Hello, has anyone else on here been to hospital with suspected Covid in the last two weeks? I’m just recovering after been sent to an out of hours clinic, having coughed all night sitting up, with shortness of breath at rest not responsive to relievers so 111 sent me patient transport. Once there a Dr diagnosed an asthma attack secondary to viral infection, some nebuliser relief given and 8 Prednisalone, then said I’m sending you to the hospital now by ambulance in case of needing oxygen, for assessment for Covid. It was a special unit, where I was monitored for a couple of hours and my chest X- Rayed . The consultant then arrived and said the x ray showed fluffy lungs, which were filled with virus and couldn't say for sure, but was most likely to be Covid, She could admit me and do a Covid test, and treat me with Dexamethasone if it was confirmed. However, we diagnose on symptoms here! I was responding well to the steroids as I usually do, and my vital signs improving, so she said if you want to go home you can..I’m sure it will be mild as most cases are mild this time! We’re not too worried. So I went home where I was in bed and pretty ill for a week. Not alone as I live my son fortunately, who kept a good eye on me. Now recovering and shortness of breath is improving every day, but not the fatigue yet, which was huge.
I’d be very interested to hear if anyone else has recently had a similar experience at a hospital. I never did get a test as it needed to be a home kit, and that week our wonderful UK online testing system collapsed.
In anticipation, with many thanks 🙏 xx
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They won't test in hospital unless you're being admitted (as you discovered) - it's been like that a while now. I guess a bonus now compared to the spring is that they know a little more what they're dealing with so can make more educated guesses
It does sound as if you've had a typical/"normal" experience to likely covid (if such a thing exists - and I'm sure even an "ok" experience in the grand scheme of things is rather unpleasant!) and that the prednisolone has helped.
I imagine the post viral side of things (including the fatigue) will last for some time, given what others have experienced.
I hope things gradually improve for you - and don't rush trying to get back to normal things as it may take some time. I assume your son has been isolating given your suspected diagnosis?
I’m afraid it’s been a couple of weeks. I wanted to let you and the good people on here know that I was improving after the suspected Covid diagnosis (in hospital), but I waited as my recovery has been slow. I’d like to say I’m completely recovered but that’s not quite the case, I’m still a little SOB on exertion and get easily fatigued which is unusual for me. Two steps forward and one back, I’d say. I guess that’s par for the course after C19 and I’m continuing to take it easy, while getting back to a few simple household tasks, and a little cooking. Still taking the vitamins, Magnesium and Zinc!
From what our family has experienced with covid, I would ensure that you take steroids to limit the covid inflammation and antibiotics to combat any secondary infections, which are common. It's important to limit the damage left by this virus. I stress that after several cases of covid in the family we have learnt the hard way what we should have done for family members at an early stage.
Vit D, Magnesium Malate, Vit K (to facilitate the absorption of Vit D), all will help combating viral load. If you can get hold of zinc lozenges then that too will help you with any virus (I know Holland and Barrett do Vit C/Zinc lozenges) - not tabs but lozenges, as it's important to expose the throat to the zinc.
The main issues with Covid are lungs, heart, fatigue. If you can sheild your heart and lungs with steroids and antibiotics you'll be left with only fatigue to battle with. The supplements will help with this as your immune system recovers.
Ideally we should make sure that our vitD levels are healthy all year round.
The Vit supplements will help with your immune system. We don't get enough Vit D in this country as a norm, especially in winter and if we've been shielding over the summer that won't have helped.
If you're still experiencing problems after a month I would definitely ask for screening to ensure your lungs are OK.
To check out the Vit D subject more accurately there's an excellent Facebook group that has very good information for the UK - "Vitamin D & Co-factors. UK"
I wish you a speedy and full recovery, but if you are still struggling with symptoms after a couple of weeks, or if they worsen, please seek medical intervention.
Thank you for such a comprehensive reply.Bless you will give the gist of it to one of our children in Sweden with covid symptoms including respiratory problems and loss of taste /smell who would benefit from your advice.
Very much appreciated. I did write a reply which got lost when I was asked if I'd like to close the page as I took so long. Not up to writing again just now due to brain fog!
Just to reassure you I have passed the two week danger point of going into the second phase. I was in touch with my GP surgery all the time, in case. Now normal, just in recovery.
