to potter a bit if you can but only if you are able.

Today:

lots of water and two paracetamol, followed by

vegetable soup followed by

hot lemon and ginger followed by

a lovely tepid shower.

Feeling nearly human.

Following all this closely. Tested positive on Sunday - feeling a bit desperate at the moment.

I made simple chicken soup when I had it (3 times now!), felt like medicine as we all ate it. I have a great recipe using 2 chicken legs and fresh lemon, if anyone wants it. It's my go-to dinner if I feel ill now.

Manuka honey and lemon, hot.

Netflix, lose yourself in rubbish series.

Rest as much as possible. I didn't last time and chest took much longer to recover.

Night Nurse knocks you out if you're not sleeping!

Peppermint tea. And cold fruit tea. When I was feeling really off my food. Good luck!

3 out of 4 of us have just had it for the first time. We were lucky in that we weren’t unwell - it was no more than a mild cold. I did have a 39 degree fever and had to continue working, but the weather was so hot, it barely registered!

But the worst thing was the total loss of taste and smell (for me and my husband, our son kept his). It took TWO weeks for them to return. I have no tips on how to expedite their return however.

I'm on Day 4 and starting to turn the corner. Open windows, nice soothing drinks and Derry Girls on All4 have been my go to.

Infrared heat pad on the lungs really helped the coughing/congestion. It’s meant to help kill the virus as well (infrared light).

Milkshake. Made such a difference to my sore sore sore throat. Thick and cold so it took time going down to kind of numb it.

Ice lollies for the sore throat
Alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen

Yes, the tepid baths/showers did seem to help.

Hit me fast on Friday , completely poleaxed for three days, almost ok now apart from tiredness ...what helped..red watermelon slices / sticks , very soothing . Lemsip max cocktails ,tons of ice , gin and diluted fanta with a sachet , very soothing , diluted fanta cocktails , tons of ice ,gin and fanta to taste in between lemsip.ones ...very soothing ! Sleep as much as possible .

Woke up at 5 am feeling worse - but just now (10 am) something seemed to lift. Here’s hoping it stays lifted, but not testing things yet.

unfortunately it seems that when I staggered downstairs last night in a feverish haze, I left the freezer door open. What was I thinking??? Why did I even open the freezer?

More cherries and cold water and paracetamol. Just William on audiobook.