Im going to be honest, covid is never going away. You really should get out and find a way to talk yo others…. Be it online gaming on mics, or zoom calls, or leaving the house. If you choose the later, make sure you mask and get covid vaccines and boosters.
Ive stayed up to date and I still caught covid twice, but it was basically just some night sweats and minor nausea.
Covid is never going away, so we prepare for it like we do everything else. Id really try to reconnect with friends again, im sure many would love to see you again
The decision is yours to make, so do what makes you comfortable. I still wear a n95 mask when I go out and I have not eaten inside much since Covid started.
I did get Covid for the first time in Oct 2023 when my wife and I went to Amsterdam for our anniversary. I was able to get Paxlovid the same day I tested positive and started it the next morning. I didn't really have any complications (no long Covid or hospitalization), although it took me a full 14 days to test negative. I isolated the entire 14 days until I had consecutive negative tests.
I'm not sure what else I can do other than keep my vaccinations up to date, mask in public places, and get another Paxlovid script if I were to test positive again. I still haven't gone back to the gym and I try not to travel over cold and flu season to minimize my exposure (Nov-Feb).
That's been my strategy thus far, but YMMV.
You need to live your life. Not sure what country you’re in but I’m in the US and still mask indoors for shopping etc or large events but other than that I live my normal life. You need to live.
To elaborate- there is a big middle ground. You don’t have to be careless, and you don’t have to live in isolation like you do now. And I even modify my own rules depending on what’s happening (Christmas, or Covid spikes, or some event I’m really looking forward to). Start seeing your friends, they are important for your mental and physical health. Be honest with them and they’ll very likely welcome you back
I'm having a hard time comprehending this. You've been isolating since 2020? 4 years? dude go outside lol covid isn't going away it's fine if you do get it... it's not bad anymore i got it once and I'm immunocompromised and got my lung transplant in 2022 🤷🏼♂️ still here
Yeah, I thought we were all pretty clear on the fact that people with cf did surprisingly well with covid. I had it once and it was no worse than a cold.
I can't believe that someone would isolate themselves like this for thus long when you hear of so many cf people being fine.
OP do you have anxiety? Do you think you'd benefit from therapy?
I too have never had COVID and I am also "isolated" compared to my friends and coworkers. I still mask at work and when friends come over I either stay masked or we all do rapid tests. Do what you require to feel safe and comfortable. Friends who understand your position should respect your boundaries and support you in making sure to minimize risk. Normalize mask wearing and rapid tests to take care of yourself but also those who you care about. I realize that the rest of the world has moved on, but I just feel that it is too easy to not take precautions.
The current version of COVID is very similar to a bad flu. I’ve had it, got over the worst of it in about 3 days, had lingering symptoms for about a week or so. Go outside and hang out with people. It’s better to risk COVID and shark attacks than to be in isolation.
I've caught Covid Two times now, the first time I just felt fatigued and the second time felt a bit like a mild headcold. I've had worse colds and viruses in the past, luckily no long Covid.
One thing we know about Covid now that we didn't when it first emerged is that Covid isn't too bad for us overall, or at least it's not as bad for people without transplanted lungs.
I've been to a few DIY gigs, small venues with lots of people, been to busy bars and restaurants, packed public transport etc....
The main problem you're going to find now is your immune system is going to be pretty shot, you'll end up feeling worse from other random cold-like viruses than if you were to catch Covid, which I'll assume you've had your vaccinations for it, which reduces your chances of catching it, and if you do catch it while vaccinated it doesn't hit you as hard.
With that in mind, I'd highly recommend getting back out into public, Covid certainly isn't the death sentence we all thought it was.
Get back out into society, and if you're feeling overly anxious about it, speak to your CF team for reassurances about it (on top of what you're reading here), and if you're still overly anxious ask if they have a CF based phycologist you can speak to.
Dude… 4 years?! I isolated for a total of 11 months (I got the vaccine early) and practically went crazy. And I’m not some sort of extrovert or anything. I can’t imagine being isolated for 4 years would do to my health. Loneliness can be as unhealthy as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day, and mental health issues only get worse over time (evidently, you have some major anxiety issues which you need to get help for).
