I tested positive for Covid - Share your experience

[gigpusher]

1 minute ago, Avalon_Fields said:

The first known case was in Nottingham, at least early February if not before. But there's a case known in France from December so it's not impossible I guess.

That's interesting as i started feeling unwell after I attended a christening and 2 of the families there have houses in France and go there regularly. It's one of those things that makes me wonder how we would ever know if we achieved herd immunity because without getting the antibody test there are thousands of people who will never know for sure if they have had it. 

[Crazyfool01]

Just now, gigpusher said:

That's interesting as i started feeling unwell after I attended a christening and 2 of the families there have houses in France and go there regularly. It's one of those things that makes me wonder how we would ever know if we achieved herd immunity because without getting the antibody test there are thousands of people who will never know for sure if they have had it. 

That’s why ons take a random sample and work on percentages from that I think 

[gigpusher]

2 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

How do you know for sure you had it ? 

I believe the only way to know is to get an antibody test and that will test if you have active antibodies. I know a nursing student who was tested and found to have the antibodies. She never really suffered any symptoms, never self-isolated and continued working all the time she had it. She is now having repeated tests to see if the antibodies are still active. They reckon she had it April time and so far they are still active. 

[Avalon_Fields]

1 hour ago, crazyfool1 said:

How do you know for sure you had it ? 

Fair question. I had all the classic symptoms. 

[Spindles]

I'm part of the ONS testing and was quite surprised that they aren't doing antibody testing as part of that to be honest.  I've heard that the antibody testing is unreliable but I'm just a layman so wouldn't know if there is any truth to that.

[Zoo Music Girl]

5 hours ago, Spindles said:

I'm part of the ONS testing and was quite surprised that they aren't doing antibody testing as part of that to be honest.  I've heard that the antibody testing is unreliable but I'm just a layman so wouldn't know if there is any truth to that.

Aren't they? I've just registered but not started yet and thought that was what the blood test portion was for. I know not everyone is being asked to give blood samples, but we were told we would.

[Spindles]

Ah, then maybe they are and it's not for everyone.  I've just had swab tests.

[Zoo Music Girl]

4 minutes ago, Spindles said:

Ah, then maybe they are and it's not for everyone.  I've just had swab tests.

Yeah I'm not sure what basis they decide it on, but when I called up she said the group we would fall into meant we were eligible for the blood tests too. Which I'm pretty sure are for antibodies. We are in London, so that might be why, given it seems to be widely believed a lot more people have had it here.

[Homer]

Thanks for sharing - hope you feel better soon! How are you today?

[Spindles]

43 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

We are in London, so that might be why, given it seems to be widely believed a lot more people have had it here.

Yeah, London's situation as a major transit hub makes it stand out, not to mention that people are in general more crowded together in every day life than out here in the relatively spacious midlands industrial towns.

I've been grimly fascinated by the data side of this whole thing, what I have been quite pleased with is that by and large the data has been in the public domain for free analysis by anyone who cares to take the time to look at it.  I currently favour a tracker that an enterprising young man up in Scotland has put together:

https://www.travellingtabby.com/uk-coronavirus-tracker/

[onthebeach]

Thank you for sharing - this certainly shows why none of us should become complacent.

Wishing you a speedy and full recovery 

[onthebeach]

18 hours ago, gigpusher said:

That's interesting as i started feeling unwell after I attended a christening and 2 of the families there have houses in France and go there regularly. It's one of those things that makes me wonder how we would ever know if we achieved herd immunity because without getting the antibody test there are thousands of people who will never know for sure if they have had it. 

It looks though it has been around for even longer - mid December 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2020/09/09/grandad-84-first-to-die-of-coronavirus-in-uk-fell-ill-two-weeks-before-christmas-13244673/amp/

The problem seems to be with the common current antibody test is that once a few months have passed antibodies have depleted enough not to register. However, I understand that there is another test which can detect those lovely T cells but this test is not so widely available?

