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UserName20
21-03-20, 06:21
In my state it was just announced today as well as a confirmed case in my county. I knew it was coming to my county eventually but then when it actually is here it’s just terrifying. All non essential businesses are closed but I work at Menards so we are open. I’m a cashier to get through college and I am so scared. People are coming in coughing, I am constantly surrounded my people, touching money, everything. I live at home still. I’m 20, my brother is 16 and my sister is in her 20’s with severe asthma and pregnant. Her doctor wants her to Stay home until all of this is over.. her asthma is really bad. Now I am terrified I am going to contract it at work since I am in the public and bring it home to her.. This stay at home order is just scary. It feels like a nightmare I can’t wake up. The only place we are supposed to go is work and the store and home, so i really can’t even see my boyfriend until this is all over. And I am so scared that he or I is going to get it and end up dying from it and that we’ll never see each other again.

Clearly my anxiety is really kicking in. I am so worried about everyone.. working in the public is making me so scared. I know We are all dealing with this in some way.. does anyone have any tips on staying calm?😔 I really just want things to be normal again. Going to church and seeing everyone always helped me and now we don’t even have that. My parents are concerned about my sister since she’s pregnant with severe asthma and I am too. They want me to tell my work I need to take leave for a few weeks until things calm down to better protect my sister. But I just started this job so I can’t.. and I know stores need to remain open so it wouldn’t be fair of me to say no to working. I am just terrified

Scass
21-03-20, 07:56
Hello,

It’s a really scary job to have. People didn’t think much of retail jobs a few months ago, but they are so vital now.

It’s really up to you and your family what you do. Explain your concern to your manager about your sister. But also, your company should be giving you good advice about how to handle customers and money and do your job safely.

Keep antibacterial gel where you can use it regularly, wear gloves if they will supply them? Also, wash your hands as soon as you go on break and don’t touch your face!

With regards to relaxing, mindfulness might help you: can you search for the top mindfulness exercises and incorporate a couple into your day. It’s all about bringing your mind back to focus.

Thank you for the job that you do, and for caring enough about your family to ask questions. Whatever decision you make will be the right one for you and your family.
It will be so hard not to see friends and family, but we will all make this work xx

glassgirlw
21-03-20, 11:55
I understand where you’re coming from UserName16, it’s definitely a scary time. And to be in a job where you deal with the general public makes it worse. All you can do is practice the tips that the CDC gives for hygiene and distancing and apply those whenever you can.

im not sure where you’re at in the US, my county had its first case about a week ago, now we’re up to 24 cases (the state only has 38!!!) so it’s like I’m looking at everyone like they’re one big germ, which is so unfair but it is what it is right now. Hopefully this nastiness turns the corner soon!

UserName20
22-03-20, 17:21
I worked an 8 hour day yesterday. I wore gloves, bleached my register, and washed my hands on break. I woke up this morning and I feel very anxious. I feel like there is a weight in my chest and like IÂ’m not breathing well enough. My sister has an oxygen and pulse thing I put in my finger and my heart rate is high ( I am also panicking ) and my oxygen usually says 95-99 but it dipped as low as 85 one time!!!! Then again who knows if it is accurate. But I am freaking out. My family is very upset at me for continuing to work. I was called. A selfish B word by my sister and I coughed once just to see if I had to and my dad screamed at me and told me I probably have it and am gonna kill everyone in the house. He told me if I keep going to work I can find somewhere else to live. IÂ’m in college and have nowhere else to go. IÂ’m just hysterical right now. I feel like I have it. And I don’t know what to do I can’t run to the hospital. We aren’t even supposed to leave the house except to go to the grocery store. I can’t live like this! I feel like I’m gonna pass out I’m getting so scared

UserName20
22-03-20, 18:50
I usually make myself feel better by getting out and doing things or driving around... and right now there is not a single thing I can really do besides stay home.😔 I don’t have a fever or a cough. I just have a feeling in my throat/chest that I need to cough or like a tightness. I don’t know. My parents hid the oxygen sensor from me. My heart rate is pretty high but I assume it can just be anxiety. The oxygen sensor was going between 91-99..