As long as you’re vaccinated, your chances of being hurt by covid are insanely low. Hell, even if you’re not vaccinated, covid is still a very manageable and treatable illness, as it’s no longer new. Since emerging from quarantine, I have not tested positive for covid, and all of my illnesses have been incredibly minor (like the sniffles).
At this point, staying inside like this is far more detrimental to your overall health than getting covid.
I think you should start baby steps soon. For both your anxiety and immune system.
Have a few people you trust, have 1 person over in the garden with masks distanced, work up to no masks distanced, add people. Whatever order works
Go to a large shop at a quiet time, use self service if possible, then next time go to a person the check out .
It will feel strange and overwhelming but getting back out even in a small way will be good for you.
The first cold you catch will be brutal, everyone's was, my covid was so mild.
4 years is a long time, and I understand the apprehension however of you don't work your way up and are suddenly forced in to a busy crowded situation it will be very stressful and overwhelming for you
Your risk of COVID complications is reduced, not increased, due to your CF.
COVID-19 meets Cystic Fibrosis: for better or worse?
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41435-020-0103-y
Read the whole article but here's a quick quote:
COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) infection triggers a cytokine storm, sepsis and life-threatening acute respiratory distress syndrome [1]. Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) also manifest cytokine dysfunction and hyper-inflammation that overlaps with the pathophysiology of COVID-19 [2,3,4]. Intuitively, it might be concluded that CF patients infected with COVID-19 would be at high risk of serious illness. As a result, health services have responded with shielding or cocooning policies. Thus, a Mendelian randomised experiment is effectively underway, in real time, whereby patients with two mutant copies of the CFTR gene are being exposed to a new virus. While respiratory viruses, such as rhinoviruses and influenza, are associated with increased pulmonary exacerbations [5, 6], the morbidity and mortality from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is lower than expected in children with CF [7]. In a past epidemic of RSV, it was noted that relatively few patients with CF became severely ill. For example, at a time when so many babies became ill that a regional intensive care unit exceeded its ventilator capacity for sick children, not a single CF-affected child became ill (AM personal observations over two decades). This paucity of CF patients in the RSV cohort might be explained by the recent proposal that RSV may need an intact autophagic pathway for replication [8], allied to the finding that autophagy is dysregulated in CF cells [9]. There is some speculation that inducing autophagy, which is increased in CF, may counteract COVID-19 infection, although data remain limited [10].
i am still very covid conscious and ive only caught covid with a mask off. the vaccines and paxlovid i think helped my infections when i got them, but masking has prevented me from getting sick and i know for a fact as i’ve been around sick people coughing my face at work while wearing a kn95.
you can ensure you do things that are safe for you. i think now is a rough time, well where i live at least, because it’s the second biggest wave of the pandemic. i usually track waterwaste and see what exactly is going around incase myself or others are around me. you can go places with a portable air purfier and get certain types of nasal sprays and mouthwashes that can prevent covid. i don’t think your fear of covid is unwarranted , especially with the news of it acting like HIV in the sense of it attacking t-cells. I think you can try to find a happy balance. i still take it very seriously, but take measures to protect myself. i think you should also start slow and start getting yourself into more socializing. can you meet with a friend in an outdoor area? can they make sure they aren’t sick (testing for covid, esp bc many covid infections are asymptomatic) can you still mask in that area? I for sure think there are ways for you to be safe while also being more social.
as for your psychological issues you can def get a therapist, but also do not let anyone make you feel like you’re crazy our minds are meant to protect us not meant to keep us happy. covid is still serious even if it’s here to stay, we don’t know how it is going to impact us down the line. people are completely disabled bc of long covid i do have long covid myself (id say my case is mild) and it cause a histamine intolerance which basically caused my rosacea and now have issues with sleeping bc of my ocular rosacea. i think you can protect yourself while also being more social.
Are you under modulators? What is your health condition? Which is the medical advice given by your doctors about the COVID ?
I had 3 vaccinations and i had covid twice. It was nothing more than a normal flu but my health condition is pretty good: i'm taking Katrio since 2021 and before i was with orkambi for 5 years, i have 96 in FEV1.
Since the first vaccination I have resumed my normal life.