[hfuhruhurr]

It's difficult to reconcile the idea that it was here in any great numbers before Feb if you just look at the excess deaths figures - they only ramp up in March. There was a horrible cold/flu bug going around in December/January - loads of people had it, but COVID is in a different league judging by the severity reported by people who have had it bad, re: the OP. I think that's the most confusing and frustrating thing about this - some people don't even notice having had it (like my mate (>55) who drives an ambulance and test +ve for antibodies - simply recalls one weekend feeling a bit rough and the curry he had being pants). If only there was some kind of test that would let us know if we're in the "you'll be fine" or "you'll be fucked" camp. At the mo I'm going on the "you'll be fucked" assumption!

[Monkey Allen]

Thank you for all your kind messages. 
Thankfully, I seemed to have turned a corner and my breathing has gone pretty much back to normal. 
I still have a cough and absolutely no sense of taste or smell, but I’m a hell of a lot better than I was. 
It’s been a very scary week feeling worse than I ever felt in my whole life and it’s really put the virus into perspective as far as how damaging and dangerous it really can be. 
I was definitely one of the ‘Covid complacents’, assuming that I’d be fine because of my general levels of health and fitness, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. It totally floored me and for a few days made me very scared with a feeling of complete helplessness. 
Paracetamol just wasn’t cutting it so I just had to endure the pain and discomfort and let time take it’s course, with everything crossed that it didn’t get any worse and I’d have to go to hospital. 
My wife showed very mild symptoms yesterday so went for a drive through test and now awaiting her results. Today though, she feels fine, but better safe than sorry. 
My Son seems to have swerved the bullet and seems fit and well despite being exposed to it as part of the household self isolation process. He still has a few days left of SI, but it looks like he’s ok. 
All in all it’s been a pretty horrific time for us all, but we have to be thankful that we’re one of the lucky families that haven’t lost anyone. 

Stay safe everyone and please don’t let ‘Covid complacency’ take you out like it almost did to me. 
x
 

Edited September 29, 2020 by Monkey Allen

[Mr.Tease]

3 minutes ago, Monkey Allen said:

Thank you for all your kind messages. 
Thankfully, I seemed to have turned a corner and my breathing has gone pretty much back to normal. 
I still have a cough and absolutely no sense of taste or smell, but I’m a hell of a lot better than I was. 
It’s been a very scary week feeling worse than I ever felt in my whole life and it’s really put the virus into perspective as far as how damaging and dangerous it really can be. 
I was definitely one of the ‘complacents’, assuming that I’d be fine because of my general levels of health and fitness, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. It totally floored me and for a few days made me very scared with a feeling of complete helplessness. 
Paracetamol just wasn’t cutting it so I just had to endure the pain and discomfort and let time take it’s course, with everything crossed that it didn’t get any worse and I’d have to go to hospital. 
My wife showed very mild symptoms yesterday so went for a drive through test and now awaiting her results. Today though, she feels fine, but better safe than sorry. 
My Son seems to have swerved the bullet and seems fit and well despite being exposed to it being part of the household self isolation process. He still has a few days left of SI, but it looks like he’s ok. 
All in all it’s been a pretty horrific time for the family but we have to be thankful that we’re one of the lucky families that haven’t lost anyone. 

Stay safe everyone and please don’t let ‘Covid complacency’ take you out like it did to me. 
x
 

Can't expressed how relieved I am for you- I've been worrying about you and wondering how you've been doing even though I don't know you! I do hope you continue to have a swift recovery, struggling to breathe and worrying how bad you're going to get, while worrying about passing it on to your family sounds like a terrifying experience. Take good care!

[Padgey]

Good to hear you're on the mend, fingers crossed there are no long term effects and you can get back in the gym.

I've been concerned about the whole Covid thing as I suffer really badly with a chest infection at least once a year, I had pneumonia when I was 19 and not sure if that has had any long term damaging affect.  Your story has certainly backed up the fact I still need to be cautious.

Looking forward to another positive post in the next few days. 

