Please go to bottom of page for a full list of symptoms I experienced.

​

​

Two days before the onset of a persistent cough, I was experiencing mild headaches and nausea. 

​

Day 1 

Persistent, dry cough starts at 1.30 am. I cough all night. Headache, nausea, tingling skin and aching - symptoms very like stomach flu. Mild sore throat. Metallic taste in mouth. Temp is 37.4.  My husband, three children and I self-isolate.

​

Day 2 

Same symptoms plus extreme lethargy. Clammy/feverish. Temp is 37.9 

​

Day 3 

Wake up shivering in early hours. Same symptoms as before. Breathing changes – breathless sometimes in the evening.

​

Day 4 

Wake up around 7.30 am very breathless. Terrible nausea and dizziness. Fast pulse. I wait until the dizziness subsides, sit up in bed, do some deep abdominal breathing, and go to the bathroom thinking I might be sick. Extremely dizzy. I sit down. When I can, I get up to call my husband. I collapse in the bedroom and pass out for a matter of seconds. I gasp for air, disorientated, confused and frightened. I can't get up. My heart races and I break out into a sweat. Hot chest and back. My husband calls an ambulance. Whilst the paramedics are present - my breathing settles. They keep checking me over. My upper chest is wheezy. High blood pressure and racing pulse. They do an ECG and all is ok after half an hour. They ask if I want to go to the hospital - I say no. All my levels have settled down again and they say it's probably best to avoid going in anyway. Oxygen sats are ok.

​

We call my doctor and she sends a prescription to the pharmacy which my neighbour kindly collects and delivers to me. I take 2 puffs of the blue inhaler 4 times a day, and whenever I need it. I feel more relaxed in the evening. The doctor says to drink honey & lemon tea, plus plenty of other fluids, eat nutritious soup and fruit high in vitamin C. Take paracetamol. She says “don't be scared, we are here for you when you need us”. I cry in relief. She thinks it's safe to say I have coronavirus and I need to isolate from my family now, as much as possible. I am terrified my family will get this too, but my husband convinces me that, on reflection, they have all had it, and to just concentrate on getting better.

​

In the evening: terrible headache, stomach flu symptoms, loss of appetite, and coughing. My family deliver everything I need to my bedroom door. 

​

Day 5 

Blinding headache and nausea. Temp is 38. Stomach flu symptoms. Coughing less - mainly only when talking or moving around. Some breathlessness. Olbas Oil drops on a tissue helps with breathing. (I have an Olbas Oil covered tissue under my nose from this point onwards for the next week - like a security blanket). Loss of appetite. Very lethargic. 

​

Day 6 

Headache in morning and nausea. Stomach flu symptoms. Lots of dizziness and waves of breathlessness. Loss of appetite. Mild pain in the upper chest.

​

Day 7 

Slept badly as coughing lots in the night. Dry throat, like I’ve inhaled dust. Dizzy, headache and nausea. Stomach flu symptoms. Loss of appetite. Temp is 38. Waves of breathlessness. Called the doctor and he said to increase inhalers to 8 x day. I asked if I should use saline in nebuliser – he said that would help 3/4 times day. He suggested gargling with warm salt water, and to take paracetamol regularly with lots of fluids. Voice is weakening. 

​

Day 8 

Slept well. Gradually deteriorate, with pains in the chest. Three scary breathless episodes with one massive wave of breathlessness – very difficult to manage and extremely frightening. Very pale hands and lips. My husband called the paramedics when I became extremely pale, lips went white/blue, very breathless, and falling in and out of sleep. He tried 111 first but there was a wait of over an hour. Blood pressure, pulse rate and temp all very high. Aching and shivers. Everything settled down again within 45 minutes, except breathing rate still high. Oxygen sats ok. Paramedics say that my body is trying to fight an infection, and I must continue with all the self-care I am currently doing, plus call them if this happens again. They are seeing many people in the community everyday with same symptoms, trying to keep people at home, and say it's COVID-19. Our local hospitals are full at this point. Still no tests. I'm better off out of hospital, if I can manage. Don't hesitate to call them again though as I may get worse over next couple of days. 