Poobah, many thanks for your good advice on supplements . Luckily I was advised early on in the coronavirus crisis to take Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and Zinc and magnesium to support the immune system. Fortunately no sign of any secondary infection, but I do take your point to keep in mind the potential seriousness of lasting effects of the virus. I’ve no wish to learn the hard way, and aim to take very good care of myself. Certainly if not considerably better in a month, I’ll be pursuing my G.P for tests. I’m sorry to hear that members of your family suffered in this way. I trust that they are by now fully recovered?
H&B had run out of zinc lozenges when a friend went today, so I’m looking online now, for vitamin K as well.
The prices go up and down all the time. You need to catch them when they're doing their penny sales, or the BOGO half price sales. Or you can register with them and get 15-20% off emails every other day!
Thank you Twinkly, that was helpful. I suppose I was looking for confirmation, even to share with someone who's been through it. I certainly got the impression at the hospital they were confident in what they're doing now. Luckily my general health is good, and they reckoned I'd be okay, but all the same it's the worst virus I've ever had. And I've never been to hospital with an asthma attack before. My chest is clear, no coughing and I went a short walk to the end of the road today, which was tiring. Appreciating others previously found fatigue took a good while to lift and I'll be pacing myself and taking care. My son was isolating the whole time, just feeling gratitude that it's all over 🙂 x
Given the treatments and what we know now, I hope there is a consistent set of practises all hospitals are now following, it would seem that quite quickly people are again heading down the ventilator route where I thought that would be an absolute last resort given the effects of long Covid after coming out of ICU, what happened to all the amazing tech that was going to be produced to replace the need for ventilators?
I agree with all the comments here. I had covid in April and was pretty sick for a month. I agree with the suggestions to load up on vitamins c and d and zinc and to stay on top of your vitals (pulse, respiration rate 12-20 breaths a minute is normal, oxygen if you have an oximeter, temp, and blood pressure if you have a cuff at home). Even if you are recuperating, it's good to keep an eye on all of this as the virus just goes on and on and on! I was soooooo tired for two weeks after my symptoms started to ease. It was like fatigue didn't even due it justice, I was just so in-my-bones exhausted.
A bunch of us wrote posts about our covid experience so if you do a search in the archives you may find more helpful advice!
Take good care and keep us posted on how you're doing.
Thank you Hilary, that’s most helpful. I feel like you did! The overwhelming tiredness as you say sure is a significant symptom even in recovery. I’ve been monitoring my peak flow, oxygen level, pulse and respiration rates as you suggest. Tomorrow I’ve a review with the asthma nurse.
I’ve also taken quite a number of supplements and herbals, since the beginning of the pandemic, and will continue to do so.
I heard good news today, there are no cases of getting infected a second time on the very large Cambridge study (by Zoe) who run the C19 App. You can download it easily and join if you haven't already.
I did search for “ Covid “ and there were a few, but will try again, a good idea thanks, there will be more folk who had it last time.
So glad your vitals are looking good and that you have a review coming up. Keep getting lots of rest and stay hydrated--as I'm sure you've already experienced this virus makes you SO thirsty! Your body needs lots of food and power to fight it off. I'll look into that app, thank you! I've read about a few cases of reinfection (where they've been able to trace it to different strains of the virus, eek!) but they seem few and far between. So hoping a good safe vaccine is available soon for everyone and especially those at risk!!
Sorry not to have posted for a while. Thanks for your advice particularly on eating well, I felt an immediate lift from a high protein meal. Two weeks on I’m still recovering, fatiguing quite easily and a bit SOB on exertion but overall much better than I was. I do sense it’s going to be slow. My asthma nurse didn't have any advice really, other than rest and keep an eye on peak flow. ( I’m still monitoring) The GP was unable to offer any certainty on whether it would confer immunity . Anyway no studies she knows of have been done, so it seems up in the air. Disappointingly she said the NHS can’t provide an antibody test which would have given me confidence in going out and about again, at least for a bit! Onward and upward. All the best 🙂
I'm glad you are taking care of yourself and seem to be on the mend albeit a bit slowly! If it makes you feel any better, I did get an antibody test but it showed I had almost none left so it wasn't a great confidence boost to me and I am still living very cautiously. Glad you're still keeping an eye on your vitals. It's crazy how exhausting it is right?! I was SO tired for weeks after I started feeling better. Take good care of yourself and I hope you feel close to normal soon!
So that was disappointing for you to find you had so few antibodies, do you mind me asking please was that quite a long time after you recovered? I can see why you’re being cautious, quite right.
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