rona moved in: ilx0rs with the bug report on their progress

A doctor neighbor was saying he suspects Covid might be more of a vascular illness than a respiratory illness, which could partly explain some of the more mysterious symptoms and lingering effects.

I had the most mild of nonetheless very specific symptoms in early March (loss of smell/taste, tired). I got tested for antibodies in early May and it came up negative. I donated blood in June, and this time I tested *positive* for antibodies. My wife then got tested for antibodies and came up negative. (She also got herself tested for active covid yesterday, since she has to go on a car trip with someone; tested negative). As I understand it, having talked with a few doctors either in the family or that are friends, you're more likely to get a false negative than a false positive, but there are so many other variables to juggle as well. For example, the first test I took was at a clinic, and they used the Abbott test. The second test was automatically given to me when I donated blood via the Red Cross; they use the Ortho test. A doctor friend said that the Ortho test is perhaps more reliable than the Abbott test, and regardless, he trusts the standards of the Red Cross. Add it all up and you get a trustworthy organization (Red Cross), with a trustworthy test (Ortho), with very mild but relatively specific symptoms (loss of smell/taste, tired) and relatively trustworthy results (positive) and indications are that I had it. And yet my wife tested negative for antibodies (and had no symptoms), which can mean I had it but somehow didn't give it to her, didn't have it (and got a false positive), both had it (and she got a false negative), and so on.

If I had it I feel pretty lucky. Right now I don't know anyone else personally that has tested positive for either active Covid *or* antibodies. All said and done I'm not sure how much being positive about being positive would change the way I lead my life, anyway. Even if I was carrying antibodies it's not like I can, say, walk into a store mask-free, waving my test results; masks are still mandatory. But I do wish I knew for sure so that I could donate plasma to antibody studies. Then again, when I looked at the Red Cross policies it seems like they are only seeking to test (for research) people who had an active Covid diagnosis, not people who simply tested (possibly) positive for antibodies some time after the (possible) fact.

I don't deal well with grey areas like that - I find the unreliability of test results to be one of the most frustrating things/ roots of my anxiety about this whole damn pandemic.

I don't like it much, either. Tbh I think the only reason my brain is handling it relatively well is that I am also teaching my 15-year old how to drive. After a few hours on the highway thinking to myself that I'm going to die while struggling to exude calm, everything else seems a lot more chill.

We’re going to travel and stay with friends and all of us are on two week lockdown now - back to being as meticulous as we were in March so no stores, no socially distanced drinks, etc. - and are going to get tested as a precaution next week.

I could get an antibody rest at the same time but I wouldn’t trust the results either way so kind of feel like what’s the point? But the more I hear about people’s differing symptoms and experiences the more I think I might have had it in March. I had a high fever and chills/aches for three days then felt good for like a week before getting really sick with a low fever and pneumonia symptoms for three weeks. Was it all the same illness? Separate and unrelated? Either, neither or both covid?

sounds suspicious for sure

this is fascinating:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/17/covid-19-symptoms-falls-into-six-different-groupings-study-finds-coronavirus

i suspect i was in group 2. skipped meals, fever. and interestingly, loss of taste/smell seems to last linger in milder cases.

Cluster 6 for me I think, feeling pretty lucky I was in the non-hospital half

Hmm, I don’t really fit any very well. Cluster 3 plus muscle pain and heavy fatigue but no cough or fever. I’m presuming I did have it because I share a bed with Stet!

Yeah I had the muscle pain and fatigue too. It’s not that exact, is it.

itt survivors call the terrifying "fascinating"

i could read stories like this all day. straight into my veins, please!

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/22/health/covid-antibodies-herd-immunity.html

i just read this thread through cuz i've been mostly off ilx since march for multiple reasons and just wanted to check on y'all. love & health to everyone.

Here's an oddity: I got a super-bad sunburn last week, more like a reaction than an burn: bright red face before evening after an afternoon sitting near the sea in Ayrshire. Safe to say I don't think I've ever had a burn like that in Scotland, and nobody with me burned. It was so odd I can only think it was somehow Rona-aftermath

Tracer that's incredibly reassuring and I haven't even had the rona (or at least I don't believe so).

