I’ve Had 10+ Weeks of Coronavirus Symptoms
Will it ever end?
Remember Jumanji? Each time the players rolled the dice some horrible beast was unleashed into the world? That’s what’s happening inside my body. It’s been over two months.
First signs of illness
In early March I began to develop a dry cough and noticed I was losing my appetite. I went to work and found myself gasping for air at the whiteboard. I haven’t been back to the office since.
I decided to self-isolate from my husband, spending my days and nights in our second bedroom. My cough rapidly became much worse and constant. I was extremely nauseous and couldn’t eat.
It felt like a demon was trying to escape through my lungs and intestines.
The doctor’s visit
I’m an American living in Australia. When I first went in to ask for a coronavirus test in the middle of March, I was shocked that the doctor saw me without any PPE. Neither of us wore a mask. At that point in time, Australia hadn’t yet taken the threat of the virus seriously.
The doctor listened as I listed off my symptoms:
“I have a constant dry cough, low-grade fever, gastro issues, sweating, exhaustion, difficulty breathing. My intestines are gurgling and my chest hurts.”
She examined my swollen intestines, throat, ears and nose. Because I hadn’t traveled in the last 14 days and I didn’t personally know a Covid-19 positive case I was denied a coronavirus test.
The doctor told me I had a virus, instructed me to get a rescue inhaler, and sent me home to “drink water.” I did as I was told. I got worse.
Symptoms become severe
My heart was racing and I couldn’t catch my breath. The coughing never ended and my insides felt like they were on fire. I begged my husband to take me to the hospital, panicking as I tried to take a breath. He agreed to take me if I still felt like I needed to go in an hour.
By then it was the end of March. Very little was known about Covid-19 at that moment and unfortunately going to the hospital seemed like a death sentence. My husband gave me his sports watch to monitor my heart rate and I tried to relax. An hour later I was more calm, but still struggling to breathe.
My whole experience with coronavirus has been one of ebbs and flows. One moment I’m accepting that I may die, while minutes later I can catch my breath for the first time in days.
The aftermath
After about two and a half weeks I began to feel better. I was able to move around, eat a regular meal and even dance a bit. I had made it. The dry cough and subsequent sore throat and sinus pressure remained, but I thought I was in the clear.
Seven weeks after my initial symptoms I still had a lingering, constant cough and shortness of breath. I called the doctor again. Their protocol had changed and I was only able to contact them via phone for a consultation due to my cough.
I was finally sent to do a Covid-19 nasal swab. It came back negative. Other viruses: negative as well.
I was sent in for a chest x-ray. All clear.
So what was happening? Why were my tests negative? Why couldn’t I breathe? Where was the tightness in my chest coming from?
Welcome to Jumanji. Welcome to Covid Recovery.
A laundry list of symptoms
Throughout my 10+ weeks of symptoms, I’ve experienced the appearance and disappearance of the following cast of characters, ranked from most common to least common:
- dry cough
- post-nasal drip
- feeling like I can never fully clear my throat
- gastro that lasts for days at a time
- shortness of breath
- chest tightness
- racing heart
- exhaustion
- low-grade fever
- sweaty hands and feet
- ear pressure and popping
- gurgling intestines
- sneezing
- wheezing
- shaking hands
- insomnia
- sinus pressure
- burping
- back pain
- metallic taste in mouth
- bleeding gums
- gum inflammation
- headache
- muscle twitches
Only recently have news outlets begun to report on cases like mine: not sick enough to end up in the ICU, but lasting much longer than the 2–3 week recovery for mild cases.
I have a few good days where I feel like I might finally be getting over my myriad of symptoms, but then I find myself once again bedridden for days.
Final thoughts
Every morning when I slip into consciousness there’s a brief 10 seconds where I feel normal again. Immediately, as if on cue, my intestines contract and I let out a cough. I can only hope and pray that this new day brings healing instead of a new symptom for my list.
I hope my story can help people understand what some survivors are going through and that it makes them think twice about their actions as restrictions ease around the world. There’s still so much that we don’t know about this virus.
If you are experiencing Covid-19 recovery similar to mine, I’ve found mental, physical and emotional support through the Facebook group Long Haul COVID Fighters. So many medical professionals haven’t believed our stories, our invisible illness, that we must rely on each other for support.
