Long Covid or just getting on a bit?

joesdadnick

ok, so i cannot prove I had covid in late Dec 2019 into January 2020, but I can tell you that long covid as they put it is very real and manifests in different ways, mine was shortness of breath, my oxygen was fine and raised pulse over 100 for near 8 months , now these have gone away or back to normal ,but for a man there is also loss of libido, ongoing. what with all the other health problems not good. I would say that in time the after effects will go away, but for some will stay with them

Same here. I think I also had Covid late Dec 19/Jan20. At the time I thought it was a very strange illness and the symptoms turned out to be those later described as Covid. My one enduring problem has been catarrh which is only just beginning to away a year later. I recently read a fishy or burning smell has been associated with long Covid. I definitely get the fishy one which is not something I've had with catarrh previously. Obviously I'm lucky that's my only long term symptom.

You have Long Covid.. no question.. it’s so variable in symptoms from minor to major issues ..my daughter has been trying to live with it for 4 months,, Medics really don’t understand what’s going on.. but awareness is now being raised.. in parliament today in fact.

I have been very interested in this 'string'. I caught Covid in hospital when being treated for bacterial infection in June. I had none of the usual respiratory symptoms. Had I not been swabbed for third time before going into a ward for third time - I would not have known about the infection. My symptoms were neurological and the Long Covid symptoms I have now, and have had for 6+ months, remain mainly neurological but they are an odd collection. I was especially interested in the person experiencing cold feet. I get this now. Never before and it drives me potty, even with hot water bottle and wrapping up they still feel cold and sometimes the rest of me is freezing for hours even in warm flat. I have brain fog ++++ Loss of balance and coordination - I keep dropping and knocking things over. I stagger around like an old drunk! My blood pressure has shot up and I get headaches, never had them before now. I am lethargic whereas before I had masses of energy and did lots. Get episodes of unpredictable and violent diarrhoea such that I am afraid to go out unless I know there is a loo I can dash to but since we are all locked down now that isn't a current obstacle. Although I had no respiratory symptoms I now experience breathlessness especially when walking up even a gentle incline. I feel like a broken woman. So everyone who has, or knows someone who has, this post viral condition has my huge empathy and I hope that we all get over it and can return to our normal lives. My GP has been very supportive but there is not really much she can offer. If numbers of medical professionals begin to experience some of these life altering symptoms I hope that will initiate useful research. I have taken Vit D for years but might ask for VitB12 test when the vaccinating project quietens down a bit. I just had mine, and am very happy for that. Wishing you all well.

growstuff

Shinamae

Who knows FC? I think there is so much unknown about this virus and it is quite scary as we all know... Even my doctor doesn’t seem to know he says it possibly is,he’s going to do some blood tests.

Shinamae Without knowing your medical history, it's impossible for any of us on here to say. It could, for example, be a symptom of Vitamin B12 deficiency, which is sometimes missed because serum blood tests don't show whether it's being absorbed, which can be a problem if you're taking certain medications.

Dr Chris Steele on This Morning recommended Vit B and co enzyme q10 for people suffering from long covid.

Fantastic response from you all thank you again so much ??????

Post viral symptoms are horrid. I developed it after pneumonia over 10 years ago. I'm still not well. It's left me with ME and fibromyalgia. I have to nap every few hours that's if I can get up. The pain is unrelenting. It feels like my bones and being grated with a crease grater, my joints being pulled apart, loss of sensation and hypersensitivity- it's quite marvellous ?. I have three young children too. I can not do so many things with them I would love to.

I hope for your sake it's not, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

I forgot about the wonderful neurological symptoms - fax up thread details those very well. It's exhausting, there's no end. It will never be ’better’. I'm not sure how many more years of this I can endure.

Polymialger?.

a lady i know had covid way back March/ April quite poorly but not hospitalised, she has still not fully recovered, very very lethargic, very unlike her also with vague aches and pains and depression, after different tests etc it was decided that it was due to covid, my son in law had it , the only symptom he had was an extremely sore throat, he was tested positive and has left with continuous smell of smoke, strange,

Get hold of your doctor again, and ask what he suggests you do about these symptoms.

They may not be Covid-related, but obviously something has changed, so make an appointment and have a check-up.

