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Original poster

This is unreal - the new variant - anyone have it

357 replies

GreenPebbles · 19/10/2024 09:34

I am not ill and I don't have it. I had COVID in the summer and I know it's likely only just around the corner again.

Did anyone have COVID recently? How was it?

I came across this on twitter. Apparently there's a new variant called XEN.

It looks a lot like the original Wuhan variant. It appears as if people are getting better and then by the second week there is respiratory distress.

I mean like WHAT THE HOLY FUCK?

I mean like how can this be allowed to spread if this is happening?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
Dwappy · 22/10/2024 13:00

government supports for people to stay off work and school when ill

The problem is the government cannot pay full pay for everyone whenever they're sick. Even if it's only supposed to be for covid. How do you prove that? A test? What if it takes days to show positive? You've already been walking around at work for a week with symptoms by then anyway. And even if you need the positive test to qualify, that can be faked. Picture of an old one etc. People would totally abuse the system if all they had to do was upload a picture of a positive test and the government would give them full pay for a week or two. Plus as noted on here, you can get it many times. 3-4+ times a year potentially. So the government could be paying millions for sick leave because someone has a sore throat only but can get a week or two off work.
I assume the government full sick pay will include paying the self employed their full average daily rate as well? So paying a dentist £400 a day or more for 2 weeks because they've got covid?
Oh and are they paying totally well parents their full pay as well when their kids are sick so they can stay home with them? What about the self employed dentist mother who gets covid, then each of her 3 kids get covid all needing a week off each. I'm assuming the government will happily pay her around £10k a year to stay home for all those covid infections. Could be more if they all get it more than once. But that'll be fine I'm sure.

Foxxo · 22/10/2024 13:03

not sure if anyone else had noticed this, but i had a blood test done recently shortly after recovering from Covid.

i was suffering joint pain, repeated infections, fatigue...etc.

The test showed my lymphocytes were low, as were my folate levels, and my vitamin d. Lymphocytes are part of your immune system/white blood cell count.

recent blood tests 4 months post-covid show some improvement, but not much.

Covid is being shown more and more to have an effect on your immune system for a while after infection. Some people aren't recovering from that.

Original poster
GreenPebbles · 22/10/2024 13:08

itwasnevermine · 22/10/2024 12:53

But realistically what you want is another lockdown.

Unless we're all supplied with the best PPE, the masks we were given will do nothing. Better air in schools will be negated by supermarkets. Unless we're testing everyday, we could have it and not know.

There is no way to stop it.

Where did I say I want another lockdown?

If covid levels were reduced in the population, there will be less of it circulating around.

It's unlikely many of us are walking around with covid and not have symptoms. I knew a few people this summer in work who would of sworn blind that they were asymptomatic without any symptoms yet they were full on with heavy sinus and hayfever kind of symptoms yet I have known these people for years and never did they experience regular sinus and hayfever symptoms. They had symptoms but they just choose to ignore it and write it off.

All my family got covid and out bodies let us know. Being asymptomatic is less likely to have anything anyways.

OP posts:
itwasnevermine · 22/10/2024 13:09

@GreenPebbles or realistically that could've been a cold/hay fever. The vast majority of people have it these days and don't know.

Without very strict measures it will be out there. The vast majority get it and are fine.

Original poster
GreenPebbles · 22/10/2024 13:10

Foxxo · 22/10/2024 13:03

not sure if anyone else had noticed this, but i had a blood test done recently shortly after recovering from Covid.

i was suffering joint pain, repeated infections, fatigue...etc.

The test showed my lymphocytes were low, as were my folate levels, and my vitamin d. Lymphocytes are part of your immune system/white blood cell count.

recent blood tests 4 months post-covid show some improvement, but not much.

Covid is being shown more and more to have an effect on your immune system for a while after infection. Some people aren't recovering from that.

This is what I am going through too.

And with repeat infections, and more covid circulating it's going to get worse.

OP posts:
Flowers4me · 22/10/2024 13:12

I agree. I've had flu twice in my life and whilst it was horrid and took weeks to recover, covid was a different beast. What started off mildly for me morphed into long covid which I'm still not fully recovered from. My GP initially wrote me off as having post viral fatigue syndrome but I've since spoken to another Dr who says its mast cell activation syndrome which is a common complication of covid. However, our family is now having multiple infections a year which is crazy. I've never had so many viral infections in my life and everytime I get it, its taking at least 3 months to recover from. Whilst that is better than what I went through in 2020 it is still making going to work very difficult and I now work PT from home so I can manage the reinfections and relapses. I don't support lockdowns but there are things that could be done to reduce the risk of complications.

itwasnevermine · 22/10/2024 13:14

@Foxxo @GreenPebbles again the same can happen with any infection.

