I've got Covid.... The thread for your covid experiences

[JoeWras]

Glad you are doing better.

Thank you.

I want to re-emphasize that I am just describing my personal experience. This matches a lot of people, which ironically includes my neighbor who got it from a completely different source a few days later (we were 2000 miles apart).

But...

Some people have an easier time. My SIL had one day of fever and fatigue, and that's it. Some people have a harder time, including very serious consequences.

And I have not forgotten about the long covid folks. Now that I have had it, I understand. This beast is different. It is weird. It does strange things to you that I have never experienced in my 55 years or so of sickness memories.

 

[Proteus126]

I've popped my cherry!

My office-mate began to feel feverish circa noon on Thursday 8/3. He went home immediately, and tested positive. I took my computer home since I suspected that I wouldn't be in the office until I was clear. We had been in close proximity all week, so I knew I was screwed.

Friday 8/3 in the morning I tested positive. My first run-in with COVID, as far as I can tell. I was asymptomatic at the time, but as the day progressed I developed minor scratchiness in the soft palate, like a cold coming on, and I also began to feel just slightly foggy, very much like the malaise that I feel after a COVID booster shot, but not as bad. Worked half a day from home and then called it quits, climbed into my recliner in my home office with the dogs, and just rested. Was feeling pretty good.

Last night's sleep was interrupted due to minor sweats and trace achiness. I want to stress that so far none of these symptoms have been strong. However, I did experience a few waves of nausea just now while feeding the dogs breakfast and taking them out back. I was able to ride out the waves without barfing, but did get very sweaty there for a minute, like BOOM. Nausea is gone and no longer sweaty.

Took two Tylenol, got a cup of coffee, feeling good right now. I'm a wimp where headaches are concerned, so I feel fortunate that I haven't developed one.

My pulse-ox has stayed steady at 99%. Very mild congestion, almost all in the sinus and virtually none in the lungs. Fever of 100.1 degrees.

Wife and I are isolating on separate floors. We wear masks when in proximity indoors. She has yet to test positive, but is somewhat symptomatic, but suffers from RA so it is hard to tell sometimes with her. She'll probably get it if she doesn't have it already, but I want to limit her viral load, thus the isolation. We are both vaccinated to include the Omicron booster, so no worries.

Where did my office-mate get it? Almost certainly during the 2+ hour rain delay in the Orioles-v-Yankees game on Friday July 28. Everyone was crammed together on the concourse until the thunderstorms moved through. I don't blame him. Life must go on. Wish me luck. I'm hoping to throw this thing off over the next 24-48 hours. I'm 53 with no health issues, fortunately. No need for a fall booster, I guess!

 

[JoeWras]

Sorry to hear that Proteus. Hang in there and take it easy.

This Omicron is ridiculously contagious. Your theory about your office mate is spot on.

I think you are wise to try to limit the viral load for your wife. Because I was on a bus with 10 coughers (which became 30), I think I got a massive load. It matters.

I'm 6 weeks out and still get occasional night coughs, otherwise I think I'm beyond it.

And for everyone else, be on guard. There's a definite summer surge going on. Our wastewater numbers show a significant spike.

 

[pacergal]

Yes, I was just reading about the higher numbers around now for a summer surge.
We still take precautions as needed.

Hope you both continue to improve and feel better.

 

[captain3d]

My garmin sports watch has a ‘Body Battery’ feature that measures how well you recovered over night. The high peak is how you start your day. Then is runs Dow until sleep recovery.

Here is last week where I had Covid.

 

[W2R]

Yes, I was just reading about the higher numbers around now for a summer surge.
We still take precautions as needed.

Hope you both continue to improve and feel better.

Me, too! Take care, get plenty of rest and healthy food, and I sure hope you continue to feel better.

Some people have an easier time. My SIL had one day of fever and fatigue, and that's it. Some people have a harder time, including very serious consequences.

And I have not forgotten about the long covid folks. Now that I have had it, I understand. This beast is different. It is weird. It does strange things to you that I have never experienced in my 55 years or so of sickness memories.

