Have YOU had COVID-19?

[azmtnman]

Let's keep this thread about YOUR personal (and/or your spouse's) experience with the illness. 
  I had an UNCONFIRMED case.
  I was sick in mid-March. I'm kind of a recluse when it comes to "news," so I knew nothing about a new disease. After I was sick a couple days, others in my household (which included 3 25-year-olds) started talking about it. As I started checking into it, I had a lot of the symptoms except for the "dry cough." I had a terrible cough but I literally coughed up 2-3cups of phlegm a day! I had NO ENERGY! It was hard for me to walk from my office to the living room couch and that's only about 30' without any steps. A couple of days I slept about 15 hours a day. 
   I think it was Sunday, March 15th when I laid down on the couch. I stayed home from church that day because I always picked up a good friend who was 92 and I didn't want to be around him. (I didn't know anything about COVID-19 yet) By Tuesday, I was kind of concerned because I had been REALLY sick for that long. I'm the type that gets sick for a day or 2 and then, back at it! Friday morning, I felt "bubbling" in the bottom of my left lung and figured it had turned into pneumonia. I knew someone who refused medical attention for several days when he had pneumonia and it cost him his permanent health so I wanted to nip it in the bud. 
   I went to an urgent care clinic on that Friday morning. I got a chest x-ray and the doc told me I "didn't quite have pneumonia" but he didn't want to take any chances. He gave me an antibiotic and a couple cough medicines and said I had an "upper respiratory thing."
  After that, it was another couple days before I somewhat felt better. It was 2 weeks total before I was back up again but still not anywhere near full capacity. I still didn't think I had had it because of conflicting information. The other 4 in my household never got sick. I have my wife who just thought I had allergies coming on was always in close contact with me and 3 25yo--2 live in outlying cabins and one in the guest bedroom. They continued living as we always have being in the same house, eating at the table (which I wasn't doing because I didn't have an appetite.) We didn't start good sanitization measures until several days into it.
   Since then, I have had 2 close friends that have had CONFIRMED cases and were sick with it. Their experiences with the illness and post illness have matched my symptoms. 
  Ianab posted this:
Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 | CDC 
 9 months later, I am still dealing with long-term effects. I hope they'll pass and not be "chronic." I have about 60-75% of the energy I had before--that's on a good day. I have focus problems that earlier in the year I blamed on other things. I think that might be what they're calling "brain fog." 
  I'm 51, smoked cigarettes from the time I was 15 until I was about 49. I traded that for an e-cigarette. I'm 5'10' and 275 (250-260 for years. I gained 15-20 lbs. this year--that doesn't help anything!) So, yes, I'm too porky! I have high blood pressure and have been on meds for that for a couple years. Psychologically, I have, and have had, jobs that are high in PTSD. I don't like that label as it is used for people who have had real traumatic experiences. I prefer to think of mine as collective scar tissue.

That's my experience to date. What's yours? Have you found anything that helps with the long-term effects?
Matt

[alan gage]

I think this is a good thread idea. Everyone seems happy to talk about the virus in general but most seem to clam up about it when they get infected themselves, like it's something to be ashamed of. 

I may be recovering from it now. Last Saturday I was hanging out with the 8 year old boy I mentor. I knew right away he had a runny nose but didn't think much of it until I was taking him home and he commented his taste buds weren't working as he couldn't taste his lemonade. 

Forty eight hours later I started getting a scratchy throat and other cold symptoms. I was tired, achy, and had no ambition at all. Lost my taste and smell 36 hours later. Cough was very slight at first and then got kind of bad as the other symptoms were tapering off. It's been 6 days since I showed symptoms and feel pretty darn good. Still stuffy and a little slow but am up and doing things.

My covid test came back negative but symptoms matched well enough I'm suspicious it was wrong and will continue to quarantine, which isn't a punishment at all since I have a lot of projects to work on.

I'm 42 and in good health with no smoking history.

Alan

[Onthesauk]

We stay in the Las Vegas area for a couple of months during the winter.  Mid-March, when all this crap hit, I came down with a bad cold/cough.  When my fever went over 100 I emailed my oncologist about antibiotics.  He said "no, head for urgent care."  They checked me out, not a lot of the tests available at the time, but didn't think I had the corona.  Got a prescription for 10 days, cleared up the fever but had the cold/cough for a full 6-7 weeks after.  Always convinced I may have had the corona.

Early fall I got all my blood tests for a series of doctor visits.  Talked them into giving me the antibody test too.  Came back negative so no indication I ever had it.  Have to believe them, but...........

[mike_belben]

My wifes got it right now.  Me and the kids are fine but i think i may have gone through it before all the hype.  


