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Going tomorrow for a covid test
As my weekend comes to a close, I have now settled on major fears of having caught covid, due to being around travelers, one of my friends having a cough this morning, and my own symptoms.
I’m going to go to urgent care for an appointment and test tomorrow but am terrified, especially as there could be sick people there. I am afraid of having covid as well as giving it to my parents or my dogs.
I am trying to be logical and explain my symptoms away - I have a thumping heartbeat and feel like my chest is tight and I’m short of breath, but that could be anxiety. I have a runny nose and a slight cough, but it’s been smoky from wildfires so that could be it. I feel a bit dizzy but I also haven’t eaten hardly anything this weekend and haven’t gotten much sleep.
I am just struggling so hard now. It’s been such a long time since I’ve felt this way and I absolutely hate myself and all of my choices that led me here.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Hi Poppy, if its worth anything myself and Mrs F did a LFT last night as she had a sore throat and headache. We were both negative. I was very apprehensive waiting for the result as we had been out this week. And that's even with us both being double jabbed.
Have your parents been vaccinated yet? As for your dogs, I'm pretty certain dogs are not affected. Cats yes and seemingly mink.
Don't forget also that anxiety plays all sorts of tricks on us, especially when we are already sensitised. Smoke will make you cough for sure and lack of sleep will make you feel rough. Hang in there :hugs:
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Hi Poppy, I’m sure you will be fine, although it’s understandable why you may be anxious. This whole thing has been a very anxiety inducing time and whereas before a symptom like you described wouldn’t have worried us at all, it all is magnified by three with this constant threat looming. It looks like you’re from the States? I’m not so sure of how the Covid situation is there at present, but I am guessing with mass vaccinations and the summertime cases are beginning to fall and there is a bit more light at the end of the tunnel? Anxiety can for sure bring on the symptoms you describe and the cough etc could very well just be a random thing which could happen at any time. Smoke can totally be to blame for a cough. I once had an air purifier that was a bit smokey and it made me cough (so I discontinued it). It’s responsible to have covid tests to ensure you’re safe and well, but please don’t worry yourself and get yourself into a state. Once it’s over, it’s over and you can relax again. Wishing you all the very best for the test day and I’m sure you will be just fine. Take care.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Thank you. I am in the states but our vaccination rates are terrible so that doesn’t help.
I told my parents I would isolate from them, though both are vaccinated. They both have sinus issues too. But I just got a text from my friends I was with and she said they both felt poorly and had fevers of 100.
I have over 3 hours left to drive and I am just in total panic mode.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Poppy, I'm sorry you're going through this. I remember the feeling well, at this point though you need to know so you can move past this.
When are you going?
Will it be a pcr or antigen test? Mine was an antigen and in 10 minutes I was told it was positive. I stayed home 10 days after symptom onset.
This last week I had a sore throat, cough, headache. I didn't get tested it really felt nothing at all like covid and every day got better, covid does not do that it lingers.
My son's coworkers were sick too, same symptoms.. they got tested, negative. So there is some other bug out there.
Keep us posted please
ox
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
I really wanted to go tomorrow but was then told that I had to wait 3-5 days from possible exposure? So if I figured I was exposed sometime this weekend that would be Wednesday at earliest.
My town offers saliva testing in Wednesday’s, I don’t know if that’s accurate or a good choice? Otherwise I can make an urgent care appointment but I don’t know what testing they do.
It’s hard too because I feel just awful - I’m sore from being in the car, exhausted, haven’t eaten well at all and am probably a little dehydrated as well. Plus the stress. So it’s hard for me to pick out what are symptoms and what are just me right now, to say nothing of what may just be anxiety.
I remember often coming home from trips feeling unwell, I wish I could go back to then when I was eager for some rest and not just blindly terrified.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Over the past few days, me and my dad have both had rather bad colds, but have taken about 2 or 3 LFTs over the past week (at home) and so far tested negative the whole time.
There must be something else (non-Covid) at play, either a conventional 'common cold' bug doing the rounds right now what with most things virtually being back to normal once again now, recent changes in the weather, or possible allergies that we're somehow unable to trace the exact source of.