My dad had an infection that caused his red blood count and platelets to plummet. My niece got ITP after a virus. These things aren't unique to Covid.

AgileGreenSeal · 22/10/2024 13:20

have you had the jabs?
They are supposed to help, or so I’m told.

Foxxo · 22/10/2024 13:27

itwasnevermine · 22/10/2024 13:14

@Foxxo @GreenPebbles again the same can happen with any infection.

My dad had an infection that caused his red blood count and platelets to plummet. My niece got ITP after a virus. These things aren't unique to Covid.

i didn't say they were. i just said that blood tests showed my last bout of covid bombed my immune system, which it did.

it isn't something anything else i've had has done.

Foxxo · 22/10/2024 13:31

ftr, my brother got ME/CFS after a brush with flu that caused Guillain-Barre. I'm well aware that 'long covid' is simply another form of post viral problems like ME/CFS.

i personally don't think long covid needs its own title, but i am glad that its prevalence is forcing more research into post-viral chronic illness.

JustAVeryWeirdWoman · 22/10/2024 13:35

I think people who are denying that Covid is an issue, and accusing others of "health anxiety" are doing so out of suffering from fear and anxiety themselves, more specifically fear of reality. It is scary to admit that we are "living with" unmitigated damaging illness at a level that the Western world hadn't seen in a long time. So it is more psychologically convenient to avoid it. It is understandable.

Interestingly, they all say the same things and move the goalposts constantly. "It's not true! The people complaining are making it up! Or if they aren't, they were old or useless weaklings and would've been ill anyway, they don't take vitamins and do sports every day like me! Or if they did, well, there are other viruses that can cause that! And if they don't, we can't do anything about it! What, do you want lockdowns? Stop spreading panic!" When in fact the panic reaction is the denial. Why would they otherwise be so angry and aggressive, and unwilling to consider the other side of the argument at all?

Does anyone remember the movie "Don't look up" launched at the beginning of the pandemic? It was about climate change, but it can apply to any important issue people prefer to ignore. It's basically a documentary.

Scottishskifun · 22/10/2024 13:47

Foxxo · 22/10/2024 13:31

ftr, my brother got ME/CFS after a brush with flu that caused Guillain-Barre. I'm well aware that 'long covid' is simply another form of post viral problems like ME/CFS.

i personally don't think long covid needs its own title, but i am glad that its prevalence is forcing more research into post-viral chronic illness.

I think it has its own title due to being such a crazy mix of symptoms way beyond majority of those seen before with post viral illness.

I'm 4 years in to Long covid it sucks went from being a fit and active 34 year old to not being able to walk 100 metres. I've come a long way since but partly due to stubbornness and trialing different things myself.

Like many with long covid it's triggered other conditions I also now have POTS (postural tachycardia syndrome) and peripheral neuropathy (all diabetic tests and blood tests clear). Nobody really knows what's going on with my body including me. I now just accept this is me and try to live my best adjusted life with lots of breaks and trying to balance my energy demands out.

It does get frustrating sometimes with Dr's but mainly because no medication I'd approved so you have to go private to get anywhere.

NeonBaaaaaaaaa · 22/10/2024 13:55

i personally don't think long covid needs its own title, but i am glad that its prevalence is forcing more research into post-viral chronic illness.
I hate the term long covid, it sounds made up and not serious, I prefer saying Covid related post viral syndrome. There are so many people who are so odd about Covid, the anti vaxers, the lockdown gestapo, the kids are vectors of disease brigade, the furlough lovers and the Covid is just a common cold now - why do you even test types. Lots of irrational behaviour and narratives around covid.

@Scottishskifun what did you find helped with your symptoms?

Scottishskifun · 22/10/2024 14:28

@NeonBaaaaaaaaa a range of things depending on the symptom. I had severe breathlessness for 6 months and it was found that my breathing was out of sync so demanding at the wrong time adding to fatigue and breathlessness. Yoga therapy and respiratory physio helped with that one.

Leg and nerve pain when I got to see a consultant I was prescribed medication to assist with that. Found bowen therapy before that would offer reduction in leg pain for a while. My legs were in constant spasm which also didn't help fatigue. They think it's mucked up my auto nervous system.

Fatigue is mostly pacing but I also take magnesium, vitamin b12 and vitamin D.

I also boost mitochondrial repair of my cells using Q10 and Alpha lipoic acid (this combo from a study)

For immune response I take astragalus (helps boost immune system) and intermittent fast which studies have shown to increase macrophages.