She tested positive, fever between 102 and 105, dead tired, little bit of breathing trouble and no taste or smell but says she feels improvement.  Its school vacation and we just got a tax return so its pretty easy to stay home right now without money worries, thank the Lord

[olcowhand]

I was due to fly to Dallas on business Oct 26th, but began feeling feverish with a headache on the 24th. I ultimately cancelled my trip and got tested that Monday and positive Test results came that Wednesday. Mild dry cough (almost Life-long smoker, but quit for good 7 years ago), no real fever but did experience chills and feeling hot; stayed pretty much to myself and nobody else in our house got it. Couldn't eat (I lost 12 pounds that nobody noticed...) with 3-4 days of no taste or smell and medium muscle aches.
No lingering effects. 4 of the seven people in our office caught it at the same time, with one still battling. He was on a ventilator and slipped into a coma. He's in PT now and we're praying for his recovery. It can certainly affect some folks severely.. 
Steve

[azmtnman]

My wifes got it right now.  Me and the kids are fine but i think i may have gone through it before all the hype.  
She tested positive, fever between 102 and 105, dead tired, little bit of breathing trouble and no taste or smell but says she feels improvement.  Its school vacation and we just got a tax return so its pretty easy to stay home right now without money worries, thank the Lord

Hope she gets well quickly!
I didn't have a steady fever--never measured it. But I remember sitting on the couch freezing to death and an hour later uncovering just far enough not to gross everybody in the house out!  :D :D :D

[SwampDonkey]

I've not experienced it yet myself. But years ago I've had colds and congestion with no taste or smell. So that symptom, based on experience, isn't too reliable. I've even had one cold years back where I had taste but stuff tasted weird, so weird I'd puke. :D

No, I have been as careful as possible to avoid it and only go in a store when necessary, never dine out or go to any sports or music events.

I'll be getting the needle as quick as it can be stuck in me. Lucky no allergies to anything in the magic serum. Some folks may have allergies, not to the main 'stuff', but the other ingredients, so we are told. ;)

Play safe, and hopefully next January is a whole bunch better.

[Chuck White]

I'll get it just as soon as my number comes up!

Been wondering though, who will be notifying everyone!

I have a local Doctor, but I also see a Doctor at the  VA Clinic, and have three health insurances!

[azmtnman]

Here's an article from the Mayo Clinic:
COVID-19 (coronavirus): Long-term effects - Mayo Clinic
Here's one from Harvard Health:
What are the long-lasting effects of COVID-19? - Harvard Health

I think the only thing we can know for sure is some people will get it, some people won't. Effects range from being mildly sick for a week to dying and anything in between.

I was actually able to to more physical hard labor last week than I have in a long time. I'm hoping that trend continues.

[azmtnman]

A friend of ours who had COVID was talking about how her taste and smell is still screwed up 4 or 5 months after she recovered. She went on to be more specific and said she smells "infection" smell--like a smell from a badly infected wound?? I have a similar "affliction" but never attributed it to having had COVID. 
Has anyone else experienced that? Or any other weird lingering side effects?

[mike_belben]

Same for my wife.. Maybe 4, 5 months no smell or taste other than if something is very salty or sweet.. She cant distinguish say maple syrup from chocolate syrup.  


I will ask if she smells infection

[DeerMeadowFarm]

Myself or my spouse have NOT gotten COVID. 

[Stephen1]

Nothing here yet, for myself or the girlfriend. We see people all the time,  I take precautions, leave the shop door open when customers show up, I ask everyone to wear masks. I wear a face shield. 
I have covid beers with my buddies and neighbours, outside around the fire pit. 

[azmtnman]

Same for my wife.. Maybe 4, 5 months no smell or taste other than if something is very salty or sweet.. She cant distinguish say maple syrup from chocolate syrup.  


I will ask if she smells infection

I haven't experienced anything like that! That's terrible but I would probably lose the weight I've gained in the last year!  :D :D :D I hope her smell and taste come back.
Good or bad, I can still smell or taste, just smell "ghost smells."

[aigheadish]

I'm convinced that most around me got it well before we, in the States, knew it was a thing. I work in a factory where we have many Chinese customers, some in Wuhan, and a decent handful of my staff started getting miserably sick around November 2019. Unexplained illness that lasted for a couple weeks where they didn't come to work, lots of complaints of cough, weekness, feverish, but it was before the virus was known to us. So, I think we either all got it or got exposed real early on. 

I'm a 43 year old smoker, who doesn't breathe very well already, but I don't think I ever got it. The wife was sick a couple weeks ago and her work forced her to quarantine until she had no symptoms for like 10 days. She did not get tested but is doing fine now. We didn't quarantine from each other and I've felt fine.

My sister and her husband both are coming off the tail end of it, they are ok. My best friend and his wife both had it in December, he forgot to tell me, but we've hung out trading germs via a sip of beer or something here and there, and again, no effect on me.

To the point of @alan gage it's sad but the first thing my sister said when I asked how she was doing is she said she "just feels so guilty!" I think it's very sad that somehow  a lot of people have been convinced that if they catch a bug, that we obviously don't understand so well, that they did something wrong. 

[YellowHammer]

I've had (has) it, my wife has (had) it, my two daughters have had it, and most people I know have had it.  In general, and for us, the best description is that it is something that you don't want, and its like the flu x 10, if you're lucky.  I'm on day 14 and it is just clearing up, my wife is still coughing.  We've had to close our business down for two weeks so have lost a ton of money, and we are lucky it wasn't worse, because we know folks who have had worse, and worse is bad.

If you want to see the details, check out the "Just the Facts" covid topic, and you can read how much fun we have had with it.  