But if it has actually been Covid for us (despite all 3 of us in the family being double-jabbed) and the LFTs falsely testing negative, at least so far we haven't felt anywhere near like we're on our death beds, so obviously very mild if so.
A couple whom we're very close to who have both also been double-jabbed, both tested positive for Covid last week through PCR tests (after their LFTs falsely tested negative), and so far both have felt like they had a bad cold but again nowhere near their death beds, but both now feel that they're over the worst and finally on the mend.
So, perhaps we're now turning a corner with the Delta variant, at least those who have been fully jabbed, where in most instances it's nothing more than a bad cold.
Could be totally wrong though.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
A false negative concerns me, mainly that I could be ill and spread without knowing. My plan is to get tested Wednesday and then maybe the following Wednesday as well. Hopefully it is accurate.
I was able to eat a sandwich which helped. I overall feel fine, I guess, but every twinge in my throat has me panicked. I can taste and smell but have a bad taste in my mouth which isn’t fun but hopefully not a bad sign. I’ve had less than 400 calories a day probably for the past 3-4 days so of course that doesn’t help at all.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Low blood sugar will make your anxiety worse of course so try and refuel with food which is easy to swallow and which you like? You'll be burning up a lot of calories with all the adrenaline so look after yourself and try and take things as easy as possible? Get the PCR test on Wednesday which will be the most accurate. If you don't feel comfortable with a negative result then don't have any contact with your parents anyway just to be on the safe side? Take things a day at a time. Now that you are back home you will feel more in control of things..
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Quote:
Originally Posted by
pulisa
Low blood sugar will make your anxiety worse of course so try and refuel with food which is easy to swallow and which you like? You'll be burning up a lot of calories with all the adrenaline so look after yourself and try and take things as easy as possible? Get the PCR test on Wednesday which will be the most accurate. If you don't feel comfortable with a negative result then don't have any contact with your parents anyway just to be on the safe side? Take things a day at a time. Now that you are back home you will feel more in control of things..
Thank you. I wish I could stay at my house but we had to rip out my bathroom. So I have to stay with them. We are wearing masks around each other and I’m trying to be as isolated as possible, which I hope will be enough.
It’s funny, a few weeks ago I had another trip but didn’t have any of this worry, who knows why. Maybe news about delta being more contagious triggered me?
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Quote:
Originally Posted by
.Poppy.
Thank you. I wish I could stay at my house but we had to rip out my bathroom. So I have to stay with them. We are wearing masks around each other and I’m trying to be as isolated as possible, which I hope will be enough.
It’s funny, a few weeks ago I had another trip but didn’t have any of this worry, who knows why. Maybe news about delta being more contagious triggered me?
I'm sure it would have done. I'm sorry your birthday weekend turned out to be so frightening and stressful. I think in future you should stick to your guns and do what YOU want. Don't always try and please others particularly when they want to tell you what to do?
My daughter would be terrified about passing on anything to me too but I would want her to be with me. You are doing all you can to minimise risk even if there is one. I'm glad you're back on familiar territory, so to speak and I hope you can sleep and eat well in the coming days just to recover from your ordeal:hugs:
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
So it looks like tomorrow at 11 am I can get tested. I am very nervous but am hoping that it brings some relief.
I currently feel a bit better, eating has really helped. I still have a bad taste in my mouth, which apparently might be dry mouth/anxiety? I am also still constantly smelling things and wondering if they are supposed to smell that way or if they should smell more strongly than they do, wondering if my sense is diminished. I occasionally have to clear my throat/cough but it seems to be very much in my throat and not like there is stuff in my chest so maybe that's a good sign? I'm hoping that the cough is from smoke, which is present, especially as both of my parents have cough/congestion too. Of course, they had both before I went away which would make me feel less guilty if it were covid but not any less terrified.
I had a Zoom meeting with my office today and they were talking about someone who works on campus that was vaccinated and has Delta, he's fine but has bad flu-like symptoms, which didn't make me feel better. Luckily I don't have to go back into the office until September.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
I was going to do a drive through saliva test but couldn’t find the people in the lot, so I came to urgent care. She’s doing the test right now. They also took a sample to send to the health department because I’m vaccinated and they’ve seen a lot of breakthrough cases.
I should know in a few minutes which is both comforting and truly awful.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
I did a lateral flow test today for the first time, out of courtesy to the people I visited.
