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Caronavirus (yet doctor says otherwise)with breathing problems

Aureum profile image
19 Replies

So 4 weeks ago I was admitted in the hospital for a week.Now from 30 March I had started to show symptoms of caronavirus which was mainly dry cough.So I coughed the whole April ,May (till 2nd week) from end of starting of 3 rd week I developed breathing problems now I am only 43 no health problems whatsoever and suddenly I was grasping for air so long story short I was taken to the hospital were I was given oxygen 24 /7 in the beginning 4 litres .During this time had a ct scan and countless xrays .The ct scan suggested I had caronavirus and so did the xrays but for some reason this consultant that I am under completely confuses me he said in the beginning I am caronavirus then said no I don’t as it was chest infection that went bad.Now mind you I had caronavirus test taken on 5 May which was negative but I am certain the new dry cough that I had was 💯 caronavirus so when I went to hospital they did my swab and antibodies test they are both negative.So the doctors prescribed prednisolone like 8 tablets I have been taken them since 4 weeks now and today I had a follow up check in hospital had my xray done and then saw the doctor so instead of telling me that he was going to decrease the steroid he says let’s take them. For another month and if it’s not enough I l consult guys hospital and maybe give you stronger doze.What??.I am getting better why do I need to take steroids I am not only gaining weigh but I am pretty sure for a person that only takes parectamol and nothing else.Suddently taking steroids let alone for longer periods could probably in future cause problems.What should I do?.Ia their someone out their like me who went through this situation.If so what did you do?.The steroids have messed up my sleeping pattern I only sleep 2 1/2 hours at night.This is not right.

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Aureum profile image
Aureum
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19 Replies

Don't think CT scan can indicate if you have coronavirus but certainly it can indicate what is happening in the lungs, so if I were you I would ask for a copy of the CT scan and go from there.

in reply to

CT is partially diagnostic for c-19 where there’s respiratory symptoms. Although the imagery it generates isn’t novel, it can and does offer an indication of whether or not covid is the likely culprit behind symptoms, and in severe cases of respiratory symptoms on presenting at hospital, it’s the first thing they do whilst waiting for the PCR test to come back. If the CT reveals the inflammatory changes associated with the virus, the assumption is it’s ‘classic’ Covid and treatments commenced accordingly.

Perrythomas profile image
Perrythomas in reply to

So they “assume” it’s Covid- not a good idea

Aureum profile image
Aureum in reply toPerrythomas

Tomorrow I am going to have another ct scan.Lets hope my lungs are better then the previous 4 weeks scan report.To be honest I hate getting ct scan the room is so cold 🥶.

Oshgosh profile image
Oshgosh

Hi,steroids are well known for causing sleeplessness.

It’s better to take them as early as possible in the morning.i hope this helps a bit.

Aureum profile image
Aureum in reply toOshgosh

Yes I take 8 prednisolone tablets at breakfast time

Oshgosh profile image
Oshgosh in reply toAureum

That’s good .in. March I had to take 49 mgm at 8m at night.

Awful,but the hospital as too noisy to sleep Anyway.

Aureum profile image
Aureum in reply toOshgosh

Oh my god 49mgm and I thought I was taking many

Oshgosh profile image
Oshgosh in reply toAureum

So sorry,should have put 40 mgm.

My fingers are so clumsy just lately.

Have a safe day.

Aureum profile image
Aureum in reply toOshgosh

No worries Oshgosh we all been their I myself have clumsy fingers😆

SORRELHIPPO profile image
SORRELHIPPO

I had to take large doses of steroids on/off from the age of 34 to 60, have not needed for last 8 years, but will again in the future. Yes they mess up your sleeping pattern, and your hunger ( I used to raid the fridge in the night, with " fits of the munchies"), but they kept me alive, or at least functioning on this planet. I do have osteoporosis as a result, so, if they did not give you Calcium and Vit D, talk to the doctor about this. I consider taking them worth it, regardless of the problems. I had Crohn's Disease, so not taken for lung problems.

Aureum profile image
Aureum in reply toSORRELHIPPO

Yes the doctor has given me calcium carbonate and vitamin D.But today I am going to talk to gp just to get second opinion.As I am not very happy with the doctor that was assigned to me my the hospital.Lets see what the gp says

AngieB72 profile image
AngieB72

I have been on steroids for the past 12 years. I also take calcium and vitamin D to help my bones which is necessary for long term steroid takers. My lung condition started with a persistent cough and breathing problems and I was a relatively healthy 36 year old - hadn’t had a day off work!! After blood tests and HRCT scan they discovered pulmonary fibrosis caused by genetic condition of mixed connective tissue disease. That was the start of my lung journey long before C-19. Listen to your doctors as if you have a lung condition it’s best to catch it and start treating it early. Good luck.