[lazyflee]

Had it in July. Like a bad 3 week hangover for me. headaches and NO energy. Headaches lasted for 2 months. Closed our restaurant for 2 weeks during peak time. We never have time off in July and had to spend it at home feeling like crap and not making $$$. 

[caveman]

We've had to close our business down for two weeks so have lost a ton of money, and we are lucky it wasn't worse, because we know folks who have had worse, and worse is bad.

Robert, I hope you and Martha come through Covid healthy and ready to get back at it.  I know several folks who are struggling with it right now.  

[YellowHammer]

Caveman, we appreciate it.  

It wasn't fun, it's weird how it tries to get at every weakness you have.  Nose, throat, tongue, eyes, lungs, even my teeth hurt.  Not to mention the normal symptoms.  

We are doing better and are opening up for business for the first time in a several weeks.  I was just telling Martha that I can't really remember the last two weeks, they are just gone, a blur.  We didn't even get a good hit, but some of my buddies had it real bad.

Actually, of the people I know who had it, which is about a dozen, only one was mostly asymptomatic, and most everybody else described it as "the sickest they'd ever been, or could remember" or along those lines.  I know three that went to the hospital, and one that died.  I only know one guy who had a mild dose, (besides my asymptomatic daughter) and he said he had "mild symptoms for about 10 days" and I said that being sick for 10 days wasn't "mild" in my book.  

It's not just me, we have customers who are hearing the same thing, first hand accounts from their friends, and they are going over the top to isolate and not get it, much more so than in the beginning.  I can see a distinct change in behavior.  At first we had to tell customers to spread out, bring their own tape measures, mask up (it's the law here in Alabama) and now we have customers who will just walk out of the building when they feel it's too crowded, or literally won't even come into the building, or won't even stand within 20 feet of someone else.

[dgdrls]

We've had to close our business down for two weeks so have lost a ton of money, and we are lucky it wasn't worse, because we know folks who have had worse, and worse is bad.

Robert, I hope you and Martha come through Covid healthy and ready to get back at it.  I know several folks who are struggling with it right now.  

Second @caveman   Get better and take care Yellowhammer.  And to all the folks here who are suffering with this, please take care.

I'm thankful that we have remained healthy through this mess
D

[Chuck White]

I believe that when this is over, the total "social behavior" is going to be quite different than what we were used to before COVID appeared!

Most likely some good, some not so good!

[HemlockKing]

Never had covid or know of anyone who has it, life has been quiet in the "Atlantic bubble", life hasn't really changed here since the pandemic except masks in stores, the most cases we had in one day was 80 back last May, since then we often go days without a case. Been thankful for living here.

[HemlockKing]

I believe that when this is over, the total "social behavior" is going to be quite different than what we were used to before COVID appeared!

Most likely some good, some not so good!

I was thinking that too Chuck, I believe we will see it in the new generation of kids more than anything, since they are still developing social skills and what not, I figure it would mess with their ability to "read" people, since they get no cues when chatting to people with a mask on, they just see a mask and eyes, no smiles etc. just my .2

[azmtnman]

I believe that when this is over, the total "social behavior" is going to be quite different than what we were used to before COVID appeared!

Most likely some good, some not so good!

The masks can go away now. Where I live, a lot of people have embraced the "anonymity" of the whole mask thing. The social distancing in stores is fine with me!
 I'm tired of the nonsensical BS. Example: My wife has to have an outpatient procedure in May. Hospital tells her she needs a COVID test 7 days before her procedure!!!  She told them she was fully vaccinated and showed proof. Still had to schedule it. huh-smiley huh-smiley huh-smiley If it was an issue, how many opportunities would she have in 7 days to contract it?? That makes no sense in any part of this pandemic! Hosptial did call a couple days later and told her they had changed their policy and the test was no longer necessary.
  AZ has lifted any "mandatory" restrictions. Some national chains, especially resturants, still have their broad spectrum, one-size-fits-everywhere policies in place. Most of the fast food chain's dining rooms are still closed or on limited hours (like viruses only spread certain hours of the day!) I'd be fine going to my local diner, walking in without a mask and sitting near other unmasked people, talking to my unmasked waitress but sometimes I need fast food and can't go through the drive-thru with my trailer!

[azmtnman]

Well, I have it......AGAIN!!!!
 Fully vaccinated since Feburary 2021. I haven't been taking any other precautions.
  So far, this bout has been about 10-20% of my March 2020 run-in with it. I've been completely down for 2 days instead of 10 and already on the mend enough to feel like working again. 
   So I have it, my wife has a mild case, our son (unvaccinated) has it. Another young man that lives with us is on his 3rd time having it, is vaccinated and has hardly any symptoms. One young lady in our household tested positive while the other young lady (an elementary school teacher) is the only one so far to test negative and have no symptoms.
  I had 6 friends from the mid-west here last week to help us build 2 cabins and one of them tested positive today which is the reason we got tested. Those guys stayed in our campers, ate, showered in our house. Me and the boys worked 9-10 hours a day with them and my wife did all the cooking and cleaning up after meals. The 2 young ladies had limited, but not non-existant, contact with them.