I am sure i had Covid last February, i felt exhausted, and could hardly lift my legs, I had an appointment and I really thought I might collapse on the way, ,[don't drive]
I always had lots of energy and suddenly had none,
I did have a cough, but not persistent, and only just feeling better these last 2 weeks, but I do feel sometimes as if I can't breathe deeply, and then feel worse because I go into a panic
I also had aching arms couldn't understand why suddenly,
Although I did have test because of breathlessness and I came back negative, [this was last July]
A local councillor had a test recently and It came back saying he had antibodies,which i guess must mean he has had Covid at some point,so if i had it in February, surely my test would come back in July as having antibodies
Very confusing as they keep adding more symptoms, which really could be anything, and now another new strain from Brazil it seems was found in Japan from air passengers landing there

In October 2019 I came back from a couple of weeks in Italy with a sore throat and feeling ‘weary’. It developed over a period of a week into what I now realize was Covid ....the symptoms were the same. My doctor said it was viral and that antibiotics probably wouldn’t help, just stay in bed! This was before Covid has been identified by the WHO. After about two weeks the worse of the symptoms eased off - enough to get back to ‘normal ‘ living, but I still felt tired and my body ached. Three months later I still didn’t feel fully recovered ...tired, muscle aches, headaches and another strange symptom, itchy scratchy sore eyes. So I know from experience there is a condition known as ‘long covid’ and I know it didn’t finally leave my system until 6 months after I fell ill.

I believe that you need to have a blood test to be diagnosed with long covid

Really? My doctor never mentioned that......

Shinamae - Long Covid clinics have been set up since as long ago as last May and the symptoms that people are reporting and living with are incredibly varied. Speak with your GP and ask where your nearest clinic is. Several people I know (including my husband) had aching legs as their first symptom of Covid before even the cough we are all told to look out for. One thing's for sure, you need a full blood test.

I had it well suspected but I had symptoms at the time not yet announced so I knew I was imaging it but the long term effects left me so tired and now being treated for angina . It’s definitely a horrid thing Covid 19 & long covid

My younger son had what seemed to be Covid in March with all the standard symptoms and he has been left with a weird thing - he is now completely allergic to beer - gets a terrible headache and feels very sick after a very small amount. He is ok with wine or spirits! I thought he was imagining it but then a friend’s daughter in law has the same symptoms but with all alcohol

Thankyou FannyCornforth. I have had blood tests and xrays all clear for everything. The nurse was very sceptical that anything was wrong with me.
Symptoms are easing now 9 months on or because of the pill! Take care.

I too suspect that I have had Covid at the beginning of December. Since been tested negative. I also have symptoms of 'long Civid' such as pins and needles in my hands, chronic hives and various other problems. I'm not sure if I still have antibodies or not. I already have chronic health issues so I'm feeling sorry for myself but I'm grateful to be alive.

I had C19 in October and was very poorly (at home) for two weeks. No breathing issues or cough but terrible gastrointestinal symptoms. I crawled around for the next couple of weeks and remained exhausted but started a few hours work a week at home. I kept trying to increase my activity as recommended by my GP and also on websites re chronic fatigue. However it is now known that this is not the right advice re C19. Rather it is to embrace ‘pacing’ and it took me another good few weeks of learning the hard way what this means. I had excellent and very direct advice from a physio and OT (both family members) who were clear that my symptoms were not ‘long covid’ but that I’d had a serious dose of a nasty viral illness and it would take time for my body to heal. I see C19 as a rotten virus with a long tail. I am fit, very active, don’t smoke or drink and was laid very low. I’ve never felt so ill or for so long, in my life. 3 months to the day since I first fell ill, I started to feel ‘myself’. I did my first Zumba Gold class this week, a great milestone, reduced the energy I put into it by about 50% and felt good afterwards. That’s the key with pacing, to stop before you have to, keep some reserve in your tank. I’ve set aside targets like building up to 10,000 steps a day in 1,000 step increments, am relaxing, taking care of myself, recognising what a brute of a year I’ve had, and enjoying as much gentle self care as I can. I hope you feel better soon, and if you’re currently working, I salute you! I’m writing up some research and can do that a few hours a day, but that’s it x

l am still working just part time 24 hours a week in the care home. The residents have very recently all been vaccinated and so have the staff..... so fingers crossed ......

As a retired nurse, my advise would be to talk to your doctor and hope he suggests a blood test. You could have a vitamin deficiency or something easily sorted. Best wishes

My daughter tested positive in October, only symptoms was a heavy cold. She has been experiencing pins and needles in her feet. Blood tests show she is low in b12 and protein in blood. More blood tests on Tuesday

I thought this might help some of you

HOPE LONG COVID
Virtual HOPE Programme for People Living with
symptoms of Long Covid
Most people who had mild symptoms, such as a high temperature and cough, recovered quickly and were able to resume their normal lives after a few days. But for some, the effects of the virus can last for weeks or months. This has been labelled “Long Covid”. The lasting symptoms of coronavirus can include:
fatigue
breathlessness
anxiety and depression
palpitations
chest pains
joint or muscle pain
not being able to think straight or focus (‘brain fog’)
Due to some of the symptoms which may result in difficulty concentrating for a long period of time, we think it would be best to run this course over 10 weeks and each session will run on a Tuesday between 10:30-11:30am.
To attend this course you will need:
Access to the internet, access to Microsoft Teams, a Webcam and Microphone, a PC, Laptop, Tablet or Smartphone
Register your interest today!
To register or for more info, please call 01803 210493 or email [email protected] www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk/services/hope-programme

Thanks Win ?