​

Day 9 

Slept badly. Throat feels like I’ve inhaled dust constantly. Dizzy, nausea, breathless, shivers, headache, aching, tingling skin. Blurred vision. Lots more coughing. Aching. Mucus in the throat. Breathless at night. My Mum, now retired from nursing, sends me a recording of herself, talking me through a deep breathing exercise. It helps. My voice is now very weak, and hoarse. I feel so ill, I think I may not make it through this and print my will and life assurance documents. 
 

Day 10 

Slept well. Some coughing fits in the night. I feel shattered. Less dizzy, only slight nausea for once. No headache. No fever. Pains in the chest - top left and front. Upper back ache. Lots of coughing during the day, and more at night. Blood spots on tissue when coughing. Itchy, dry eyes. Thick mucus in the throat. Very weak voice. 

 

I do deep breathing exercises everyday now, for short periods only, as it causes dizziness. I call NHS111 for advice regarding my chest pains and blood spots - they said they will call me back.

​

Day 11 

Slept well. No coughing fits during night. Breathless this morning but I managed it well with a battery-operated handheld fan my sister has sent in the post to me, holding it up close to my mouth. My inhaler and nebuliser (saline only) help too. I drink lots of water, take vitamins, black coffee which I haven’t been able to stomach due to very bad nausea. Dizziness and nausea have subsided slightly. I have never felt so exhausted. Rest is imperative. Staying in bed is crucial. Itchy, dry eyes. Mucus in throat. Some sneezing and blocked nose. Hardly any voice now. 

​

Spoke to NHS111 doctor today, 24 hours after I had called them. He said two or three more days and I’ll be in the clear. He said to continue with hay fever pills plus take brown inhaler twice a day too. They may give me steroids/antibiotics in a couple of days, if I'm still not well. They wouldn't want to lower the immune system now with drugs. Then it’s another few weeks rest to allow the lungs to heal. He says to take cough mixture or sweets to reduce the coughing.

​

Day 12 

Waves of breathlessness in early hours and morning. Pains and tightness in chest. Fast pulse. My husband sat with me from 3.30 am until 5 am as I was scared of another big wave. I discover that leaning forward and also lying on my front seems to relieve the breathlessness. A handheld fan, positioned close to the mouth, helps me to catch my breath, and cools me down. I feel marginally better in the afternoon, after sleeping. Breathless and coughing in the evening. Blood spots on tissue when coughing. Wet cough now. Itchy, dry eyes. Very lethargic. 

​

Day 13

Slept well. Breathless sometimes when lying down even, but now mainly only when I move around. Lots of coughing. Nausea has gone. Mild headache. Itchy, dry eyes. Wet cough. Thick mucus in throat. Heavy, tight chest. Lots of coughing in the evening. More breathless too. Fast pulse. Voice is very quiet. 

​

Day 14 

Didn’t get much sleep as felt like someone was sitting on my chest. Lungs burning. Feeling hot and sweaty. Temp is 38. Slept for 3 hours maybe and woke up breathless. Very breathless throughout the morning. Called doctor who carried out breathing assessment over the phone, plus took vitals. Struggled to speak due to weak voice and breathlessness. I have a lung infection, and he prescribes antibiotics for one week. I need to rest for two weeks, at the very least. Lethargic in the evening. Appetite is back. My body feels sore inside and bruised, but I think I have emerged from the virus at last. 

​

Day 15 

I slept for nine hours. Still mild breathlessness, slightly dizzy, minor headache, coughing, but all other symptoms have gone. My chest/lungs hurt and I can't speak loudly or for very long, due to mild breathlessness and probably swollen vocal folds. I do feel slightly better though. 

​

I hug my family again for the first time in 10 days, but I remain in bed and isolated from them most of the time. The doctor says I need to be careful when I am coughing as I may still be contagious. The whole episode has been painful and frightening, and I have never felt so tired. I have spent most of the time in bed, unable to do anything else other than watch films, listen to music and the radio, and read. Sometimes, I felt well enough to have a shower, then I would be exhausted again. This illness has felt very alien to me - I haven't experienced anything like it before. I have complete voice loss and trying to communicate is exhausting. I have lost around 10lbs in weight and feel very weak. 

