A growing COVID-19 variant has taken off this holiday season...

[NWSkiGirl]

I ski with an 87 year old woman. She was a First Responder in NYC on 911 who lost most of one lung and part of the other to lung cancer. She's my Energizer Bunny who just keeps going and going. Her doctor suggested that she stop skiing, but she is determined, even if she has to stay on Greens in the future.

Two weeks ago, she had an Angioplasty and stent inserted. They kept her in the hospital overnight as a precaution.

The hospital put a Covid positive woman in my friend's room!!!! She said that the woman coughed all night.

This is normally where I stand on my soapbox and preach about having an advocate for anyone in the hospital. That generation is obedient to whatever the doctor says. Someone should have insisted that the woman be moved.

My friend got Covid 4 days later. She has been throughly vaccinated for Covid due to her ongoing lung cancer treatments. (Any comments on the efficacy of the vaccine are political and not necessary.)

Who in their right mind doesn't quarantine a Covid positive person, but especially around an 87 year old lung cancer survivor?

My friend is recovering, but she's weak. Coughing. Sleeping a lot.

Prognosis? Expected to recover. Skiing in 4 weeks.

That’s such a sad story! Astonishing. Is that even legal? Glad she keeps going!

The doctors in the facilities in my area are now masking up again. For a while they didn’t, and my baby’s too young to wear a mask so she was at risk during her doctor’s appointments. I’ll be so happy when she’s healthy enough to not worry about that!

 

[snoWYmonkey]

I have not used a neti-pot, have never tried one. You find this helpful for sinus pain and congestion? I’ve been taking Sudafed which helps a lot with the sinus pressure. It just doesn’t work long enough each time and my nose runs and runs and runs still..

I love my neti pot. Doctors at National Jewish even suggested it for my allergies, but had been noticing potting since I was a child, as my granny, a pharmacy tech born in the late 1800s always used that method when I was getting sick.

 

[santacruz skier]

I have not used a neti-pot, have never tried one. You find this helpful for sinus pain and congestion? I’ve been taking Sudafed which helps a lot with the sinus pressure. It just doesn’t work long enough each time and my nose runs and runs and runs still..

Yes neti pot works very well

 

[TNtoTaos]

I tested positive for Covid this morning. I’ve been feeling kinda bad since Wednesday afternoon but tested Thursday and Friday and it was negative so I thought I had a cold. Felt worse last night so tested again and glad I did so I won’t be infecting anyone around the holidays! I’m quarantining but really don’t feel too bad today. I got Paxlovid but I can’t decide whether to take it or not. I will be masking up a lot more going forward this Winter. I got the latest Covid shot just 7 days ago so probably waited too long to get that. Be careful everyone!

SO sorry to hear this! Good thing you found out in time. Hopefully it will be a mild illness and you get better quickly!

 

[contesstant]

Yeah I have seen some other reports of these sorts of symptoms as well.. definitely what worries me with being around others. Did she test positive on a home test?

Yes, a home test.

 

[TNtoTaos]

I am sick currently.. started Thursday night and then yesterday way worse along with today.... I tested today and was negative, SO is going to get some additional tests tonight so we can test again in the morning. The tests we used were technically expired, and older. I’ve been hearing that at home tests aren’t as good at picking up newer variants and I am not sure if that’s in general or if newer tests have been tweaked for newer variants or what.

Supposed to do family holiday dinner tomorrow, but I am not sure I’m going even if I’m Covid free. Obviously I wouldn’t go if positive. But depends if I still feel so awful too and if I can realistically wear a mask because my nose has been running so constantly. I feel like everyone is still going to want me to go.. whereas I’d be like heck no if someone else was this sick coming to Christmas gatherings. Lol

What a bummer! It can take several days to test positive, so the next couple of days should tell. Here's the webpage to see which at-home tests have had their exp dates extended (it's a very long list, and not necessarily in any particular order): At-Home Covid Test Exp Dates They should be pretty accurate, as this is still an Omicron strain.
Maybe the best Christmas present you can give your family is to not attend the dinner? Get well soon!

 

[santacruz skier]

Yes hope you continue to test negative but consider neti-pot to clear out your sinuses. I also have prescription Azelastine nasal spray that really helps with congestion/sinus issues.

 

[VickiK]

Neti pot does help with congestion. I use a mild saline solution. A nebulizer with a highly diluted solution of food-grade hydrogen peroxide also helps with upper respiratory issues.

 

[MissySki]

Thanks everyone! I am feeling a lot better most of the time now. On occasion I suddenly feel crappy again, but much better than Friday and Saturday. Have continued to test negative for Covid. I did go to a family gathering on Sunday, because I woke up feeling sooooooo much better than I had been. But only after we consulted with everyone who’d be in attendance that I was considering staying home. Turns out everyone else was either getting over a cold/testing negative for Covid as well (one seemingly with a similar sinus type of thing) or had the sniffles already, so they were not concerned with adding me into the mix. Perhaps not the wisest thing to exchange all of our germs still, but it was a really nice day and I tried to keep my distance as much as possible. The key things for me were that my nose stopped running nonstop, so I wasn’t needing to blow it there. And because my overall head fluid wasn’t overwhelming I wasn’t constantly coughing from postnasal drip either. Made sure I had freshly medicated before arriving so that those symptoms stayed in check throughout.