UserName20
23-03-20, 03:30
Well I have now fully convinced myself I have it. I just have this tightness in my throat and it feels like I have to cough.. but I don’t have a cough? I’ve been taking my temp a lot today.. no temperature. But my heart rate has been high with anxiety I assume and my oxygen dropped to 91 at one point and is usually between 96 and 99. I am so terrified now that I’m gonna spread this to my sister if I have it. I know having no fever or cough sounds promising. I wonder if it is anxiety making me feel tightness in my throat.☹️ I can’t think of anything else. My mom is terrified of this and has not stopped cleaning the house the entire day and Keeps saying “she just can’t live in this fear if we get it.” I am so sad and there is absolutely nothing to do at my house besides be on my phone. I deleted my Facebook and am trying to stay off of Google.. all my parents listen to all day is news on the virus. It is literally all they talk about at my house. Nothing else. And my mom is worse than I am with being scared. Now I’m so scared I’m going to get a fever or get worse tomorrow. Just knowing I can’t even see my boyfriend is so upsetting. I feel like I can’t go to a dr either. This is a nightmare come to life. I can’t stop.

glassgirlw
23-03-20, 11:33
It sounds like your family is fueling your anxiety somewhat. That’s really hard since you live with them and there’s no place else to go right now. I’m guessing by what you’ve described at home there’s no point in discussing the constant flow of news with your family and explaining to them how badly it’s affecting your anxiety issues.

Do you have any hobbies? Can you find a fun series on YouTube or Netflix and put in some headphones, stream the shows on your phone while working on a craft project, etc? Someway to tune out what’s going on around you in your home?

I understand the fear you’re having. We all I think have some fears surrounding this entire situation. I’m also deemed an “essential worker” and although my city enters a 30 day lockdown tonight at midnight, I’ll still be working. I’m trying to focus on the things I know I have control over - washing my hands, avoiding touching my face, keeping my home environment clean and tidy, working on a quilt project in my free time, etc.

glassgirlw
23-03-20, 11:35
Also - try to keep your perspective on this situation. The “scary numbers” are the ones we with anxiety tend to focus on the most - the confirmed cases and the deaths. Try to focus on the other end of it - how many people don’t have this virus?

UserName20
24-03-20, 03:10
Thank you!! I’ve been trying so so hard to distract myself. I woke up this morning and I felt fine. Then I started thinking about my breathing and suddenly it all started again. I have this feeling like I have to cough in my throat all day and it’s just a dry cough. But it’s like I don’t really have to cough I just feel like I have to.. I called my doctor and told them I have a dry cough and told them about the oximeter going down and up. I don’t have a fever or chills. The nurse told me that I am fine and that I am probably just freaking myself out. ( They know my history of health anxiety ) but I feel this constantly like I have to keep coughing and coughing and it’s like my throat almost burns. I can breathe but I can feel that i need to cough every time I breathe.. I am panicking so badly. I don’t have a fever though...☹️ I called my work and told them I won’t be in tomorrow. I’m 20 and my boyfriend keeps reminding me that I am going to be fine but I don’t believe him. I’m scared I’m not going to be able to breathe and that I have the coronavirus. Should I not be concerned since I don’t have a fever? My heart rate is high every time I check it.. I’m so scared. Now I’m scared I’m gonna End up in the hospital and die alone since the hospital can’t have any visitors right now.

glassgirlw
24-03-20, 10:28
I think you’re just working yourself up into a full blown panic. Stop and breathe, do you normally get panic attacks? What are some of the techniques that work for you?

From what I’ve read, if you don’t have a fever you probably don’t have it. Seems like fever is the pretty constant symptom across the majority of cases.

