Can’t help wondering how many people had COVID before it was a major Thung

I think I added to the thread of 2019 MamaCaz. Same as you, went to doctors in November 2019 thinking I'd got a really bad case of flu (even after having my flu jab a few weeks before). I'd never normally go to the docs about flu, but I could hardly walk, was coughing like hell and had a high temperature. I kept notes in my diary, and it went on and on, for weeks. I was advised it was a virus and to take Paracetamol, which I did and now14 months later the sheer exhaustion and cutting sore throat remain. So...yes, I wonder too

It was "just a virus" said the GP.
Well, it was a particularly nasty one.

The other thing I noticed was that, for weeks afterwards, I would get a stinging pain in my hands and then a little bruise would appear as a blood vessel seemed to have popped. That has got better lately but that may be because I have been taking vitamins.
I hadn't connected that before now and it may not be connected to the virus I had anyway.

I am convinced that my husband died of Covid in early December 2019,for two weeks prior he had trouble breathing and his Doctor prescribed him with steroids he lost his taste/sense of smell and was tired all the time,he improved slightly and went to pick up our daughter for work early on Monday 9th December and died in his car on his way.
Nothing will convince me it was not Covid the cause was not stated Covid related but I know it was,even my Doctor after the fact said he knew it was in the Country from the beginning of the year or earlier.

I would state without hesitation that I had it this time last year. I was like a dying duck in a thunderstorm and really thought my time was up. Never had I been so ill in all my years.
At one point after the streaming nose I'd thought I was getting away with it then it hit me with a vengeance.

The gasping for breath at the open window was the worst then the drawback of breath to cough was almost like whooping cough. Then the legs ceased up like blocks of concrete which is an indication of a chest/lung infection.

I can describe everything about how I suffered and could only drink water by sipping it.
If I'd have pressed my emergency button I know I'd have been carted off and I didn't want that. I stayed up for 2 nights too scared to go to bed.

I remember throwing everything away out of the fridge, probably lost half a stone because I couldn't eat anything.
Chocs/ biscs from Christmas I gave to D. I hadn't enjoyed Christmas as in previous years.

I'd been in hospital a week before Christmas ( 2019 ) with A/F, to be stabilised and obviously caught the virus there.
Fortunately at that time my stats were 98% ( blood oxygen ) which it's always been so it gave me a fighting chance to get over the virus---plus my stamina overall.

I took paracetamols for headaches and general malaise and black rum in hot water, lemon and honey to get me up and running again. This virus leaves its mark, unlike a dose of flu. My first meal was porridge then tinned chicken soup then I slowly built myself up again but it took months.

My step-daughter who'd stayed with me over Christmas had also become very ill on her return home.This was at the end of the December and she had the same symptoms as myself which went on for weeks.

I forgot to mention the sore throat which felt like broken glass when you swallowed. I'd had sore throats in my younger years but this was something else.
It's definitely a killer if you haven't got the stamina to overcome it and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. It affects you mentally as well because of the fear of getting it again and not surviving.

I would also stress that a certain amount of protection was given from the 'flu vaccine beforehand, albeit small but worth continuing annually and as I've said before, a good idea to have a worldwide programme in future.

DH and I are convinced we had it the week before Christmas 2019. He got it first and then me. It was like a mild case of ‘flu but we coughed all night. We felt better after 5 days. We went into Tesco about a fortnight later and so many people were coughing, all over the groceries. I have asthma so I think I was lucky it wasn’t worse.

It doesn’t make any difference if you’ve had it already surely, as they are vaccinating people who have had it as well, and having it once doesn’t seem to make you immune to catching it again? There was definitely a nasty respiratory bug going round last winter, my son aged 23 was struggling for weeks with it - but as the level of hospitalisation of older people was not an issue then, in January, I’d assumed it was just a respiratory virus not Covid.

We may have had it but I think, unless it was diagnosed, it is best to assume it was not Covid and carry on taking necessary precautions.

Even if it was Covid, there is no certainty as to how long immunity lasts.

Callistemon
That's really odd ( the bruising on the hands thing) I've had it.
I thought: oh no, not another old person thing ?

It really stings for a while then a little bruise appears. Very odd; I don't remember having it before but I might be misremembering - oh no, not another old person thing!

There were a number of people suffering with symptoms now associated with COVID, who posted in early February. They had intense fatigue and also, having felt they’d recovered, the symptoms returned. I am convinced it was here late last year. I was similarly poorly on my return from Spain late October.

I felt really ill before last Christmas, temperature, dreadful cough, and a complete loss of smell. We had a minor house fire a few days before Christmas, which apparently smelled dreadful, but I couldn’t smell a thing.
We were with family friends over Christmas, and I seemed to give it to their adult daughter, but no one else.
I had the worst cough I’ve ever had, and it dragged on for months.
The only thing is, that I really can’t see who I could have caught it from.

petra

Callistemon
That's really odd ( the bruising on the hands thing) I've had it.
I thought: oh no, not another old person thing ?

That's weird. I had this hand peculiarity along with a cough this year in October. It felt like a bee prick then my whole hand came up in a bruise.
I even took a photo, and compared with today's hand it looks 20 years der!

*older

It's just very small bruises but the stinging first is quite painful.
It's been a lot better lately but I did get just one again on Friday.

I thought it was just me or my medication.

Callistemon

It's just very small bruises but the stinging first is quite painful.
It's been a lot better lately but I did get just one again on Friday.

I thought it was just me or my medication.

I've been getting that for a few years now, Callistemon, so in my case anyway definitely pre-dates Covid and no link to any medication.
Plus, at under 60 (just), I am reluctant to say it's age related ... though thinking about it now, I suppose I might have started with it around the menopause or perimenopause!

To begin with, it worried me, but judging by Google, it is quite common.

Interesting MamaCaz.
It hasn't happened so much lately

I occasionally get those tiny spontaneous haemorrhages too. You feel a sting and then see a small bruise. Doesn’t last long. I think it’s another manifestation of getting older ?

My DH had an awful hacking dry cough last February which lasted about 6 weeks. At the time we even made jokes about it being the mysterious Wuhan virus. It could have been a normal winter cough, but who knows?

Early On November 2019 I had the flu jab seemed fine at the time. I started coughing a dry cough my back was really hot I only had a small appetite. If I did eat it it was coughed up thought it was a delayed reaction to flu jab. I did not have cold symptoms at all rang the Drs and was told it's probably just a virus. Our Dr does not give out antibiotics so I took paracetamol this cough went on for four weeks. My chest and throat were rattling and still did for months. I looked a mess and felt tired for weeks after. Life was normal in Liverpool then people going about usual business holidays etc. Well known football match still allowed it does make me wonder!

P.S. I didn't feel better until 6 months later----an effort to walk and also a heavy feeling in the chest/lungs. It was no ordinary 'flu which is gone within a fortnight. I'd had the 'flu injection ! Which obviously hadn't covered the type of virus that I'd had.