Covid for 4 weeks & still bed ridden. Anyone else had prolonged severe illness without hospitalization
Posted , 209 users are following.
Hi,
I've had Covid19 for 4 weeks and if I had the energy I'd be tearing my hair out.
I've had 2 sets of prohylactic antibiotics to safeguard against bacterial infections, my temperature has been up and down but never higher than 38 the entire illness.
I've had severe neuropathy during the illness and some kind of night seizures accompanying the other more well publicised symptoms that mean my sleep is terrible also.
I went to hospital Day 14 after a week of seriously thinking I'm on death's door and my blood oxygen was good enough to be sent home for follow up at the Covid Hubs where they basically just take temperature, pulse and oxygen levels.
I was prescribed a 2nd course of antibiotics there as my temperature was still up and they are checking in on me every few days.
Meanwhile I am having one better day, then another terrible day, then a better day then a worse day..But 'better' is still bed ridden, just means I can breath well enough and not too dizzy to make myself my own cup of tea, have a shower and engage in some small talk with my family.
Everytime I have a good few hours I think, that must be me getting well now, but no, 4 weeks later and the last 24 hrs my breathlessness has been worse than it was for the previous 5 days..Am about ready to shoot myself.
Is there anyone else that's experienced being so ill with this virus outside of an ICU setting where it's carried on this long?
Even ICU patients are recovering in 3-6weeks .
Cannot understand why I'm not getting well yet.
I have no underlying health issues and I'm in my 30s.
I don't know if I still have Covid or if this is post viral inflammation and fatigue..There is no way of knowing as they are not testing community cases. Every doctor just says it's definitely Covid but I have no idea if I've passed the peak of the illness or if i should still be worried it could get worse.
Just feel it's going on forever.
Be great to know if there's any non hospital stories of people being sick, as in still unable to do a thing this length of time.
Thanks!
19 likes, 5383 replies
MandaMoon Res35
Edited
Hi everyone, I am 9 weeks, 1 day in and having a wobble. Felt a bit better yesterday afternoon, put the online food shop away, washed dishes, did a few more steps around the house then last night felt worse than ever... will it ever end. Managed to get about 3 hours sleep. Thank you for this thread and sharing what you're going through, it helps so much.
Amanda x
MRMR MandaMoon
Edited
Manda
It will get better. All of us on here are experiencing improvements over time. It is a kick in the teeth though, when it resurfaces. I'm going to consciously try to accept that it will take the time it needs, which may be several weeks more. I'm approx 9 weeks in, give or take.
Mary👍
jim90098 MRMR
Edited
Guys,
After two days of improvement and yesterday which was a plateau in symptoms little sugar has decided to resurface unfortunately.
I did notice went I woke up my chest felt more congested and heavier.
Since then I've done the usual, bed made, ablutions and made my breakfast.
My throat has become sore, I feel tired having done absolutely nothing to be tired, so back to the four walls of my bedroom. Oh and I feel cold too but no shakes, thankfully.
Another day in paradise hey.
Jim.
joanne82424 jim90098
Edited
sorry to hear that, Jim, hope you're feeling better soon.
All we can do is rest when this happens and hope to feel better later or the next day.
I've had a few days of relapse, following a few good days. I don't know if I did too much or if it would have happened anyway.
Keep warm and look after yourself, Jim, and remember we must be halfway through it by now hopefully
jim90098 joanne82424
Edited
Thank you Joanne.
Fingers crossed. x
Gazza10 jim90098
Edited
Sorry to hear that Jim I too was having a good day started to watch a film then something didnt seem right with the way I was positioned my throat seemed to tighten up a bit so had to move maybe the inflammation don't know one thing after another first time had tv on for a while as well will try and reposition try and ride it again Jim try your theory with the ice lollies for the sore throat I've been using strepsils and salt water Gary
jim90098 Gazza10
Edited
Sorry to hear your news Gary.
Feel better soon.
MandaMoon MRMR
Edited
Thank you Mary x
stuart68c jim90098
Edited
Sorry to hear that Jim. Hopefully just a blip. Better days ARE ahead. I hope you get to rest and feel better as soon as possible.
Lulu2020 jim90098
Edited
Take it easy Jim. You had a bad night's sleep take a rest and see how you feel this afternoon - funnily my chest heavier and woolly today - maybe it's the weather. I have noticed having never had a problem with hayfever before I feel super sensitive to Pollen - probably because the lungs are inflammed.
Hope things improve during the day.
Lx
mark13066 jim90098
Edited
Hi
Not posted anything here for few weeks but like to thank everyone for their comments and info. Now coming up 9 weeks with symptoms. Range of symptoms but sore throat, burning/ aching chest, breathlessness and fatigue worst part. After 5 weeks seemed to suddenly to get worse then also backwards at 6. But at week 8 definite improvement in all symptoms which are still bothersome when moving . Key seems to be resting at least 2 hrs after 30 minutes on my feet.
