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Having Covid While Having COPD

Two weeks after I wrote an article about staying healthy, I sit here writing this and have tested positive for Covid. I am happy that I went for almost three years without getting it.

I knew it was bound to happen one of these days but still disappointed that I got it. My husband, Dave, and I barely go anywhere, but when we do, we still wear masks if we are indoors. We have no clue where we may have gotten this from.

Starting to feel ill

It started with my husband on Thanksgiving day. He woke up with chills and a fever. From that point, he masked up and stayed in the bedroom.

Our house is tiny, and we have no extra rooms, so he did his best to isolate himself. He only came out to use the bathroom and wore a mask every time.

Of course, we both slept in the same room the night before, and with our house as small as it is, there wasn't much we could do.

As careful as we were, I still got sick on Friday morning. Mine was a little different. I had nausea, a headache, dry heaves, and weakness. I couldn’t keep anything down for two days.

It is now Tuesday, and I am still weak, but not bad. I have a little cough.

Hopefully, that doesn’t go to my lungs. I probably wouldn’t have even taken a test, but I have a Dr. appointment on Thursday and wanted to see if I had it.

Taking precautions

I didn't want to pass anything on to anyone else. Unaware of which variant I have, I know it must not be a bad one, or I think I would be much worse.

It hasn’t been a walk in the park, but it has spared my lungs, at least so far, and I hope it continues that way.

I know Covid affects us all differently, just as our COPD does, but so far, so good.

From the start of Covid, I had a plan in place of things I would use and things I would do if we got Covid. For the most part, I did most of it: stay hydrated when I could move around as much as possible to keep my lungs working, get plenty of rest, etc.

I couldn't take the supplements I normally would take because I am on a new med now and cannot take anything while on it. I have had a few weird symptoms, though, and I don’t know if it’s Covid related or because of some other problems that I have going on right now.

How Covid affected me

The left side of my body is more affected than the right. I have a left-sided cluster headache and left breast pain. Not my heart, but like nerve endings in my breast.

I also have a left earache and a toothache on my left side. It has all been very odd. Who knows if it’s even related?

I feel very fortunate with my outcome of Covid. Having Alpha 1, we all know how much more frightening and damaging having Covid can have on us. It has been very scary even to imagine.

We all have lost so many COPD and Alpha-1 friends and family members of ours or know someone who has lost their friends and family to Covid over these last few years.

All of them are in my prayers, and I will never forget them. When I started writing this article, I felt better and thought I was over it, but I became ill about a day after writing it.

Just not feeling well and exhausted, and the cough continued as well. It took about three and a half weeks to feel normal again.

I still have times when my oxygen won't stay up with my activity. It will be exactly one month from first getting sick in two days. 

Have you had Covid yet? How did you do and deal with it? Please share with us in the comments below.

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This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The COPD.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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