COVID-19 Symptoms Explained, day by day

[BakerBoy]

Thanks for all the well wishes.
I'm 56 years old, no idea how I got COVID. I’ve followed all the protocols at work and when out and about, wearing masks except when home. I feel really terrible for people who have more poor outcomes or protracted illness as well as those who have died as a result. It shouldn’t be this way.

I hear ya. Same for me--no idea how given the extreme isolation and care taken with PPE and disinfecting. Other than solitary walks in the neighborhood, my outings were only four trips to the grocery store from early March to late May when I came down with it. I was uber-careful with gloves, mask, touching, and disinfecting, etc., yet still it happened.

I'm 58 and the entirety of my medical history other than rare flu or cold, was a bout of meningitis in 2012--that took its toll (still tinnitus, balance, degradation of motor skills, and some 'feeling' impairment from that; partly why my motorcycling became less of my life). I suspected I was at higher risk of C19 complications given that event, hence why I was so careful with isolation and outings to reduce risk of contracting C19.

I'm 'humored' at all those that tell us what the symptoms are like (by those who've not had it), and how to avoid it (while they're doing less than I did to avoid it and they're simply lucky so far that they've not contracted it).

I journaled all my symptoms every day, and monitored (still do) my vitals daily, and worked throughout (staying quarantined, worked from home) as a way to make time pass. What else is there to do?

My taste is still off although slowly getting better, breath is still a bit hampered, heartbeat remains a bit elevated, and my voice is still raspy, now 3 months in the rear view mirror. Balance is just a touch more impaired than before. I'm back at the office half time and work from home half time--some people I know well but who don't know I've had it will out of the blue ask me something like "you look tired and your voice is different, you ok?".

I've had full tests and medical assessments and Drs have verified nothing else is going on. And yet I did not develop antibodies (have had two blood tests done). So I can get it again. My Dr. has been fond of saying "you're healthy as a horse" over the years at my physicals, and again last month, but I sure do not feel like it, even 3 months after contracting C19!

People experience it differently. But what's generally represented in the first half of the video--I got annoyed by it laboring the topic half way in and stopped watching--is not the only way it works as there are different symptoms.

Good and fast reading about typical 'symptom clustering' can be read here (mine was like cluster 4 as described here): https://covid.joinzoe.com/us-post/covid-clusters#

Another good read, although a bit more tedious is this paper. It illustrates the time-based behavior of the symptom clusters (graphics on bottom of page 4): https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.12.20129056v1.full.pdf. In that paper, I had clusters 1 & 3 and some of 4, based on time.

There's a lot not yet understood.

So what? My commendation to folks in talking about it is keep positive, keep your PPE in use, and be diligent. Hopefully you won't be similarly unlucky to contract it before therapeutic drugs and/or vaccines become available. And if you do contract it, it is highly likely to be survived--just hope for antibodies to be found in your blood!

I could say more, but I've filtered out some words and stopped typing stuff.

 

[caldercay]

Thanks for all the well wishes.
I'm 56 years old, no idea how I got COVID. I’ve followed all the protocols at work and when out and about, wearing masks except when home. [...]

Thanks for the feedback.

I volunteered for a vaccine program, hoping to somehow contribute to squelching this virus - no word yet.

Good to hear you're recovering with minimal issues.

 

[Mellow]

I hear ya. Same for me--no idea how given the extreme isolation and care taken with PPE and disinfecting. Other than solitary walks in the neighborhood, my outings were only four trips to the grocery store from early March to late May when I came down with it. I was uber-careful with gloves, mask, touching, and disinfecting, etc., yet still it happened.

I'm 58 and the entirety of my medical history other than rare flu or cold, was a bout of meningitis in 2012--that took its toll (still tinnitus, balance, degradation of motor skills, and some 'feeling' impairment from that; partly why my motorcycling became less of my life). I suspected I was at higher risk of C19 complications given that event, hence why I was so careful with isolation and outings to reduce risk of contracting C19.

I'm 'humored' at all those that tell us what the symptoms are like (by those who've not had it), and how to avoid it (while they're doing less than I did to avoid it and they're simply lucky so far that they've not contracted it).

I journaled all my symptoms every day, and monitored (still do) my vitals daily, and worked throughout (staying quarantined, worked from home) as a way to make time pass. What else is there to do?