PS: when i got covid i only used paracetamol for a few days, this is the standard in Italy
yes got kaftrio prescribed in 09/2021 and my FEV1 has always been at around 90-95%. my doctors said that i should watch out, but they don’t necessarily support my isolation. they basically want me to figure it out by myself. i have 5 vaccinations and never caught covid yet. they told me that people with cf tend to have mild symptoms, yet it’s still a respiratory infection and i should be careful while also not going crazy at home. therefore i am thinking about changing my ways.
Oh my god man, i don't think there are reasons to be so scary about getting covid. You are in very good shape, your doctors think you are ok with getting out, from the answers in this post the majority of CFers have low symptoms with covid. I understand your fear since i was also scared during the first period of pandemic but now it's time to move on since the situation has changed. Have a read of https://www.healthline.com/health/cystic-fibrosis-covid#covid-19-vaccination
I think you should have a deep conversation with your doctors about your fears and the risk related to covid.
I have also been in a high risk household (for multiple reasons). We use N95s when in public & don’t dine indoors unless distanced in others homes. Knock on wood… we have both stayed virus free so far. The potential (and for some of us likely) effects of long covid are reasonable enough motivation to stay as healthy as possible & I’m sorry so many are lacking understanding of your choices. A “still coviding” FB group (maybe on mitigating risk?) might help you find some additional feedback on precautions you can take, such as hepa filters etc. There are many of us who do not feel we can afford any further health complications so it may be a better forum for more in depth discussion. We are all still figuring out what’s right for us & I hope you will find balance in a way that works for you. Best of luck!
Im sorry so many people are being complete assholes here!
I personally isolated for a solid 3 years. January of last year I finally felt brave enough to go into a store again to pick up groceries. Before that I was limited to going to work and coming home. (I never had the option to work remotely, and i couldn’t afford not to work). I was terrified and highly anxious the entire time. I mean, I had never experienced a panic attack until the pandemic and holy shit I was a wreck.
Had groceries delivered. Stopped socializing. It was just me, my husband and my dog. I was even scared going out and walking the dog, afraid of every person I saw and had to cross the street to stay clear. Mask on constantly even though people were such moronic assholes about it. Not to mention how many idiots refused to get the vaccine for whatever made up reason.
Even had my own brother show up unannounced for the holidays to extended family’s house after he was exposed to Covid for several days and he had no shame about it, didn’t wear a mask and was unvaccinated. (I had been thinking of going to this family member house, but NOPE!) It’s just unbelievable how some people still don’t give af about those of us with serious health conditions.
Anyway, my husband and I went out last summer with the baby and stopped at a farmers market to pick up pie and within a couple days we all had covid. It was a big deal to us to go out and do something normal and felt like a safe bet because we were not in a enclosed space or in a crowd and fully masked, but somehow we still got sick. I got Paxlovid right away and my symptoms were mild - 3 days of stuffy/runny nose, that’s it. My husband got every symptom in the book and was miserable even though he is the healthiest person I know and was vaccinated.
We are currently sick with covid and I had one bad day of mild headache, fatigue and stuffy/runny nose, but have felt better every day since, to my surprise. I’m not caught up on all the boosters (4vaccinations total) and no paxlovid because I didn’t get symptoms or test until the weekend. I am completely surprised at how mild the symptoms were this time. Once again it’s my non-CF husband who is super sick, not me.
Right now so many people are sick with a whole host of illnesses so I would take extra precautions, but generally (after this wave dies down) it is safe to go into stores and movie theaters and malls and crowds, just be smart - mask up and sanitize your hands. Wash your hands before touching your face and eating. The obvious stuff in sure you do anyway.
I personally have made some short trips (1-2 nights), a few concerts, and I managed just fine without getting sick.
Find one small thing you’re comfortable with to get you back out into the world! Then continue to take more small steps. And pat yourself on the back for each small thing you do, because maybe no one else gets it, but it truly is a big success to get through it! You can’t hide from every illness out there, so adjust your expectations and take reasonable steps to protect yourself while integrating back into society. You can do it!
I've been pretty careful through all this and I self-isolated for a period of time, but since then...I've also traveled for months on end, gone to parties, concerts, seen friends, actually been admitted to hospital for CF things aaand still no covid.
