Are any of you almost certain you had COVID but weren't tested?

[1GirlTwinBoys]

My DH and I are 99% sure we had it in Oct. We both lost sense of smell.  My symptoms were the following:

1st week: very fatigued, no appetite, occasionally felt achy, just felt "off" but didn't know why.

2nd week: very fatigued, no appetite, no smell, low grade fever for a couple days with bad headache

3rd week: no smell

It was definitely a different kind of sick.  I've had the actual flu several times and it didn't even come close to being as bad as that.

I know we should have got tested but we didn't and just stayed home.  Our 3 older teens also had been mildly sick, and we were around other people that tested positive.  

Just curious if anyone else really feels like they had it but weren't tested.  

[Guest]

If I had those symptoms I would absolutely get tested in order to contribute in some small way to the accuracy of data. It would also be crucial *for us* because my dh works in people’s homes and is even currently working in a nursing home so if anyone in our household is sick, it’s crucial to find out if he could carry COVID into these vulnerable populations. 

I thought this question was going to pertain to months ago when it was hard to get a test. 

I *did* wonder if I had it when I came back from Europe and had a light cough for ten days, mixed with headaches. If I had to put money on it, I would guess it was allergies, but if it had been easy to get a test back then I would have. 

[IfIOnly]

Yes, Jan of this year. Breathing issues for both DH and I. I've never been so sick. Usually I'm up after several days with the flu. I was laid out in bed for well over a week, maybe 2 weeks even. Weak for weeks after that. I honestly think that's why our COVID cases are so low here (OR), even though I know reinfection is possible. I've talked to many others who were really sick that winter as well.

Edited November 2, 2020 by IfIOnly

[BeachGal]

Your symptoms do sound suspiciously like Covid. If you're interested, some of the blood centers will test for Covid antibodies for free. It’s likely you would still have them.

Glad you all came out of whatever you had okay.

I've definitely been exposed but haven't had any symptoms.

[busymama7]

I was doubtful about all the people around me claiming they were sure that it was going around here in January/February.   But there was the fact that two teen girls in our circle had pneumonia during that time(they don't know each other so no contact).  I mean not impossible but made me wonder.

A friend we were around and could for sure have gotten sick from is totally convinced that they had it.  This was the end of February.  I was following along here and the consensus was that it wasn't going around that early because there would have been more hospitalizations and deaths etc and most tests early on (when they were harder to get) came back negative.  This made sense to me and I figured we didn't have it.

Until I leaned that my dad (who was at our house at the time my kids got sick) has not been able to taste or smell since then.  I have NO idea why they didn't tell us this sooner.  They told us in the spring that he was having a very difficult time due to being around animals and allergies and that his lungs "were in very bad shape" and so they had to protect him from covid.  My mom just told me about the taste/smell thing.  They got an antibody test recently but it was negative. I'm trying to get them to get someone experienced in covid to look at his lung x-rays from the spring but they are now convinced they didn't have it.    But I am not.  

[1GirlTwinBoys]

16 minutes ago, BeachGal said:

Your symptoms do sound suspiciously like Covid. If you're interested, some of the blood centers will test for Covid antibodies for free. It’s likely you would still have them.

Glad you all came out of whatever you had okay.

I've definitely been exposed but haven't had any symptoms.

Yes, I'm going to get the blood test.  I've heard they're not that accurate (at least they weren't back in June).

[KungFuPanda]

1 hour ago, IfIOnly said:

Yes, Jan of this year. Breathing issues for both DH and I. I've never been so sick. Usually I'm up after several days with the flu. I was laid out in bed for well over a week, maybe 2 weeks even. Weak for weeks after that. I honestly think that's why our COVID cases are so low here (OR), even though I know reinfection is possible. I've talked to many others who were really sick that winter as well.

It still could have been flu. I’ve had the flu a few times, but the one I got in 98 laid me up for weeks and I was weak for over a month. In general, I’m very healthy and I was in my 20s then. It was bad. 

[IfIOnly]

4 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

It still could have been flu. I’ve had the flu a few times, but the one I got in 98 laid me up for weeks and I was weak for over a month. In general, I’m very healthy and I was in my 20s then. It was bad. 

I could have been. The breathing difficulties (no secondary infections- pneumonia, bronchitis) during and after were something neither of had experienced before. That was very unique.

[The Governess]

I thought I had it back in January (I’m in CA) but the timing doesn’t quite fit. I’m suspicious, though, because my body reacted differently to this virus than it usually does. Usually when I get sick, my first symptom is swollen glands and general achiness from that, and a sore throat. Then congestion starts. This time I got none of that. My first symptom was a weird dry cough, absolutely no congestion. I otherwise felt fine and it was two days before other symptoms started. I’ve never had a cough as a first symptom. The cough developed into the absolute worst cough I have ever had and I had two days of a fever and miserable body aches that Advil didn’t touch at all. I did lose my sense of smell for a few days, but I can’t remember if it was with this virus or another cold I had last fall. Anyway, whatever this virus was stands out as being different than normal. I never got an antibody test, though, because by the time they were out I was worried it had been too long. 

