The 'I have some sort of lurgy but don't know if it is corona or just a cold' thread

[elbows]

The range of survivable body temperatures in humans isnt very large, there is no way any of the temperatures you've mentioned in recent months are anything approaching the reality of your body temp. Honestly, you are probably just winding yourself up with those useless numbers, no number at all would be better than the ones your thermometers are giving you!

 

[gentlegreen]

The range of survivable body temperatures in humans isnt very large, there is no way any of the temperatures you've mentioned in recent months are anything approaching the reality of your body temp. Honestly, you are probably just winding yourself up with those useless numbers, no number at all would be better than the ones your thermometers are giving you!

But it's two identical thermometers bought several years apart at the local chemist's and claim 1 percent accuracy .

 

[gentlegreen]

I'm not actually bothered ... doubtless were I actually to get a fever I could treat it as a relative datum.

 

[elbows]

But it's two identical thermometers bought several years apart at the local chemist's and claim 1 percent accuracy .

I dont care, they are either faulty or you are using them wrong. You know this too, which is why you say things like 'thermometers still having a laugh'.

People do vary with their average normal temperatures, and older people tend to have a slightly lower temp, and temperature varies throughout the day (often lower in the morning). But not by the amounts some of your readings suggest. Maybe some of your readings are just about within the bounds of the possible, but some certainly arent.

 

[gentlegreen]

I suck on them repeatedly, stick them under my tongue - once under my armpit - pre-warm them ...they are specified as oral thermometers.
what else is left ?
The government instructs us to keep an eye on our temperature - the Covid19 research asks thousands of people to do so .

So Lloyds chemists are selling hundreds of massively inaccurate thermometers at a time when it's important ?

 

[2hats]

Get a decent digital tympanic thermometer (for consistency of reading).

 

[David Clapson]

What about a fingertip pulse oximeter? This article persuaded me it's just the thing to help you decide when to call the ambulance. You wouldn't want to leave it too late and be one of those people who dies when they could have been saved. Sorry if I'm being alarmist and morbid, but, y'know. Not such a bad way to spend forty quid. Opinion | The Infection That’s Silently Killing Coronavirus Patients

 

[elbows]

I suck on them repeatedly, stick them under my tongue - once under my armpit - pre-warm them ...they are specified as oral thermometers.
what else is left ?
The government instructs us to keep an eye on our temperature - the Covid19 research asks thousands of people to do so .

So Lloyds chemists are selling hundreds of massively inaccurate thermometers at a time when it's important ?

I cant tell you why your results are bad, but they surely arent much use to you or anyone else - they dont sound right so nobody can give good advice based on them, and if such numbers were submitted for population surveys they would be disregarded as bad data.

 

[elbows]

What about a fingertip pulse oximeter? This article persuaded me it's just the thing to help you decide when to call the ambulance. You wouldn't want to leave it too late and be one of those people who dies when they could have been saved. Sorry if I'm being alarmist and morbid, but, y'know. Not such a bad way to spend forty quid. Opinion | The Infection That’s Silently Killing Coronavirus Patients

Well I've not been impressed with this side of public health in the pandemic, far too many people have been left at home with lack of clear advice about when they should call for additional help, what various warning signs are. But I'm not much good at giving individuals specific health advice, it doesnt feel like my place to say what is reasonable and what is over the top. I suppose if I bought one it would be with the hope and expectation that I'd not actually need to use it, and thats probably why I havent even gotten round to considering buying one. But if thoughts on this front bothered me then it might seem like a bargain.

 

[gentlegreen]

I bought an oximeter, but had it delivered to work just as lockdown happened
I'm determined not to miss out on stuff as I get older - as it is I use cycling performance on the way to work as my key indicator of health - commuting kept me healthy too ..

 

[David Clapson]

At least the people dying at home are helping to keep the government's death count low. So oximeters should be banned. Or the price should be put up, to keep them out of reach of the genetically inferior.

 

[Epona]

I have hayfever right now, I get it every year when the Beech tree outside comes to life. The pollen count has been awful and I have itchy eyes and a runny nose. I know it isn't Corona but I still want to post about it.

 

[gentlegreen]

After months of being surrounded, but untouched by this pestilence, my snotty nose has finally dried-up.
I reckon this presumably bacterial infection - mild bronchitis / sinusitis / snottiness - would probably have cleared-up weeks ago if I was still out cycling twice a day.

On account of having been using up my annual leave, I'm six weeks / 300 miles down.

Since it's supposed to be sunny tomorrow, I may have to make an effort to put in 10 miles or so ...

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I've got something.

Started coughing this afternoon (occasional not frequent / continuous)

Feel generally crap

Don't think I've got a temperature (haven't got the means to test)

While I only drive a desk, I'm considered key worker and working from home doesn't really work.

Will have to see how things are tomorrow - don't think it's anything more than a bog standard cold but don't want to cause alarm by coughing too much

 

[Callie]

I've got something.

Started coughing this afternoon (occasional not frequent / continuous)

Feel generally crap

Don't think I've got a temperature (haven't got the means to test)

While I only drive a desk, I'm considered key worker and working from home doesn't really work.

Will have to see how things are tomorrow - don't think it's anything more than a bog standard cold but don't want to cause alarm by coughing too much

Get tested?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Get tested?

