News Worldwide impact of the novel coronavirus (covid-19)

[user27357]

I am one day post op and have a fever of 102.8.

I know thats a scary number BUT it isn't uncommon for post op and with the margin of error of the stupid digital thermometers out there I can understand the blasé response from the doc, a little bit. What he should have done is explain that your body is doing what it thinks it is supposed to do and that it is very common after surgery- keep an eye on it and call back if it continues or rises.
I get it entirely, my wife just had a major surgery (hip replacement) and when I saw a high temp I called and asked if she should get a covid test out of an abundance of caution. Same reply but he also said he gets calls like this after almost every surgery now, at least people are watching their temps!
I know in my own case I have had temps and night sweats for weeks after surgeries, and I was told it is actually opiate withdrawals. if you were blasted with any of the super op's out there now like the fentanyl and Dilaudid like I was, the whole system is deregulated for awhile. Best thoughts out to you

 

[DharmaGirl]

I have been on narcotics for the last 4 years for the pain caused by my spine. I took it upon myself to lower the dose to less than half of what I had been taking after my cancer surgery on December 2019. I had no pain or fever from that, or the other 2 back surgeries I had. I had a neg. Covid test that morning, and I knew the high fever was not Covid, I thought I might be developing pneumonia. What shocked me was I had a partially collapsed lung and was not informed! The first time I tried to go to the bathroom I was coughing really, really hard, and couldn't catch my breath and the nurse said my oxygen was fine, then looked at the monitor. It was not fine, it was 73. I don't know if they contacted anyone, but the doctor never told me until the night after I was released. I also have pulmonary hypertension, so do I need to follow up with someone? I'm going to follow up with at least my primary doctor to be referred to a cardiologist for the pulmonary hypertension.

I respectfully disagree with whoever told you you could have weeks of withdrawl after a month of narcotics. I cut down my daily 4 year morphine dose from 60 a day to 30 a day and I had a bad week. The pendulum is swinging the other way with pain meds. They used to be given out way too much and the public wouldn't follow instructions so they died. Now they are considered horrible so much that my surgeon gave me a 5 mg oxycodone every 4 hours for pain from a fusion, a disk rebuild, cleaning out surgical scarring, and removing a cyst on my spine. This is after being on pain meds for over 4 years. I have had pain psychology, been to pain groups, acupuncture, ECT. I learned a lot about controlling pain, Thank Goddess, since I had to use all my skills learned or I would have suicided.

Also, when I was a nurse on the cardiac, neuro floor, I didn't find that fevers are the norm for post surgical patients. They could be a sign that your patient needs to get up and move so they don't get pneumonia. They are not normal. I was also told that my blood pressure of 199/118 was "fine". In what universe? I'm not making much sense or staying on track really well because I'm on muscle relaxers which really work but really mess me up. I want to save this so I remember the info, but it needs to be in my " thing that you write what you want in". I forget what it's called. Look! Lmmm look

 

[user27357]

I respectfully disagree with whoever told you you could have weeks of withdrawl after a month of narcotics.

He was a pretty good surgeon- I had to accept his opinion. When I called an advice nurse I was told to watch it and see if it went up or down and it was all over for awhile but went down without getting too high, 99-100 low grade I think I remember, it's been awhile.
First responder training was similar, post op people were on opiates in most cases and low grade fever wasn't uncommon. You showed a 102 by digital I assumed, margin of error could be 104 (obviously burning up) or 100. A judgement call and I would have transferred you to an ER if you had just said the word, enthusiastically tried to convince you to go if I thought you were anywhere near 104.
We had mercury back in the day. I was pissed when my wife traded ours for a crappy digital when some guy at the door offered the trade. I have at least 3 around here now, and they never agree with each other, 1-2 degree spread if I check them and I do because I want to know if I have a COVID fever.
199/118 ? Egads, thats not fine!
I can always tell if the pressure was taken by someone who has ever called them over a radio-no odd numbers ever! 5 and 9 are too close and seven with static comes across as one. Two, four, six, eight, zero, and always round up is my habit.
Still hoping you have a better time ahead

 

[DharmaGirl]

I'm sorry, I was hallucinating after I wrote this. I'm not going to write anymore but I hope I wasn't inappropriate, I was angered at my care.