I'm now terrified I've done myself serious harm with the swab because I think I pushed it too far up my nose... :scared15:
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pamplemousse
I did a lateral flow test today for the first time, out of courtesy to the people I visited.
I'm now terrified I've done myself serious harm with the swab because I think I pushed it too far up my nose... :scared15:
Oh, it was definitely not a good feeling :scared15:
My test was negative! But they say that procedure is to send rapid tests off to the lab for a PCR just to be sure, so I still have to isolate and still have a few days left to worry.
You'd think that would be the end of anxiety, but is it ever with anxiety? Now I'm just contending with: maybe I just didn't have enough of a viral load today to show positive but would have tomorrow, maybe I caught covid by going into the urgent care center, maybe I'll catch it at the wedding I have in a couple of weeks, etc. etc. It's going to be hard to get that under control.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Well, that's good news Poppy!
Interesting approach compared to the UK. Here, if you have no symptoms you can only get a PCR test if you pay for it. Lateral Flow tests however, are free (for the moment) - I picked up a pack of seven from the local pharmacy the other day.
How the NHS does it is here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/corona.../test-results/
I suppose us anxious folks will inevitably seek and find the one case where a nasal swab has caused problems...
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
I think here all of the tests are free. It seems really backwards as health care in the US is usually $$$$ but I think because our vax rates are so low and people are just denying/don't care, they just want people to get tested to try to monitor spread.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Poppy I had symptoms my rapid test was positive, done deal.
I'm sure you're fine.
What a miserable thing we are living through.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Quote:
Originally Posted by
NancyW
Poppy I had symptoms my rapid test was positive, done deal.
I'm sure you're fine.
What a miserable thing we are living through.
Isn't it just. I met my stage IV bowel cancer survivor friend today and he attended a couple of meetings related to a shared hobby we have in the last fortnight: apart from the recent heavy storms we've been having hitting them both, he said how much he enjoyed just getting out of the house to meet friends and do something other than shopping or hospital trips.
I had a nice chat with someone I only vaguely knew until today; turns out he was a portrait photographer of some note. I liked what became his official portrait of the Queen.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Same old anxiety traps, Poppy. Maybe the test missed, perhaps they did it wrong, test messed up at the lab, etc.
So the same methods to tackle anxiety, and health & testing themes, will help here. Look at the facts, look at the possibilities, the outcomes and reframe a conclusion. Then distract and get back on with your day.
Easier said than done but the chances everything is fine, that a medical grade test performs as expected, greatly outweigh what our thoughts are trying to alert us to. And even if you get Covid how vulnerable are you? Jabbed means far less likely to have complications too.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
My PCR test was negative, so now I have to tackle my anxiety I suppose. I'm feeling tired, tense, light-headed, and like I can't quite get a breath - I know these are all anxiety symptoms. This morning I had a panic attack because I thought my fingernails looked purple. I know I need to get a grip and I'm back on my meds but it is a bit of a struggle and of course I have to wait for the meds to even out again (prozac).
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
We all understand how much of a struggle this will be for you but the good news is that you do not have Covid. Your anxiety symptoms won't care about this though but you have so much insight and once you are more rested and less stressed you will be able to get to grips with your anxiety again.
Why not just please yourself this weekend and really allow yourself to rest mentally and physically? You've been through a lot.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Glad to hear Poppy 🙂
One good thing is that this is a great reminder of how anxiety (the beast) lies to you.
My precious mom called it the devil.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Posting here again instead of starting a new thread. I’m currently in a drive through line for a PCR test. I have symptoms but with HA it’s hard to tell what is real and what I’ve conjured, but as I am around my parents it’s better safe than sorry.
I currently have a runny nose. Maybe a sore throat, but it feels more like a burning sensation that a typical sore throat. No fever, but general malaise. Dodgy stomach, but that could be nerves. Tired, but I haven’t been sleeping well.
I’m working remote for at least the next two weeks, which is nice. I just absolutely hate this, as most do. Processing for the tests is longer than ever, but hopefully I will know in a few days, and hopefully good news? The vet school here is processing some of the tests, which helps speed things up I hope.