[Elizabeth86]

6 hours ago, busymama7 said:

I was doubtful about all the people around me claiming they were sure that it was going around here in January/February.   But there was the fact that two teen girls in our circle had pneumonia during that time(they don't know each other so no contact).  I mean not impossible but made me wonder.

A friend we were around and could for sure have gotten sick from is totally convinced that they had it.  This was the end of February.  I was following along here and the consensus was that it wasn't going around that early because there would have been more hospitalizations and deaths etc and most tests early on (when they were harder to get) came back negative.  This made sense to me and I figured we didn't have it.

Until I leaned that my dad (who was at our house at the time my kids got sick) has not been able to taste or smell since then.  I have NO idea why they didn't tell us this sooner.  They told us in the spring that he was having a very difficult time due to being around animals and allergies and that his lungs "were in very bad shape" and so they had to protect him from covid.  My mom just told me about the taste/smell thing.  They got an antibody test recently but it was negative. I'm trying to get them to get someone experienced in covid to look at his lung x-rays from the spring but they are now convinced they didn't have it.    But I am not.  

My dad was sick in January and was hospitalized for pneumonia. My family also got sick around this time with what I would describe as the worst sickness we had been in years. My dad had a negative antibody test as well.  This seems to be the story I hear from many people. I suppose some really bad different sickness was floating around then.

[itsheresomewhere]

Yes.  A group of us had it in the beginning of the year.  It was not like the flu at all and most did lose taste and smell. I was the worst of my family but not in the group.  Most of the group did get pneumonia and one was very close to being hospitalized.  Now we all did get antibody testing when it became available and everyone one of us had antibodies. 
 

 

[Bambam]

We believe one of my kids had it. It was in March though, so they refused to test her twice. They did test for flu and for strep before telling me they would not test for COVID. If I had known that, we would have stayed home! She felt awful for 15 days, complained of it being hard to breathe, sore throat, very slight fever the last week, some coughing. Doctor said she probably had it and just stay home and do OTC stuff to help.  Probably took her another week to get back to normal - stamina and chest not sore any longer.

[elegantlion]

I believe I had it in late March. I was not tested as I had no insurance at the time and testing was limited in our area. I didn't lose my sense of smell, but I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest for nearly 3 weeks. This was unlike anything I've had before. I've had the flu and bronchitis and this was neither. I had been in an area with lots of cases the previous few weeks. 

Since then I've had the antibodies test, which came back negative, although it would have probably been outside of the time frame to have antibodies. 

I also had a pre-surgical Covid test a few weeks ago. It was negative. 

It took me until July before I could walk more than half a mile for exercise.

 

[Syllieann]

Dh is convinced he had it in February.  He had fever, severe fatigue, mild cough, and achiness.  Everyone in the house had gotten a flu shot.  We separated him in the house and the rest of us didn't get sick.

Whatever he was sick with came from work.   It was brought in by a man who had gotten it from his parents, who had been on a cruise in January.  While on the cruise the dad had a heart attack and was airlifted to a hospital in China.  He developed symptoms shortly afterward, then his wife and son got it.  The son brought it to dh's work where several got very sick.  (Everyone who got it at his work has also been vaccinated for flu.  I know you can still get flu, but I'd be shocked if it was this severe.). One was hospitalized.  None of the people who were sick in February have gotten covid since it has officially been here.  Dh got the antibody test in June and it was negative.

Edited November 2, 2020 by Syllieann

[Ottakee]

Sick in February.  Had "atypical pneumonia" on x ray.  Severe cough and difficulty breathing.  Never had pneumonia before.

Several coworkers with similar things....started by one that had traveled internationally.

[Excelsior! Academy]

I am absolutely certain my mother and her husband did back in February/March.  It was before the quarantine requirements.  They flew to another state.  During their trip home and shortly after they had typical Covid symptoms.  We didn't realize what it was until Covid details really hit the news and everything started locking down.  She said it was the sickest she had ever been in her life.  She is currently awaiting an antibody test to prepare for a medical procedure, so we may know for sure this week if that is what she had.

Edited November 2, 2020 by Excelsior! Academy

[Terabith]

2 hours ago, Excelsior! Academy said:

I am absolutely certain my mother and her husband did back in February/March.  It was before the quarantine requirements.  They flew to another state.  During their trip home and shortly after they had typical Covid symptoms.  We didn't realize what it was until Covid details really hit the news and everything started locking down.  She said it was the sickest she had ever been in her life.  She is currently awaiting an antibody test to prepare for a medical procedure, so we may know for sure this week if that is what she had.

If they had it before the lockdown, even if they actually did have it and had antibodies, they probably wouldn't have them anymore.