Still feeling rubbish

[HealthConcerns]

I had covid for the 4th time just before Christmas. I had all the typical symptoms, cough, cold, sore throat, dizziness and fatigue.

I still feel rubbish. Mostly when I wake in the morning, with cold weather or am exerting myself.

Like this morning, having to walk to work in the cold, I'm wheezing like I've got a 40 a day habit and my chest feels so tight. It does ease once I rest again but feeling like this every morning and then when I have to do anything other than sit or lay down is rubbish.

Does anyone have any tips or advice for me? Is it worth contacting my GP for? I know when I had it the 3rd time I also had a chest infection along side it and had a salbutamol inhaler which definitely helped but I don't know whether that's an option. I did have asthma as a kid that I seemed to grow out of but am wondering whether covid this many times may have triggered it again?

And before I get flamed for testing as many on here do, not only do I work in an NHS role (not clinical) where I have vulnerable colleagues but I also have vulnerable family members who I need to distance from when unwell.

Hi, it's still early days. From a long covid perspective, rest as much as you can. Many of us got screwed by pushing through. Worth contacting GP to see what they say and also ask about inhaler - hope you feel better soon.

On another note, thanks for testing - never understood the flaming for it. That could be someone's job, health, quality of life you've saved - those who flame also benefit from those who test, which is a twisted irony.

Thank you. Up until recently we had to test regularly for work anyway but I just need to look out for those around me.

I'm absolutely exhausted already. And I've got another half shift left today plus the rest of the week. I can't work from home either so just plan on going straight to bed when I get in and seeing how I feel tomorrow.

It's still early days if you got it just before Christmas. I caught the latest variant at the end of Nov and didn't actually better until the end of last week. So that's almost 6 weeks it took me out for! I was still trying to work (from home) which didn't help but I was so exhausted all the time that I literally spent every evening and all weekend sleeping or lying on the sofa. If I tried to do more, I relapsed within a day. My breathing still isn't right and my voice is still a bit weird (still coughing etc) but I'm finally feeling more human. So hang in there. Seems to last quite a while at present.

(I also have long Covid - for the last 2+ years - as well as asthma so getting Covid again on top of that has been a real joy! 😡)

Take as must rest as you possibly can, and then some more. There isn't much else you can do, I'm afraid.

Worst thing you can do is try to push through it.

GP should refer to Long Covid clinic if this persists.

No flaming from me about testing. Covid is horrid, long covid incidence about 1 in 10 infections.

Glad I saw this thread as I too had COVID before Christmas and over Christmas. I thought I was ok but today I seem to have a sore throat again and feel very tired.

I tested OP, it just seems the sensible thing to do

I'm not sure I exactly had proper long covid as it resolved itself eventually, but after my first infection, it took me months to get back to my a baseline level of fitness, was constantly tired and I piled on the weight. I was breathless for quite a while too. I think use your salbutamol inhaler, might be worth seeing GP or an asthma nurse though and getting a preventer steroid inhaler (beclametasone or similar) as well to use for a while. Those help as they dampen down inflammation in your lungs and stop your asthma reacting to triggers.

Is there any way to get a bus or something to work instead? Try and rest as much as you can when not at work, as people say that really helps with avoiding proper long covid. Sending love. I'm a week into covid infection number two right now and still feeling shite with a heavy and crackly chest. Still not bloody testing negative.

Oh, and people who flame others for testing on here can get fucked tbh. It's a responsible thing to do.

@HealthConcerns - I would definitely talk to your doctor about asthma treatment, and you can get a type of inhaler, which has a long acting salbutamol as well as some steroid component (Flutiform), so it is partly preventative and partly to prevent any acute asthma. After my second Covid, I was moved onto that and have found it really helpful.

But I have been an asthmatic all my life, and got pneumonia after the second bout of Covid. But the GP was very insistent that I needed my asthma in total control as I think she felt it was because it hadn't been that I ended up getting more vulnerability for the bacterial pneumonia that then took over last time - and only went after three courses of antibiotics.

So definitely get onto GP (or asthma nurse) about it is my advice and yes it can present in adult hood, I think even if you don't have it as a child.

Another thing that's very helpful with asthma inhalers is an AeroChamber, which is a spacer and makes it much easier to take the dose correctly. I was only given it very recently by a new practice I moved to, and it has been a real eye opener how much better taking aerosol inhaled medication is using that.