What nobody tells you about having Covid-19

Symptoms can be severe, mild or absent altogether. Some people recover from COVID-19 with no problems, while others are left with lingering effects.

Symptoms can include:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhoea

From my own experience, I have noticed that other symptoms aren't spoken about enough. For example, I experienced extreme pain around my middle abdomen into my back, lower back pain, nightmares, loss of appetite and severe brain fog. I feel that it is essential to mention these so that other people can be assured that they're not alone with less spoken about symptoms.

REST REST REST! It is vital to rest as much as possible and let your body do its job. Use this time to read your favourite book or get into a new Netflix series. Also, I would recommend that you switch off your phone to avoid stress triggers such as emails, social media, etc. This is the one time you can shut off from your daily life. If you have children, this may be a bit more difficult, so in that instance, only complete your essential tasks. Maybe you can write a list of everything that you need to do to come back and complete these tasks once you have recovered.

When you finally begin to get your appetite back, letting the cravings kick in can be easy. You may notice that you are leaning towards ordering a pizza, reaching for those processed foods; however, this can actually feed into the virus. The best thing you can do at this stage is give your body the nutrients it needs to heal. Try and include lots of immune-boosting foods in your diet. This includes making some green smoothies, filling your plate with lots of green vegetables and drinking plenty of water. Avoid sugary foods if possible, as this can also slow down the recovery process.  

What next? 

One you have hit the peak of the virus, you should feel better as the days go on, which means you might be tempted to start doing more. However, don't fall into doing too much too soon. This will only delay the healing process more. Ideal first steps could be sitting in the garden, going for a short walk and slowly regaining your strength. You may still feel breathless at this stage, so just listen to your body and don't push it too much. It can be challenging to pull back and do less, especially if you are a busy person, but this will enable you to be more productive in the long run. If you are itching to get back to the gym then you could perhaps begin with some gentle yoga and deep breathing exercises.

Some people may experience something called 'Long Covid' where your symptoms continue past the virus itself. If this is you or someone you know, you can read more about this in our 'Long Covid' blog. 

‍

Are you struggling with Covid? View our long covid course here for bespoke advice from our experts: https://my.salus.org.uk/index.php/long-covid-course-page/