Since I work in public utilities, I and my team were deemed essential and have been working through the quarantine here. I worked with my supervisors and devised staggered schedules and every possible way to keep our groups as small as possible. So far it is working...except for me. Since I am in management, I had to work but kept myself separate from my field teams and it was a good thing I did because now I am sick. Wednesday afternoon, I was working from my home office and got a tickle in my throat. Ten minutes later I was coughing so hard I could barely stand. It was so fast!

I took OTC meds and an allergy pill and laid down for several hours and woke up feeling better, but the cough will not go away. Spoke to my doctor and I am isolating now, she said 7 days or 3 days after symptoms go away. Its day 3 and I dont feel horrible, but still that nagging cough. I keep checking my pulse oxygen saturation and temp (slight fever) and am doing ok. I am hoping whatever this is works itself out. I was told I do not meet the criteria for getting tested.

QP

Prayers for you, QP, try not to worry.  OK, I know you will worry, but try to meditate on good thoughts.

Sorry you are sick.  NO ibuprofen or Aspirin or  naproxen ONLY Tylenol!  Sounds like you will make it just fine.  Keep us up to date!

Thanks for the well wishes. I will definitely be avoiding the ibuprofen! I am encouraged that the symptoms are thus far mild and perhaps it is just a cold. I will let you know how it goes.

QP 

Well feel better QP. And as I haven't seen this advise on the board before perhaps slathering your chest with Vicks might help clear it and or provide some relief. My mother swears by it and it does help clear your chest of congestion.

I will give that a try, thanks!

QP

You could try a nasal wash, QP.  They say the virus may live in your nose several days before moving down into your lungs.  And if you drizzle honey down your throat and/or drink it in some green tea, it may reduce the viral load.

Ask your doc for a script for Tessalon Perles to quiet the cough. I see that a lot of docs are prescribing it for mild cases...it only quiets the cough - nothing else, not a cure or anything, but coughing can be very fatiguing. 

Get well soon QP.

quietprepr wrote: Since I work in public utilities, I and my team were deemed essential and have been working through the quarantine here. I worked with my supervisors and devised staggered schedules and every possible way to keep our groups as small as possible. So far it is working...except for me. Since I am in management, I had to work but kept myself separate from my field teams and it was a good thing I did because now I am sick. Wednesday afternoon, I was working from my home office and got a tickle in my throat. Ten minutes later I was coughing so hard I could barely stand. It was so fast! I took OTC meds and an allergy pill and laid down for several hours and woke up feeling better, but the cough will not go away. Spoke to my doctor and I am isolating now, she said 7 days or 3 days after symptoms go away. Its day 3 and I dont feel horrible, but still that nagging cough. I keep checking my pulse oxygen saturation and temp (slight fever) and am doing ok. I am hoping whatever this is works itself out. I was told I do not meet the criteria for getting tested. QP

Hi QP, it might be influenza, which is still circulating:

https://www.idse.net/Respiratory-Tract-Infections---Influenza/Article/03-20/Flu-Season-Is-Not-Over%3B-Remains-a-U.S.-Threat/57469 - https://www.idse.net/Respiratory-Tract-Infections---Influenza/Article/03-20/Flu-Season-Is-Not-Over%3B-Remains-a-U.S.-Threat/57469

You may wish to have a COVID-19 test taken if you haven't.  Hope you feel better, CRS

Thanks, I am hoping it is a mild flu. I was told I cannot be tested unless I am admitted to the hospital. So far, this is not too bad. I intend to just ride it out here. Will let you guys know if something changes for the better or worse.

Thanks for the ideas everyone!

QP

That's crazy, the criteria for being tested here is having a fever and cold/flu symptoms. I hope you feel better soon!

Hoping you have the Flu .......Good luck!....fingers crossed

pheasant wrote: Hoping you have the Flu .......Good luck!....fingers crossed

Look what its come to when we hope its the flu lol! I have been coughing for 10 days now. Still cannot get tested. I dont have a fever thankfully, but the cough is debilitating at times. Doctor doesnt want me to come in (I dont want to either!) and is sending prescription cough syrup through the mail. She told me to ride it out at home and come to the emergency room if my pulse oxygen level drops below 94%.

Here is San Francisco, apparently I can only get tested if I am admitted to the hospital. It is disheartening that this many weeks into this pandemic and we still cannot get testing here in one of the largest cities in the country!

QP

We have the same problem with tests here QP.  Aparently there is a worldwide shortage of one of the reagents.

Get well soon, Pal.

Hope you are all ok. QP and Tech.  i have  no doubt that you will recover.  One of my classmates  works for a power company and he is scared stiff.  he has started to drink again.  

Hope you feel much better soon.  Praying for your quick recovery   I do not know if you can get Mucinex where you are but it works really well. Also running a humidifier in your room with peppermint  oil. lnfusion may help as well

Did the Vicks work at all?

QP, I am so sorry that you are sick — and sorry that you cannot get tested. What a travesty.

Please know that I am pulling for and thinking of you — you’re going to beat this bug! Many blessings to you. 

So I am finally starting to feel better. I am still coughing but it is easing. I was never able to get tested. I was sent cough medicine in the mail. I am still in quarantine but hopefully another week or so and I will be better.

The Vick’s helped. The cough was absolutely terrible. I still get the occasional debilitating coughing fit.

Just trying to rest and get better.

Qp

Glad to hear you are better.  My bet is you had Covi19 no test needed...I would be careful the next few weeks this stuff does not give up.  Do you have an oximeter?  If you do use it if you go below 88%go to the hospital ASAP.

Ditto on what Flu mom said. Many people around here in Virginia who have tested positive go through 3 phases. Initial tickle in throat to major coughing high up to fever 101 to 103. This happens quickly. Then body aches sometimes intestinal with loss of taste and smell. Then phase 3 usually day 5 to 7 goes one way or other. You get better over next 7 to 10 days or your in deep respiratory failure with pulse oxygen being the only guide. Often slow drop on day 6 then rapid

quietprepr wrote: Thanks, I am hoping it is a mild flu. I was told I cannot be tested unless I am admitted to the hospital. So far, this is not too bad. I intend to just ride it out here. Will let you guys know if something changes for the better or worse. Thanks for the ideas everyone! QP

You MIGHT be lucky and have a mild case of COVID-19, like Prince Charles, which would give you some immunity without the lung damage caused by ventilator treatment!  We hope so! 

Well, I am finally feeling better and here is the update.

Was finally tested after being sick for over a month and came back negative. As soon as that result came, I was prescribed several inhalers and a round of antibiotics. Within a few days I began to improve and am no longer coughing. Haven't coughed for about 4 days now. Doctor said if I had tested positive, they would have given me no meds of any kind unless I was admitted to the hospital. She said current method is to let you try to beat it on your own unless hospitalized.

I am not back to normal yet, I am easily winded and I guess I will have to work on building my stamina back. Whatever this was really kicked my butt!

QP

Glad you are feeling better QP.  And glad it wasn't the Rona.

QP glad you are better!  Sounds like you had a bout of it!

It sounds now more like you had type B flu that has been going around and had a secondary a bacterial infection   If you got the flu shot in Fall it may have worn off when you got sick. Lack of smell and taste is in about 90% post COV19. It is very pronounced Hopethathelps