The "Do I have COVID-19?" thread

[maya]

Poor you, goat. I hope you’re near the end. I feel I keep getting false hope of being better - this morning I felt really ‘good’ (relatively speaking) but then deteriorated and now feel shit and a bit breathless, which is new.

[Mountain Goat]

Ugh. The false hope is awful. It's like it's mocking you. And the breathlessness is scary, and when you get anxious about it, you're more breathless. I hope you pick up again quickly.

[purple_dress]

I didn't get the breathlessness until about half way through either, though I did have a weird heavy feeling in my chest before that.

I had so many days where I felt better and then the next day was shit again.

[Mountain Goat]

I had a weird and sudden escalation on Mon when I went from minor headache and catch in my chest ( both of which had been present for weeks except on the Sun morning when they just disappeared... briefly, it turned out) to feeling like someone was sitting on my chest. It happened so quickly, during an episode of Unorthodox. It was really scary because who knew when it was going to stop worsening?

I had just caved and taken ibuprofen for my headache as I didn't believe it was CV. Might be coincidence, might not.

[rosy]

It sounds awful, I hope you all feel better soon.

[Ella77]

You’re probably way ahead of me on this, but go easy on the codeine because it’s an antitussive (helps to prevent coughing), which I imagine wouldn’t be ideal with this condition.

[Mountain Goat]

I didn't know that, thanks. I've just taken it the past two evenings, not during the day, to give me a break. I'm wary of it but also grateful for having a couple of hours in the living room.

I'm not coughing very much at the mo but who knows what direction this goes in? I just had to have an urgent nap, mid conversation, it came on the way nausea might, just so sudden. So weird.

[emma_p]

Goat, that sounds terrifying. I really hope you feel better soon. I’m glad you have Malory Towers and hope Mr Goat has been keeping you well fed.

Both kids are now better apart from snotty noses. Liv had me worried when she said her heart hurt, which I think was her way of expressing that she was short of breath? But she hasn’t complained about that for a few days.

S is still up and down. Thought he was better on Monday and was planning to go out for a walk but didn’t because he was on back to back calls and then had a temp and felt terrible that night. He’s been coughing a lot more, too. I’m trying not to read about people collapsing at home

[viggy]

Oh Emma, that sounds rough.

[Disco]

I saw a video of a doctor in an Essex hospital advising people to lay on their fronts if they have it. He said to take 1 x 5 deep breaths, holding each breath for 5 seconds; then to repeat that cycle. Take another deep breath then breathe out and cough (into tissue/ safely), then to lay on your front taking slightly deeper breaths than normal.

He said to try not to recline on your back.

I wish you all speedy recoveries asap.

[viggy]

I saw a video of a doctor in an Essex hospital advising people to lay on their fronts if they have it. He said to take 1 x 5 deep breaths, holding each breath for 5 seconds; then to repeat that cycle. Take another deep breath then breathe out and cough (into tissue/ safely), then to lay on your front taking slightly deeper breaths than normal.

He said to try not to recline on your back.

I wish you all speedy recoveries asap.

I keep forgetting that tip, thanks for posting.

My ribs now hurt when I take a deep breath, but I'm assuming that's just because I've been coughing for so long.

[olive]

God, that’s so scary.

I really don’t know if I’ve had it and if I have I’ve obviously had a very mild case. Neither of the boys or Mr O have shown any symptoms so I’m inclined to think it’s not Covid.

My main symptoms have been a persistent cough and headache. For the first week I had the odd hour of feeling shivery and achey almost daily but no temperature. I felt worst on Sunday and assumed it was properly kicking in but I was ok again by Monday.

[Disco]

It's so hard when testing isn't happening.

[Disco]

https://www.facebook.com/aysha.bosher.1 ... 939050915/

Link to the doctor (it's not scary)

[nineseven]

I saw a video of a doctor in an Essex hospital advising people to lay on their fronts if they have it. He said to take 1 x 5 deep breaths, holding each breath for 5 seconds; then to repeat that cycle. Take another deep breath then breathe out and cough (into tissue/ safely), then to lay on your front taking slightly deeper breaths than normal.

He said to try not to recline on your back.

I wish you all speedy recoveries asap.

My friend's husband was hospitalised with it and his doctor said something similar. Apparently lying on your back can make it go to your lungs and he was advised to sit up or gently move around the house for a while each day.

[happyhighlandcoo]

Gosh, it sounds very scary. Sorry for those really struggling with bad coughs, chest pain and breathlessness, it sounds hard going. Should those still working not call in sick? It probably feels really strange to call in sick whilst working from home but surely rest is essential.

[Disco]

My friend's husband was hospitalised with it and his doctor said something similar. Apparently lying on your back can make it go to your lungs and he was advised to sit up or gently move around the house for a while each day.

It also makes sense if you saw the - frankly - terrifying images of all the ICU patients in Italy lying face down. It freaked me out a couple of weeks ago but now I understand why they were like that.

[maya]

That’s good to know as I have spent many many hours lying on my back in the last 10 days, trying to sit up now!! Thanks.

[Pippedydeadeye]

Proning patients to improve their oxygen levels and avoid needing a ventilation has been a big thing on medical Twitter.

[Mountain Goat]

Oh god I'm sorry about S getting worse emma. And Liv's hurting heart. Are you ok?

Thank you for the lying prone advice! I just tried it but need to reduce my pillow count as it felt like I was doing an unsolicited superman. Not now, Jillian. I have been mostly either sitting up or part up or lying on my side. I'm squeezing around cats as they're all delighted I'm in bed.

Just had to have another nap but awoke to a dairy box delivery including a sliced loaf. I have just had a strawberry yoghurt and it was lovely. I never eat flavoured yoghurt. I'm finding that I have downturns after eating when presumably some of my enemy fighting energy has been reallocated to the dismantling of a sausage roll, so trying to eat little and often to keep strength up without wearing myself out. This is probably very bad science.