UserName20
24-03-20, 23:05
Thank you. I was thinking the same about not having a fever. Today I decided to stop checking my oxygen and heart rate. I will admit I felt a bit better. However, the feeling in my throat of having to cough constantly is not going away. It’s not like i can’t breathe, it just feels weird. But I have used my thermometer countless times today. Usually my body temperature reads about 97. Something. But as I’ve been taking I recently it’s been anywhere from 98.0 to 99.1! So now I am really worrying :( I hate this so much. This thermometer can’t be accurate because every single time I use it I am getting different readings.

UserName20
24-03-20, 23:07
My family has really been freaking out. It’s crazy to think about with how bad my anxiety is but at many points I have been the one trying to calm my mom down. She thinks we’re all going to die from this virus

glassgirlw
24-03-20, 23:34
You have to remember too that our body temperatures do fluctuate throughout the day. I think the “magic” number for fever is 100.4. So you’re still well under that.

I don’t know whereabouts in the US you live, I’m in KS and we have 36 cases in my county. Now my county has 600,000 people in it. That’s like a .00006 chance of having it. In fact we have 82 cases in the whole state, and over 2000 tests have been done. So that’s a lot of negative tests coming back too. Try to look for the positives. We should absolutely be diligent with hygiene and social distancing and following the govt orders but it’s not a 100% guarantee that everyone is going to have this at the same time. Try to keep it in perspective. That’s what I’m trying to do anyway :shrug: and I’m also an “essential” worker so I do understand the fear! My county is also in lockdown for non-essentials.

UserName20
25-03-20, 00:08
That is a very good point. I don’t feel like I have a fever or anything, I am simply just checking it to try and calm myself down. Which I think is having the opposite effect. It now says it’s back down to 98.0. And then I took it a minute later and it says I’m at 97.9, now back to 98.2 So I’m not sure what to believe. Think I’m gonna limit my use to in the morning and evening, especially since I don’t have chills or anything.

I agree with you, putting the numbers in perspective does seem to help. I live in Illinois. Chicago is getting hit pretty hard right now and I am about 60 miles south of Chicago in a smaller county or about 50,000 people. As of right now there are 2 confirmed cases in my county. Only One of them is a resident in my city but they were both tested at our city’s hospital which I live pretty close to. My city only has about 15,000 in it. I believe our total cases in our state is at 1,500 and about 16 have died so far. Each day it seems like my state is adding over 200 more cases and 3-4 deaths. My boyfriend seems to think we are invincible since we are both only 20 but I don’t like thinning like that. I know cases can still be serious in the young and knowing that I could pass it to my pregnant sister with severe asthma or my parents scares me. I’m more worried about others

glassgirlw
25-03-20, 00:15
I think we can expect to see numbers grow quicker because more tests are becoming available too. Honestly I’m trying to limit my news intake to a couple times a day, usually over morning coffee and then after dinner. Not reading any sensational news sites, I’m sticking to CDC stuff. Try to stop with the temp taking if possible. I’m taking mine once per day (if I remember to do it at all lol) and only because I know if I have a fever I’m supposed to stay home from work and isolate. 2 cases in a city of 15.000 isn’t that many at all. Just try to focus on the positives although I know that’s super hard right now - and hopefully within the next week or two we’ll be able to see if these lockdowns are helping stem the number of cases.

ckelley116
25-03-20, 00:51
Oh, you poor thing. Your family should be a source of support in difficult times. Not a source of shame or guilt. I’m so sorry they’re putting you through that.

If it helps, your symptoms are clearly anxiety. Chest tightness/heaviness and an urge to cough are two of my most common symptoms (I last had them for two months; mid November through mid January) and they’re harmless. It’s all muscle related.

I wish you had a more sympathetic support system. Hang in there 😊

UserName20
26-03-20, 19:22
Thank you guys. I haven’t had a fever and this coughing feeling has been happening for 5 days now, but honestly if I am not thinking about it it isn’t there as much. Since I still don’t have a fever I feel a bit better like I might not have it. There are now 3 cases in my city. My coworker that I last saw on Saturday is now at home with a fever which scares me.

