Hey TexAgs Family, I have sick the past week and wanted to share experiences since no one really knows anyone with Covid19. Do I know if I have it? I am not certain, but if not I sure have the symptoms. For background I am 34 years old and a multiple Ironman Triathlete. I am not a typical unhealthy patient.
Doctors told me to keep record of my symptoms and sickness experience the last 10 days. Do I have Covid19? Who knows they won't test me. I consider myself a fairly healthy and active person but had asthma when I was a little kid so I am one that might be affected by Covid.
Day 1:
Friday I had a pretty bad headache and figured I was coming down with something. I just figured it was from allergies as pollen was everywhere and started to have a little trouble breathing.
Day2:
Saturday we started to clean out the garage since we were stuck at home. I started having tightness and pain in my neck and back. It got to the point where I had to go inside and sit down. I ended up taking my temp and had a 101. I had started to cough and had a few asthma symptoms but I just thought it was the pollen. My fever got worse and felt like I was coming down to the flu. I was told not to go to the doctor without calling as they were trying to prevent spread. I called Baylor, Scott, and White by our house. They said not to come in and they would have a nurse call me back. 4 hours later I got a call back at 9:30 from their call center in Temple. They said to follow up with an Evisit and fill out the Covid questionnaire. But not to come in because they were only accepting patients that needed an ER and a ventilator. I wasn't there yet. The evisit system had crashed and was not working. I told the nurse and they said it would probably have to wait until Monday.
Day 3:
Sunday it was more of the same but my breathing and cough was worse. I was having more trouble breathing. I tried the evisits and they wouldn't work and called Scott and white urgent care again but no luck. They said they wouldn't see me unless I needed an ER. It felt like I was having an asthma attack but I figured I'd get through the night. Fever was still 102. Took NyQuil and mucinex and my rescue inhaler.
Day 4:
Monday it was more of the same. Breathing was getting worse. I had a pain in my throat from the coughing but the cough wasn't producing anything just making it hard to catch my breath. Evisits still didn't work. Called the hospital and they told me there was nothing I could do but possibly steam and continue with my rescue inhalers. I bought a Vick's sinus steam machine and it was the only thing that helped.
Day 5:
Tuesday I was not any better. Fever was 101 and my breathing was not great. Body aching all over. Cough was pretty bad and throat was really starting to be in pain from all the coughing. Only thing that gave temporary relief was the steam machine and sinus wash like a nettie pot. I called the urgent care again and told them about my problem. They said they wouldn't see me and to do the evisit. Evisit still wasn't working and I told her. After I got a little upset she told me to come to the hospital and they had a tent set up for screening.
I came to Scott and white. I had been sucking on cough drops trying to hold it together. They said I didn't fit the criteria because I was young and didn't need a ventilator. A doctor wouldn't see me so to go home and try the Evisit. I got a little pissed off and had a few choice words about the Evisits. I told her if all these doctors aren't seeing patients except for old people that need a ventilator what are the rest of them doing? She finally got a doctor and he said sorry hospital wouldn't let them treat me and to call my primary care doctor. I told him we had just moved here and I didn't have one. He asked me what prescriptions I had and he refilled them. He asked where I had been. I said Summit County Colorado. He acted like they had a lot of patients from there coming in. He said I probably had Covid 19, but they wouldn't test me because I was young and healthier than their older patients. He wrote me a stay at home note to quarantine myself for 14days. I told him I had an allergist and he said to call him.
My allergist who is an ENT was treating my allergy induced asthma and wouldn't talk to me. I was a little short with the nurse on the phone and told her he is treating my asthma and need to talk to him as I can't breathe. She said he wasn't seeing patients and to go to urgent care. Of course urgent care places weren't seeing patients either. I was pissed at this point. I know it wasn't the nurses fault she was just following her script but if my doctor doesn't care enough to even talk to me about my breathing problems when I am having asthma attacks then I said I was finding another doctor.
Tuesday night I had a serious asthma and coughing attack. I couldn't catch my breath and was to the point of going to the ER. It took 2 hours of breathing under steam and my rescue inhaler before I finally was able to settle down. I took a NyQuil and went to bed.
Day 6:
Wednesday was more of the same. Fever 101, achy, horrendous cough, and having trouble catching my breath. I called again and told them about what happened last night. They said again to stay home and continue with the steam and sinus wash. I called around and a family friend filled me a prescription for a nebulizer for asthma. It helped get my temporary relief.