Just feeling really down and out.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
I'm sorry you're in this position again, Poppy. I hope you get then results back quickly and then at least you'll know definitively..
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Thanks, Pulisa. It’s hard because one second I’ll think “oh I feel fine” and the next I’ll feel like an ache or a twinge in my throat or the urge to do a little cough and think, nevermind, this is it.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Hope you hear soon Poppy. At least if you know one way or the other you can deal with it.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Quote:
Originally Posted by
.Poppy.
Thanks, Pulisa. It’s hard because one second I’ll think “oh I feel fine” and the next I’ll feel like an ache or a twinge in my throat or the urge to do a little cough and think, nevermind, this is it.
It doesn't sound like "this is it" but when anxiety is added into the mix it always seems as though this is it...
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
I'm promising myself that I won't update this again until I get results, which will hopefully be tomorrow. Whatever they are, I'm just hoping I can believe/relax with a negative result and not have a massive panic attack with a positive one.
I slept well last night because I took some Aleve PM, but woke up with a blocked nose (now fine) and have a bit of raspy voice. Still going back and forth with "is my throat sore?" and "are these body aches"? No fever, thankfully. Otherwise okay. But it also doesn't help that everyone and their mother is talking about Covid and being sick with Covid. I can't escape it, especially not in my own mind.
I keep telling myself I could just have a bit of a cold or a sinus infection. I've had some sinus issues during this pandemic and was always fine. I'm just kicking myself and wondering how I could have been exposed, if I even was.
It's sad, my friends are wanting to plan a vacation this summer as we have all just turned 30, but with things the way they are, there is just no way. My friends are perfectly comfortable going but I shudder to think of what it would do to me and my anxiety.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
The Summer is months away and things could be a lot better by then. Don't write it off, Poppy especially if you would really like to be included if circumstances are more stable?
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
It would be nice if things were better by then. I would like to go, even though it will cost money that I probably shouldn't spend. But there will be a lot of bars and outings so unless things were significantly better I don't know how comfortable I would be? I mean, I am currently off my rocker with fear (especially as a wave of exhaustion hit me about an hour ago) and I've been vaxed and boosted, mask everywhere, and haven't been engaging in anything high-risk. That trip would absolutely be high-risk.
I just wish it was all simpler. I swear, a pandemic is probably the hardest catastrophe for me to deal with, having HA. I'm sure it's true of many here. I went on a big camping trip to Canada in August 2019 with my best friend, and when I think of all the fun we had and things we did, it makes me so sad as I wonder if we'll ever be comfortable again.
So, that's my pity party. :emot-partyblower:
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
I feel for you,Poppy..You are young and healthy and deserve to be able to look forward to enjoyment and fun in your life. The pandemic has wrecked your life as you knew it and it's a battle to get your confidence back that things will improve. My daughter is your age and feels the same. Anxiety rules her life and she is terrified of covid and giving it to me..
I think that we will feel comfortable again but it will take time and evidence that life is really getting back to something like things were pre-pandemic. I think also that we will need to decide on what we really want to do and try and make that happen if at all possible. You need to be able to enjoy life again and not just endure and exist through the hours..
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
It really has, and it’s so unfortunate. I feel like I should be with friends, not to mention dating, but that’s a no for now. It just feels like there is no end in sight, so everything is slipping away.
I don’t have my results yet but they are backlogged so it might not be until tomorrow. I have some nasal congestion, but not much and I’ve had that before. I keep wondering if my throat feels scratchy - I know that’s a symptom but I can’t tell if it really is or if I’m imagining it because it is so subtle. Same with feeling a bit dizzy and tired - it definitely feels like a panic response but who knows?
It certainly doesn’t help that we got the weekly county numbers. The highest positive rate the entire pandemic in a week had been like 160 cases. This week? 1,202!
I just have to keep telling myself that I wasn’t really exposed and pray that is true because my mind is not doing well.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Poppy I hope your test is positive, you have mild symptoms and you will be building antibodies, that is all good.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
I’d honestly rather not have it at all. I am so afraid of long covid or giving it to my parents. So afraid of potential long term effects.
I don’t have my results yet but definitely have something. I don’t have a fever or anything but have a lot of nasal congestion and drainage. Maybe it could be something else though? I can still taste and smell fine. It’s just been hard to get through each day waiting for a new symptom to pop up or get worse.
