5 ms·

I'm infected. As are many more than any official number out there. I infected my SO, of course. She's having a worse time than me, with a nasty cough that goes

by neals 7y ago

I'm infected. As are many more than any official number out there. I infected my SO, of course. She's having a worse time than me, with a nasty cough that goes right through my soul. We haven't bothered with getting tested since we'll probably be OK and can sit this one out from home. I'm a healthy 34 year male without any further conditions. I couldn't find anything about the duration or livecycle of the disease so for those wondering: For me, it started as getting a regular 'flu'. A tingle down my spine, a little light headed, a little hotter. No actual fever. No coughing (for me). No sneezing. And now, day 5, my lungs are acting up. Difficulty breathing. Feeling like I've just ran up the stairs. Last night I woke up out of breath with light pain in my chest. There are so little accounts of people describing how bad it is going to get or how long it is going to take... I wish more people would share. I can, however still do remote development work. Besides the breathing issues, my head is clear and sitting still (and typing) is the only thing I feel like doing. Really. [Edit] thanks everybody for your concern. These are scary times for everybody. Our country policy is "sit it out unless you have fever". I don't have a fever but can assure you I'm taking my temperature hourly and will check myself in when it hits 38°C.

lawn 7y ago
If you're feeling out of breath you absolutely need to get help. This is a serious symptom and if left untreated it can be deadly.
- lawlessone 7y ago
  I agree, he said himself he's only 5 days in too
  - Buttons840 7y ago
    As I mentioned in another comment. I've heard it will last 5 to 7 days for most, but around 12% will have more serious illness starting around day 5. Whatever the case, it is becoming increasingly important that people know not only the first symptoms but how the disease is likely to progress.
saberdancer 7y ago
You should really contact a doctor, if there is availability. Breathing issues are not to be ignored.
yulaow 7y ago
Please get tested, if you are developing pneumonia you could need hospitalization asap. Call your doctor or the emergency number now. CDC suggests to seek medical attention as soon as you have difficulty breathing. [ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/st... ]
jmnicolas 7y ago
I'm French, right now they're going to quarantine the whole country because young people are starting to get it and suffer grave consequences including death. Search for "cytokin storm" if you want to understand why a supposedly good immune system is not a warranty against it. Don't think it's nothing, get checked now. In the best case you're looking at being weak for 4 to 6 months. After thinking about it this week-end I decided to self quarantine at home even though I don't have any symptoms. I sent an email to my boss this morning to tell him that I was taking at least 2 weeks vacation time. He didn't even bother to answer. Merde ! (we don't say good luck in France ;-)
pmoriarty 7y ago
There have been healthy people your age and younger who have died from this disease. Even survivors can suffer extensive lung damage. Please talk to your doctor as soon as possible.
bugzz 7y ago
As others have said, please go to a hospital. You are 34, so will probably recover fine without medical help, but there have been many cases in their 30s that have taken a sharp downturn for the worse and needed oxygen support, etc. For example, see case history of the U.S. first detected case, a 35 year old man in Washington: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2001191 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2001191
- pmoriarty 7y ago
  He should call ahead first. That gives the hospital a chance to prepare to isolate him safely and prevent infecting medical staff and other patients, which is what could easily happen if he just walks in to the hospital unannounced. Also, in some countries if you're sick with a suspected case of COVID-19, you don't have to go anywhere. A doctor will come to you.
Buttons840 7y ago
https://youtu.be/BYTFk34nhoI https://youtu.be/BYTFk34nhoI Between the 10 and 12 minute mark in this video the doctor describes how most people have illness for 5 days, and a few begin having complications around day 5 (and he gives a name as his source, if you want to research further). I think you are not OK yet and should seek medical advice.
notahacker 7y ago
Similar here (also untested because my government has a policy of not testing non-hospitalised cases, but none of the symptoms [or absence of symptoms] feels like other respiratory infections I've had before) Symptoms somewhat similar to yours; I'm also the same age. No proper fever [some of my sleep is the slightly fitful sleep I'd associate with fighting off mild infections, but my temperature is normal or very close], I've coughed only a literal handful of times and not painfully, so clearly sufficiently mild to miss those characteristic responses, no headache and only occasional feelings of fatigue and a bit more sleep than usual. Just inflamed lungs which are more uncomfortable than painful. Back when I felt completely healthy last Wednesday and went for a 3k outdoor run (no more uncomfortable or slower than I'd have expected considering I haven't run much this year) I obviously felt like I was breathing a bit too shallowly and breathing deoxygenated air. This is basically that same feeling coming back the following day, except with a normal breathing rate [and heart rate]. I can still take a deeper breath whenever I want and I'm far from worrying I'm about to run out of oxygen, but just feels uncomfortable and I can imagine how it can cause much more serious problems for people with more severe symptoms, pre-existing lung conditions or immune system issues. It's been steady for most of this period. I appear to be one of the lucky ones. Expect to make a full recovery, able to work from home and if the run helped accelerate symptoms showing then I'm quite glad it saved me from passing it on to other people.
- neals 7y ago
  Thanks for sharing. May I ask what day you are on?
  - notahacker 7y ago
    Uncertain. Four days have elapsed since I first showed symptoms, but unclear how long I had it before then since it normally has a long incubation period and I doubt I actually caught it whilst running round a park in the evening on Weds which was the only time I crossed the threshold that day Best guess is I caught it last Monday (train ride through London). Would prefer that to earlier since I was travelling back from seeing my parents and my brother's young family in a lower risk area then... Also possible I caught it from a coworker the previous week when actually in the office: she is self isolating but exhibiting very different symptoms.