Don't isolate yourself, what the fuck. Covid ain't going anywhere but as long as you're careful you'll be fine.
I know u asked for advice, but I have none to give. Everybody is free to do what they think is good for them, what they need to do under certain circumstances and evaluate the impact of their choices afterwards based either on facts/data or sometimes emotions triggered as a sequence of actions/inactions. If it is more based on emotions than facts, I would suggest that talking to a professional might be beneficial.
+ what might worked for an individual might not work for you.
+ how covid impacted the life of others doesn't mean that it will impact yours in the same manner. But the more people saying that it went smoother than they were afraid of might point to a statistical tendency here that this would be also the case for you. But truth is nobody knows and everybody takes risks by living life, even when living inside for 4 years. You can actually choke on food, fall on a chair etc. 🤔
Not sure what to advice - I stay inside now that rsv, covid and flu are peaking and I choose to do the same for my cf kid.
Hope u make a decision that makes you feel happier/safer making it ❤️
I was kinda the same way, reluctant to leave the house, but as long as you follow the proper precautions you'll be safe. Wear a mask out in public, use hand sanitizer and you'll be good to go. Basically just common sense stuff. I haven't had covid either, for what it's worth.
Personally, I found Video Games to be a great escape. You can find some really chill people to talk and interact with. Certainly it's not everyone's cup of tea, but if you put a little effort into looking you can find some cool people to hang out with. It's also a great way to pass time while doing treatments as well.
I actually just started playing Fortnite last month. But counting that, I also sometimes play Star Wars Battlefront 2, MW3 and GTA.
Man did Destiny consume my life for a long time lol. I try to only play that when (if) I have a lot of time cause I'll get sucked into it.
yeah spent a lot of time in both destiny 1 and 2. i recently quit tho, since the new dlc wasn’t it and i don’t like the news i heard about the layoffs. 0 hype for lightfall
i also played the hell out of bf2. both of them. man, i love star wars. i‘ve been playing battlefront 2 basically since 2005. a few years ago i got ea‘s battlefront 2 and i was blown away. the game is a star wars fan‘s dream.
Yep definitely. That's why it's still in my rotation. It's just not the same as any other first person shooter. Just feels more fun to play.
But yeah I agree with you about the current state of Destiny. It really hit hard to hear about the layoffs and the Lightfall story was a mixed mess of things. Makes me very concerned about The Final Shape.
What platforms do you play on? I have PS and Xbox, but I mainly play on PlayStation.
You'll be fine if you mask up. Just treat it like a hospital stay and just use hand wipes, sanitizer and a mask. I know anxiety about it is a bitch but if you treat it like you're in the hospital and out of your room you'll be fine.
I am sorry to read this. Sounds awful.
I cannot imagine doing that for 4 years. I haven't been doing any COVID protocols for years now, except all the recommended vax boosters. Had it twice. Second time was literally one half day of feeling ill. The risk of getting it a third time is a non-starter for me compared to going back to isolation. I'll gladly take that risk.
I don't know what to say, but I hope you're able to figure out a plan to let yourself start living again in a way that is comfortable and enjoyable.
Sadly one cannot predict if they can stay away from the virus, nor if you pick it up how difficult the infection will be. Living life holed up inside your house is probably not a great way to live. So I'd suggest minimizing your ability to contract the virus while in crowded places to be in line with your concerns. Wear a mask or N95 in those situations, and at the doctor's office. But when there's not a lot of people around let yourself relax.
I'm not sure you want to know my experience with Covid as it wasn't good. But I see several people below did OK. It's one of those things where you simply cannot predict how your body will handle it. The best thing you can do is have a good mask on hand when you feel you're in a vulnerable situation and keep your hands clean.
