i am elderly and terrified as I have been told i may have covid

[chinadoll19]

I had my second pfizer jab on 29th April. I was fine for a week and then started to feel ill, I thought I had a temperature but I didn't. I was sweating all the time and feeling very hot. Now four days later I have a raised temp and am very anxious. I had thought all this was probably side effects from the jab. I rang 111 today and spoke to a covid health advisor. She said it was a bit of a long time after the jab to be having side effects, and was concerned about the temp. She felt I could well have covid and I have to book a test. I have ordered one but I feel quite hopeless at my age. I don't have a cough. She said if I have it it will probably be mild as I've had the jabs. The second one won't have kicked in yet though.

I have been staying in for a year, and the only place I could have caught it was at the vaccination centre. I told her that and she said people were catching the virus at the centres. Nice one! I thought I was doing the right thing having the jab, now I'm not so sure if it has caused me to have the virus by going for the vaccine.

Has anyone had side effects that didn't start until a week later, and maybe had a temp, or had the virus and owing to jab had a mild dose.

I have read that but also some bad cases even though they've had two jabs.

All the effort I have put in to protect myself and now this. I am writing myself off. I need some hope.

[MyNameIsTerry]

It's been a tough year and despite doing everything you can sometimes things just happen. It must feel like a kick in the stomach but you have taken the right steps to head it off even if you get it. The 1st dose from the vaccine will have given you lots of protection and much reduced illness even if you do get it.

I think the best thing to do is get that test out of the way. They play it cautious when you mention temperature or coughing. My mum has COPD and asthma so is coughing a lot daily. This meant when she was ill they played it extra cautious and did a Covid test even despite thinking it unlikely. She had a temperature too. She didn't have it and it turned out to be the chest infection the nurse thought it would be.

I think you have to keep it as rational as possible until that test tells you. Temperature issues can be caused by various things. If you do have it then it's likely mild because you have protected yourself.

Your anxiety is likely trying to hint at all the bad things. That's just what it thinks is the right thing to do, to raise the alarm. But consciously you get to look at the facts and decide it is over reacting and acting without proof.

If your symptoms do get worse they are there to help you. That doesn't mean the worst is happening but could just mean some reviewing and advice in how to alleviate symptoms.

And remember the success of the statistics. We have gone from a very worrying situation for people of your age group to hospitals getting back to normal and mortalities are low. So people in very poor health are being protected unlike before vaccination started and we could only protect them to a point.

Many elderly people beat Covid even before vaccination so don't write yourself off because of your age. My mum had pneumonia on top of COPD, asthma, hypertension, etc (like so many older people have a list of conditions) a few years ago when was mid seventies, and at that age that can be complicated as I'm sure you know, but a week of treatment and she was getting back to normal.

So what will you do now? Will you accept you have to wait and based on how you feel perhaps you are ok? Will you distract yourself from worry and catch it when it's trying to get you obsessing?

I hope you feel better soon and everything goes ok. :hugs:

[pulisa]

NHS 111 will of course be ultra cautious and the only thing you can do is take a covid test so that you know where you stand re the temperature. I know that the waiting is really hard though. You would have been incredibly unlucky to have been infected at the vaccination centre but as Terry says, if the test does come out as positive then you will at least have some antibodies in your system to dampen down the symptoms.

Don't do any "research"...Concentrate on your own wellbeing and get the test done asap. Please let us know how you are doing and try not to let your anxiety "write you off". Remember that you have a temperature which needs assessing but nothing more and this could be down to other routine issues.

We are here for you if you need support or advice.:hugs:

[Scass]

I hope you are doing ok today & that your test has arrived. It’s so unlucky if you have caught it, but there are also other bugs doing the rounds as well.

Keep talking to us throughout if you want to, we are here x


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[chinadoll19]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I now have the test and will do it tomorrow. My temp is higher today and I am feeling horrible. I don't have a cough. Not yet anyway. Living on my own I always find it difficult when I am ill. I'm doing the minimum but still have to get something to eat and wash up.

I could take some paraceramol, I hate taking tablets but will do if this goes on.

I will keep in touch, it helps to talk.

[pulisa]

Please take the paracetamol? It will lower your temperature and make you feel better. Take some tonight because there's no point in waiting to feel better if paracetamol can help you now.

[NancyW]

Chinadoll, you could also have a different virus that's not covid at all. Hope you feel better soon.

[chinadoll19]

Thank you everyone. Here's an update. My covid test was negative so that is good news. However I am now left with wondering what is causing the fever. I looked it up and wished I hadn't, I read that it is cancer that causes these fevers. I hadn't thought of that as I didn't know. So now I'm panicking again. I don't have any other symptoms only the temp. I have lost more weight again today, I try to tell myself, I feel ill, have no appetite and am forcing myself to eat, not eating much, sweating all day and night, feeling anixious and that is the reason, but my brain doesn't believe that. I am adding things up, my stools were a normal colour in the toilet but on the paper it is bright yellow the last two days.

I was a bit encouraged first thing today, my temp was normal, lowest its been for a week. I felt better, however it has gone up again this evening and I feel ill and hot and sweaty again.


To me there are two scenarios

1: temps, no appetite, weight loss, possibly the yellow stool thing equals - cancer

2: it all just means I have some sort of bug and not eating much for the weight

Any thoughts my brain only seems to be able to think one way

Thank you

[Pamplemousse]

To me there are two scenarios

1: temps, no appetite, weight loss, possibly the yellow stool thing equals - cancer

2: it all just means I have some sort of bug and not eating much for the weight

Any thoughts my brain only seems to be able to think one way

Thank you

Oh, I went down this rabbit hole a few years ago, when I thought I had pancreatic cancer. Turned out the orange blobs I'd seen in my stools were not undigested fat, but the 'husks' of my slow-release Metformin tablets - and my sudden weight loss was both my anxiety driving my metabolism into overdrive as well as my not eating. The orange colour was from only eating "comfort food" - lasagne or cottage pie.

