Personal experience of Covid (Autumn/Winter 2021-22)

[D365]

Do we have an existing thread on this topic?

i have been self-isolating since Tuesday, other than a drive-through PCR test - which is what gave me a positive result. No loss of taste, no loss of smell, no significant difficulty in breathing. I always thought the loss of taste/smell would come, but if anything, I’m feeling more sensitive!

As a young man, double jabbed and zero prior health conditions, I’m quite surprised at how tired the infection has made me feel. The last few days, I did about four hours work each day before I completely ran out of steam.

I’d be interested to hear of other members’ experiences. In particular, those in their 20s with no pre-existing heath complications. As far as I understand, the symptoms can and do vary wildly, even among [reasonably] fit and healthy people such as myself.

 

[takno]

Do we have an existing thread on this topic?

i have been self-isolating since Tuesday, other than a drive-through PCR test - which is what gave me a positive result. No loss of taste, no loss of smell, no significant difficulty in breathing. I always thought the loss of taste/smell would come, but if anything, I’m feeling more sensitive!

As a young man, double jabbed and zero prior health conditions, I’m quite surprised at how tired the infection has made me feel. The last few days, I did about four hours work each day before I completely ran out of steam.

I’d be interested to hear of other members’ experiences. In particular, those in their 20s with no pre-existing heath complications. As far as I understand, the symptoms can and do vary wildly, even among [reasonably] fit and healthy people such as myself.

Tiredness was all I got from Delta. I was annoyingly completely well otherwise and raring to go, but I had 4-5 days of sleeping 12 hours and not being able to concentrate for more than about 4. At one point I even had to bail out halfway through interviewing a job candidate.

I've got a couple of of my team who are positive at the moment, and they seem to be getting the same. I'll give you the same advice I give to them when I'm ordering them off calls - don't fight it. Give yourself a couple of days of snoozing and watching bad TV, and you'll be back on your feet much sooner

 

[SteveM70]

I caught Covid in early November, almost certainly when I was in Edinburgh for a long weekend. I had three days of feeling utterly drained - it reminded me of the symptoms I had with glandular fever when I was 17. After that I felt - and still do feel 7 weeks later - incredibly tired, although that may in part be due to some other longstanding medication I have to take which also causes tiredness

 

[johntea]

Is it just me that has never taken a single Covid test? (I tell a lie actually, I had a antibody one in early 2020 which confirmed I probably had it at some point but if I did I never felt ill enough to spend all day in bed or anything like that!)

I feel healthy, I've been triple jabbed, so I'm just carrying on with life as normal really...had a great time at a Christmas party the other night and woke up the next morning feeling a little rough but I certainly don't think that was down to a virus

 

[baz962]

Self isolating just now , after testing positive last Saturday. Most symptoms are quite mild. Same with the sleeping though , normally six to seven without an alarm. Right now I'm sleeping at least twelve and napping in the day. If I don't move , I'm ok with coughing , but as soon as I move I feel like I'm coughing up my lungs and kidneys. Struggle with breathing after walking up or down the stairs. Sometimes feel really cold , but sweat like crazy. Edit to add , I can't taste or smell and that's the worst.

 

[route101]

Is it just me that has never taken a single Covid test? (I tell a lie actually, I had a antibody one in early 2020 which confirmed I probably had it at some point but if I did I never felt ill enough to spend all day in bed or anything like that!)

I feel healthy, I've been triple jabbed, so I'm just carrying on with life as normal really...had a great time at a Christmas party the other night and woke up the next morning feeling a little rough but I certainly don't think that was down to a virus

I haven't taken a Covid test, looks quite unpleasant.

 

[DelW]

I haven't taken a Covid test, looks quite unpleasant.

There seem to be different types of LFT. I took one for the first time a week ago, and assumed it would need the sampling from the back of the throat, which does sound unpleasant. But mine (from a local pharmacy) only required putting a cotton-bud type swab 2.5cm up each nostril and wiping it round the inside 5 times, which wasn't awkward or unpleasant at all. Overall it took a couple of minutes to do, with a 15 minute wait to confirm the result (fortunately all clear).

 

[takno]

There seem to be different types of LFT. I took one for the first time a week ago, and assumed it would need the sampling from the back of the throat, which does sound unpleasant. But mine (from a local pharmacy) only required putting a cotton-bud type swab 2.5cm up each nostril and wiping it round the inside 5 times, which wasn't awkward or unpleasant at all. Overall it took a couple of minutes to do, with a 15 minute wait to confirm the result (fortunately all clear).

Doing the back of the throat properly yourself is virtually impossible. Even if you do get a kit that instructs you to do that it's usually better to do both nostrils instead. Don't find it a particular hassle to do the tests.

 

[D365]

My NHS test kits ask for four ”wipes” either side of the tonsils, and ten turns inside one nostril.