There’s a follow-up to that which has largely the same message:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/31/opinion/coronavirus-antibodies-immunity.html

Weird, stet.

stet are/were you on antibiotics? I know that can happen w/ sun exposure

I came off a three-week course of antibiotics for Lyme two weeks ago. It seemed to zap my sleepiness inside of a week...but symptoms that when I look back now seem to predate the Lyme—muscle and joint pain, shortness of breath after only very light exercise—have been worsening by the day. Every day a new pain, plantar fasciitis in both feet, knees, elbows, lower back. My body hurts all over and last week I had to quit playing tennis after just ten minutes because I couldn't catch my breath.

I've had a whole blood workup, Covid test, and this morning a stress test w/ EKG on treadmill. Everything normal. I'm increasingly wondering if I had Covid back in February or March and this is the fallout—scarred lung tissue and joint pain.

I want the antibody test but it's being discouraged at every turn, which is frustrating. I saw the article upthread...is anyone in here having lingering lung/joint stuff like this?

Thankfully no. I have been pretty healthy the last few years though, exercising, gave up smoking etc. I got plantar fasciitis about three years ago, no idea how or why. Excruciating, particularly in the morning. A lot of calf stretching over a number of weeks ended up fixing it.

super frustrating not being able to exercise during this whole thing

My advice is do whatever you can. Just stretching alone can really help with that joint pain.

Yeah I'm trying. It's weird, I've completely curled up—like lost my flexibility...and was worried for abt a week that it's something neuromuscular, but these recent tests seem to eliminate that, so far as I understand

welp

oh no

how are you doing?

You've got the bug, WmC? Jesus, I hope you recover as quickly as possible.

Dang, and best wishes. Rest up!

Best of luck with this; hope it's mild

Keep us up to date if you can WmC.

Mild so far.

I had been having low-grade flu-ey symptoms since Wednesday the 19th, the day after my mom died. Achiness, mild but not severe diarrhea, temp running about .5 to 1 degree higher than mine usually does. I just thought I was crashing after running on adrenaline since Tuesday the 11th when Mom first went to the ER.

By yesterday, day 6 of just feeling run down as hell, I felt something was up. Called my primary care doc this morning and said "I know I got tested Monday the 17th, but here's the situation. Is another test indicated?" They had me come in and did another rapid-results test, which came back positive this time. My wife and daughter are both feeling fine physically. I've been prescribed a z-pack and my doc said that all 3 of us need to start on big doses of C, D3 and zinc.

I let my sister and brother know, since I was around them and other family Saturday at Mom's burial. Let my boss at the bar know; obviously I'm not going to sling ethanol for a while.

what a heavy time WmC, so sorry

That's terrible on top of everything else. Best wishes, WmC.

Be well bro

I'm sorry to hear this, WmC.

Stay strong, WmC!

best wishes

Best wishes, WmC

get well soon, WmC

Thanks everyone, if current symptoms are the worst of it, everything will be peachy. We've got loads of friends who will do grocery and pharmacy runs for us.

have you been tested yet?

sorry, just realised there were more posts than I realised to read back through

Hope this is the worst of the symptoms for you WmC and that the family manages to dodge it

Sorry to hear WmC, hope it fucks off soon.

sending you posi vibes WmC

Good luck WmC, and condolences. Sorry you're having such a grim time of it right now.

omg WmC! your attitude is admirable and impressive under the circumstances -- get well soon!!

Thank you all, so so much. The good vibes I've gotten here and on Faceache have been wonderful and buoying.

I've been paying close attention to my symptoms just 'cause shit is interesting. I opened my bottle of Fernet-Branca and took a big whiff and my sense of smell may be a little muted? I had some ham, and homemade bread with a lot of mustard last night for dinner and that was a little muted too. Not entirely gone though.

Take good care of yourself, my friend! hugglez.jpg

man you have been through a lot recently. hope you make a speedy recovery and get back at it. loving the fernet smell test

socially-distant high fives from over here WmC. Good luck!

Best wishes WmC!

Post-viral fatigue can fuck right off. Strangest sensory symptom is everything is too salty. Otherwise I'm on a steady climb out of it.

congrats and sorry in that order