My work has me on a leave right now as my parents absolutely did not want me at work and reminded me how guilty I will be if I passed anything to my sister. And I can’t handle that. I worry enough.

My parents have still been going to their jobs. They are essential but not dealing with the public. However, today my mom’s work sent her home as the company is not having much work come in. My mom is clearly very upset, and we are so worried about money. I have some money set aside which was meant for my college classes coming up, but I feel better knowing I will still be able to help a bit. At least for food. This is all so difficult.. it’s just a nightmare. And I know all of us are in the same boat in some way.

UserName20
27-03-20, 20:28
It has been 6 days now since I have been in the public. I feel fine for the most part.. I am just so concentrated on taking my temperature. It’s like I can’t stop making myself take it.

After I showered I took it and it said 98.8. And then I took it again and it said 98.3 or 98.0. I know normal body temp is 98.6 so that scared me. I gave myself like half an hour after my shower and my temp is still telling me I’m at 98.7. I don’t really feel like I have a fever but even .1 Or .2 over what’s normal is worrying me. It just told me 98.7 and now it’s back at 98.2. I don’t know what numbers to believe

And again, there is a part of me that is reading that paragraph thinking I must have lost my marbles for worrying like this.

glassgirlw
27-03-20, 21:45
You haven’t lost your marbles. There are many worrying just like you right now. I read something interesting today that said you shouldn’t check your temp multiple times a day because our bodies can fluctuate by almost a full degree throughout the day. They actually said check it once, in the evening. Makes sense because I know when I have been ill, my fever always spiked up in the evening. So they said that would be your highest point of the day. I’ve been taking mine in the evenings and I normally run anywhere from 97.9 to 98.6.

dorabella
27-03-20, 22:00
You are screwing yourself up with pure anxiety and it can cause all sorts of weird symptoms - not the least of which is the anxiety cough ... I've had some of this myself during the past week ... intermittent burning sensation in chest (which is acid stomach from stress) then the cough which is partly a wet cough caused by anxiety stimulating the chest. throat and the vagus nerve into a tickling sensation at the back of the throat and the urge to expel from the lungs.

If you haven't got the fever and the constant dry cough - which is totally different to what you are experiencing - then just try to calm yourself a bit. Once you relax your chest, diaphragm etc you will be able to breath deeper and will start to relax and the coughing urge will gradually subside. And stop taking your temperature . as others have said it fluctuates during the day depending on what activity you are undertaking, and signifies little. If you had a fever you would know about it.

UserName20
28-03-20, 09:14
It is definitely crazy what things can anxiety create for us. That coughing feeling has since gone away since I stopped worrying so much about it. I have cut back on taking my temperature and am just trying to remind myself that I am okay and don’t have symptoms.

Earlier tonight my two dogs got in a fight. They aren’t big dogs at all and I made the mistake of getting right in the middle of them since I was panicking that they would really hurt each other. One of the dogs really got me pretty bad on both of my hands. They are all pretty small cuts except one on both hands is small but pretty deep and will still bleed on and off hours later.

My dogs are usually really sweet dogs and they have both had their rabies shots, but now I am terrified I’m going to die from something. I put peroxide on the cuts and am using neosporin and I really don’t want to go to a dr with all of this sickness going around. I got up in the middle of the night to change my bandaid and while cleaning I just had this wave of Nausea hit me. I finished cleaning it and laid back down and now I feel okay. But of course this has me worried now.

UserName20
29-03-20, 01:12
I just wish my entire family would stop talking about it. That is all anybody does. They sit around the TV watching the news all day long. And my mom ends up saying things like “we are all just going to die.” and being incredibly negative. I’ve asked them to please cut back on the talk but it doesn’t work.
My dad went grocery shopping yesterday and they wouldn’t bring the food in the house and instead just stood there screaming at each other that the stuff was probably infected and we’d all get it. I just cannot escape it. It got to the point where my mom was on the porch screaming and spraying everything off to the point the neighbor texted to see if everything was ok.

glassgirlw
29-03-20, 02:32
That does make it really tough especially when you’re stuck in the house with them. Can you go for walks? To a park by yourself? Anything to get out and get some fresh air and take a break from it all?

