Gransnet forums

Health

Feel almost light headed after cold virus, and legs are heavy?

(12 Posts)
mosaicwarts Tue 25-Jun-19 17:53:44

Hello all, I'm 62, and don't take any form of regular exercise apart from walking my dog three times a day - perhaps three or four miles.

I have been doing more physical garden work over the past few weeks, lifting heavy branches, sawing branches off trees etc.

I contracted a very sore throat and bad cold/cough about three weeks ago. I'm left with an erratic and 'productive' cough so I know the virus is going, I know, urgh.

The odd thing is I am suddenly very conscious of my legs, which feel heavyish. Not swollen at all. I also feel a bit off balance.

Has anyone else experienced this? I stopped smoking five years ago, but still use a high nicotine dose in my e cig.

crazyH Tue 25-Jun-19 18:01:50

Do you think you have done too much? I'm not in a position to advice because I am lazy and don't do much exercise.
I hope you find some answers - good luck.
Btw could it be a virus ?

Whitewavemark2 Tue 25-Jun-19 18:08:58

Run down. I’m sure given a couple of weeks you’ll be back to normal?

mosaicwarts Tue 25-Jun-19 18:16:51

Thanks for your replies - I think I probably have overdone it on top of the virus. As the house is on the market I've also starting hoovering every other day which is a new thing to me, and dragging Henry around exhausts me. Horrible Henry, he seems to mock me when he gets stuck on every door frame, grrr!

I'm going to buy myself the Metatone tonic - so difficult to get in to see the doctor here.

Cherrytree59 Tue 25-Jun-19 18:17:58

You probably have not fully recovered from the virus and need to take things easy for a bit Mosaic.
The off balance could be an ear infection that needs checking out.

It took me some time to get over a virus and was so run down that I developed Shingles.

When I had the virus my whole body ached.
What I remember after recovering from virus was that my shoulders still ached and my arms felt like lead balloons.

EllanVannin Tue 25-Jun-19 18:20:29

I'd try and see the GP if you can.

SisterAct Tue 25-Jun-19 18:20:48

I thought it was just me.

I started with Tonsillitis very suddenly 3 weeks ago and had antibiotics.

I have had a really sore throat on and off since and an erratic productive cough. I have also felt at times as if on a slowly rocking boat. Not noticed heavy legs

mosaicwarts Tue 25-Jun-19 18:30:17

Thank you all for replying. I am going to rest up this week, and if I don't improve, get up at silly 'o' clock and try to see a doctor. My late husband's aunt has had a stroke and described her legs as heavy, it's scared me a bit.

I had my tonsils removed SisterAct - I'm sorry you had the sore throat with them intact, it must have been agony for you. I used to so look forward to my four hourly Tyrozet!
My throat felt as though I'd swallowed red hot tomato soup, especially when I coughed, it was so very, very sore. Perhaps it is just some new and horrible bug - I went on a flying visit to the Isle of Wight to see my aunt and got soaked, then sat on a boiling hot stuffy teeny plane for an hour to get back.

Devorgilla Tue 25-Jun-19 19:59:19

Please go and see your doctor and ask for an ECG. Lightheadedness and heavy legs can indicate a heart condition. Any idea what your resting bpm is? I wear a Fitbit and noticed mine had plummeted and ended up with a pacemaker. You say you were in the garden. No ticks I hope. Is your tetanus shot up to date? Well worth a visit to put your mind at rest.

merlotgran Tue 25-Jun-19 20:05:50

Do you suffer from hay fever? I often have 'flu' type symptoms if I neglect to take anti-histamines.

Caledonai14 Wed 26-Jun-19 21:54:33

Hi Mosaic you are definitely not lazy walking your dog three times a day. I think you have lots of good advice here from other Gransnetters, but it was the dog walking that got me thinking about a remote possibility which you might want to consider once you have ruled out everything else.

Is it possible you could have had a tick bite and not known about it? Most ticks are annoying but not dangerous, though they should be removed using a proper tick remover if discovered.

However, a very tiny minority of ticks carry something called Lyme Disease, which is quite difficult to diagnose and sometimes missed.

Flu-like symptoms and sore joints can be a symptom, but often tests come back negative. There is a distinctive bullseye rash as well, but only in some cases. I wondered whether you had ever found ticks on your dog?

I've put in three links. I live in an area which is bad for ticks but have only ever found one on myself once in quarter of a century. However, lots of people have told me there has been an increase in tick numbers. A friend of mine was bitten but did not realise the significance of the bullseye rash, which isn't always in the same position as the bite.

As I said, it's a remote possibility and you should check out things like a possible ear infection first.

The BADA link is very good and worth a look just so you know what to look for and what to do.

I hope you feel better soon.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease

www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/arthritis-lyme-disease#2-4

www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/press-releases/get-your-tick-facts-straight-as-tick-bite-prevention-week-looms-says-charity-lyme-disease-action

Urmstongran Wed 26-Jun-19 22:01:53

I had heavy legs & felt ‘whoosh’ of dizziness a few times end of last week mosaic but feel absolutely fine now. I think I had a bit of hay fever and the muggy weather didn’t help.

Anyway as I say, I feel great now and I hope you do too in a day or so.

Try not to worry.

(I’m 64y BTW).