It’s easy if you’re a worrier like me, with an over developed google thumb, to get really scared about catching covid. I don’t know many people in my real life circle who take immune suppressant medication, and of those, none have had covid.
I would love to hear from any of you who have had Covid and how it hit you/how long it took to get over etc compared with other non immune suppressed people you know.
Best wishes to you all
Bon
X
Thanks Ajay. Yes an asymptomatic infection would be the best option! 😁
Those of us on Rituximab, the most immune suppressing RA drug according to the OCTAVE study, are doing everything we can to avoid getting Covid. My consultant has said the outcome if I did get it would be extremely serious and probably fatal.
Hi there. I’m sorry to hear that. So difficult when people have to work raise children etc. Hopefully the third vaccine might have done something 😬
🤞
Stay safe Lola. Don't take chances, we need you on here. xx
Thank you Knip. You too! X
Hey Bon, firstly, please don't despair with something that hasn't or may never happen - life is too short - live your life without the worry as stress is a bummer! As long as you are vigilant - with the hands' space safe info you should be fine. Now, if you do catch it, people do get through it too remember. Look after yourself, be vigilant, eat well, and you will be well. -Hessie
Covid seems to affect people differently, some people can have no symptoms, some it feels like a cold and others can get very sick. From my personal experience I was very poorly with it in the summer. It felt like a very bad flu then the second week in, it started to affect my chest and breathing. Thankfully I didn't need hospital treatment but I did feel dreadful. Recovery was slow and I was off work for 2 months. My gp says I have long covid as I still have chest pains and coughing 4 months on from being infected. However a friend of mine on similar meds as myself caught it and she was fine. She only had a headache and that was her only symptom!
Hey thanks for replying and sorry to hear you’re still suffering. I assume you had already been vaccinated when you caught it if it was this summer? It is a lottery isn’t it? When my 80 year old dad had it he was over it in a couple of days!
Sorry to hear that you have long Covid after being so ill. Take care, xx
I'm not convinced it is long covid, generally I feel fine apart from still having a cough and my chest still hurts. But gp won't organise a chest xray or see me face to face to listen to my chest. All I get is its a viral infection and takes time to clear ...
Well, that's no help at all, is it! Our GPs down here do their best mostly but it seems others are hiding behind a smoke screen and neglecting basic investigations. I know they have been told to cut down on x-rays because of the risk of radiation, but I would have thought that in your case it would be a viable option. 😔
Yes thankfully I was double vaccinated and I've just received my letter this week for the third primary dose which I am trying to get booked at the moment.
Unfortunately Covid seems to be a complete lottery. Some good friends of ours both caught it. The one with significant health issues (which we were all worried about) had a high temperature and felt a bit rough for a couple of days, the healthy one ended up in hospital on oxygen and suffered with long covid for at least 6 months.
I’m on Rituximab and leflunomide. Last year I had quite a long discussion with my rheumatologist. In her opinion although I’m more likely to catch it I’m less likely to suffer the very severe effects of it. The very serious complications seem to be from covid kicking the immune system into overdrive, which is why steroids and tocilixumab are used to treat it. My immune system shouldn’t be able to mount such a big response due to the Rituximab and leflunomide.
However, even though I was never in the shielding (CEV) group because I don’t have any comorbities, I don’t take steroids and I’m only mid-forties, I have been careful as I don’t fancy trying her theory out!
Hi. Understandably a concern for you and many of us, especially if on immuno suppressing drugs. As others have said it’s a complete lottery how your body responds. I had covid in January prior to being double vaxxed and was ill but not seriously although I do still get quite breathless but I am asthmatic. My husband however was much worse than me and he has no underlying health issues but is an ex smoker. We are both in our 50s and are absolutely fine now, double vaxxed and about to have my booster next week which will top up my antibodies. Keep up with the vaccines and taking vitamin d. It’s a scary thought and goodness knows I dread ever catching it again but knowing I recovered ok from getting it when I wasn’t vaccinated means that if I (or others like me) get it whilst protected with the vaccine, you may be ill but will be ok. Stay safe as much as you can but don’t let it rule your life as this wretched virus will be around for some time to come and sadly we have to live with it. I do think mask wearing is the key however and despite many people in England not wearing them now, I try to indoors in crowded places anyway. Stay well.