Gosh, I sure hope Frank and I don't get Covid this summer. Having had a near-fatal case of delta variant Covid double pneumonia back in 2021, I don't take it as lightly as some might. Pretty scary.

And speaking of long covid, I am always thinking of forum member Another Reader and hoping for the best for him.

 

[audreyh1]

The good news is that the surge (wave) is starting at a much lower base and much later than other summer waves. Also I read that wastewater levels have flattened out already so I’m really hoping it doesn’t get much worse. Also no new variants driving the wave according to reports. Fingers crossed!

I appreciate folks sharing their experiences here and checking in when they deal with Covid.

My garmin sports watch has a ‘Body Battery’ feature that measures how well you recovered over night. The high peak is how you start your day. Then is runs Dow until sleep recovery.

Here is last week where I had Covid.

View attachment 46730

Wow! No wonder lots of rest, not pushing yourself, is highly recommended.

 

[oiseux]

Proteus -- hope you are better soon!. I've heard our wastewater counts are up but also anecdotally I've heard of more people getting it, after a period of months with no one.

 

[JoeWras]

My garmin sports watch has a ‘Body Battery’ feature that measures how well you recovered over night. The high peak is how you start your day. Then is runs Dow until sleep recovery.

Here is last week where I had Covid.

View attachment 46730

DW monitored something similar for Fitbit.

 

[JoeWras]

Proteus -- hope you are better soon!. I've heard our wastewater counts are up but also anecdotally I've heard of more people getting it, after a period of months with no one.

Yeah, it's definite going around.

 

[captain3d]

The good news is that the surge (wave) is starting at a much lower base and much later than other summer waves. Also I read that wastewater levels have flattened out already so I’m really hoping it doesn’t get much worse. Also no new variants driving the wave according to reports. Fingers crossed!

I appreciate folks sharing their experiences here and checking in when they deal with Covid.



Wow! No wonder lots of rest, not pushing yourself, is highly recommended.

Yeah elevated heart rate through the night but over quickly compared to previous exposures. No vaccine for a few years so basically unprotected.

 

[Proteus126]

Yesterday and into today: Malaise, fatigue, mild aches and sweats, sinus drainage is picking up. 100 degree fever. 99% pulse ox. Not having a good time. Bored.

 

[DayDreaming]

My garmin sports watch has a ‘Body Battery’ feature that measures how well you recovered over night. The high peak is how you start your day. Then is runs Dow until sleep recovery.

Here is last week where I had Covid.

View attachment 46730

What is this measuring?

 

[JoeWras]

Yesterday and into today: Malaise, fatigue, mild aches and sweats, sinus drainage is picking up. 100 degree fever. 99% pulse ox. Not having a good time. Bored.

Hang in there Proteus! If your course it typical, you are probably at peak bad feeling.

The sinus drainage thing was ridiculous for me. I felt like I should have carried around a roll of paper towels. Fortunately, it was short lived.

Watch for taste/smell loss. It hit me day 4. Maybe you won't have it. Most do not. I was "lucky" to have that crazy symptom.

 

[brett]

I was at a wedding 9 days ago. Picked up covid. Had the symptoms for two days. Tested positive. Fortunately we still have test kits at home. Our pharmacies still give them out gratis.

Second time for me. More like a cold and sinus infection so far. DW did not get it.

A few others at the wedding who contracted covid have been very sick. Especially the one or two that did not avail themselves of any covid shots and who are seniors.

Son had the sweats for 36 hours, then he was fine.

 

[captain3d]

What is this measuring?

Mostly HRV heart rate variability from what I read. If you are well rested your heart rate has high variability.