I also have a history of having colds turn into bronchitis or pneumonia. In the past that was obviously easy to get addressed. But the urgent care centers, doctors offices, and hospital are all absolutely slammed right now so getting an appointment is nearly impossible. My own doc will only do telehealth for those things now, which doesn’t help because he can’t hear my lungs over the phone. So that’s really scary as well.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
I had Covid before Christmas Poppy and I had it very mildly. It was very much like a cold and I've only been left with a lingering cough which is quite common.
With regards to your history of bronchitis and pneumonia, if you are unlucky enough to get one of these still contact your doctor. They may prescribe antibiotics based on your history and the fact that you are familiar with the symptoms. I went through a period of time when I had a lot of sinus infections and because I knew the symptoms and tried over the counter remedies prior to phoning the GP they prescribed antibiotics without seeing me.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Thanks, Catkins.
I still don't have results. I emailed their line this morning and also left a phone message, so hopefully they get back to me, but honestly, even if it's negative I don't know what to think because I'm hearing some people initially test negative and then positive. But since it's a PCR and it was a saliva PCR I'm hoping it would be more accurate? They are saying that omicron starts more in the throat and then moves to the nose.
As for how I feel....just kind of crummy but overall not terrible? I can still taste and smell, no fever, no sore throat. I just have a lot of congestion in my nose (though I can still breathe through my nose) and a bit of sinus pain this morning. My costo is also acting up, which doesn't help my anxiety. I've been taking OTC remedies - Sudafed during the day and NyQuil at night - but may call my doctor for a telehealth appointment if I'm still having sinus pain on Monday/Tuesday.
I am bummed because my dad's birthday is today and my mom is picking up a cheesecake, but I can't participate. I also usually go to their house on weekends to go hiking with my dog, but can't do that so feel like I am letting him down. Kicking myself because I feel like there are all of four instances where I could have picked it up and constantly wondering which one it was and how I could have been so careless. Just a big ball of anxiety and sadness.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
If you get a negative test result before tomorrow you could still go? When I got it I hadn't knowingly been with anyone who had it.
I did have a heartening experience this week. I rang a work patient up to say I would be visiting that afternoon; she's in her 80's, has diabetes, disabled and is classed as high risk. I drove about 23 miles to get to her flat, pressed the intercom to tell I was there, she answered and said that she was very sorry she forgot she had Covid and so couldn't let me in. I thought that was such a positive, she was feeling so well in herself, she forgot she had it. She has all her facilities and is completely on the ball.
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
I think the very suggestion of having covid can strike so much fear into anxious people but maybe the reality of omicron is really not worthy of all the dread and terror? That's a very illuminating story, Catkins but I'm sorry you had a wasted journey!
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Re: Going tomorrow for a covid test
Catkins, that is good news!
Pulisa, I hope so. I think a big part of it is that there is just so much uncertainty and instability, both in general and surrounding covid. My anxiety is peaked for other, just general life reasons (finances for one, and the price of everything goes way up), and this is just fuel to the fire. It doesn't help either that there is just so much unknown, and doctors and hospitals are overrun, so it's really hard to find any kind of help if you need it. At least in the past if I got ill and it became something that needed medical attention, or if I was concerned about catching the flu, or whatever, it was just super easy to make a doctor's appointment and get it sorted. And I could go be around my parents and have them comfort me if needed. I think both of those things are making me feel especially alone and scared.
Had a brief panic attack this afternoon as I ordered soup to be delivered and I was like "this doesn't seem as spicy as it should" and I used hand sanitizer a little bit later and it smelled more bland than I remembered - so of course I then went around smelling all kinds of things just to make sure I could still smell. I think I can, maybe the sanitizer is just old (it's also been in the cold, so maybe that matters) but I do feel a bit certifiable.
Someone on my Facebook page is part of an MLM and has been posting about how she just flew to Florida for a few days in a condo and social outings with like 20 other women. The concept that someone could be so nonchalant absolutely blows my mind - she even has young children and is currently expecting (last year she went to something similar and brought her infant baby along!). I'm not trying to be judgmental, truly, but I just can't imagine not having any anxiety about such a thing, especially now. It must be nice.