I am lucky enough to be recovering from COVID-19 after being on a ventilator in ICU.
I was diagnosed with PMR and I am on Methotrexate and preds.
Do I still need to shield or do I have anti-bodies and therefore no longer at risk? I have asked for a test but they are not available yet.
Can I get COVID-19 again!
Well done you, continue to mend well. You are an inspiration, wonder what your level of preds was when you fell ill and if they increased the dose.
Well done getting through that challenge. How long were you in hospital? Are you well or still getting there? There is a post from Petros who was part of the TV programme about Covid-19 - recovered at well over 80.
Antibody tests are available in the UK now I think - though who gets them is another question. They certainly are here although it seems people aren't keen to take up the free offer!
But there are no answers to your questions. Antibodies are formed IF you had serious enough Covid-19 - if you were on a ventilator you probably did and have formed some. What they DON'T yet know is whether they do protect you and if they do, how long the protection lasts. It could be weeks, it could be months, it could be years. Only time will tell. There are also mutations of the virus so the other question is whether immunity to one is also immunity to the others.
Did the doctors say anything to you when you were discharged?
I was in hospital from 28th March and came out on 10th April so 14 days in total of which 6 days I was on a ventilator in ICU when the chances of recovery were only 30%! I was very keen to get home.
I am 60 years old and reasonably active despite having been diagnosed with PMR over three years ago.
My lung capacity is seriously reduced and I am due another chest x-ray on 26th June. My oxygen levels drop on exercise but my recovery rate is getting better.
My recovery is going well but waves of fatigue is an issue.
I am confused as to whether I should continue to stay at home following the letter I got due to being on Methotrexate or whether I can consider returning to the workplace.
Lots of unknowns and I wouldn't want to get it again!
Oh I’m so sorry you’ve had Covid-19 MC60 but pleased you are home again 🙏🏼
Are you back on your Methotrexate but l would still think you’d be considered Shielded as you already were & have since had Covid but l don’t think returning to work yet would be on my list & you need to see the results of your latest X-ray. Do you have Follow Up at the Clinic as they would be your best guidance about returning to work when the time is right.
But in the UK Shielded People are up to this point only allowed out for a walk so returning to work in general has not been discussed.
Wishing You a Speedy Improvement in your Health.
MrsN
Now hang on - "return to the workplace"???? You are convalescent after a VERY nasty illness. And it will take weeks, possibly months, before you are likely to be fit to work. It is one thing beginning to feel human even at home - work is another scale up.
In Innsbruck they have a load of 40-year old scuba divers who all had Covid but weren't sick enough to need hospital, never mind ventilation. Their lungs are quite badly damaged.
I'd say you are probably OK to go out of the house as able - but your recovery isn't at a stage where you can think of work yet. And your doctors will tell you when you have got there.
My Nephew is 52 was fit and healthy, no underlying illnesses. After he had Covid and was in hospital for 10 days and on oxygen but no ventilator. They warned him 6 - 8 weeks to get back to his normal. He is progressing and nearly there.............so work - you must be joking.
Thanks for your reply. Feeling frustrated and letting others down. I don't like putting myself first!
Take care.
How awful for you, but wonderful to recover as you have. Take it very slowly now........keep us posted....
So glad you got through it all! 🌸🍀🌸 They don’ t unequivocally say that you have the anti bodies and won’t catch it again. Basically, they don’t really know. I would definitely socially distance, hand wash, mask, avoid crowds. Stay in apart from a couple of walks. I imagine that you won’t feel yourself anyway and will need a rehabilitation period.
Thanks for the advice and I'm sure that you are right.
Good to hear about your recovery. I would certainly be very cautious as any infection could weaken your recovery. Take care.
Thanks for your reply. I will heed your advice.
Take care.
5lupins makes a very good point: in Japan, lockdown not only resulted in a reduction of Covid-19 cases but also the lowest rate of seasonal flu and other infectious diseases for years! You don't want anything on top of Covid-19!
So glad you came through your ordeal . I also think you will need a fairly lengthy period of rehabilitation so take care and look after yourself 👍🌈🌈🌈
My 12 week shielding is over but I still feel dubious about going out!
I think we are all 'a bit dubious about going out' after lockdown. We must do as we do with PMR - slowly, slowly!
I'm staying as I am until it's clear there isn't going to be a second wave. I don't trust government pronouncements and I think that those of us with suppressed immune systems should stay hunkered down until the evidence says we can do otherwise. I appreciate there are some who are anxious to get back to work for financial reasons and I sympathise but I think those who can should keep on shielding.