​

From this point on, I was told by my doctor and COVID clinic to continue taking the brown inhaler twice a day - 2 puffs each time - and the blue inhaler whenever I felt breathless. I was also reminded to keep taking my hay fever meds. 

​

​

​

Edit: 26 April -

At day 27 I was prescribed another weeks worth of antibiotics. My temperature spiked again. My doctor has told me that it's a long recovery period as the lungs need time to heal even with mild pneumonia. It could take weeks until the symptoms subside, and months to feel completely well again.

​

Edit: 15 May -

At Day 33 I call my doctor again as lung burn, sharp pains in chest and fatigue persist. Not everyday but it comes and goes in waves. GP said to expect this. 

​

Day 43 I am very fatigued, wet cough is back and lungs are burning.

​

Day 48, temperature is 38.1 and oxygen sats are 95. Blinding headache.

 

Day 51, symptoms persist, temperature down slightly 37.8. Oxygen sats 96. Hacking cough. Lung burn. Yellow mucous. Voice is weak. Called 111. Referred to COVID Clinic. They took all vitals over phone and did breathing test over video conference. Sent breathing exericse video. Prescribed Clarithromycin for a week. They call everyday now to assess situation. Symptoms gradually reduce but hacking cough increases. Voice is weak.

 

Day 57 - cough stops, mild lung burn, fatigue. 

​

Edit: 23 May -

At Day 63 Cough comes back. Pains across mid back. Headache. Stomach upset. Lung burn. Temp is fine - 37.1.  

 

Day 64. Feverish. Temp is 38. Coughing. Pains across mid back. Headache. Stomach upset. Lung burn. Called 111. Spoke to Emergency Practioner – retired GP who had signed back up to help. He wrote to GP asking for x-ray and blood tests. Explained I am caught in a loop between COVID clinic and GP but must be investigated now. I called GP, she wondered whether to send more antibiotics, but decided against. She referred me back to COVID clinic for respiratory assessment. They called and took all vitals. They also wondered whether to send antibiotics. Decided against. They email GP and suggest x-ray and blood tests.

 

Day 65 - GP calls and then texts me letter for x-ray at Central Middlesex Hospital. I go that day. The hospital is eerily quiet. Results come through 5 days later- infection has now gone. 

​

Edit: 1 June -

COVID clinic continue to call everyday until I am discharged on Day 69. GP sends blood test letter and I head to local health centre. Results show raised liver enzyme. GP says to repeat blood tests in three weeks and texts a new letter to me. A doctor friend tells me she has had the same COVID experience as me and also same blood test result. She says it's inflammation of liver. 

​

Edit: 21 June - 

Day 78 - another relapse begins. Lung burn and pain, extreme fatigue, insomnia, restlessness, low mood, pain and tightness in chest. 

Day 81 - Headache, tinnitus, chronic fatigue, nausea, abdominal pains, muscular aches, pain across left side of face - feels like something is crawling across it too. 

Day 83 - all symptoms continue plus lack of concentration, mental fatigue, brain fog.

Day 86 - all symptoms continue plus sore throat, and shortness of breath on occasion. 

Day 89 - all symptoms continue plus cough. 

Day 90 - all symptoms continue plus feeling very low in mood.

​

Day 91 - spoke to GP. She says I am only 4 weeks recovered from infection and viral symptoms. This is now similar to post-viral fatigue and it's still early days. She thinks the post-herpetic neuralgia has come back from when I had oral shingles a few years ago and that is causing the face and head pain. The trigeminal nerve is damaged. She prescribed Nortriptyline again as it worked last time. 

Very low mood, shortness of breath and cough more frequently. 

​

Day 93 - improved mood, fewer headaches. Sleeping better. Voice is now hoarse again from coughing. Nerve pain down left arm and into hand. 

​

​

Persistent symptoms - see 'Long Covid' page.

​

​