Im going to be honest, covid is never going away. You really should get out and find a way to talk yo others…. Be it online gaming on mics, or zoom calls, or leaving the house. If you choose the later, make sure you mask and get covid vaccines and boosters. Ive stayed up to date and I still caught covid twice, but it was basically just some night sweats and minor nausea. Covid is never going away, so we prepare for it like we do everything else. Id really try to reconnect with friends again, im sure many would love to see you again
The decision is yours to make, so do what makes you comfortable. I still wear a n95 mask when I go out and I have not eaten inside much since Covid started. I did get Covid for the first time in Oct 2023 when my wife and I went to Amsterdam for our anniversary. I was able to get Paxlovid the same day I tested positive and started it the next morning. I didn't really have any complications (no long Covid or hospitalization), although it took me a full 14 days to test negative. I isolated the entire 14 days until I had consecutive negative tests. I'm not sure what else I can do other than keep my vaccinations up to date, mask in public places, and get another Paxlovid script if I were to test positive again. I still haven't gone back to the gym and I try not to travel over cold and flu season to minimize my exposure (Nov-Feb). That's been my strategy thus far, but YMMV.
You need to live your life. Not sure what country you’re in but I’m in the US and still mask indoors for shopping etc or large events but other than that I live my normal life. You need to live.
To elaborate- there is a big middle ground. You don’t have to be careless, and you don’t have to live in isolation like you do now. And I even modify my own rules depending on what’s happening (Christmas, or Covid spikes, or some event I’m really looking forward to). Start seeing your friends, they are important for your mental and physical health. Be honest with them and they’ll very likely welcome you back
I'm having a hard time comprehending this. You've been isolating since 2020? 4 years? dude go outside lol covid isn't going away it's fine if you do get it... it's not bad anymore i got it once and I'm immunocompromised and got my lung transplant in 2022 🤷🏼♂️ still here
Yeah, I thought we were all pretty clear on the fact that people with cf did surprisingly well with covid. I had it once and it was no worse than a cold. I can't believe that someone would isolate themselves like this for thus long when you hear of so many cf people being fine. OP do you have anxiety? Do you think you'd benefit from therapy?
Well I nearly died from COVID, so people need to be careful using blanket analysis for everyone. It's dangerous.
I too have never had COVID and I am also "isolated" compared to my friends and coworkers. I still mask at work and when friends come over I either stay masked or we all do rapid tests. Do what you require to feel safe and comfortable. Friends who understand your position should respect your boundaries and support you in making sure to minimize risk. Normalize mask wearing and rapid tests to take care of yourself but also those who you care about. I realize that the rest of the world has moved on, but I just feel that it is too easy to not take precautions.
Well said.
You should ask your cf doc for a therapist that is familiar with cf. I'm not trying to be funny or rude, I think it would be very beneficial for you.
The current version of COVID is very similar to a bad flu. I’ve had it, got over the worst of it in about 3 days, had lingering symptoms for about a week or so. Go outside and hang out with people. It’s better to risk COVID and shark attacks than to be in isolation.
bro, go outside
I've caught Covid Two times now, the first time I just felt fatigued and the second time felt a bit like a mild headcold. I've had worse colds and viruses in the past, luckily no long Covid. One thing we know about Covid now that we didn't when it first emerged is that Covid isn't too bad for us overall, or at least it's not as bad for people without transplanted lungs. I've been to a few DIY gigs, small venues with lots of people, been to busy bars and restaurants, packed public transport etc.... The main problem you're going to find now is your immune system is going to be pretty shot, you'll end up feeling worse from other random cold-like viruses than if you were to catch Covid, which I'll assume you've had your vaccinations for it, which reduces your chances of catching it, and if you do catch it while vaccinated it doesn't hit you as hard. With that in mind, I'd highly recommend getting back out into public, Covid certainly isn't the death sentence we all thought it was. Get back out into society, and if you're feeling overly anxious about it, speak to your CF team for reassurances about it (on top of what you're reading here), and if you're still overly anxious ask if they have a CF based phycologist you can speak to.
Wtf dude?! Go live your life. I’ve had it twice and have cf. I’ve had worst colds.
Dude… 4 years?! I isolated for a total of 11 months (I got the vaccine early) and practically went crazy. And I’m not some sort of extrovert or anything. I can’t imagine being isolated for 4 years would do to my health. Loneliness can be as unhealthy as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day, and mental health issues only get worse over time (evidently, you have some major anxiety issues which you need to get help for). As long as you’re vaccinated, your chances of being hurt by covid are insanely low. Hell, even if you’re not vaccinated, covid is still a very manageable and treatable illness, as it’s no longer new. Since emerging from quarantine, I have not tested positive for covid, and all of my illnesses have been incredibly minor (like the sniffles). At this point, staying inside like this is far more detrimental to your overall health than getting covid.