For POTS I have compression stockings and a lower carb diet along with increased salt intake. Adjustments such as sitting to chop and cook dinner.

I didn't do all these at once however they have been over time adding in and keeping a symptoms diary. I can definitely function and can work but little else. I'm definitely not a normal 38 year old, I now can manage a 1 mile flat walk though (used to be a hill walker) etc.

I've also tried oxygen treatment, flotation tanks, high dose turmeric and loads of different supplements but didn't find these helped much so stopped.

adviceneeded1990 · 22/10/2024 17:02

Dwappy · 22/10/2024 13:00

government supports for people to stay off work and school when ill

The problem is the government cannot pay full pay for everyone whenever they're sick. Even if it's only supposed to be for covid. How do you prove that? A test? What if it takes days to show positive? You've already been walking around at work for a week with symptoms by then anyway. And even if you need the positive test to qualify, that can be faked. Picture of an old one etc. People would totally abuse the system if all they had to do was upload a picture of a positive test and the government would give them full pay for a week or two. Plus as noted on here, you can get it many times. 3-4+ times a year potentially. So the government could be paying millions for sick leave because someone has a sore throat only but can get a week or two off work.
I assume the government full sick pay will include paying the self employed their full average daily rate as well? So paying a dentist £400 a day or more for 2 weeks because they've got covid?
Oh and are they paying totally well parents their full pay as well when their kids are sick so they can stay home with them? What about the self employed dentist mother who gets covid, then each of her 3 kids get covid all needing a week off each. I'm assuming the government will happily pay her around £10k a year to stay home for all those covid infections. Could be more if they all get it more than once. But that'll be fine I'm sure.

Oh but that won’t happen because according to some on this thread no one abuses the system and you’re a far right zealot if you dare to suggest they do 🙃

In reality you are 100% correct that the Government can’t afford it.

NeonBaaaaaaaaa · 22/10/2024 19:15

Scottishskifun · 22/10/2024 14:28

@NeonBaaaaaaaaa a range of things depending on the symptom. I had severe breathlessness for 6 months and it was found that my breathing was out of sync so demanding at the wrong time adding to fatigue and breathlessness. Yoga therapy and respiratory physio helped with that one.

Leg and nerve pain when I got to see a consultant I was prescribed medication to assist with that. Found bowen therapy before that would offer reduction in leg pain for a while. My legs were in constant spasm which also didn't help fatigue. They think it's mucked up my auto nervous system.

Fatigue is mostly pacing but I also take magnesium, vitamin b12 and vitamin D.

I also boost mitochondrial repair of my cells using Q10 and Alpha lipoic acid (this combo from a study)

For immune response I take astragalus (helps boost immune system) and intermittent fast which studies have shown to increase macrophages.

For POTS I have compression stockings and a lower carb diet along with increased salt intake. Adjustments such as sitting to chop and cook dinner.

I didn't do all these at once however they have been over time adding in and keeping a symptoms diary. I can definitely function and can work but little else. I'm definitely not a normal 38 year old, I now can manage a 1 mile flat walk though (used to be a hill walker) etc.

I've also tried oxygen treatment, flotation tanks, high dose turmeric and loads of different supplements but didn't find these helped much so stopped.

Thank you @Scottishskifun that's such a helpful post.

NeonBaaaaaaaaa · 22/10/2024 19:16

And I hope your health continues to improve.

adviceneeded1990 · 22/10/2024 20:12

paleblueeye · 22/10/2024 07:51

You can get post viral fatigue from any virus.

But Long Covid is a fair bit more, as pp say above, than post-viral fatigue.

Even those of us who don't get LC, have an increased risk as a result of having had Covid of all sorts of concerns, from type 2 diabetes, to cardiovascular disease, to dementia and various neurological diseases, and more.

How can this data be linked to covid reliably though? I’m not doubting it I just don’t understand. I had covid in 2020, if I am diagnosed type 2 diabetic tomorrow is someone somewhere going to link it to my positive test? How do we know I wouldn’t have become diabetic anyway? I have no scientific background so maybe I’m missing something.

itwasnevermine · 22/10/2024 20:30

@adviceneeded1990 it can't be. Unless the same person was studied pre any Covid infection and post, and it was actually determined they didn't have the same chance of developing the illness beforehand, it can't be studied.

DanielaDressen · 22/10/2024 20:47

itwasnevermine · 22/10/2024 20:30

@adviceneeded1990 it can't be. Unless the same person was studied pre any Covid infection and post, and it was actually determined they didn't have the same chance of developing the illness beforehand, it can't be studied.