Aureum profile image
Aureum in reply toAngieB72

Angie they did my bronscopy as well as biopsy while I was in the hospital and nothing came up infact they messed up during biopsy and caused a rupture in my right side lung.May that’s why I am so bitter.By the way my biopsy report was fine.But these days in the hospital no one is doing biopsy on covid suspected patients.You ask how do I know.Well my hubby is a consultant at a well known London hospital And his friends from the respiratory department have told him.And yes he was seeing covid pathetic since early February.And as far as I know I probably got it from him.As he is a systematic.I am pretty sure I had covid as I heard some of his colleagues got covid symptoms but their test showed negative.So covid acts differently on individual not every one will get the same symptoms I never had the fever only body ach,dry cough and metallic taste in my mouth.But I do wish I get better fast.These is very tiring not breathing properly getting exhausted not being able to do simple things like going upstairs or plain household chores

Perrythomas profile image
Perrythomas

Go back and tell your doctors to explain!!!!! Nag!

Smoggy1990Boggy profile image
Smoggy1990Boggy

Can you not have a blood test to see if you have had Covid 19? These Covid 19 tests are not all accurate from what I am hearing and people are being told they are negative when positive. Do you normally have any health issues?

Aureum profile image
Aureum in reply toSmoggy1990Boggy

They did both tests the swab one and the blood test but both were negative.It is being said that as soon as you get test done when a person has caronavirus only then the test comes positive but when it goes down to the lungs it doesn’t show in the test.I was fit as a fiddle before all of this.Never smoked.

Tempo57 profile image
Tempo57

Dear Aureum,

What you have written is so much like my own symptoms back in January, February and March. My symptoms of a virus began immediately after a hospital stay in mid January and after I’d had a general anesthetic. I don’t know whether you had anesthetic but it does involve a cocktail of drugs!

I caught a cold like virus which got increasingly worse with a dry cough which became so bad I could not sleep. I became breathless and almost collapsed. My GP put me on Prednisone for 7 days after diagnosing me with COPD. (This is now on my medial record). Prednisone’s after effects were a killer in themselves. I have never felt to weak, emotional, depressed and lethargic....could hardly walk at times. I swore to myself I would never take another steroid in my life. My GP also gave me a spirometry test during the time I was virus infected, which in my opinion could not have resulted in an accurate diagnosis. I was coughing whilst she was doing the test.

At this time (late January), Coronavirus was not known to be present in the UK, but I believe otherwise now. However, I went to Spain the first week in February with my GP’s blessing as she believed it would help my COPD and chest infection. She arranged a chest x-ray before I left for Spain and called me with the results which were ‘completely normal’, her words. But things got worse in Spain for me. I coughed for 66 days in total. I kept a hand written diary of everything I went through. I am still suffering to this day with a strange feeling in my throat and I can only assume it is from all the coughing I did or that it’s something worse and worrying like cancer. I just don’t feel myself any more. I’m worried but I try to stay positive though it’s hard when you can’t get accurate answers, let alone any answers at all.

Whilst in Spain I had to see a private doctor who gave me a steroid shot in my butt. It helped relieve my coughing for 2 days, the only 2 days I got any sleep. The same private clinic prescribed cough lintcus which didn’t help and antibiotics. I slept (or tried to sleep) sitting upright throughout all this time. If I laid my head down I coughed even more harshly.

I got the last plane out of Spain before the lockdown in the middle of March and have since been self isolating. I just want to know if I really do have COPD (or anything else), but I can’t see a doctor at present. I don’t cough at all now, or have any shortness of breath. I’ve got my sense of smell back too. I don’t take any medications but I am told that I have COPD and I must accept that until I am told otherwise. I had been a smoker most of my adult life (non smoker nowadays), so perhaps my GP put it down to this.

Like everyone else on this board, it would be so good to be able to see a doctor and get tests and treatments back on track....but we can’t.

Stay safe and strong for yourselves everyone. Let us pray that one day we will be able to put this awful period behind us and move forward.

Best wishes, Tempo

CDPO16 profile image
CDPO16

Has anyone told you what your chest xray shows? I am currently in hospital but not with covid. I am being swabbed as is the current protocol but my consultant has assured me that my xray shows only a severe copd flare. He said that there are specific things to look for and in covid it shows up as blotches all over the lungs

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