Still not feeling 100%, and things seem to get exacerbated with cardio like taking Sookie for our morning walk/jog yesterday and today. Hoping it all disappears soon.

 

[teppaz]

Adding to the sinus discussion: I've long had issues with stuffed sinuses and what works for me is steam inhalation— the low-tech version, which looks pretty much like this. I grew up in France where it's very common but it doesn't seem as widespread in the US. In fact I bought my plastic inhaler on a trip to France, and whenever I'm there I stock up on capsules to dissolve in the hot water. It works wonders. (Eucalyptus essential oil works as well and is easy to find in the US but you have to be careful with the dosage and not put too much in the hot water.)

Since it's a bit cumbersome when traveling, I carry the Xlear nasal spray.

 

[santacruz skier]

I’ve been known when traveling to dry climates to cover my nose with a steaming hot washcloth upon waking..

 

[Pequenita]

Right now, if someone says, “I have a cold” or “I feel a cold coming on” I run!
ok not really, but I am suspicious of anyone who has “a cold”.
And then I steer clear.

Or, "allergies."

Amusingly, though, I went to a small holiday dinner last night, and I reached out to shake the hand of someone I was meeting when they told me they weren't shaking hands. Okay, fine, I am not offended by that, but given the context -- 10 people at an in-home dinner crowded around a table -- it really did not make sense.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Or, "allergies."

Amusingly, though, I went to a small holiday dinner last night, and I reached out to shake the hand of someone I was meeting when they told me they weren't shaking hands. Okay, fine, I am not offended by that, but given the context -- 10 people at an in-home dinner crowded around a table -- it really did not make sense.

The fecal oral route is real and noro viruses are nasty buggers. Maybe they have a GI medical issue and need to reduce the risk.

The number of women who never wash their hands after using the restroom amazes me...ans creeps me out. Now that would be an awkward meet and greet. Many countries don't do the hand shake at all. I kinda like that approach.

 

[contesstant]

The fecal oral route is real and noro viruses are nasty buggers. Maybe they have a GI medical issue and need to reduce the risk.

The number of women who never wash their hands after using the restroom amazes me...ans creeps me out. Now that would be an awkward meet and greet. Many countries don't do the hand shake at all. I kinda like that approach.

Utah has high rates of norovirus going around right now, too. I'm sure that will get better with the holidays (not!) I'm avoiding the gondolas again. And yeah, don't wash your hands? Ewwww...

 

[ski now work later]

I am sick currently.. started Thursday night and then yesterday way worse along with today. Feels like it is all in my sinuses.. tons of pressure in my forehead and face, cough from post nasal drip, nose running like a sieve, sneezing... Doesn’t feel like my lungs are involved currently, thankfully. No sore throat, no fever etc. Really frustrating though, I haven’t been sick in so long and it is reminding me how awful it is. I feel completely miserable. I tested today and was negative, SO is going to get some additional tests tonight so we can test again in the morning. The tests we used were technically expired, and older. I’ve been hearing that at home tests aren’t as good at picking up newer variants and I am not sure if that’s in general or if newer tests have been tweaked for newer variants or what. SO had the same illness earlier this week and is pretty much fine now.. I either caught it from him or it just took longer to hit me. I also just got my flu shot and Tetanus at my yearly physical Tuesday as I still felt fine, so I wonder if I was unknowingly fighting something off and then my immune system got hammered with all sorts of extra stuff to deal with.

Supposed to do family holiday dinner tomorrow, but I am not sure I’m going even if I’m Covid free. Obviously I wouldn’t go if positive. But depends if I still feel so awful too and if I can realistically wear a mask because my nose has been running so constantly. I feel like everyone is still going to want me to go.. whereas I’d be like heck no if someone else was this sick coming to Christmas gatherings. Lol

Oh now, this on top of your concussion? That BLOWS.

 

[MissySki]

Oh now, this on top of your concussion? That BLOWS.

Indeed, December hasn’t been a fun month for me! :(

BUT my concussion symptoms subsided quickly after only a few days, which I am very grateful for. And I am very much on the mend from this head cold, or whatever it is. So hopefully it’ll all soon be far behind me.

 

[skinnyfootskis]

I have not used a neti-pot, have never tried one. You find this helpful for sinus pain and congestion? I’ve been taking Sudafed which helps a lot with the sinus pressure. It just doesn’t work long enough each time and my nose runs and runs and runs still..

Neti, or Neil-med squeeze bottles work great. Just make sure you use distilled water!

 

[santacruz skier]

Neti, or Neil-med squeeze bottles work great. Just make sure you use distilled water!

Or boil water first!

 

[Pequenita]

Yeah, I don't want to read about a Massachusetts/RI woman getting brain eating amoeba from using a nasal rinse.

When I moved out to CA, every time I had a nasal issue, the treatment when I sought it from my MD included nasal rinsing, whereas back east it was a fringe practice in the yoga community.

 

[santacruz skier]

Well I have to say I used to get sinus infections and then needed antibiotics until I started using neti-pot when sinus/congestion issues. But I am religious about always having boiled water in my electric kettle and then will microwave before using with nasal solution. So far, so good. It's probably been 10 years.