Tasted positive

[Alice1990]

Hi all,

I don’t really know what I’ll be achieving from posting but I guess I’m in a massive state over this and just looking for any reassurance/ advice I guess.

I’m triple jabbed but unfortunately tested positive for covid yesterday. This has literally been my worst nightmare since this started. I’ve had very severe anxiety pretty much constantly due to it, having relief in between if I saw some positive news or if I knew I had a firm grip on my exposure risk.
So now that it’s finally arrived you can imagine the type of fear I am experiencing.

Has anyone else had a breakthrough infection and if so, how long did it last/ what happened?

[Carys]

I'm really sorry you are facing being so scared Alice, and considering you've done everything you can by having the jabs and being so careful it must feel doubly 'galling' (can't think of the right word here). I'm just guessing it will probably be the Omicron variant, seeing as its now our UK dominant strain and seems to be by-passing the jabs for some people. I haven't had it myself, but know of a number of people who have had it despite being triple-vaccinated, they have had a very mild version - on the level with a low grade cold. How are you feeling right now ?

[Alice1990]

Hi Carys,

Thanks so much for getting back to me.

IÂ’m glad that the people you know only had a mild case. I have been hearing about the Omicron variant for a while now, but as it stands IÂ’m trying not to look in to it. What I did hear is that it is seeming to be milder but I didnÂ’t want to speak/ get hopes up too soon.

I felt a bit sick yesterday, off my food and just generally not right. I also had a cotton wool like feeling in my throat... so far none of it has been anything major. I only took an LFT as I had an appointment today and wanted to be 100% sure, so I was shocked if anything when I did get the positive result.

[Carys]

I don't know what you are meant to do about a positive LFT nowadays its used to be that you were then required to do a PCR, but seeing as they seem almost impossible to attain as home tests at the moment........who knows.....did it say anything when you registered your Lateral flow on the gov site ?

I think your immunity must stand you in a strong place right now Alice, and I'm hoping that it will mean you have fight this off good and quickly. Hoping some others comes along soon to reply as there are a few members on here who I can think of off the top of my head who have contracted mild covid despite vaccinations. Actually, thats a strange way to say it really, it is more accurate to say that they have developed symptoms after contracting covid despite vaccination - as essentially loads of people (if not all of us eventually) will 'contract' covid, but hope that they have no symptoms.

[davey2k17]

I had issues getting an at home test carys and a lovely lady on the phone gave me some advice of checking at around lunch time everyday and low and behold the following lunch time I was able to order one to be delivered at home and it came this morning. Hope this helps 😊

[Catkins]

I'm tripled jabbed too and had Covid just before Christmas. My symptoms were mild, I had a sore throat for a couple of days, the odd headache and a cough (which is still on the go now as it can apparently last for a while).

I know it's frightening initially but in all likelihood you will have it mildly too. Make sure you have paracetamol in and if you start coughing Broncostop is good stuff.

My real fear of having Covid was that I could pass it on to someone. So my first reaction was panic followed by frantically contacting everyone that I had been in contact with. Fortunately the only one I might have passed it on to was my son, who was home for Christmas. But, he has has two flatmates that recently have had it, he was socialising over Christmas with a variety of people so it's not necessarily a done deal that I gave it to him. He is young, healthy and has no underlying health conditions and seems to be having it just as mildly as I did. He tested positive on a LFT last Wednesday and says he's already feeling a lot better.

For me it was maybe a week and now I have a lingering cough. To be honest, pre-covid, I have been to work and carried on with normal life whilst feeling much worse than I did with Covid.

When I had to isolate because of it I tried to build some routine into the day. I was sleeping separately from my husband and I have a tendency to wake up earlier than everyone else in the house, so while others slept, I would (whilst wearing a mask) do what jobs I had to do round the house. I then did some light exercise like yoga and I dedicated the afternoons to watching nonsense and crochet.

Try and keep as busy as your body will let you and the time will pass and return to normal.

[Alice1990]

Hi all,

Thanks again for the responses. Glad to hear that you and your son are doing ok @Catkins.

My fear has also been passing it on. I live with people who are a lot more vulnerable than myself so this has always been a big source of anxiety.

Thank you for the reassuring words @Carys.

I’ve had a range of things so far it seems. First it felt like a head cold- my ears felt all full and have also had a noticeable lack of appetite. Cough set in a bit more last night. Hoping I don’t get much more and see how things are in a few days.

Thanks again,

[Alice1990]

Currently having a total meltdown. I haven’t been able to sleep properly but tonight seems to top it all so far.

Racing thoughts will not stop. Constantly feeling that my chest is getting uncomfortable. Just frozen with panic.

I’m confined to a tiny room which I don’t think helps. So scared of just about everything right now.

[Catkins]

It definitely doesn't help being stuck in a tiny room with just your thoughts. Do all the things you can in the circumstances to distract yourself.

Have you propped yourself up in bed? That really helped me with sleeping and seemed to stop me coughing so much. The weird thing with it was that I had days when I felt fine, then I'd have a very disturbed night coughing and the next day felt worse again.

Try and build some routine into your day. Make sure you still get up and dressed, make your bed. I know it's not easy, but this will pass and you will start to feel better soon.

[pulisa]

Alice, it won't be your fault if you have passed this on to others in your household. Everyone is getting covid now and it doesn't appear to be nearly as serious an illness as it was last year. Don't let your anxiety convince you that you can't breathe? The more you fixate on this the more your chest will feel tight and abnormal.

I'm in my sixties and if my son or daughter were to pass it on to me I wouldn't want them to suffer from any guilt or needless anxiety. You didn't go out of your way to get infected..You were just living your life cautiously as we all are trying to do.