Covid19 recovery

[Alex830]

Posted this reply to another post, just to give some hope. I didn’t feel that good about two weeks ago, sore throat and slight fever. Oncologist told me to get tested for covid 19 just in case, 2 days later got back a positive result. By the time I got the results my throat was fine, just extremely tired. Basically slept for three days straight. After 6 days, no more fever and by now I feel fine, still tired but nothing I can’t handle. No clue where I got it, wear a mask when I go out which is not a lot and have only been to Costco and Whole Foods, (when my husband went back to work) where masks are required. I do live in SC where cases are on the rise. Continue to be in quarantine for at least another 2 weeks together with husband and son. I am ww, no prior treatment and in good shape physical.

[PaulaS Volunteer]

Very interesting Alex. Thanks for sharing.

Best wishes,

Paula

[JigFettler Volunteer]

Thanks Alex!

Its good news to hear you have had a "light touch" of the Covid, only!

What I get from you post is, however... there you are - CLL and taking all due care protecting yourself... yet you get infected.

To my mind its a timely reminder to us all to remain vigilant. I am in the UK where things a slowly settling, but by no means settled. I find myself slipping a bit here and there. My wife too. Ive done 3 mths confined to home. I have also had FCR and have known v low lymphs and Igs...

I am checking myself and renewing my resolve and pledge to myself - for myself to isolate rigorously.

Nevertheless - great news from you. At some point you must get your antibodies tested. And come back to us with the result.

Very best wishes

Jig

[BluMts]

What good news from you Alex. Thanks for letting us know. Also your news of having got the virus while being careful helps us to continue with this trying isolation.

[Palmetto]

Alex so good to hear but I still believe you have to totally shelter to take true precautions. If you go to big box stores in an enclosed air supply area you are exposed. You say you are home now with your son and husband does your son leave the house? If so he also can be asymptomatic carrier. Since the middle of March we have not left the house except for necessary port cleaning for husband and a needed echocardiogram which had us so uptight. Our son and his wife and baby have not been inside our house. We have seen them briefly outside several times but at a distance. All groceries and supplies delivered or ordered online. I feel we are truly sheltering but I know that isn't possible for a lot of people. Such good news you had a light case.

[Alex830]

My son came home from college on March 14 and hasn’t left the house except to do groceries maybe three times. He goes on bicycle rides to get out of the house. After I tested positive, both of them got tested for covid19 and antibodies test which is now available to us. To our surprise he tested positive for antibodies. He lived in the dorm at school. Lots of people sick there in January, February, beginning of March. He told us he had a slight cold while he was in school but nothing to keep him from going to classes. We haven’t had any visitors.

[Palmetto]

Good to know. We know so little about this virus and how long it stays active in the body even when the symptoms are gone. I have heard of people after 2 months to still test positive although they feel perfectly fine.

[Justasheet1 in reply to Palmetto]

But from what I read, you’re contagious 5 days before symptoms (if you get any) then for a week into the illness.

That’s a good thing.

[GMa27]

So glad you had mild case.

Stay safe! 💕

[Horatio2]

Hi Alex830! I also live in SC, and I have been extremely anxious about the rise in our Covid numbers. Now that the governor has basically lifted all restrictions, I am hesitant to even step out of our house. The few times that I have, I have been dismayed to see that no one is wearing a mask!!!! I am so glad that you had a mild case and are on the mend. Take care!!!

[Alex830 in reply to Horatio2]

It’s crazy, they act like nothing is going on. Restaurants, bars full of people, very few people wearing masks. I am in Columbia, college town, several restaurants had to close already because staff tested positive. It will be a long time before I will be comfortable going to a restaurant.

[PlanetaryKim]

Very interesting and good to hear of "mild" cases like yours, Alex. Glad it was not serious.

[Hardy2018]

Thank you for sharing Alex and so pleased you had a “light dose” of Covid. Good news! Maybe wearing masks and being extra careful helped. I read somewhere that the severity of the infection could be linked with the amount of virus one gets infected with. So if just a few viruses enter our body it has more time to learn to fight them (?)

[Sojomama13]

Alex,

Although I am not happy that you were ill, absolutely thrilled you came through the illness. So grateful for your post, it gives me hope, and I’m sure many others too, being immune compromised. Wishing you an uneventful and quick recovery.

Best,

Sandy

[BeckyLUSA]

I am one of your CLL neighbors to the north (Carolina). So glad you had a mild case, but a question for you....how is your immune system generally and how are your immunoglobulins (if you know)?

BeckyL

[Alex830 in reply to BeckyLUSA]

My IgG levels are low, in April they were at 305 but I haven’t dealt with any recurring infections. My oncologist is a bit baffled by this also. The last time I had antibiotics was for an ear infection a year and half ago and before that can’t even recall being sick except for a common cold.

[markjeep51 in reply to Alex830]

My IgG is 360 as of last week and has been continuing to go down since my CLL diagnosis in 2013. I too have not had any infections. My oncologist at Vanderbilt hospital in Tennesse stated that he has CLL patients who have IgG levels in the 100 range and they still do not experience infections, etc and are therefore still not on any IgG infusions. It was interesting to note that my oncologist stated that IgG measurements are not that accurate and can be off by +/- 50 points.

[AussieNeil Administrator in reply to markjeep51]

There are a further two good reasons why immunoglobulin/antibody counts only tell part of the story with respect to our immunity against previously encountered illnesses.

1) You need a well functioning immune system to deal with pathogens labelled by the antibodies. Viruses and bacteria might be inactivated by antibodies locking onto them, (for example by attaching to the SARS-CoV-2 virus spikes, blocking the virus from entering a cell and thus preventing a COVID-19 infection), but pathogens may also need to be destroyed by the antibodies triggering what's known as the complement system. If the complement system isn't working well, having high immunoglobulin counts isn't going to help.

2) The IgG immunoglobulin test just measures the total number of antibodies. It doesn't give any indication of how well they match with the illnesses to which you are commonly exposed. You could have a good IgG count, but not many immunoglobulins/antibodies for illnesses to which you are exposed.

I wish more of our specialists took the time to explain the actual precision and repeatability of our blood counts. Often we stress over changes that are more a reflection of the accuracy limitations of the testing equipment rather than any actual change in our health. This is why trends can be more important than actual counts.

Neil