[Dillyblue]

I have been following your story and am so pleased to hear that you have turned the corner. Thank you for explaining. We have 4 Efesters in the family so will tell them to read your posts if they haven't already seen it. I keep nagging them to take care. Hope you are fully better soon Xxx

[Spindles]

Good to hear the update, general understanding is that if you're over the hump then you have avoided the worst risks.  Hope the missus has an easier time of it than you've experienced.  I'm sure we all appreciate the insight that your posts have provided.

[Crazyfool01]

Fantastic to hear you are on the mend ... and best of luck with everyone else .... Its strange how I notice peoples absence from the forum and wonder how people are doing in these tough times and people ive not met too ... its like an extended family for me .. its just impossible to check in with everyone and when someone posts that hasn't been on here for a while its great to see them  check in , I just hope the people who have gone quiet are just battening down the hatches ... and will return once we get some positive Glastonbury news ... so yeah if you are lurking and haven't checked in for a bit ... say hello  

[Bennykill]

I work in a hospital and on a week off (back in April) started feeling odd and had a temperature.  Didn’t feel too bad but not right.  Went for a test and it came back positive.  I wasn’t feeling too rough and at any other time would have put up with it and gone to work.  But instead isolated and was glad I wasn’t feeling too bad.  Nearly a week went by and apart from the temperature and sore throat I didn’t have any symptoms but on day 6 I started finding breathing a little hard and my oxygen SATS dropped to 95%.  I was warned that if they dropped to 92% I should go to the hospital.  By day 11 I had been ignoring my worsening condition and finally agreed to go to the hospital when my SATS were at 85%.  I went to the hospital I work as I thought my symptoms weren’t that bad and they would just send me home.  I was wrong.  I was admitted straight away, was put on oxygen and made to lay on my stomach for at least 13 hours a day (really hated laying like this).  I was in hospital for a week and to be honest left feeling worse than when I went in.  I spent May and June with no energy and unable to do anything (weas almost glad I didn’t have to do the walking of Glastonbury).  July I started improving but was unable to go back to work till August.  A CT scan found the COVID has done more damage to my lungs than 30 odd years of smoking (I gave up a year and a half ago).  Life is pretty much back to normal now but I still get very out of breath going up hills or stairs.  I am part of a study checking the length of time immunity lasts and get checked for COVID and antibodies every two weeks.  I still have antibodies even after this time which is good especially as we are getting more and more patients in the hospital now.

[Chesh]

There really is no substitute for true, real life experiences. 
We all hear the doctors & politicians painting the Covid consequence picture, but to hear actual experiences is very sobering indeed. 
Thanks to everyone for sharing and along with everyone else, I wish you a speedy & healthy recovery. 
 

Great thread ❤️

[chuckles07]

2 hours ago, Chesh said:

There really is no substitute for true, real life experiences. 
We all hear the doctors & politicians painting the Covid consequence picture, but to hear actual experiences is very sobering indeed. 
Thanks to everyone for sharing and along with everyone else, I wish you a speedy & healthy recovery. 
 

Great thread ❤️

This. x2
 

It is interesting that there aren’t many more similar experiences from people who post on here. Wonder what it implies of the efests demographic - lucky and blessed maybe?
 

stay safe and well folks. 

Edited September 30, 2020 by chuckles07
Grammar

[Fuzzy Afro]

Edit: wrong thread 

 

Edited September 30, 2020 by Fuzzy Afro

[guypjfreak]

Nightmare.. My granddaughter baby Eliza has just gone in ambulance to the hospital.. Runny nose saliva running out of control and terrible stats.. 

They have tested for covid but will not know till tomorrow.. Bloody nightmare 

[mattiloy]

3 hours ago, guypjfreak said:

Nightmare.. My granddaughter baby Eliza has just gone in ambulance to the hospital.. Runny nose saliva running out of control and terrible stats.. 

They have tested for covid but will not know till tomorrow.. Bloody nightmare 

sorry to hear man, not nice, sending positive juju your way, hope your granddaughter bounces back quickly from whatever it is.