Interestingly, although I suspect I caught covid on Friday 10th (NHS Covid app reported a close contact), LFTs on Monday and Tuesday mornings both came back negative. I only got a positive LFT result last Wednesday, after my PCR. I didn’t feel any symptoms until the afternoon of Monday 14th (mild sore throat).

 

[Gloster]

I caught it in March: a bit of wooziness, a day or so of mild diarrhoea, a slight sore throat and tireder than normal. Other than the initial go of wooziness and the runs I didn’t feel much worse than normal, but mind you I am sixty and was not long out of a year in a care home as a result of more than a quarter of a century of dissolute life.

They twice gave us tests in the care home in the summer of last year. All went swimmingly except for when they tested me and one of the senior nurses. They didn’t get a proper result as we kept gagging.

 

[Lampshade]

I had it in July (single jabbed at the time), it felt like sinusitis with an annoying cough.

There seem to be different types of LFT. I took one for the first time a week ago, and assumed it would need the sampling from the back of the throat, which does sound unpleasant. But mine (from a local pharmacy) only required putting a cotton-bud type swab 2.5cm up each nostril and wiping it round the inside 5 times, which wasn't awkward or unpleasant at all. Overall it took a couple of minutes to do, with a 15 minute wait to confirm the result (fortunately all clear).

I didn’t know they were different until the other day, so I’ve been swabbing my tonsils with the short swabs

 

[BBBR]

Double vaccinated and due to get my booster in a few days, but I tested positive this morning on a LFT. Off to get a PCR this afternoon. Very flu like symptoms at the moment, which hopefully won't last too long.

 

[Tracked]

Had it in October (was 2nd jabbed in June), probably started with losing my voice/having to clear my throat but I was doing lots of phone/teams calls on those days - Tuesday 19/10 and Wednesday 20/10 - so didn't think anything of it.

Felt feverish on the Wednesday night, going from too hot to too cold and back again over around 4-5 hours, woke up on the Thursday and it felt just like a bit of a head cold with a slightly runny nose and a bit of tiredness after a disturbed sleep. Two hours after getting up the coughing started, so tried one of the lateral flow tests and it was positive. Drove to the Testing Centre around 12:00, it still felt like a bit of a cold with a cough at that point, but about two hours later I felt slightly feverish too.

Slept for about 9 hours that night, still felt a bit tired on the Friday, and my sense of smell appeared to be playing up - first thing in the morning it didn't seem to be that good, but improved later in the day.

Another 9 hour sleep on Friday night, and on Saturday my sense of smell didn't return during the day, late Sunday afternoon I still felt a bit tired so had a nap at around 5pm. Next thing it's 2am on the Monday, and I still managed to then get another 4 hours sleep.

Felt tired and a bit lethargic -just seemed more of an effort, I wasn't out of breath or anything - when moving around through Monday, slept from 19:30 to around 06:00 Tuesday, and during the day my sense of smell returned to some extent. Slept similar from Tuesday to Wednesday and my sense of smell appeared back to normal on getting up on the Wednesday, but I still felt tired & lethargic.

Went to bed around 19:30 again on the Wednesday, woke up with a jolt around 3 hours later and felt a lot lighter - could've done with that happening in the morning though, I only felt a bit tired on the Thursday because I'd then felt more full of energy than the last few days and struggled to get back to sleep.

The cough lingered around for another week or so, but it gradually got so infrequent that I didn't notice it had stopped until it was mentioned on the 09/11; I couldn't remember the last time I'd coughed since 05/11.

 

[kristiang85]

I had it in September (my second dose was July).

I thought I'd got it from a party in Brighton the weekend before I had it, but my main symptom (loss of smell) only happened two days later, and for the few days previously I though I had late hayfever (occasional sneezes and congestion); it turns out those were delta symptoms too, so I could well have got it earlier that week. I have no idea where from, as I'd only been to the shops really that week.

My smell came back the next day, but then I had an all body rash, which wasn't fun. Also I felt pretty fatigued, so much so I took the first day off sick in my life as I just wanted to stay in bed, but notning feverish. But there was only one day I felt actually 'ill'.

The rash disppeared after two days, I was working fine again, then the cough came just as my tests were reverting back to negative. The cough lasted two weeks, but otherwise I was fine after that.

 

[Cdd89]

I thought I'd got it from a party in Brighton the weekend before I had it … I could well have got it earlier that week. I have no idea where from, as I'd only been to the shops really that week.

I expect this is really common. Even with an ultra high risk activity, the single (individual) risk is low; the risk comes from adding up lots of stuff.

People who are “careful” and did one non-careful thing (like going to the theatre) are highly likely to ascribe Covid to that, when actually it’s far more likely to have been from some other mundane thing and it was just their time.

 

[kristiang85]

I expect this is really common. Even with an ultra high risk activity, the single (individual) risk is low; the risk comes from adding up lots of stuff.