My taste is still off although slowly getting better, breath is still a bit hampered, heartbeat remains a bit elevated, and my voice is still raspy, now 3 months in the rear view mirror. Balance is just a touch more impaired than before. I'm back at the office half time and work from home half time--some people I know well but who don't know I've had it will out of the blue ask me something like "you look tired and your voice is different, you ok?".

I've had full tests and medical assessments and Drs have verified nothing else is going on. And yet I did not develop antibodies (have had two blood tests done). So I can get it again. My Dr. has been fond of saying "you're healthy as a horse" over the years at my physicals, and again last month, but I sure do not feel like it, even 3 months after contracting C19!

People experience it differently. But what's generally represented in the first half of the video--I got annoyed by it laboring the topic half way in and stopped watching--is not the only way it works as there are different symptoms.

Good and fast reading about typical 'symptom clustering' can be read here (mine was like cluster 4 as described here): https://covid.joinzoe.com/us-post/covid-clusters#

Another good read, although a bit more tedious is this paper. It illustrates the time-based behavior of the symptom clusters (graphics on bottom of page 4): https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.12.20129056v1.full.pdf. In that paper, I had clusters 1 & 3 and some of 4, based on time.

There's a lot not yet understood.

So what? My commendation to folks in talking about it is keep positive, keep your PPE in use, and be diligent. Hopefully you won't be similarly unlucky to contract it before therapeutic drugs and/or vaccines become available. And if you do contract it, it is highly likely to be survived--just hope for antibodies to be found in your blood!

I could say more, but I've filtered out some words and stopped typing stuff.

Thanks for sharing that John.

 

[caldercay]

what's generally represented in the first half of the video--I got annoyed by it laboring the topic half way in and stopped watching--is not the only way it works as there are different symptoms.

Yea, folks should keep an eye on posting dates - that video was posted in March, and I'm sure it took at least 3-4 weeks research and editing. Much has been learned since then ... anything that old I ignore.

Thanks for sharing your experience and you're recovering!

 

[STPaulK]

Wearing a mask with others in the vehicle, especially if you are not in regular contact with them, or if they are at risk, makes sense. Driving around alone with a mask on, or kayaking hundreds of yards alone away from others, or riding a bike alone on a deserted country lane, is what I was commenting on. Those examples, and many more, make little sense in any context. RT

I think there is a misunderstanding. My inlaws live three miles away. When they are going to be in the car, we wear the masks immediately upon getting into the car so we don't "aerosol" the interior on the way over to pick them up.

 

[Uncle Phil]

I think there is a misunderstanding. My inlaws live three miles away. When they are going to be in the car, we wear the masks immediately upon getting into the car so we don't "aerosol" the interior on the way over to pick them up.

That makes perfect sense - but the other doesn't.

 

[A44rider]

Please forgive me if this is blindingly obvious to you.

If masks are home made, or not to ffp3 or similar standard, covid will go straight through like a tennis ball being thrown into the channel tunnel.
Also Take Vitamin D.
Dr. John Campbell on you tube is worth a watch.
In a vehicle shared with an asymptomatic carrier, its a bit of a lost cause unless you have seriously well fitted high quality ppe.

If you are suffering with anything breath related get advice today.

 

[TourNut]

Please forgive me if this is blindingly obvious to you.

If masks are home made, or not to ffp3 or similar standard, covid will go straight through like a tennis ball being thrown into the channel tunnel.

My wife sets at her sewing machine for all these months making hundreds of these home-made masks - lots of pretty colors & patterns ;
as I'm thinking " Yeah you might as well be breathing through your underwear shorts , for all the good those will do ! Medical facilities reject them for a reason ! "

 

[rwthomas1]

Please forgive me if this is blindingly obvious to you.

If masks are home made, or not to ffp3 or similar standard, covid will go straight through like a tennis ball being thrown into the channel tunnel.
Also Take Vitamin D.
Dr. John Campbell on you tube is worth a watch.
In a vehicle shared with an asymptomatic carrier, its a bit of a lost cause unless you have seriously well fitted high quality ppe.

If you are suffering with anything breath related get advice today.

