Caution: This is my own covid experience, am sharing my PHI (Personal Health Information) in public hoping this may help at least one or two who could suffer like me.
I had covid-19 symptoms on April 17th, 2021, I did not want to assume the worse, hence wanted to give some time and observe the changes in my body. Finally, tested for covid and Yes, it was Positive !!!
Symptoms — Corona Wave 2 — India
The below symptoms are based on my(family) experience during COVID.
Fever, Cold, Cough, Throat pain, Nausea, Head Ache, Back / Body Pain, Loss of appetite, Loose Stools, eye irritation, no smell/taste.
My Day-wise Symptoms, Medications, Foods, Other Practices
Day 1: During the night I experienced mild fever but my vitals were normal and I was able to be myself despite the fever.
Day 2: After taking paracetamol (Dolo 650), my temperature dropped but I started to cough and had severe back/body pain.
Day 3: My body pain and fever reduced, but I was coughing severely and could not smell or taste. By evening my Rt-PCR result said Positive (ORF-23, E-30, N-22), I went into Self Isolation.
Day 4: One of my friend who just recovered suggested me to take the medicines that had cured him so I was following his instructions.
Tablets and Other Equipment: A paracetamol to control my fever, an antibiotic and a Vitamin C Chewable tablet, Oximeter to measure Oxygen, Water steamer for inhaling steam.
Foods & Other Practices I followed:
- Gargle with hot water and add a pinch of rock salt to it.
- Daily morning, I consumed this on my empty stomach — Boil the following with one glass of water and reduce it to half a glass. (one slice of Lemon + one slice of amla + one slice of Ginger + one spoon of Cumin seeds + one spoon of turmeric powder + 10–15 Whole pepper)
- Morning — Hot Ginger Tea / Coffee
- Water steam 1 — Water infused with Turmeric, eucalyptus oil/balm, neem, piece of lemon, karpooravalli leaves.
- Morning Breakfast — low-oil food + One Egg / Boiled Black channa
- Noon (Fruits) — Orange / Mosambi / Apple / Pomegranate Juices or Hot and Sour Vegetable Soup
- Lunch — oil-less food + One Egg / Cooked Green Vegetables
- Three Hours of Sleep in the afternoon
- Water steam 2 — Water infused with Turmeric, eucalyptus oil/balm, neem, piece of lemon, karpooravalli leaves.
- Evening — Hot Ginger Tea / Coffee
- Dinner — Light and oil-less food
- Sleep for about 7–8 hours at night.
Day 5: Chennai Corporation had put up a notice outside my house, that stated ‘covid positive patients’ and advised me to do the screening (take CT for CHEST) to know much it had affected me, and my total CT score was 5/25–20% affected. The corporation worker (Mr.Ambikumar Thangavelu) was very polite and helpful in asking what we wanted him to buy from outside.
Then I consulted my family doctor to get an opinion about the CT scan result and medication, he advised me to get permission from the government hospital for home quarantine and said hospitalization was not required as my Oxygen levels are above 95.
Foods & Other Practices I followed: Same as Day 4 + Kabasura Kudineer
Day 6: As suggested by my family doctor, I went to Govt Stanley Hospital (Chennai) to get permission for home quarantine, After 1 hour of waiting in a seated queue was able to meet the doctor, they checked Oxygen level with Oximeter it showed 97, they asked me to take 4 tests (2 Blood Test, ECG, Chest Xray). All these test and results took almost 5–6 hours and finally with all the results doctor advised me to remain in-home quarantine.
Day 7: Next day, visited my family doctor and he prescribed medicines (some medicines were already suggested by my friend but antibiotic was suggested 2 times a day based on my symptoms and CT result) and a tonic for cough.
Day 8: The worst things started only after a week, my oximeter values started to fluctuate between 93 and 95, I thought some machine problem as I didn’t feel any discomfort while breathing.
Day 9: My oximeter values started to fluctuate between 90–93, I was again thinking that my oximeter has gone crazy and telling my wife that we need to buy a new oximeter.