by neals 7y ago

lawn 7y ago

If you're feeling out of breath you absolutely need to get help. This is a serious symptom and if left untreated it can be deadly.

lawlessone 7y ago
I agree, he said himself he's only 5 days in too
- Buttons840 7y ago
  As I mentioned in another comment. I've heard it will last 5 to 7 days for most, but around 12% will have more serious illness starting around day 5. Whatever the case, it is becoming increasingly important that people know not only the first symptoms but how the disease is likely to progress.

saberdancer 7y ago

You should really contact a doctor, if there is availability. Breathing issues are not to be ignored.

yulaow 7y ago

Please get tested, if you are developing pneumonia you could need hospitalization asap. Call your doctor or the emergency number now. CDC suggests to seek medical attention as soon as you have difficulty breathing. [ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/st... ]

jmnicolas 7y ago

I'm French, right now they're going to quarantine the whole country because young people are starting to get it and suffer grave consequences including death. Search for "cytokin storm" if you want to understand why a supposedly good immune system is not a warranty against it. Don't think it's nothing, get checked now. In the best case you're looking at being weak for 4 to 6 months. After thinking about it this week-end I decided to self quarantine at home even though I don't have any symptoms. I sent an email to my boss this morning to tell him that I was taking at least 2 weeks vacation time. He didn't even bother to answer. Merde ! (we don't say good luck in France ;-)

pmoriarty 7y ago

There have been healthy people your age and younger who have died from this disease. Even survivors can suffer extensive lung damage. Please talk to your doctor as soon as possible.

bugzz 7y ago

As others have said, please go to a hospital. You are 34, so will probably recover fine without medical help, but there have been many cases in their 30s that have taken a sharp downturn for the worse and needed oxygen support, etc. For example, see case history of the U.S. first detected case, a 35 year old man in Washington: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2001191 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2001191

pmoriarty 7y ago
He should call ahead first. That gives the hospital a chance to prepare to isolate him safely and prevent infecting medical staff and other patients, which is what could easily happen if he just walks in to the hospital unannounced. Also, in some countries if you're sick with a suspected case of COVID-19, you don't have to go anywhere. A doctor will come to you.

Buttons840 7y ago

https://youtu.be/BYTFk34nhoI https://youtu.be/BYTFk34nhoI Between the 10 and 12 minute mark in this video the doctor describes how most people have illness for 5 days, and a few begin having complications around day 5 (and he gives a name as his source, if you want to research further). I think you are not OK yet and should seek medical advice.

notahacker 7y ago

Similar here (also untested because my government has a policy of not testing non-hospitalised cases, but none of the symptoms [or absence of symptoms] feels like other respiratory infections I've had before) Symptoms somewhat similar to yours; I'm also the same age. No proper fever [some of my sleep is the slightly fitful sleep I'd associate with fighting off mild infections, but my temperature is normal or very close], I've coughed only a literal handful of times and not painfully, so clearly sufficiently mild to miss those characteristic responses, no headache and only occasional feelings of fatigue and a bit more sleep than usual. Just inflamed lungs which are more uncomfortable than painful. Back when I felt completely healthy last Wednesday and went for a 3k outdoor run (no more uncomfortable or slower than I'd have expected considering I haven't run much this year) I obviously felt like I was breathing a bit too shallowly and breathing deoxygenated air. This is basically that same feeling coming back the following day, except with a normal breathing rate [and heart rate]. I can still take a deeper breath whenever I want and I'm far from worrying I'm about to run out of oxygen, but just feels uncomfortable and I can imagine how it can cause much more serious problems for people with more severe symptoms, pre-existing lung conditions or immune system issues. It's been steady for most of this period. I appear to be one of the lucky ones. Expect to make a full recovery, able to work from home and if the run helped accelerate symptoms showing then I'm quite glad it saved me from passing it on to other people.

neals 7y ago
Thanks for sharing. May I ask what day you are on?
- notahacker 7y ago
  Uncertain. Four days have elapsed since I first showed symptoms, but unclear how long I had it before then since it normally has a long incubation period and I doubt I actually caught it whilst running round a park in the evening on Weds which was the only time I crossed the threshold that day Best guess is I caught it last Monday (train ride through London). Would prefer that to earlier since I was travelling back from seeing my parents and my brother's young family in a lower risk area then... Also possible I caught it from a coworker the previous week when actually in the office: she is self isolating but exhibiting very different symptoms.