People who are “careful” and did one non-careful thing (like going to the theatre) are highly likely to ascribe Covid to that, when actually it’s far more likely to have been from some other mundane thing and it was just their time.

Yes I absolutely agree. There's no point hiding from that fact.

 

[matt]

I tested positive on a LFT yesterday and been for a PCR today to confirm. I had my booster just over a week ago. It feels like a bad a cold and just feel a bit rubbish.

 

[Tracked]

I expect this is really common. Even with an ultra high risk activity, the single (individual) risk is low; the risk comes from adding up lots of stuff.

People who are “careful” and did one non-careful thing (like going to the theatre) are highly likely to ascribe Covid to that, when actually it’s far more likely to have been from some other mundane thing and it was just their time.

When I came down with it a couple of people wondered if I'd caught it in the pub on the Saturday where I'd been in for a music session, I suspect it might've been in the supermarket a couple of days later (there did seem to be a lot of people coughing in there) but can't say for definite; certainly no-one in the pub with me on the Saturday came down with it, and there were a few in that hadn't had it at the time, but then again neither did anyone I was with on the Tuesday and Wednesday when I was starting with it (but didn't realise as it wasn't with one of the more obvious symptoms).

 

[Ted633]

Girlfriend tested positive on a LFT on Sunday. She's only single jabbed due to side effects, but she only has a slight cough and is generally fine. I'm managing to stay negative at the moment,(PCR was negative and daily LFT's all negative) despite living in the same house.

 

[baz962]

Girlfriend tested positive on a LFT on Sunday. She's only single jabbed due to side effects, but she only has a slight cough and is generally fine. I'm managing to stay negative at the moment,(PCR was negative and daily LFT's all negative) despite living in the same house.

My partner and mother in law both live with me and neither caught it. Both tested daily , while I had it.

 

[nw1]

Basically like a cold, though it had one or two odd symptoms. Started with feeling very tired one evening, then a slight fever overnight followed by generic cold symptoms for about three days. I did lose appetite for a couple of days (appetite, not loss of taste or smell - in fact when I gained it again, the saltiness of a bag of crisps seemed almost overpowering) and had slight stomach pains, which made me think it was something else like a stomach bug, and also got slight diarrhoea. No cough.

Oddly I have the feeling my sense of smell (which is mostly fairly weak, and for some smells - luckily the bad ones - non-existent) has improved slightly since having it.

This was mid Nov so presumably Delta.

 

[FOH]

Tested positive on Dec 22nd by PCR. Still faint line on LFT today so no release tomorrow for me. Generic cold symptoms. Sore throat, runny nose and sneezing. Only difference was no cough to clear phlegm.

 

[martin2345uk]

My boyfriend tested positive on a LFT on Boxing Day, having spent Christmas Eve night and Christmas Day morning with me. I am not self isolating yet, I am taking LFT's daily and so far so negative, but I don't really see how I can avoid it this time if this Omicron thing is as transmissible as they keep going on about. I am double vaccinated and boosted so really hope that wards the bloody thing off, our New Years plans are already ruined!

 

[Yew]

I am double vaccinated and boosted so really hope that wards the bloody thing off, our New Years plans are already ruined!

You're most likely to have a bit of a cold for a few days.

 

[JamesT]

I got pinged by the app a couple of days ago, though the contact was from back on the 21st when I was on various trains. Took a LFT which came up positive so went for a PCR. Irritatingly the negative PCR result came in yesterday a couple of hours after I’d applied to refund today’s train tickets. I’ve booked new ones now for after the New Year, but it has cost me more money as nothing is as cheap as it was two months ago.

 

[island]

I have been notified of a close contact twice this month by the app (I despise the term "pinged") and a third time by NHS T&T. As I am fully vaccinated I was not required to take any action.

 

[Simon11]

Why do you guys still have the app!!!! Only causing hassle and trouble!

 

[island]

Why do you guys still have the app!!!! Only causing hassle and trouble!

It causes me neither of these things, because I know that instructions from it are not legally mandatory, and can therefore react appropriately to them.

 

[D365]

I expect this is really common. Even with an ultra high risk activity, the single (individual) risk is low; the risk comes from adding up lots of stuff.

People who are “careful” and did one non-careful thing (like going to the theatre) are highly likely to ascribe Covid to that, when actually it’s far more likely to have been from some other mundane thing and it was just their time.

Why do you guys still have the app!!!! Only causing hassle and trouble!

I only have the Covid app on my work phone, which spends 80-90% of its time on my desk. So when I do get pinged, I can reasonably ascertain where the close contact might have taken place. As @Cdd89 points out, it could reasonably be that people are just unlucky with one of their regular/mundane activities, which is what I suspect.

 

[Roast Veg]

Tested positive this evening. No sense of smell but can taste a subset of foods. It feels like a hangover, which is a little unfair since committing to dry January. I've also had abdominal cramps.