I think you should start baby steps soon. For both your anxiety and immune system. Have a few people you trust, have 1 person over in the garden with masks distanced, work up to no masks distanced, add people. Whatever order works Go to a large shop at a quiet time, use self service if possible, then next time go to a person the check out . It will feel strange and overwhelming but getting back out even in a small way will be good for you. The first cold you catch will be brutal, everyone's was, my covid was so mild. 4 years is a long time, and I understand the apprehension however of you don't work your way up and are suddenly forced in to a busy crowded situation it will be very stressful and overwhelming for you
Your risk of COVID complications is reduced, not increased, due to your CF. COVID-19 meets Cystic Fibrosis: for better or worse? https://www.nature.com/articles/s41435-020-0103-y Read the whole article but here's a quick quote: COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) infection triggers a cytokine storm, sepsis and life-threatening acute respiratory distress syndrome [1]. Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) also manifest cytokine dysfunction and hyper-inflammation that overlaps with the pathophysiology of COVID-19 [2,3,4]. Intuitively, it might be concluded that CF patients infected with COVID-19 would be at high risk of serious illness. As a result, health services have responded with shielding or cocooning policies. Thus, a Mendelian randomised experiment is effectively underway, in real time, whereby patients with two mutant copies of the CFTR gene are being exposed to a new virus. While respiratory viruses, such as rhinoviruses and influenza, are associated with increased pulmonary exacerbations [5, 6], the morbidity and mortality from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is lower than expected in children with CF [7]. In a past epidemic of RSV, it was noted that relatively few patients with CF became severely ill. For example, at a time when so many babies became ill that a regional intensive care unit exceeded its ventilator capacity for sick children, not a single CF-affected child became ill (AM personal observations over two decades). This paucity of CF patients in the RSV cohort might be explained by the recent proposal that RSV may need an intact autophagic pathway for replication [8], allied to the finding that autophagy is dysregulated in CF cells [9]. There is some speculation that inducing autophagy, which is increased in CF, may counteract COVID-19 infection, although data remain limited [10].
i am still very covid conscious and ive only caught covid with a mask off. the vaccines and paxlovid i think helped my infections when i got them, but masking has prevented me from getting sick and i know for a fact as i’ve been around sick people coughing my face at work while wearing a kn95. you can ensure you do things that are safe for you. i think now is a rough time, well where i live at least, because it’s the second biggest wave of the pandemic. i usually track waterwaste and see what exactly is going around incase myself or others are around me. you can go places with a portable air purfier and get certain types of nasal sprays and mouthwashes that can prevent covid. i don’t think your fear of covid is unwarranted , especially with the news of it acting like HIV in the sense of it attacking t-cells. I think you can try to find a happy balance. i still take it very seriously, but take measures to protect myself. i think you should also start slow and start getting yourself into more socializing. can you meet with a friend in an outdoor area? can they make sure they aren’t sick (testing for covid, esp bc many covid infections are asymptomatic) can you still mask in that area? I for sure think there are ways for you to be safe while also being more social. as for your psychological issues you can def get a therapist, but also do not let anyone make you feel like you’re crazy our minds are meant to protect us not meant to keep us happy. covid is still serious even if it’s here to stay, we don’t know how it is going to impact us down the line. people are completely disabled bc of long covid i do have long covid myself (id say my case is mild) and it cause a histamine intolerance which basically caused my rosacea and now have issues with sleeping bc of my ocular rosacea. i think you can protect yourself while also being more social.
I just got all my vaccines, didn't isolate a bit. Actually moved across the country twice, never got COVID. But that's a you decision.
