I've got Covid.... The thread for your covid experiences

[F.I.R.E User]

I think, even if your overt COVID symptoms are gone, COVID is not really gone for quite a while, at least, that was in my case. Even when it felt like I was over it, my Fitbit showed that I wasn't. My readiness scores were so low for more than a week even on days I didn't exercise, maybe even 2 weeks after I tested negative. I didn't particularly do anything to remedy the issue though. I probably should have tried to rest more instead of trying to push through it.

My suggestion to you is to not go back to your old, vigorous exercise routine just yet. Rest more and give your body time to recover fully.

Can you explain this readiness score? I don’t have Fitbit. I only do lighter weight exercises now with cardio. I just don’t have that energy. I am on day 13.

How long did it take you to recover?

On a regular cold I usually recover within a week.

 

[tmm99]

Readiness score shows how ready you are to exercise - it's from 1 to 100% and 1% is the lowest. It's hard to explain if you don't use this feature of Fitbit, but my point is that my scores were much lower than usual. I'm finally coming out of it.

My situation of COVID is different from yours. You're much younger for one. I'm in my mid 60's and I started Paxlovid right after the onset of mild symptoms and I believe I started the treatment too soon. 3 or 4 days after I used up Paxlovid (5-day course), I started getting REAL symptoms. I was pretty miserable. I went to a doc and got some prescription cough syrup. It was like a cold but a bad kind of cold. I took Mucinex as well as my nose/head were congested, but my lungs were clear and my oxygen was good (96ish). It took 2 weeks since testing positive before I started feeling better and feeling less fatigue. Exercise-wise, I think it took 3.5 weeks from the onset for Fitbit to say I'm pretty much back to normal.

My DH got sick but his stick never turned positive. He was sick for about a week only (testing negative the whole time - I don't think the rapid test is that sensitive - the PCR test would have turned positive, I think), but he has lingering coughs once in a while still (just clearing throat, etc) and it's been a month.

 

[F.I.R.E User]

Readiness score shows how ready you are to exercise - it's from 1 to 100% and 1% is the lowest. It's hard to explain if you don't use this feature of Fitbit, but my point is that my scores were much lower than usual. I'm finally coming out of it.

My situation of COVID is different from yours. You're much younger for one. I'm in my mid 60's and I started Paxlovid right after the onset of mild symptoms and I believe I started the treatment too soon. 3 or 4 days after I used up Paxlovid (5-day course), I started getting REAL symptoms. I was pretty miserable. I went to a doc and got some prescription cough syrup. It was like a cold but a bad kind of cold. I took Mucinex as well as my nose/head were congested, but my lungs were clear and my oxygen was good (96ish). It took 2 weeks since testing positive before I started feeling better and feeling less fatigue. Exercise-wise, I think it took 3.5 weeks from the onset for Fitbit to say I'm pretty much back to normal.

My DH got sick but his stick never turned positive. He was sick for about a week only (testing negative the whole time - I don't think the rapid test is that sensitive - the PCR test would have turned positive, I think), but he has lingering coughs once in a while still (just clearing throat, etc) and it's been a month.

I rather have coughs and congestion than feeling fatigued. That’s my main concern now. Just lack of energy.

 

[tmm99]

I rather have coughs and congestion than feeling fatigued. That’s my main concern now. Just lack of energy.

I feel for you. COVID seems to hit everyone so differently. Do you know for sure your fever is truly gone? You said you took Tylenol. I realized I had a very low grade fever (100F) so I stopped taking Tylenol and let my body fight it until my fever was completely gone. I don't know if that was the right thing to do, but it seemed reasonable to me. I kept on taking Mucinex though.

I would give my body plenty of rest, good vitamins and good food for now, and good sleep.

 

[Ian S]

I could not take Paxlovid due to interaction with my other medications that I am taking.

Did you have fever and sore throat?

Initially, I was sure it was a cold as I'd been exposed to someone with one. But I began to feel much worse and developed a fever which I controlled with ibuprofen. This was before the Paxlovid. I never really developed a sore throat but mostly congestion and other cold symptoms. I think the Paxlovid helped me avoid the worst of it like extreme fatigue but minor symptoms did stick around for a couple of weeks before gradually subsiding. Are you still testing positive? It could also be something else in addition to the Covid.

 

[F.I.R.E User]

I feel for you. COVID seems to hit everyone so differently. Do you know for sure your fever is truly gone? You said you took Tylenol. I realized I had a very low grade fever (100F) so I stopped taking Tylenol and let my body fight it until my fever was completely gone. I don't know if that was the right thing to do, but it seemed reasonable to me. I kept on taking Mucinex though.

I would give my body plenty of rest, good vitamins and good food for now, and good sleep.

Yes it’s gone. 98.6 F. I checked. Tylenol is for feeling fatigued. It helps me sleep better.