Finally at 9 the evisit worked. Nurse wrote me a prescription for steroid asthma meds, 2 prescription nasal sprays, prescription cough meds and continue with my asthma meds and cough drops. Eating a couple cough drops an hour lead to reflux and so also reflux meds.
Breathing and coughing gets worse at night and took me forever to get it under control to actually fall asleep.
Day 7:
Thursday I was able to fill those prescriptions. Fever was down to 100 but still there. Cough and breathing are still really bad and not showing signs of getting better. Hard to carry on conversation without getting short of breath and coughing fit.
Family friend who is a doctor called to check in on me. We told him what was going on the day before. He spoke with a few ER docs with Baylor and doubled my steroid dosage and also told me to start monitoring my pulseOX levels and heart rate. If it got below 90% to go to the ER. I was at 92-93% and my heart rate over 110-120. It would spike to 130-140 from just getting up and walking to the bath room.
Continued with my steam treatment, nebulizer, and nettie pot 3 times a day. Those with cough drops were the only thing that gave any sort of relief. If I could control the cough for a little while I was able to take deeper breaths.
Day 8:
Friday Fever was down to 101-100. Throat was a little better. Breathing still short and has trouble keeping my breath in the morning. Pulse down to mid 90s. Pulse of 94%. Am I finally turning a corner? Who knows. A little better than the day before. Still short of breath when talking.
Day 9:
Saturday my throat is feeling a little better. First day with no fever. Steam, nettie pot, cough drops, and nebulizer are giving me enough time to breathe a little better.
Pulse down to mid to upper 70s pulseOX 94-95%. Still a cough and asthma but less painful.
Day 10:
Sunday my throat is even better. Having labored breathing but able to catch my breath finally. Cough is starting to be productive. Steam and nettie pot is helping with cough drops minimizing the cough. PulseOX 95-96% heart rate mid 70s. Tried to walk round the house, but heart rate shot up to above 130.
Day 11:
Monday is pretty much the same as Sunday. Heart rate is lower but still coughing with shortness of breath. Coughing being somewhat productive. Coughing up fluid and some mucus. Can't talk much or move around without heart rate sky rocking. Still just parked in bed or on the couch. Talking has a similar effect.
Doctors told me to keep record of my symptoms and sickness experience the last 10 days. Do I have Covid19? Who knows they won't test me. I consider myself a fairly healthy and active person but had asthma when I was a little kid so I am one that might be affected by Covid.
Day 1:
Friday I had a pretty bad headache and figured I was coming down with something. I just figured it was from allergies as pollen was everywhere and started to have a little trouble breathing.
Day2:
Saturday we started to clean out the garage since we were stuck at home. I started having tightness and pain in my neck and back. It got to the point where I had to go inside and sit down. I ended up taking my temp and had a 101. I had started to cough and had a few asthma symptoms but I just thought it was the pollen. My fever got worse and felt like I was coming down to the flu. I was told not to go to the doctor without calling as they were trying to prevent spread. I called Baylor, Scott, and White by our house. They said not to come in and they would have a nurse call me back. 4 hours later I got a call back at 9:30 from their call center in Temple. They said to follow up with an Evisit and fill out the Covid questionnaire. But not to come in because they were only accepting patients that needed an ER and a ventilator. I wasn't there yet. The evisit system had crashed and was not working. I told the nurse and they said it would probably have to wait until Monday.
Day 3:
Sunday it was more of the same but my breathing and cough was worse. I was having more trouble breathing. I tried the evisits and they wouldn't work and called Scott and white urgent care again but no luck. They said they wouldn't see me unless I needed an ER. It felt like I was having an asthma attack but I figured I'd get through the night. Fever was still 102. Took NyQuil and mucinex and my rescue inhaler.
Day 4:
Monday it was more of the same. Breathing was getting worse. I had a pain in my throat from the coughing but the cough wasn't producing anything just making it hard to catch my breath. Evisits still didn't work. Called the hospital and they told me there was nothing I could do but possibly steam and continue with my rescue inhalers. I bought a Vick's sinus steam machine and it was the only thing that helped.