Lolalee1
29-03-20, 04:31
I have been in isolation for a week and live on my own.I am still waiting on a health care worker
was told they would deliver my medication that was Friday,my internet keeps dropping out and the same with phone service.But at least I have a roof and food may only have 2 rolls of toilet paper:roflmao:i think of the homeless at this terrible time.

Panicattacka
29-03-20, 04:49
I always remind myself "It could be worse, and it has been worse in history, yet humanity survived". As long as we still have power, water, and some food, historically speaking we are doing better than most of humanity.

UserName20
02-04-20, 20:56
I hope you are all doing well and staying healthy. I have taken this opportunity to be relaxing a bit and spending time with family. This Saturday it will be two weeks since I have left my house.
I started feeling better the more relaxed I got. The need to cough sensation went away for the most part for a few days after I stopped checking my heart rate and oxygen levels. It went away for like three days but then kind of returned. For example, I woke up in the middle of the night and didn’t feel this weird needing to cough sensation at all. I felt fine this morning, and around noon it seemed to come back. I just feel like I need to cough. I don’t know if this is my anxiety. It’s been two weeks almost since I’ve left the house and I haven’t had a fever, but it was almost two weeks ago this feeling like I need to cough thing started. It started the day after my state went on lockdown. I don’t know what to do or if I am just over worrying and scaring myself. I called my doctor last week and they told me if I don’t have a fever or runny nose or anything that I really don’t have any symptoms.

UserName20
03-04-20, 02:25
For a couple of Hours it’s like my face has felt kinda warm.. I keep taking my temperature and right now it’s saying 98.6 which is kind of scaring me. I know it’s a normal number but this thermometer might not be right and I’m so scared it’s going to go up.

glassgirlw
03-04-20, 02:37
My face gets warm all the time. Has for years. Like crazy warm feeling. But never a fever so I just ignore it.

my advice is to step away from the thermometer and find a distraction technique that works for you. Anxiety can make your temp rise as well.

UserName20
04-04-20, 16:46
Thank you for all of your help, Glass. It’s weird I’ve had the same exact thing happen to me in the past. It’s like out of nowhere my face feels burning hot and is flushed but no fever. Is that how yours gets too?

I think I am just really struggling to cope right now. My way of coping used to always be to get out of the house, get around friends, That always calmed me down. And this is a situation where I can’t do that. I know we all just want normal again. Last night was particularly rough on me. I felt hot and began shivering under blankets. I checked my temp, over and over. And it never went above 98.6. Then the other part it me wonders if I’m not sticking it in my mouth far enough. I was really upset last night and ended up letting all of my emotions get the best of me and I freaked out at my boyfriend. ( over text we haven’t seen each other since the lock down ) and well, he just told me I’m crazy and basically “broke up” with me after 2 years. I’ve tried reaching out to him today but so far no luck. I am living in my own worst nightmare. My face still feels hot today and my temp is reading 98.6 constantly. This is all just too much to handle

DL45
04-04-20, 17:30
I have had issues with this burning face, and had posted threads about it earlier in the year before we were really aware of coronavirus. Always felt as if it was burning up on my cheeks - sometimes they would look red, other times, not. Never ever had a temperature. Googled it - various causes, but sought input on this forum and was amazed that others experienced something similar and have put it down to anxiety (most likely) or rosacea ( possibly, I am in my 50s) and I don't worry about it anymore.

Always in the evening - which could also be down to when we put the heating on or light a fire. With the warmer weather coming I will be able to monitor if it still happens or not! Really, try not to worry about it.