 

[bellbird]

NZ is back to no active covid cases in the community (just cases in managed quarantine facilities at the border).

Life is back to normal-ish, for now.

 

[DharmaGirl]

Yay, @bellbird, that's some wonderfully good news!

 

[ms spock]

Sorry to hear about your poor care @DharmaGirl. It's stressful enough with Covid19 and all that, without such poor care.

Great news about @bellbird about NZ.

I had another trip to the hospital executed with mask, social distancing, etc upon arrival and when home I left my shoes in car, washing hands, remove mask, washing hands, showering, washing clothes and mask in shower. Sanitising everything. I managed well. I am getting quite good at managing masks now. An or so hour off then sanitising the car or just letting it sit for a couple of days. See how I go.

 

[anthony]

I've never cared greatly about Covid, and not about to start anytime soon. I'm happy to take commonsense precautions and do what is required by law (wear masks, social distance, stay home when required, etc), but I don't really care that much. I've had some people look at me when grabbing a trolley at the supermarket and not sanitising it. Like why? I've watched the trolley guys get them, sanitise them, and when they've pushed them into the trolley bay, they sanitise where their hands where / where already wearing gloves and disposed of them.

If I'm going to get it, I'm going to get it. Sound, commonsense only here. Nothing silly and over the top for me. Happy to use hand sanitiser entering places and when I get back home. Beyond basic precautions... I just don't care enough, nor am I worried about getting it.

All these stupid lockdowns are just pissing me off presently.

 

[mamachick]

I admit I am afraid of getting the virus, though I have become much more laxed in past couple months. At one point I was wiping down groceries as media suggested. Wearing masks, lots of hand washing, wiping down hands and steering wheel after leaving stores. We only go to a couple of stores regularly and we get carry out food. Over summer, did have lunch outside a couple times. did social distancing in my back yard. I am really really sick of this though. Now with cold weather coming.....feeling the blues. This weekend told my husband Im sick of this...I want to go out. He asked where I want to go. I said neighborhood pub, have a couple beers, play machines, and bring dinner home. something we did in past. He said-lets go. I said No, would be irresponsible for me. We are in our 60's. I have medical conditions including lung disease, we are blessed he works from home, both our kids and their spouses work from home and kids dont have to go to daycare. The grown up in my came out when the child in my just wanted to escape and play. I am totally sick of this.

 

[anthony]

We are in our 60's. I have medical conditions including lung disease

You are high risk based on this, to my understanding of the limited factual information available on Covid. Any type of lung illness places a person at high risk if contracting Covid.

I don't have any health concerns, thus my stance on things.

 

[blackemerald1]

I'm not terrified but I'm not unconcerned either.
I don't want to give this to anyone I know or family. It's okay to be indifferent about ones own health but I'd never want my family to get it.. so for them.. I take precautions. But I'm tired of it all too.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

People lack any common sense here in Orlando! Standing within inches of you and talking to you so damn close we could kiss. I'm just saying. Get the f*ck back people!

Bagging groceries at Aldi (you have to bag your own groceries there are a counter that goes the length of the store) and my service dog is laying down in a down stay and with the cart both him and the cart at an angle, it makes like a circle around me at the counter. Some lady wanted to talk me about his breed and he looks like her dog that she took everywhere. Thanks, that's not legal here if it's a non-pet friendly place. And all about her dog. Literally almost stepping on my service dog. I had to like move the bags and the cart and take a few steps away from her, keeping my service dog where he was so he'd keep that distance. My service dog was right at my feet orginally and she was about 2 inches away from him. Almost stepping on him. So that was like a foot maybe. Not even. Just the size of my service dog. 6 feet people! High risk people do have to go shopping too! It's frustrating!