Day 5:
Tuesday I was not any better. Fever was 101 and my breathing was not great. Body aching all over. Cough was pretty bad and throat was really starting to be in pain from all the coughing. Only thing that gave temporary relief was the steam machine and sinus wash like a nettie pot. I called the urgent care again and told them about my problem. They said they wouldn't see me and to do the evisit. Evisit still wasn't working and I told her. After I got a little upset she told me to come to the hospital and they had a tent set up for screening.
I came to Scott and white. I had been sucking on cough drops trying to hold it together. They said I didn't fit the criteria because I was young and didn't need a ventilator. A doctor wouldn't see me so to go home and try the Evisit. I got a little pissed off and had a few choice words about the Evisits. I told her if all these doctors aren't seeing patients except for old people that need a ventilator what are the rest of them doing? She finally got a doctor and he said sorry hospital wouldn't let them treat me and to call my primary care doctor. I told him we had just moved here and I didn't have one. He asked me what prescriptions I had and he refilled them. He asked where I had been. I said Summit County Colorado. He acted like they had a lot of patients from there coming in. He said I probably had Covid 19, but they wouldn't test me because I was young and healthier than their older patients. He wrote me a stay at home note to quarantine myself for 14days. I told him I had an allergist and he said to call him.
My allergist who is an ENT was treating my allergy induced asthma and wouldn't talk to me. I was a little short with the nurse on the phone and told her he is treating my asthma and need to talk to him as I can't breathe. She said he wasn't seeing patients and to go to urgent care. Of course urgent care places weren't seeing patients either. I was pissed at this point. I know it wasn't the nurses fault she was just following her script but if my doctor doesn't care enough to even talk to me about my breathing problems when I am having asthma attacks then I said I was finding another doctor.
Tuesday night I had a serious asthma and coughing attack. I couldn't catch my breath and was to the point of going to the ER. It took 2 hours of breathing under steam and my rescue inhaler before I finally was able to settle down. I took a NyQuil and went to bed.
Day 6:
Wednesday was more of the same. Fever 101, achy, horrendous cough, and having trouble catching my breath. I called again and told them about what happened last night. They said again to stay home and continue with the steam and sinus wash. I called around and a family friend filled me a prescription for a nebulizer for asthma. It helped get my temporary relief.
Finally at 9 the evisit worked. Nurse wrote me a prescription for steroid asthma meds, 2 prescription nasal sprays, prescription cough meds and continue with my asthma meds and cough drops. Eating a couple cough drops an hour lead to reflux and so also reflux meds.
Breathing and coughing gets worse at night and took me forever to get it under control to actually fall asleep.
Day 7:
Thursday I was able to fill those prescriptions. Fever was down to 100 but still there. Cough and breathing are still really bad and not showing signs of getting better. Hard to carry on conversation without getting short of breath and coughing fit.
Family friend who is a doctor called to check in on me. We told him what was going on the day before. He spoke with a few ER docs with Baylor and doubled my steroid dosage and also told me to start monitoring my pulseOX levels and heart rate. If it got below 90% to go to the ER. I was at 92-93% and my heart rate over 110-120. It would spike to 130-140 from just getting up and walking to the bath room.
Continued with my steam treatment, nebulizer, and nettie pot 3 times a day. Those with cough drops were the only thing that gave any sort of relief. If I could control the cough for a little while I was able to take deeper breaths.
Day 8:
Friday Fever was down to 101-100. Throat was a little better. Breathing still short and has trouble keeping my breath in the morning. Pulse down to mid 90s. Pulse of 94%. Am I finally turning a corner? Who knows. A little better than the day before. Still short of breath when talking.
Day 9:
Saturday my throat is feeling a little better. First day with no fever. Steam, nettie pot, cough drops, and nebulizer are giving me enough time to breathe a little better.
Pulse down to mid to upper 70s pulseOX 94-95%. Still a cough and asthma but less painful.
Day 10:
Sunday my throat is even better. Having labored breathing but able to catch my breath finally. Cough is starting to be productive. Steam and nettie pot is helping with cough drops minimizing the cough. PulseOX 95-96% heart rate mid 70s. Tried to walk round the house, but heart rate shot up to above 130.
Day 11:
Monday is pretty much the same as Sunday. Heart rate is lower but still coughing with shortness of breath. Coughing being somewhat productive. Coughing up fluid and some mucus. Can't talk much or move around without heart rate sky rocking. Still just parked in bed or on the couch. Talking has a similar effect.