I’m not sure that’s true. I mean yes it’s true for an individual but the research is looking at massive meta analysis studies, millions of patients and looking at the increase in diabetes with people who have had Covid compared to those who haven’t. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10244847#:~:text=Recent%20Findings,general%20morbidity%20after%20respiratory%20illness. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10244847/#:~:text=Recent%20Findings,general%20morbidity%20after%20respiratory%20illness.]]]]

this study in the bmj is interesting as the methods are a bit clearer, it looks at the increase in risk in the three months immediately following a covid infection and concludes there is an increased risk. It would be quite simple to compare such a group of people to people who haven’t had covid in the last three months . It also correctly points out that correlation doesn’t necessarily mean causation but it’s definitely a distinct possibility. www.bmj.com/content/378/bmj.o1838 www.bmj.com/content/378/bmj.o1838]]]]

DanielaDressen · 22/10/2024 20:50

The other thing which can be considered is just the rise in new diabetes diagnosis since Covid occurred. There will be stats on yearly averages prior to Covid and it does seem that since Covid there’s been a significant increase. Covid seems like the obvious answer. What else has changed? If there aren’t new ways of detecting it I’m not sure what else it could be. There are other conditions, etc such as blood clots which have seen a big rise and again the evidence says there’s aN increase in clot risk for six months following Covid

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-66054946 www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-66054946]]]]

adviceneeded1990 · 22/10/2024 21:30

DanielaDressen · 22/10/2024 20:50

The other thing which can be considered is just the rise in new diabetes diagnosis since Covid occurred. There will be stats on yearly averages prior to Covid and it does seem that since Covid there’s been a significant increase. Covid seems like the obvious answer. What else has changed? If there aren’t new ways of detecting it I’m not sure what else it could be. There are other conditions, etc such as blood clots which have seen a big rise and again the evidence says there’s aN increase in clot risk for six months following Covid

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-66054946 www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-66054946]]]]

Obesity also becomes more common each year though which can be a cause of type 2 diabetes? Obviously not always, but isn’t that just as likely a link as covid? Not sure about blood clots as I’ve seen them linked to both covid and covid vaccines which seems like a bit of a no win situation for people!

atownnamedalice · 22/10/2024 21:56

This is a library of covid studies

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/research/coronavirus/

kkloo · 22/10/2024 22:18

JustAVeryWeirdWoman · 22/10/2024 13:35

I think people who are denying that Covid is an issue, and accusing others of "health anxiety" are doing so out of suffering from fear and anxiety themselves, more specifically fear of reality. It is scary to admit that we are "living with" unmitigated damaging illness at a level that the Western world hadn't seen in a long time. So it is more psychologically convenient to avoid it. It is understandable.

Interestingly, they all say the same things and move the goalposts constantly. "It's not true! The people complaining are making it up! Or if they aren't, they were old or useless weaklings and would've been ill anyway, they don't take vitamins and do sports every day like me! Or if they did, well, there are other viruses that can cause that! And if they don't, we can't do anything about it! What, do you want lockdowns? Stop spreading panic!" When in fact the panic reaction is the denial. Why would they otherwise be so angry and aggressive, and unwilling to consider the other side of the argument at all?

Does anyone remember the movie "Don't look up" launched at the beginning of the pandemic? It was about climate change, but it can apply to any important issue people prefer to ignore. It's basically a documentary.

I'd say you couldn't be any more wrong with that theory😂😂
Most people genuinely are not concerned or worried about covid.

People are probably angry and aggressive in response to the angry and aggressive posts from the doomsdayers.

DanielaDressen · 22/10/2024 22:35

adviceneeded1990 · 22/10/2024 21:30

Obesity also becomes more common each year though which can be a cause of type 2 diabetes? Obviously not always, but isn’t that just as likely a link as covid? Not sure about blood clots as I’ve seen them linked to both covid and covid vaccines which seems like a bit of a no win situation for people!

Show quote history

But there’s been a sudden jump in diabetes and no sudden correlating jump on obesity. Plus the spike in diabetes diagnosis seems to be in the three months following Covid and even higher/more concentrated during the acute Covid illness. 🤷‍♀️

the blood clots is tricky as both covid itself and the vaccine have been shown statistically to raise the risk of clots. My daughter had a massive pulmonary embolism at the age of 21 with no risk factors (not even on the pill). It was about a month after having the vaccine, and about 4 months after having Covid. She is 100% sure it was due to the vaccine but it’s possible it was from Covid. We’ll never know for sure. But her consultant haematologist said that anecdotally he’s seen a big rise in young people with clots since Covid/covid vaccines. And that’s definitely backed up by official stats.