I have had warmth since I have been unwell this last 7-8 days - not on my face (other than as usual but not new) to my throat and upper chest and across my shoulders. Felt very hot both in and out, like a candle has been lit at the bottom of my throat heating it all up - but I have never had a temperature, and I check it each evening same time, and not after anything hot. 111 (our NHS line) stated that if the skin felt hot to touch it could count as a temperature even if it didn't register. After a week I can now begin to feel this heat fading.

As for your comment regarding taking your temperature - pop it under your tongue and close mouth around it.

I hope you reel much better, I undertand entirely how you feel about this isolation - it is so hard - but I've switched off social media, radio, have been reading my kindle alot, take a bath instead of a quick shower, caught up on TV, sorting and tidying out years of rubbish.......
Wishing you well x

glassgirlw
04-04-20, 17:44
Thank you for all of your help, Glass. It’s weird I’ve had the same exact thing happen to me in the past. It’s like out of nowhere my face feels burning hot and is flushed but no fever. Is that how yours gets too?

I think I am just really struggling to cope right now. My way of coping used to always be to get out of the house, get around friends, That always calmed me down. And this is a situation where I can’t do that. I know we all just want normal again. Last night was particularly rough on me. I felt hot and began shivering under blankets. I checked my temp, over and over. And it never went above 98.6. Then the other part it me wonders if I’m not sticking it in my mouth far enough. I was really upset last night and ended up letting all of my emotions get the best of me and I freaked out at my boyfriend. ( over text we haven’t seen each other since the lock down ) and well, he just told me I’m crazy and basically “broke up” with me after 2 years. I’ve tried reaching out to him today but so far no luck. I am living in my own worst nightmare. My face still feels hot today and my temp is reading 98.6 constantly. This is all just too much to handle

im so sorry you’re struggling with all this. I don’t know if it will help at all but yes - that is exactly how my hot face works. No fever, FB it face feels super hot. Actually today I’m dealing with that exact thing lol. I took my temp once and it’s normal. So now I’m just trying not to focus on it, plus trying super hard not to touch my face anyway so that helps me keep my hands off it lol. You aren’t alone in this “symptom” of anxiety. I think it’s really common.

and, I think your boyfriend sounds like a real a$$ if he can’t be bothered to try and help you through the anxiety rather than just resorting to breaking up over text. You deserve way better than that!!!

UserName20
26-04-20, 18:48
I really thought I was doing better. At least a little bit. I had another post which at the point maybe I should join Threads since it seems to be leading back into this. It was about chest tightness I’ve been experiencing. I have had this happen a few times since last summer. I had two different ekgs done last summer, blood tests, and like 3 doctors listened to me and told me they believed it was acid reflux or GERD. So this went on for quite a few weeks over the summer, my doctor upped my anxiety medication and gave me something for GERD. He believed my anxiety was playing a part too. In December it returned for a few days. I went to urgent care. Same thing. The doctor listened to my heart and told me she believed it was GERD or my anxiety playing a part.

As soon as I left that appointment after feeling it for like 3 days it went away. The past few days it has returned again. It’s on my left side by where my heart is, the same as it always is and is just a tightness. I think it might be acid reflux again as I have even belching quite a bit and I felt like last night food or liquid kept coming back to a bit ( gross I know ) But it’s constant, even when I’m not eating. Part of me wants to go back to the dr but I am too afraid of getting the coronavirus, which leads into that.

I am overwhelmed with anxiety. I can’t stand not seeing family or friends that I normally would. I’m scared we are going to be stuck in our houses forever. Getting out was always my way of coping and that’s gone now. My mind is just racing and I feel like I have a death sentence already. Im back to thinking I’ll never get married or have kids. I’m 20 but I do have a risk factor. And who knows if something is wrong with my heart now. I am just fully convinced this is going to kill me. That I’ll never get to see my friends again and will die alone in a hospital. I was crying earlier and just ended up gasping for breath in between crying and it was really scary. I am absolutely embarrassed of my inability to cope. And it’s never getting better no matter how many times I tell myself it will. My anxiety will always get the best of me and I feel like this is just how my life is going to be lived. In fear and not enjoying any of it.