Update on my covid recovery, after 10 weeks

[natswright]

Hiya folks,

Just thought i'd share an update here as i've not posted in a while.

I've made big improvements in the last few weeks, and other than a hiccup over christmas am doing ok. To add to my problems, a lot of my hair fell out at the start of december, normal reaction my doctor tells me! However It seems to be starting to grow back.

December was a month of anxiety more than recovering from covid pneumonia! In fact anxiety can "create" symptoms.

I came back from my parents at the start of the month, and found the first week tough, but did manage to go for my first walk. That was very tough and I remember my heart rate hitting 155bpm

The following week was one of steady progress, my Tachycardia has diminished to the point that when walking, my heart rate is a pretty normal 110-120. I went for a few more walks, but they were tough, and only a 100m or so.

Christmas week was bad, my parents visited on xmas eve, but I did not sleep well and was very anxious over christmas and boxing day. I moped about feeling so ill all the time.

This spilled over into the 27th and 28th, where I was suffering cabin fever too. I needed to be out and out and out on my terms. It had been a tough day, the food deliver i'd taken later in the week absolutely knackered me. But at least I can now get the bags up the stairs myself!

The day after this, I decided enough was enough, anxiety or not, I was going for a walk, and nothing was going to stop me. I wobbled down the stairs with a weak feeling in my legs and lifted my 4 wheeled walker out the door.

Off I set, and some 300m later, I was back and anxiety free. My legs had suddenly lost the jelly like feeling! Since then I have gone for a short walk every day and am up to 550m, although I do have to rest half way.

On top of this, I can prep meals, do a little cleaning, dry my hair after a fashion.

I'm hitting 3000-3500 steps a day now, thats a third of what is recommended.

I still get occasional anxiety hits, but can better deal with them now. I feel less trapped as I can freely move around the house and go for a walk, once a day, if I choose.

I do get tired still, and do meditate 3 times a day still, but am managing better now.

Lets hope I keep improving, I need to get back to work, get back driving, and get out without worrying that my battery will run out!

[sassy59]

Good to hear from you again and thank you for the update. It sounds as if you’re doing better overall which is great news and your determination is to be applauded. Take each day as it comes and keep going. You’re doing well. Xxx👍💜

[Gladwyn]

Wishing you the very best for your recovery. You’ve done so well so far! 🤪💐

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

That's great news I hope you fully recover very soon. You e certainly had a rough time but looks like you have turned the corner now. Please keep us updated have a good night and take care 😊 Bernadette and Jack 🐕 xxxxxx

[Troilus]

Good for you 😁So good to hear you are on the road to a full recovery.

[Hidden]

Awesome!! Hope the healing continues. So glad you're doing better!!

[Alberta56]

Good to hear from you. It sounds as if you are doing very well. I like your determination to walk- don't overdo it though. xxxx

[Katinka46]

Well done. That is a great achievement. Don’t worry about the occasional “off” day. Just get going again the next day. All going in the right direction.Pleased to hear from you.

Xxx

[johnderby]

Lovely to hear from you. You are certainly on the right track at trying to get back to fitness. It takes a while after Covid but your determination will see you though by the sound of it. Good luck and like the others have said, please keep us updated. John 😀

[ks1966]

That’s good to know. Can you share with us your experience with Covid pneumonia. I was diagnosed was Covid on December 7. I did an chest x ray on December 31 and there was a white patch at the bottom of lung and some ‘shadows’. Any thoughts please?

[natswright in reply to ks1966]

Its hard to say, as we are all different. I was in hospital for a month and had lung damage. I needed C-PAP as I was unable to breath on my own, and was on oxygen for 3 weeks. At the height of the pneumonia, I found just sitting up hard, i progressed to going to the toilet on a commode, then finally I had a portable o2 cylinder. But I was extremely breathless just walking for short distances.

I also had a relapse on discharge (suspect pulmonary embolism) that made my recovery much harder. I remember being discharged back in october, and having 2 days at home where I felt ok, I could potter round the house and use the stairs. Then I collapsed 2 days later and had to call 999. I was back in hospital for 4 days, but again discharged.

Recovery after that was tough, I could hardly move for the first few weeks. In the end, I went to live with my parents for a month. I've been back to living alone for a month now and am making progress, but I still get breathless in the morning, and find lifting my shopping delivered up the stairs very hard.

Walking is getting easier, and my energy levels are very slowly increasing.

I'm due a check up in the coming weeks and another chest xray, but with the virus all over the place, i'm not keen to go near a hospital until i'm a lot stronger!

With pneumonia, you will find the first 2 months the hardest, especially if you've been on bed rest as I was as you lose so much muscle mass.

Hope this helps

[ks1966 in reply to natswright]

I’m happy you’re getting better. I hope you don’t me bringing this up but do you recall when where diagnosed with pneumonia during Covid. Was at the start or later stages? I mean you recall a timeline? Tksss

[natswright in reply to ks1966]

It was technically the pneumonia that hospitalised me, I was diagnosed in hospital around the end of september, so around 3 months ago.

[ks1966 in reply to natswright]

Tksss

[Kpacific]

Congratulations! You’ve come a long way. Appreciate hearing how well you’re doing.🌸

[Bingo88]

So pleased you're getting there slowly. You have So much going on with everything. So it more difficult than dealing with 1 problem with your anxiety just remember you got through yesterday and can get through today as well. Anxiety is like waves to me you never know when they are coming. Take care. You have so much on your mind at present to get you back to where you was. But it takes time. Brian

[Firefly25]

That’s so inspiring! It’s great to hear how you’ve made progress day by day and I loveyour determination - a positive attitude is such an important part of recovery from anything! Take care, take it slowly and keep getting better. X💪😊

[Ergendl]

Glad to hear you're improving so much now. It's a great encouragement. Hoping you will soon be back to your old self.

[Shirleyj]

So glad you are improving, it's amazing what a walk can do for you. Keep it up , you'll be back to normal before you know it x

[natswright]

Thanks for all the well wishes folks, if you want to follow my recovery, then follow me on my blog here

nats-photojournal.blogspot....

and on youtube

youtube.com/natswright

[Dedalus]

Well done - good improvement thanks to your perseverance 🤩

[Karenanne61]

You are doing really well. You are obviously very determined, attitude is very important I think. As you are meditating daily have you tried yoga? The gentle moving and stretching will help so much. There are many instructors online. I used Yoga with Adriene all through lockdown. It's also free! There is light at the end of the tunnel. I was mechanically ventilated, in a coma etc now I manage yoga, pilates and seated zumba classes!

[natswright in reply to Karenanne61]

Wow! How long have you been recovering? Thats tough, I was on C-PAP, but that is not as invasive as ventilation.

I'm going to do some strength training and some Yoga (my sister is a yoga coach), now i'm starting to get stronger. Will help with the stiff back I get after my walks!

I just need my energy levels to come up a bit more, they can still drop in the afternoon, which is why I still meditate, as it helps maintain energy.

So far, though, overall, each day I seem to get slowly better.

[Karenanne61]

It's been a while! But then I am older than you and have severely damaged lungs. How lucky to have a sister who is a yoga instructor, she can help with gentle movement. The afternoon is a common time for energy dips, you do well to meditate and not just slouch on the sofa.

[natswright in reply to Karenanne61]

Yes, seems the afternoon is like this for energy. I need to get past these energy dips if i'm to get back to full time work in a month or so though! Living alone, I have to earn a living!