Thanks Hedgehog. Yes, the poor children and adolescents who this government have carelessly chucked to the wolves catch it then bring it home! Hopefully even the breathlessness will recede in time. I very much appreciate your response.
My husband & I caught covid in July when my son came home from uni and passed it on. I’m on Rtx & steroids and had severe covid. I was admitted to hospital for 3 of them & had the full package of drugs and on oxygen the whole time and was diagnosed with covid pneumonia.
Hopefully have some antibodies now and have had the third AZ vaccine 4 weeks ago.
Just had my next round of Rtx which the respiratory consultant has said should help with any lung issues that might be left over from it.
It seems everyone’s story is different when they catch covid but I did survive it, thanks to the wonderful hospital staff and only now have some breathlessness and feel back to normal 3 months on.
Gulp Gemini that sounds like a very scary time. So glad you are fully recovered now! Amd that you were well looked after by the nhs. I’m hating all the nhs bashing in the press these days.
Hi firstly it’s hard not to worry I know & I was the same as I have Asthma & Bronchiectasis & presumed being in the CEV group that if I caught it I would be extremely ill. Well after shielding for months we decided in July that as things were getting back to some normality then maybe we should too. I had been part of a research study group who e mailed me to say that my blood had shown zero antibodies after 2 vaccinations & I should discuss this with my GP which I did as we planned a few nights away in Northumberland. He said I would be fine as it didn’t mean that I had no protection so we went as planned & on our second day I started with the most awful cough. We had been at the beach that day & I felt fine. It just came from nowhere. Presuming I had a chest infection started my emergency pack of antibiotics but the next day was worse then I developed a temperature & felt very unwell we can home early & lateral flow was positive but hubby’s was negative. I had the PCR & all was confirmed. I spent the first week in bed with severe flu like symptoms & the worst headache ever which no amount of painkillers would help. By then my hubby was also positive. I got up for a few hours in the evenings to watch TV but still very weak & unwell. Hubby had a severe head cold streaming eyes & nose but never had a cough. I never had head cold symptoms. He has. I underlying Heath conditions but was off work for 3 weeks but went back too soon as was still very tired. The exhaustion afterwards was dreadful I just sat for several weeks. When I tried to get up I was lightheaded & dizzy & had to sit down again. We lived mainly off toast!But after a month we slowly started to feel more normal. I am still tired almost 3 months on & still a bit breathless. I saw my GP last week is arranging an X Ray.
But we didn’t need hospitalisation when I honestly thought I would & we are both still here & that’s the main thing. I’ve now also had my 3rd primary vaccination last week x
Thanks for replying Otto. It seems the exhaustion afterwards can really linger. I feel under pressure from my children to “get back to normal” and end up feeling like a party pooper because I have won’t buy into the narrative that they are! Hopefully now that you’ve had the third jab too you will be really safe.
Currently into day 6 of covid. Its felt like flu to me. And I mean flu not a bad cold. I feel completely wipped out, cold bones, bad headache, off food, everything hurts. I'm completely exhausted. But my breathing is fine. Today I managed a shower without worrying I'd pass out from the effort.
Its a strange illness, but touch wood been double vacated means I've not got it as bad as I could have.
Ang get well soon! Fingers crossed that double vaccine will knock it on the head ASAP.
I had covid back in September the dizzy sick feeling was the worst for me it took me three weeks to get better and I'm on benepali I stopped it for four weeks till I felt recovered
Dear Bethany. Thanks for replying. There seem to be so many presentations of this awful disease. Glad you’re over it now.
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