 

[Ian S]

I contracted Covid-19 in May on our visit to Europe. Both DH and I were fully vaccinated with Moderna followed by Moderna and Pfrizer regular boosters and two Pfizer Bivalent boosters the latter one two weeks prior to our trip. We were in London near the end of our trip when we both felt colds coming on i.e. congestion, sniffling and sneezing otherwise nothing significant. That was a Friday - three days prior we'd had dinner with a cousin and his wife and since she was suffering from a cold that's what we thought we had. We treated it like a cold with OTC meds, went on a Parliament tour Saturday, packed Saturday night got up early Sunday, Ubered to Heathrow and caught our morning flight home. The flight is where I really started to feel worse but the cold meds were keeping it manageable. Fatigue set in after the flight and on the drive home. Tested as soon as I got in the door and I was positive. Had already decided if I got covid-19 I'd go on Paxlovid. Sunday evening there was nothing open except for our tiny local ER. Got the scrip there but no local drug store to get it filled until Monday AM. I retreated to the guest quarters in our basement. After being on the Paxlovid a day or two, I was feeling much better but still testing positive. Senses of taste and smell were pretty much gone apart from the nasty taste from the Paxlovid; taste and smell didn't return for two to three weeks. I continued to test positive through day 8 then negative on day 10. I only had a fever when I missed taking ibuprofen.

Meanwhile DH continued to test negative until five days after I tested positive. He too went on Paxlovid but the next morning collapsed after getting out of bed, taking out the TV and hitting his head as he fell. I helped him back to bed but he was clearly in distress so I called 911. What happened was apparently an interaction between the Paxlovid and his blood pressure meds where the effect of the latter was enhanced by the Paxlovid to the point where his blood pressure went too low. Anyway he was kept overnight for observation.

We have both fully recovered as near as we can tell. We continue to mask indoors where there are many others present such as grocery stores.

 

[JoeWras]

Yes, Ian, it is classic to come on slowly like a cold. This is one reason we spread it so easy.

On our tour bus "a cold was going around". By the time it was obviously something more, we all had it.

 

[COcheesehead]

I’ve had it twice now though I have had all the shots and boosters. The first time I was probably as sick as I have ever been. The second time was like a short cold.

 

[Proteus126]

I got impatient yesterday morning and fever had crept up to 101.4, so I got a Paxlovid prescription. Fever is gone and energy level is better this morning. Still have significant drainage. I'm guessing that it was not a mere coincidence, and that the Paxlovid was quite effective for me. Will continue to take until out of pills.

 

[JoeWras]

I got impatient yesterday morning and fever had crept up to 101.4, so I got a Paxlovid prescription. Fever is gone and energy level is better this morning. Still have significant drainage. I'm guessing that it was not a mere coincidence, and that the Paxlovid was quite effective for me. Will continue to take until out of pills.

I briefly hit 101.7. I would have gotten a prescription if I wasn't stuck in a remote place.

 

[bmcgonig]

Was scheduled for a small procedure at a surgery center last week where they still wanted a PCR test prior. So off I went feeling absolutely fine and..I tested positive! I had no idea. Three antigen tests over the next three days all negative. I do feel like I have less energy, but other than that asymptomatic.

 

[Proteus126]

So much for COVID. Paxlovid nuked it. I started it 48 hours post the onset of symptoms. Highly recommended! I didn't experience very much of the bad taste in the mouth thing that others have reported from using Paxlovid. Just a bit of a coppery flavor on the first day, just in the first two hours after taking it. Nothing the 2nd day that I can recall.

In general, I can still taste and smell my coffee and my food. Energy is back to normal. Just need to finish clearing out some sinus congestion and that should be it. Wife is still COVID-free. Masking and isolating work (knocks on wood).

 

[Aerides]

So much for COVID. Paxlovid nuked it. I started it 48 hours post the onset of symptoms. Highly recommended!

Just be careful about rebound. I had your experience with Paxlovid, but then got a 2nd case 6 days after I started it... DH managed to stay negative as we were careful to stay separate in the house, but finally got symptoms after my 2nd round started, a full 9 days after I initially tested positive.

 

[Proteus126]

Roger that. We will keep with the masks and isolation in the house until 10 days post initial positive, barring a rebound.