I lost a fair bit of weight but as a diet plan, I don't recommend it... and as you can see, I'm still here.

[Scass]

I’m relieved you don’t have covid. Also good that the fever seems to be going. It’s likely you’ve had something and now it’s on it’s way out. Hope you feel better soon


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[pulisa]

"I read that it is cancer that causes these fevers"....? Maybe challenge this theory. Chinadoll?

I agree with Scass and I hope you soon feel better and that this is enough "evidence" for you.

You'll be repeating the calprotectin test anyway so that will be a good indication re any potential inflammation.

Really good news about the negative covid test but of course you'll be searching for another reason for the temperature which will keep you in the anxiety cycle.

[chinadoll19]

Its right I am searching for another reason for the temp, but have managed not to google today. There's no peace with HA. I'm not to do the stool test until I am better as any infection could affect the result. So putting that out of my mind at the moment. I am a little better, my temp went normal at bedtime last night, Ok first thing today, on the brink at teatime, but I do feel hot and a little ill tonight, but not too bad. I hope its going in the right direction. I've had a better day overall.

I have lost more weight today, and am trying not to panic, it is the lowest it has been for a couple of years. What I had yesterday was one complan, and for dinner a few carrots, small amount of mash and a tiny amount of meat, plus a small lemon sponge with custard, that has been typical for me this week. I want to believe that is not enough to maintain my weight, am I right? Plus all the sweating and anxiety.

Thank you for your replies

[MyNameIsTerry]

Glad to hear you had a negative for Covid.

If you have an infection that alone can cause temperature issues. My mum is 79 and in recent months she had infections which caused high temperatures. The effects were new but apparently common in elderly people. The advice we were given was to use paracetamol and cool her down. So we used fans, took her dressing gown off, etc. Applying these methods reducing the symptoms she was experiencing due to a high temperature. She was seen by 2 nurses the first day this happened and her temperature has reduced when examined by the 2nd.

So if you feel it coming on take steps to bring it down and perhaps you will be feeling better?

[pulisa]

You are eating very little so it's not helpful to keep on weighing yourself. Weighing yourself easily becomes obsessive and just leads to panic and continual anxiety.

The weight will come back very slowly once you get over this blip and your anxiety levels level out..and your appetite picks up. Is there any particular food that you can eat with enjoyment or are you forcing anything down?

[Pamplemousse]

Following on from what Pulisa said, even if you're not a particularly active person I'd say that what you're eating isn't very much at all (a typical serving of Complan is under 250 calories) and is the root cause of your weight loss.

[chinadoll19]

Latest Update: I am feeling better, my temp has been normal for the last three days. I think it could be reaction to the jab as I looked it up and apparently a very small number in the trials did have a temperature for more than a week as a side effect. Tiny but possible.

I have been eating better the last few days and I have put on 2 lbs so that is a start. I can see now that it was my anxiety and not eating much that caused the weight to come off.

Thank you all for your input, it does help me get through these times.

[pulisa]

Congrats on the weight gain and for accepting that you've been at the mercy of your HA catastrophising.

Glad to hear that you are feeling better and have an improved appetite. Another battle won!:hugs:

[Scass]

Pleased you are feeling better. Keep on looking after yourself.


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[Pamplemousse]

All good news there, I'd say :)

[chinadoll19]

After a few good days, I'm back panicking. why is there always something. My temp is staying down thank goodness but every day and night I keep getting awful hot sweats, some days more than others. They last a while and then go and I feel better, they are very uncomfortable. I remembered reading a couple of years ago that they could be an early sign of cancer. I must have been having them then and they went I suppose. I don't remember much about it except what I read.

I have been trying to be calm about my weight but there is always worry about it lurking. I put that 2 lbs on and was hopeful, however 2 days ago I have a bad day with anxiety as my son has gone on holiday, and that always makes me anxious. He has HA and understands me and I can talk to him. I didn't eat well and lost 1 lb, doesn't sound much but every ounce counts with me. I am a low weight anyway and notice it. I'd be happy if I could put on about 4 pounds but that seems to elude me.

As I say I was trying to keep calm. To explain since I was widowed 18 months ago this man has been pestering me. He runs the dance club I was going to until lockdown last year as it had to close. He keeps ringing me and telling me he is taking me out, not asking, telling. I don't want to go and feel harassed by it. He says we need to chat because of lockdown. I don't want to offend him but he is a nuisance. Why I mention this he talks about illnesses a lot which I don't need. Today just when I don't need it he said if you lose weight they suspect cancer, not anything else. Now that is burned in my brain and I am can't think of anything else.

Any positive thoughts for me please to replace the negative ones I now have.

[Pamplemousse]

As I say I was trying to keep calm. To explain since I was widowed 18 months ago this man has been pestering me. He runs the dance club I was going to until lockdown last year as it had to close. He keeps ringing me and telling me he is taking me out, not asking, telling. I don't want to go and feel harassed by it.

The most positive thing you can do in this case is to tell this creep to sling his hook. Diplomacy optional :winks:

Can your phone do call barring?

[Fishmanpa]

Threaten to get a restraining offer and block the SOB!

FMP