 

[audreyh1]

Please take care of your selves. It’s out there.

Oh I know for sure! I track it weekly. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklyhospitaladmissions_testpositivity_00 We still take precautions in crowded places and avoid large group events.

 

[F.I.R.E User]

How come hardly anyone wears a mask now? Why people think this is over and do big gatherings?

 

[Teacher Terry]

How come hardly anyone wears a mask now? Why people think this is over and do big gatherings?

Because wearing a mask is uncomfortable and unnatural. Originally it was necessary to slow the spread and covid was much more dangerous than the milder strain that has emerged.

Not too many people would want to return to mask wearing or avoiding large gatherings as they want to enjoy their lives. Do you get this anxious when you get the flu?

 

[F.I.R.E User]

Because wearing a mask is uncomfortable and unnatural. Originally it was necessary to slow the spread and covid was much more dangerous than the milder strain that has emerged. Not too many people would want to return to mask wearing or avoiding large gatherings as they want to enjoy their lives.

So is getting sick. This isn’t like the regular cold/flu.

I regret taking my mask off last year. Are you saying today’s strains like JA. 1 are less likely to cause long term issues?

I just ran a test. It’s negative today.

 

[Trailwalker]

I feel for you. COVID seems to hit everyone so differently. (snip)
I would give my body plenty of rest, good vitamins and good food for now, and good sleep.

This. There is a wide variation in symptoms and duration. Covid knocked me down for a week, and then I was fine. My cousin tested positive and felt a little off for one day and was fine. My wife tested positive and walked about five miles per day outside because it was driving her insane to be cooped up at home resting. She was back to normal in a few days. Covid almost killed my son recently. He has a serious preexisting condition that included restricted pulmonary function. He has survived but will be on a ventilator for the rest of his life.

If you are tired, rest. Treat yourself well until you are feeling better.

As for masking, I can tell you that the masks that I wore during the height of the pandemic were nothing like the masks that I was given to wear recently when my son was in ICU with Covid. The seals were much better, and the material was thicker and seemed to have been treated with some kind of chemical. It made the cloth masks that I had been wearing seem like a joke. I was also required to gown and wear a face shield in his room. Visits were limited to one hour per day.

Most people that I know think that Covid is pretty much over and harmless. I think people stopped masking or worrying about crowds because the perceived risk is viewed as limited. For many, that's true. For a few, not so much.

 

[Nash]

How come hardly anyone wears a mask now? Why people think this is over and do big gatherings?

Some of us (ME) never wore a mask.

Never vaxxed. And never altered my lifestyle due to covid.

Four years into this and still never got covid.

 

[MichaelB]

Let’s please stick to the thread topic, folks.

 

[Rianne]

I see people wearing masks on walks. DH and I sick for the last month. We were tested for strep, A & B flu, and Covid all negative. My PCP said there are so many viruses out there. It is expensive to test for all of them. One of her patients, very sick went to ER, and could not breathe. She had a coronavirus but was not specifically Covid 19. We had fevers, coughing with Flem, lethargy, and muscle aches. No energy. My takeaway is that viruses are everywhere. And they're all different in one way or another.

 

[TrvlBug]

DH just tested positive this morning...2 tests as we thought the first might have been a false positive. I'm negative.

Unfortunately, DH just had an endoscopy Monday morning and I'm very concerned about how that might interact with the Covid infection spread as well as his age, 77. Video appt with doc is in a couple of hours. Based on infection timelines we think he caught it last Thursday at the gym working with our personal trainer. Other possibility is on Saturday when we were at an event at a local museum. It was very crowded.

Keeping our fingers crossed for a good outcome. Fortunately, we are fully vaxed having received the latest booster 3/20.

 

[F.I.R.E User]

I see people wearing masks on walks. DH and I sick for the last month. We were tested for strep, A & B flu, and Covid all negative. My PCP said there are so many viruses out there. It is expensive to test for all of them. One of her patients, very sick went to ER, and could not breathe. She had a coronavirus but was not specifically Covid 19. We had fevers, coughing with Flem, lethargy, and muscle aches. No energy. My takeaway is that viruses are everywhere. And they're all different in one way or another.

Ok so you never had Covid? With that said how long were you sick?

DH just tested positive this morning...2 tests as we thought the first might have been a false positive. I'm negative.

Unfortunately, DH just had an endoscopy Monday morning and I'm very concerned about how that might interact with the Covid infection spread as well as his age, 77. Video appt with doc is in a couple of hours. Based on infection timelines we think he caught it last Thursday at the gym working with our personal trainer. Other possibility is on Saturday when we were at an event at a local museum. It was very crowded.

Keeping our fingers crossed for a good outcome. Fortunately, we are fully vaxed having received the latest booster 3/20.