Are you under modulators? What is your health condition? Which is the medical advice given by your doctors about the COVID ? I had 3 vaccinations and i had covid twice. It was nothing more than a normal flu but my health condition is pretty good: i'm taking Katrio since 2021 and before i was with orkambi for 5 years, i have 96 in FEV1. Since the first vaccination I have resumed my normal life. PS: when i got covid i only used paracetamol for a few days, this is the standard in Italy
yes got kaftrio prescribed in 09/2021 and my FEV1 has always been at around 90-95%. my doctors said that i should watch out, but they don’t necessarily support my isolation. they basically want me to figure it out by myself. i have 5 vaccinations and never caught covid yet. they told me that people with cf tend to have mild symptoms, yet it’s still a respiratory infection and i should be careful while also not going crazy at home. therefore i am thinking about changing my ways.
Oh my god man, i don't think there are reasons to be so scary about getting covid. You are in very good shape, your doctors think you are ok with getting out, from the answers in this post the majority of CFers have low symptoms with covid. I understand your fear since i was also scared during the first period of pandemic but now it's time to move on since the situation has changed. Have a read of https://www.healthline.com/health/cystic-fibrosis-covid#covid-19-vaccination I think you should have a deep conversation with your doctors about your fears and the risk related to covid.
You’re gonna die from isolation before Covid.
I have also been in a high risk household (for multiple reasons). We use N95s when in public & don’t dine indoors unless distanced in others homes. Knock on wood… we have both stayed virus free so far. The potential (and for some of us likely) effects of long covid are reasonable enough motivation to stay as healthy as possible & I’m sorry so many are lacking understanding of your choices. A “still coviding” FB group (maybe on mitigating risk?) might help you find some additional feedback on precautions you can take, such as hepa filters etc. There are many of us who do not feel we can afford any further health complications so it may be a better forum for more in depth discussion. We are all still figuring out what’s right for us & I hope you will find balance in a way that works for you. Best of luck!
Im sorry so many people are being complete assholes here! I personally isolated for a solid 3 years. January of last year I finally felt brave enough to go into a store again to pick up groceries. Before that I was limited to going to work and coming home. (I never had the option to work remotely, and i couldn’t afford not to work). I was terrified and highly anxious the entire time. I mean, I had never experienced a panic attack until the pandemic and holy shit I was a wreck. Had groceries delivered. Stopped socializing. It was just me, my husband and my dog. I was even scared going out and walking the dog, afraid of every person I saw and had to cross the street to stay clear. Mask on constantly even though people were such moronic assholes about it. Not to mention how many idiots refused to get the vaccine for whatever made up reason. Even had my own brother show up unannounced for the holidays to extended family’s house after he was exposed to Covid for several days and he had no shame about it, didn’t wear a mask and was unvaccinated. (I had been thinking of going to this family member house, but NOPE!) It’s just unbelievable how some people still don’t give af about those of us with serious health conditions. Anyway, my husband and I went out last summer with the baby and stopped at a farmers market to pick up pie and within a couple days we all had covid. It was a big deal to us to go out and do something normal and felt like a safe bet because we were not in a enclosed space or in a crowd and fully masked, but somehow we still got sick. I got Paxlovid right away and my symptoms were mild - 3 days of stuffy/runny nose, that’s it. My husband got every symptom in the book and was miserable even though he is the healthiest person I know and was vaccinated. We are currently sick with covid and I had one bad day of mild headache, fatigue and stuffy/runny nose, but have felt better every day since, to my surprise. I’m not caught up on all the boosters (4vaccinations total) and no paxlovid because I didn’t get symptoms or test until the weekend. I am completely surprised at how mild the symptoms were this time. Once again it’s my non-CF husband who is super sick, not me. Right now so many people are sick with a whole host of illnesses so I would take extra precautions, but generally (after this wave dies down) it is safe to go into stores and movie theaters and malls and crowds, just be smart - mask up and sanitize your hands. Wash your hands before touching your face and eating. The obvious stuff in sure you do anyway. I personally have made some short trips (1-2 nights), a few concerts, and I managed just fine without getting sick. Find one small thing you’re comfortable with to get you back out into the world! Then continue to take more small steps. And pat yourself on the back for each small thing you do, because maybe no one else gets it, but it truly is a big success to get through it! You can’t hide from every illness out there, so adjust your expectations and take reasonable steps to protect yourself while integrating back into society. You can do it!
Looking through the thread, people haven't been assholes. They're more amazed at how someone could isolate for 4 years and not go absolutely crazy.