Will see - employer did put something round about getting tested but it meant driving 30 miles in one direction or 40 miles in the other, and not sure what the latest advice is - whether you should self isolate for a few days and see if you get better before doing the testing thing.

If I still feel crap in the morning, I'll seek employer's advice rather than going in.

 

[Callie]

Will see - employer did put something round about getting tested but it meant driving 30 miles in one direction or 40 miles in the other, and not sure what the latest advice is - whether you should self isolate for a few days and see if you get better before doing the testing thing.

If I still feel crap in the morning, I'll seek employer's advice rather than going in.

Sounds like a good plan hope it's nowt and you feel better soon!

 

[Puddy_Tat]

thanks

 

[Puddy_Tat]

just to update - felt fairly crap tuesday / wednesday

in normal circumstances, would probably have taken some sort of cold remedy and gone in to work and coughed and sneezed a bit on tuesday, but manager agreed it was better not to take chances, so had a couple of days off.

but fairly confident it was just a mild-ish cold. no temperature and not a continuous (or even frequent) cough

less crappy today.

 

[Steel Icarus]

Feeling on the cusp of some illness. Tickly scratchy cough, bit short of breath, headache all day.

 

[Riklet]

Feeling on the cusp of some illness. Tickly scratchy cough, bit short of breath, headache all day.

Sorry to hear that, make sure you self isolate if pos. The shortness of breath is def common with confirmed covid cases.

 

[gentlegreen]

I've had a bit of hayfever recently, but I have a few symptoms today .. slight cough , sore throat, neck glands, head pressure, but no raised temp ... all slight and not inclined to reach for the paracetamol....that don't quite fit. Especially since it' been damp and grey the past 24 hours.
I feel like I've been dragged through a hedge and would probably have called in sick.

I suppose it could be the same bacterial lurgy I had at the start of this as the snot never quite stopped ... I'd put that down to inactivity...

I've been more careful than many others I see when shopping - ....perhaps a bit less anal recently when handling salad packaging etc ...so I can't see how I could have caught something new of any kind.

I'm moderately seriously depressed, but these are real (slight) symptoms.
I did cut mouldy bits off my bread on Monday, before toasting it

 

[gentlegreen]

I just heard a healthy younger neighbour with a dry cough driving away somewhere with partner and two kids....

 

[IC3D]

I'd address your depression. By address seek support from another human being. With a qualification in treating depression. If not. You can use oral thermonitors rectally for a more accurate reading. But do t do this, do the first thing and take care.

 

[gentlegreen]

I'd address your depression. By address seek support from another human being. With a qualification in treating depression. If not. You can use oral thermonitors rectally for a more accurate reading. But do t do this, do the first thing and take care.

So your diagnosis is that because I have no apparent route of contagion, it must be psychosomatic ?
Well, I have just done work on a neighbour's pushbike without proper precautions - (neighbours both working - one in public transport)

If there has been one "plus" in my life it has been that I am sensitive to my (usually much healthier than average) physical condition and even at the depths of depression or anxiety I have never noticed any correlation/causation.

I'm just on the edge of feeling I might benefit from a 500mg of paracetamol and 5mg of codeine.
I've just had my daily 200mg of caffeine and a bit of food, so I will see how that plays out.
I've just turned 60 - an age where others are apparently constantly in need of patent medicines, so perhaps this is to be expected ...

As for the depression, it's directly attributable to life events, but I will have no hesitation in going through the motions to get an SSRI prescription, but I'm holding fire for a bit ... there will definitely not be any therapy after last time ...

 

[IC3D]

You said you were depressed and like me it appears to be caused by anxiety. Your gardens looking good BTW. Well done.

 

[Callie]

I just heard a healthy younger neighbour with a dry cough driving away somewhere with partner and two kids....

Lots of people cough....all the bloody time when you start focussing on it (touches face ...that too ) I think it has to be new and more than usual/continuous.

 

[gentlegreen]

Lots of people cough....all the bloody time when you start focussing on it (touches face ...that too ) I think it has to be new and more than usual/continuous.

I haven't stopped picking my nose
But my little finger nail is a lot cleaner than before - given the amount of handwashing and nail-scrubbing I'm doing now
The thing is, in the normal course of events there is zero pickable snot except for my annual lurgy - apart from the explosive amount when hay-fever strikes - which is a lot less frequently these days...

 

[Epona]

We just had our first experience of being randomly ill in the Covid era - Nate caught a cold (possibly from the little coughing without a face mask scumbag on the bus when we took our cat to the vet - first trip on public transport since 24th March) - it was clear it wasn't Coronavirus, more a case of Oh my fucking sinuses and how much snot is possible? It set Nate's asthma off though and he ended up contacting the GP towards the end of last week and had to pick up an extra inhaler because he was getting through them quicker than normal.

On the road to recovery now. Getting a cold is worrying these days.

 

[gentlegreen]

I got knackered after 3 days back at work and felt my neck glands stiffen - it had me worried for a bit as we're not wearing masks at work...
Pretty sure it was partly the SSRI I'm taking - plus I'm STILL slightly snotty and I have to keep cleaning my teeth in the night to stop remembering my dinner....Not sure what's going on....