“You’ll live with the long-term side effects” M’sian Shares How Covid-19 Changed His Life

We all lived relatively normal lives before Covid-19 came and flipped our worlds upside down. It’s scary how literally anyone could be infected with the virus, no matter your age or health conditions.

On 18 May, a Twitter user who goes by the username, @frdsh_ shared his experience of getting infected with Covid-19 and how his life changed after that.

Previously, he shared with WOB how he hired a cat sitter to take care of his furry kids during his time in quarantine. Yesterday (18 May) however, he shared the terrifying experience of contracting the virus and its long-term side effects even after you’ve recovered.

At first, he noticed symptoms three days after an outing he had with his friends in late April when he suddenly had chills and fever for three days straight. Sensing something else was up when his friends experienced the exact same symptoms, they decided to undergo a swab test together at a nearby clinic.

“We did the RTK antigen test first (RM90). And I was right, each of us tested positive. To be sure, we did the PCR test on the spot too (RM250),” he wrote.

He was supposed to go to work and meet some people but expressed how he was thankful for early detection as he might have infected someone else along the way. After waiting for two days, the PCR result finally came out on 1 May and he and his friends went through the whole process at Stadium Melawati for further instructions.

“Upon assessment by the doctor, I was then sent to MAEPS considering that I have symptoms (albeit minor) and the doctor advised me to go since I live alone. One of my friends was sent to the hospital.”

It was such an emotional time for all of them as he wrote, “We cried. I know, we are all boys but we cried anyway. Because we promised to stick together and to take care of each other. It’s heartbreaking to see your friend on the hospital bed and being sent to the hospital.”

The Twitter user then shared that he was quarantined for 10 days with another 700+ Covid-19 patients at the centre. You can’t expect it to be like a 5-star hotel but as long as it was comfortable, he said that he was more than grateful.

He was finally discharged from the centre on 12 May but unfortunately, the Covid-19 experience didn’t end there.

“From what the doctor told me, the virus is still in my body for 3-6 months. If I do the test, it will show up positive. But after 10 days of quarantine, the virus won’t be infectious.”

“But what I didn’t know, you could experience post-covid syndrome which could take months to recover,” he tweeted. While stressing that everybody reacts differently to the virus, the Twitter user said he experienced extreme fatigue and lethargy. He even suffers from asthma and said that your body will no longer be the same.

According to the CDC, all these long-term effects are classified as post-Covid symptoms that can last weeks or months after first being infected with the virus.

“After covid, your body will change. [You’ll] no longer have the same body you were in. Yes, you’re weaker now.”

“You would live with the long side effects of the virus. And that’s the hardest part. You could no longer enjoy the things you used to do,” he added.

Even though it’s avoidable, literally anyone is at risk of being infected and he hopes that people would stop discriminating against Covid-19 patients. These people need our support, especially during these hard times.

Covid-19 is not a joke, it’s a life and death situation. So, stay home and stay safe, everyone!

Also Read: Special Containers Will Be Used At Sungai Buloh Hospital To Keep Covid-19 Corpses