Day 17 here and I am up to date on all vaccines including last booster in November. Still struggling with mental fatigue and some nasal and chest congestion.

 

[tmm99]

Day 17 here and I am up to date on all vaccines including last booster in November. Still struggling with mental fatigue and some nasal and chest congestion.

Have you started eating more food? Nutritious food? That should definitely help speed up your recovery. And hydrate.

 

[TrvlBug]

... ...
Day 17 here and I am up to date on all vaccines including last booster in November. Still struggling with mental fatigue and some nasal and chest congestion.

I'm sorry to hear that. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

DH is on his second day of relatively mild upper respiratory infection with some coughing. I just picked up the Paxlovid.

 

[TrvlBug]

I see people wearing masks on walks. DH and I sick for the last month. We were tested for strep, A & B flu, and Covid all negative. My PCP said there are so many viruses out there. It is expensive to test for all of them. One of her patients, very sick went to ER, and could not breathe. She had a coronavirus but was not specifically Covid 19. We had fevers, coughing with Flem, lethargy, and muscle aches. No energy. My takeaway is that viruses are everywhere. And they're all different in one way or another.

I caught one of the nasties mid December. Both upper and lower respiratory infections at the same time with the lower one worse. I believe I caught a secondary bacterial infection around day 10 as my upper respiratory infection went through the roof then. Tested several times for Covid but it wasn't it. My SIL, a nurse on the east coast said they had something like that going around there.

 

[F.I.R.E User]

Have you started eating more food? Nutritious food? That should definitely help speed up your recovery. And hydrate.

What kind of foods do you recommend?

 

[tmm99]

What kind of foods do you recommend?

Just a balanced diet in general. Nothing specific. Some kind of meat or seafood, green/red or colourful veggies, grains/bread or potatoes, and a few servings of fresh or frozen fruits, so basically, whole foods without much processed food. That kind of thing. You said a few days ago that you weren't eating much, so I just wanted to make sure that you're eating enough food to nourish your body so you can recover quickly.

 

[pacergal]

Ok so you never had Covid? With that said how long were you sick?

Day 17 here and I am up to date on all vaccines including last booster in November. Still struggling with mental fatigue and some nasal and chest congestion.

Sorry you are still feeling ill. It is good you finally tested negative.
It took my sister a good month or so to completely get over her covid, mostly with a cough and fatigue. Then one day, she suddenly felt better.

Continue to rest, stay hydrated, if "food" doesn't sound good, try making healthy protein smoothies with fresh fruits and vegetable, yogurt, or protein powder. Sometimes drinking something is easier than chewing.
Maybe adding Airborne or some type of immunity boost might help.

 

[W2R]

Sorry you are still feeling ill. It is good you finally tested negative.
It took my sister a good month or so to completely get over her covid, mostly with a cough and fatigue. Then one day, she suddenly felt better.

Back in 2021 when I was hospitalized with Covid double pneumonia, it took me probably 5-6 months before I was over 90% of it (still not 100% over it). I guess this is some sort of long Covid although I've not asked for a diagnosis. My doctor knows I had Covid and he listens to my heart and lungs and asks me relevant questions every time I go in to see him.

Kermit the Frog says "It's not easy being green", and I'd tweek that to say "For some of us it's insanely hard getting over Covid". So sorry you are still sick with this dreadful disease! Hope it leaves you soon and completely. I agree with what pacergal is telling you about eating good healthy food and getting lots of rest and sleep.

 

[Rianne]

Ok so you never had Covid? With that said how long were you sick?

Day 17 here and I am up to date on all vaccines including last booster in November. Still struggling with mental fatigue and some nasal and chest congestion.

I had Covid about a year ago. Tested positive twice with the in-home test kit. No symptoms. But I followed the rules and stayed home etc.

The recent flu/virus knocked me/DH out. It's been about a month and I'm feeling a lot better. Just saying, it's not always Covid. Stay hydrated. PCP suggested boiling water over the stove taking a towel and covering your head with the steam penetrating your nasal passages and throat. I cannot take NSAIDs so Tylenol for me. With the lethargy, I couldn't do anything but rest. Do not try to exercise. It will eventually move through your system provided you don't get a bacterial infection. Once that happens, antibiotics.

Hope you feel better soon! There's very little Dr can do unless you graduate to a serious condition.

 

[Jeffman52]

DW had to travel from Ohio (US) to Denmark for a project (we are 8 weeks from retirement). Of course its a multinational project and someone one of the team from Italy shows up sick. The very next day (actually about 1.5 days but still) my wife was like... Oh crap.. I think I am catching whatever he had. A day after that she was coughing and hacking.



So a miserable two weeks so far for her. She either has the flu or Covid and is out of the country. Nothing going on with her taste or smell, but the symptoms outside of that are about the same.