Late evening, I observed that I am breathing through the mouth and very little by a nose that’s why am feeling normal, If I try to inhale through the nose then a cough comes and stops my inhale!
Day 10: Next day Morning, my Oximeter started to Fluctuate from 87–91, This had put me under worry, I did a phone call to my doctor and explained the situation, he suggested me a different antibiotic tablet and asked me to be prone to lying down position as much as I could and observe, if it is still below 90 then he said I may require critical care, my friend had suggested me to take more water steams, my friend sister suggested me to inhale heated oil added with camper + clove powder. After doing all these my oxygen level has increased to 91–92.
Foods & Other Practices I followed: I practice the same routine as day 4 for all the days and additionally I performed Water Steaming 4 more times, prone lying down position, and inhaled heated oil added with camphor and clove powder.
Day 11: Next day I told this to my yoga coach, she told me to try doing pranayama (breathing exercise) without straining myself, I tried doing it 3–4 times, whenever I was feeling better. The oxygen levels started to increase and fluctuate between 93–95
Day 12: Felt much better on day 12, but still continued to practice Pranayama and Water steaming. I was able to see that my oxygen level above 95 and I regained my sense of smell.
Day 13: Found it very comfortable to inhale and exhale and felt my body is regaining its energy, Oximeter showed 95–97 before doing prone lying down position / Water steaming. Felt very happy and relaxed.
Day 14: I stopped taking medicines, but followed all other practices I was following the previous days, I regained my sense of smell and taste and the oximeter showed 97–98. I was so grateful to my friends, wife, Chennai corporation, doctor, my yoga coach for helping me recover.
Foods & Other Practices I followed: I practice by day 11 routine for the remaining days.
My Mistakes:
- If I could have taken water steams more frequently in the early stage, I could have possibly prevented these breathing issues.
- If I could have practiced pranayama since day 8, I would have been in much better comfort than I was.
My Recommendations:
- Do NOT Panic, if you have got positive for the CORONA virus, staying positive is the key to beat this virus.
- If you feel you have any/few of the symptoms mentioned above, do an Rt-PCR test as early as you could (do not take more than 2 or a maximum of 3 days to observe the changes in the body) is the best thing that you can do to save your life from risk.
- Please vaccinate yourself and your family at the earliest, my father had been vaccinated and hence he didn’t feel any symptoms of covid till now.
- Eat protein-rich foods and drink a lot of hot water.
- Do not immediately RUSH to find a hospital, prefer to get admitted to a hospital only if you have breathing issues or you observe the CT affected percentage is more (take doctor’s advice).
- Do water steaming at least 4–5 times daily right from the first day you feel the symptoms to reduce upcoming effects and not wait for the Rt-PCR test result to turn positive.
- During covid, If you are feeling physically better prefer own vehicle than boarding public transport/cabs to avoid spreading of covid and we don’t want to take chance in someone’s life unknowingly.
- Even after you are fully recovered, please take good rest, feeling sleepy is also normal, continue to have healthy foods.
Why you should not rush to get admitted to a hospital???
If you observe my journey of 2 weeks most of the food items, medications, practices can be done from home itself. Moreover, if you stay home you get verbal support from your family members but if you get admitted, you and the rest of the family at home will be down until you are back at home. Other reasons why I do not advise you to get admitted to the hospital until there is absolutely necessary are,
- Though you are physically strong, mentally you may become weak and homesick.
- You may spend at least 2–4 Lakhs for the same treatment that you could have done at home.
- You may not get all facilities at the hospital as you get in your home.
- The people who have diagnosed late or aged people who are having breathing issues may not find beds as you may be occupying them unnecessarily.
Friends, let us stay home, sanitize, wash hands and be positive to beat this CORONA, If you feel this could be useful please pass on this article link to people you love and care about.
Please feel free contact if you have any doubts related to this article, I will try my level best to reply at the earliest — My LinkedIn, My Twitter
