I had similar extreme symptoms in December 2017. That was the epidemic flu season of 2017-2018 when 80,000 people died in the U.S. from it. Gives perspective as to what we're going through now.

Disagree

Yep, the problem people know there sick and still get on airplanes possibly infecting others. Before boarding any airline, cruise ship, bus temperature should be taken if sick booted off. We know there lots without any signs, but at least weed out the known ill. But, guess no international law says you can’t spread virus that could kill others throughout the world.

My math teachers would suggest that 100% is pretty darn close to saying for sure. 99% leaves some room for doubt. Precision people, precision.

You may have already been told this BUT I am a nurse and think this is what needs to be done. Contact your primary care doctor, infor them you'd like to be tested to see if you have antibodies. If you did have it you are the type of person health department is looking for to donate plasma to help those currently I'll. IF your doctor won't help contact county health department.

Haven’t you learned before to “never say never!”

Contrary to what is being fed to the public, there are not antibody tests available and that is a real problem. If you had it, which it sounds like you did as did my daughter who flew back thru Orlando in Dec and was deathly ill in Jan, you could help people. Unfortunately the testing for the US is abysmal. Heads should roll for the epic failures. The antibody test is needed for frontline workers and the validity of the testing appears to be in question.

I am also a nurse. I know this all seems to fly in the face of science but I have never been so sick in my life. I will see my pulmonologist in two weeks. Will ask him to order the antibody test. Then, if positive, I will absolutely be contacting the county health department. I need to know for sure. Thanks for helping me along.

I saw Dr Diaz during the last week and although I was hesitant about going into the office they met me and opened the door and escorted me back to my examination room with no stop in the waiting room and sanitized the chair and the chair next to me so I could lay out my BiPap/CPap machine. I ruined my streak of not going into any office or store but it was necessary. They didn't touch anything except the Chip from my machine and the credit card for the co pay. Professional operation in total and worth the short ride to be treated so well and to know they care for their patients.

My sister had the symptoms you described but I believe she told me it was in early January. She became sick in San Fransisco while on a business trip and said the main event was the pain in her lungs and it was rough. Her words not mine, "I believe I had this already" she made it home to the N.E. but was out of action for a month.

The most important thing to know about the coronavirus and COVID 19 is that very, very little is actually known at this time. Research is going on at a furious pace, but no one still knows the original source or timing.

Blame China not London

I was treated exactly the same when I saw Dr. Diaz. This was two weeks ago and his staff ALL had masks on and I never saw another patient. Top shelf practice. I'm with your sister. My brain tells me I probably did not have Covid-19 but my lungs and that months experience tells me otherwise! Thanks.

As a nurse, you know that the symptoms are the same symptoms of garden variety pneumonia. As a nurse, you also know that COVID-19 did not exist until November/December of 2019. As a nurse, you know that it is not POSSIBLE for you to have contracted it in May of 2019, since it didn't exist yet.

There are antibody tests available, on a very limited basis. Their accuracy is good not great. No commercial labs are now doing them so telling your doctor you want an antibody test is not going to get you one, yet.

Chalkboard time:
When you become ill and begin to mount an antibody defense the first significant response is from a subclass of immunoglobin named IgM. This rapidly appearing protein has the typical upward then downward curve over time. For each particular germ, the timing of when the IgM appears, peaks, and disappears is different. Studies are ongoing to try to learn the shape of that curve. That information will be essential if you want to have a clue as to when someone was infected.

More slowly your body makes IgG which is your long term immune protection. IgG is not there as quickly as IgM, but in most diseases [there are always zebras] it is either very long lasting or hopefully forever.

The antibody tests being developed can be IgM tests, which are useful mostly for have you became ill very recently, or IgG tests which are useful for if you became ill weeks to months to years ago. Of course you could get tested both for IgM and IgG. Some tests will do that. Also a test can be yes/no. Is there detectable IgM, yes or no as opposed to what is the quantity of IgM. Similarly for IgG. In a yes/no test the manufacturer has to pick a cut off to read as positive. Is it hot out today? 79 degrees no 80 degrees yes. So it can be a bit arbitrary. [ see sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value...] If I say I will call any day "hot" if my thermometer read 50 or more, my results will identify 100% of hot days, but will also call days hot that were not hot. OTOH if I say I will call it hot if my thermometer reads 95, I will not errantly call it hot if it wasn't, but I will miss days that actually were hot. Picking the best cut off is always a compromise between these kinds of errors.

Abysmal? The scientific community, I’m sure, would deeply appreciate this assessment. We are so fortunate in this country for the brilliant and dedicated scientists working feverishly on behalf of the world to reach treatments and protocols for this approximately 3 month old virus. I think the epic failure is in the minds of some American citizens who have no idea what is occurring but continue to tell the experts what they’re doing wrong. If people would watch the Covid updates, they would know there is antibody testing being developed and has been in the works for some time. They are hoping for success very shortly.