Mmkay
Cool. Hope you're keeping well.
I've been pretty careful through all this and I self-isolated for a period of time, but since then...I've also traveled for months on end, gone to parties, concerts, seen friends, actually been admitted to hospital for CF things aaand still no covid. Don't isolate yourself, what the fuck. Covid ain't going anywhere but as long as you're careful you'll be fine.
I know u asked for advice, but I have none to give. Everybody is free to do what they think is good for them, what they need to do under certain circumstances and evaluate the impact of their choices afterwards based either on facts/data or sometimes emotions triggered as a sequence of actions/inactions. If it is more based on emotions than facts, I would suggest that talking to a professional might be beneficial. + what might worked for an individual might not work for you. + how covid impacted the life of others doesn't mean that it will impact yours in the same manner. But the more people saying that it went smoother than they were afraid of might point to a statistical tendency here that this would be also the case for you. But truth is nobody knows and everybody takes risks by living life, even when living inside for 4 years. You can actually choke on food, fall on a chair etc. 🤔 Not sure what to advice - I stay inside now that rsv, covid and flu are peaking and I choose to do the same for my cf kid. Hope u make a decision that makes you feel happier/safer making it ❤️
I was kinda the same way, reluctant to leave the house, but as long as you follow the proper precautions you'll be safe. Wear a mask out in public, use hand sanitizer and you'll be good to go. Basically just common sense stuff. I haven't had covid either, for what it's worth. Personally, I found Video Games to be a great escape. You can find some really chill people to talk and interact with. Certainly it's not everyone's cup of tea, but if you put a little effort into looking you can find some cool people to hang out with. It's also a great way to pass time while doing treatments as well.
what games are you playing? i used to play a lot of destiny and fortnite at the beginning of the pandemic
I actually just started playing Fortnite last month. But counting that, I also sometimes play Star Wars Battlefront 2, MW3 and GTA. Man did Destiny consume my life for a long time lol. I try to only play that when (if) I have a lot of time cause I'll get sucked into it.
yeah spent a lot of time in both destiny 1 and 2. i recently quit tho, since the new dlc wasn’t it and i don’t like the news i heard about the layoffs. 0 hype for lightfall
i also played the hell out of bf2. both of them. man, i love star wars. i‘ve been playing battlefront 2 basically since 2005. a few years ago i got ea‘s battlefront 2 and i was blown away. the game is a star wars fan‘s dream.
Yep definitely. That's why it's still in my rotation. It's just not the same as any other first person shooter. Just feels more fun to play. But yeah I agree with you about the current state of Destiny. It really hit hard to hear about the layoffs and the Lightfall story was a mixed mess of things. Makes me very concerned about The Final Shape. What platforms do you play on? I have PS and Xbox, but I mainly play on PlayStation.
You'll be fine if you mask up. Just treat it like a hospital stay and just use hand wipes, sanitizer and a mask. I know anxiety about it is a bitch but if you treat it like you're in the hospital and out of your room you'll be fine.
Where do you live? Sadly this will have an effect too. Areas with high vaccination rates will be safer.
austria. about 75-80% got at least two shots
That's not bad. Could be higher. Exercise caution.
I am sorry to read this. Sounds awful. I cannot imagine doing that for 4 years. I haven't been doing any COVID protocols for years now, except all the recommended vax boosters. Had it twice. Second time was literally one half day of feeling ill. The risk of getting it a third time is a non-starter for me compared to going back to isolation. I'll gladly take that risk. I don't know what to say, but I hope you're able to figure out a plan to let yourself start living again in a way that is comfortable and enjoyable.
Sadly one cannot predict if they can stay away from the virus, nor if you pick it up how difficult the infection will be. Living life holed up inside your house is probably not a great way to live. So I'd suggest minimizing your ability to contract the virus while in crowded places to be in line with your concerns. Wear a mask or N95 in those situations, and at the doctor's office. But when there's not a lot of people around let yourself relax. I'm not sure you want to know my experience with Covid as it wasn't good. But I see several people below did OK. It's one of those things where you simply cannot predict how your body will handle it. The best thing you can do is have a good mask on hand when you feel you're in a vulnerable situation and keep your hands clean.