Really glad to hear you got through that ordeal! May I ask a quick question...have you any idea where/who you caught it from, please? I haven’t heard of any other shielded people getting it, as we don’t meet anybody, most of us are quarantining shopping or washing it all thoroughly before putting away, not handling deliveries at home without gloves & cleaning etc etc etc. It would be very interesting to know if you have any idea of how you caught it, please? Perhaps you share a house with a non shielded person? I’m very interested in prevention rather than cure, as here we both have other underlying conditions, too! Thanks & good luck with your rehab!
I probably got it before the lockdown measures were in place. My neighbour had returned from a skiing trip in Italy and I suspect that he was the 'carrier' as he also got it just before me.
Thank you so much for replying. I really appreciate it. Yes, it sounds definite, really, those early cases were centred round those returning from Italy skiing trips, I remember it well, as we used to go there! Still incredibly sorry you got it, but, to be honest, I’m glad it didn’t sneak into your house on a cardboard box, or plastics etc etc! It makes me feel a bit safer & more secure about our quarantining stuff that arrives here. Hope your convalescence goes well! S x
The real truth was in the London area it probably centred on people who'd been to Austria skiing as much as to Italy!! The Vorarlberg region got their hands smacked for trying to ignore it ...
True, but because the Lombardy region became a focus of all attention so quickly, the Austrian area wasn’t really noticed as much...I think! S x
My daughter and her husband flew back from Innsbruck with a load of skiers from there - and they are sure they had Covid-19, certainly had all the mild symptoms in mid March.
Yes, lots more early cases than were realised, I think. Glad they are OK, though. S x
Would be interesting to know - since ironically my daughter has been shielding since the start! A frontline NHS worker but has asthma and renal problems with hypertension.
That’s frustrating for her! But guess she’s in the safest place for now!
She was - but her manager sent her home, no argument brooked. I was very relieved. I think she felt less frustrated after a paramedic colleague got it and died - with no underlying conditions they knew of. I wasn't upset by lockdown at all until that happened - I didn't know him but I was in tears.
Congratulations, delighted for you. As yet no info on antibodies or risk of second infection. There are private offers for testing, but I am continuing with lockdown as a sensible precaution. As a recovered, 88 yr, non-ventilator victim,
I would very strongly recommend that you take exercise regimes very seriously and take things 'easy'. From experience, dont overdo activities and realise that all of your muscles need to be worked back to where they were. If you feel tired, take a rest, dont unnecessarily stress your body. Your hospital physio should have given you the exercise sheets, if not I can email the Royal Free's. After 2 months, I still get breathless, so I am using a breath exerciser (amazon) but check with your GP. I would strongly recommend getting an oxygen-pulse gadget to check your oxygen saturation when you feel breathless. Good readings are very good for confidence that the lungs are working. Good luck with your recovery. Keep well and safe.
Thanks for the advice. I do have a pulse-oximeter recommended by my GP and it shows that my recovery rate is improving, albeit slowly. I agree that it is good to see how the readings relate to how you feel!
The chest x-ray in June will be interesting to see how things have improved from when I was first admitted to hospital in March.
I have been give a link as below :-
covidpatientsupport.lthtr.n...
This is a Covid-19 support site developed by Lancashire Teaching Hospital that I hope will prove useful.
I walk the dog every day and use that as part of my recovery programme.
I am also gently using a static exercise bike and will slowly increase the amounts that I do each day.
I continue to struggle with the breathlessness and I get a band of pain around my ribs. I am told that this is because I am using different muscles to work my lungs harder.
A long way to go but I hope that I can get back to running at some point in the future.
Take care.
A true survivor. Congratulations on running the gauntlet and proving it can be done!
You've received a lot of great advice. Please take it slow and easy and stay safe.
All the best in you continuing recovery.
Do take it gently and don't rush to get back to normal. There seem to be so many unknowns about this illness that you need to feel really well to ensure it's not lingering in some way. that's not yet recognised. Take care
PMR is bad enough, but Covid on top - b** hell. Well done you for getting through it. They say for a major op it takes 2 yrs before you are 'right'. You have had the practice with PMR, take it slow. You are not letting anyone down, just taking care and being sensible. The only bit of shielding relaxed is going out for exercise with all the precautions. Perhaps that is all until we know more.
All the best for as good a recovery as is possible.
Getting off prednisone post PMR and Covid-19. No pain, no gain.
Covid-19 Paxlovid and Prednisone 
No antibodies for covid 19
COVID-19 and weakened immune system