I work for a utility. We have 36 people on staff. We have had 3 positive Covid cases. One case the person said it was the sickest they'd been in their lives, but no hospital. The other two cases stated it was just like a bad flu, but without taste or smell. 1st case was early in the epidemic. Nobody really understood what we were doing, or why, so for sure many people were exposed. The next case was about 3 months ago, by then we were better with PPE, etc. and did contact tracing, quarantined all other potentially exposed staff members as recommended. The last case was 3 weeks ago. Again, contact tracing, quarantining, etc. Now, these are water and wastewater workers. There is no practical way to keep everyone isolated and distanced all the time. It just barely possible, and when its an emergency, its impossible. And in all cases, vehicles were shared! All the cases have come in from outside, and no one has caught it at work.

I've come to believe that the method of transmission is not fully understood, as there has certainly been contact with the infected here. Maybe some are genetically more susceptible or resistant to it? I'm not saying it isn't real, and isn't a threat, merely that the hype that we are all going to DIE from the smallest exposure, is just that, hyperbole.

RT

 

[TourNut]

In this thread @ reply #9 , in the middle of the video ; my youngest son is the ICU RN who I get updates on the amount of cases throughout this year . At the time of this video they didn't have very many at all , but now , hospitals here ( Grand Rapids , Michigan ) , are very full of ICU cases & other cases , non-ICU .

 

[Daboo]

...I've come to believe that the method of transmission is not fully understood, as there has certainly been contact with the infected here. Maybe some are genetically more susceptible or resistant to it? I'm not saying it isn't real, and isn't a threat, merely that the hype that we are all going to DIE from the smallest exposure, is just that, hyperbole.

RT

I feel the same way. I know of one person who died, the father of a friend of mine. I'm sure they counted him as a COVID death. But he was 85 years old and had pneumonia. I know several others who have had the virus and even one who is a chronic asthmatic. He said it was like a bad cold for a couple days. I'm taking it seriously because there are people who have died from it...but I'm not going to stop living.

The hypocrisy of our liberal elected officials tells me it is not nearly as bad as they are trying to have you believe.

Chris

 

[Erdoc48]

OK, something on which I have a few opinions...

-COVID can be bad/deadly if you have some underlying illnesses such as heart or lung disease- it can kill apparently healthy people as well, but this is not the norm. If you‘re generally healthy (I have asthma for the record), it’s very likely you will recover uneventfully, although having the illness was rather unpleasant when I did.

-We’re testing a lot of people at work based on symptoms, exposure history, and for those who need a negative test to travel...here’s an observation...if you were or think you were exposed (specifically for a short duration), test negative, and feel fine, it’s pretty reasonable to assume the test report is correct and you don’t have it and can resume life as ‘normal’ (geez, what’s normal these days??) but if you live with someone that has it such that you’ve spent more time with the infected person, well, then it’s reasonable to quarantine as well. If you feel ill (similarly with a head cold or the flu), stay home! Pretty simple, right? You’d be amazed at how many people despite symptoms will come out to get tested and test +, potentially getting others sick in the process, and knowing full well that there is no treatment other than supportive care. I don’t blame the workers necessarily. Sometimes it’s an employer or school that mandates a test be done, even at risk to the general public when the potentially infected person is forced to leave home to have the test done, even though it doesn’t influence management- I got tested but at a drive up type of setting (not in office) and it was a requirement that I did get tested, quarantine, then go back to work after 10 days.

- I am recently treating quite a few people for ‘fallout’ from the COVID (meaning anxiety, depression, etc) since MSM has taken this disease and made it their main prerogative to scare the life out of the population, even though real numbers tell a different story...deadlier than the flu...probably, but no where near 100% fatality (probably more like 0.3% of the people who get it depending on what age group you’re in). It’s also state dependent- in SC, it’s pretty much business as usual, and we do have some more caseload, but I don’t think it’s remarkably different/worse than in a state with lockdown measures currently in place. I think it’s all about balance- finding the sweet spot to protect the vulnerable from the pathogen, but not let the whole society fall to ruins (meaning letting businesses fail just in light of a lockdown). Otherwise, those who lost business will have a whole lot more to contend with once the COVID situation improves.

I just can’t wait for all this to be done.

 

[st11ray]

3 to 5 weeks after Memorial Day were going to see major problems. Same with the 4th of July, Sturgis, Labor Day, the start of the school year and now Thanksgiving. I just had a turkey funeral at my house for Thanksgiving because in NC you weren't supposed to have more than 10 people for Thanksgiving but you can have 25 for a funeral. The Covid rules and regulations make absolutely no sense. I refuse to become a shut in and continue to live life. YVMV.