Gazza10 jim90098
Edited
Thanks Jim you too probably a day in bed will suffice start again tomorrow
Gazza10 Lulu2020
Edited
Hi lulu if you was to have a guess how long roughly would you say the throat and lungs would be inflammed I'm pretty certain my throat should be fine by now not sure about the lungs though only I was OK earlier then had a sort of hand tingling anxious feeling for about ten minutes Gary
jim90098 Gazza10
Edited
Gary,
I'm there as we speak and have been all morning barring lunchtime when I made the effort to go downstairs.
I have a newish symptom, which relates to eating then needing the toilet but enough of that.
Have a good one Gary.
Jim.
Lulu2020 Gazza10
Edited
Hi Gary
I would say my throat and lungs have only felt less inflammed over last 4/5 days - I am week 9 tomorrow so not sure how that fits in with you. Still getting tightness in chest if I don't get the phlegm up properly and drink plenty of water.
My anxiety can come on in a milllisecond if I suddenly feel any strange symptoms - it's like you have the symptoms you have come to know and recognise and then every now and then a new one is thrown in mix - had a nagging pain right side of chest all day yesterday no sign of it today - so strange.
Jim, I had the stomach issues after eating. Initially had diarrhoea at start of illness, then that got better but then urgency after eating, that is now better but not 100% right - without going into too much details hope this helps! God the things we have had to share!!
L x
Gazza10 jim90098
Edited
Like your style Jim not what's coming out of it but when you gotta go not a good day today oh well Monday it is hopefully not a boomtown rat day Gary
Gazza10 Lulu2020
Edited
Thanks lulu I am very close to you i think Friday just gone was roughly 9 weeks for me but I feel that they gave me antibiotics for a chest infection might have put me back a couple of days so probably around same time I've had a sore throat for a few weeks though got the phlegm as well so if my lungs are inflammed they should be only for a few days who knows what next after though chest but that may be going on now Gary
Res35 Lulu2020
Edited
Hi Lulu,
My main question if you're asking on Friday would be around the coming and going of symptoms and how that relates to 'inflammation '....
I can completely understand inflammation becoming milder over time and symptoms of such waning...What I always feel disconnected about and dont quite understand in terms of the inflammation argument is how I can have for I stance 6 days of a perfectly clear chest, no tightness no pain nothing, and then suddenly on day 7 have a tight chest again for 2 days before it eases once more.
This is a difficult one for me because it suggests inflammation is not clearing in a linear way but is coming and going also? Can inflammation work like this? On and off like that?
Lulu2020 Gazza10
Edited
I think sore throat is inflammation now rather than infection - same inflammation we need to clear up in the chest and lungs - if I look down my throat it is still looking red but it is no longer sore but only not sore over last few days - so who knows?!
Lulu2020 Res35
Edited
He told me when the tightness comes it is the build up of mucous - I had it this morning as slept too long but has cleared quite a bit now but happy to ask him again on Friday - have made a note!
Gazza10 Lulu2020
Edited
Thanks for your reply lulu yes I have a feeling your right and that the inflammation is still in my throat chest and lungs hopefully goes soon thanks again Gary
jim90098 mark13066
Edited
Thanks Mark.
Res35 Lulu2020
Edited
Thank you.
Mine is the opposite way around, better in morning and worse as day goes on and if I walk more.
It's not every day though which is the weird bit..Went whole week this time before it came back again🤕.
Lulu2020 Res35
Edited
I will definitely ask more about the chest tightness Res and why it comes and goes and different times of day - maybe he can give us more detailed answer which will reassure us.
Take care,
Lx
susan48029 Lulu2020
Edited
Hi lulu could you ask my we are breathless after out walking pls 💜
Lulu2020 susan48029
Edited
Yes of course have added it to the list for Friday.
Lx
joanne82424 Lulu2020
Edited
Hi Lulu
My question is similar to Res, about why it comes and goes so much. I can be almost normal one day, then next day go back a few steps. Is it because of something I've done, or breathed in, and does that make it all inflamed again, and does this then produce all this phlegm?
I've tried to read about phlegm and understand it, but struggling with foggy brain. Is it produced maybe to protect and clean chest/ lungs? I'm confused!
Lulu2020 joanne82424
Edited
Hi Joanne
Made a note to ask more specifically about this but seem to remember him saying that the phlegm is produced to protect the lungs and he said the phlegm will slowly decrease - which although it is still currently driving me nuts am constantly spitting into sink/tissues etc. is slowly getting less - I can tell in the morning and at night when I have a real good go at clearing it, it is reducing but it is like everything else to do with this awful illness takes a long time.
All the best,
Lx
joanne82424 Lulu2020
Edited
thanks Lulu, I guess it just a matter of time then, I'm still producing loads of it x