Man with t1 describes his COVID-19 experience 27 March 2020 Official sources of information about COVID-19 are providing facts. The following story is about one man living with type 1 diabetes who has contracted the virus. His story does not represent how every person with diabetes will be affected but it does describe how one individual who lives with type 1 is faring. A 39-year-old man living with type 1 diabetes in the US has been reported in media, describing his experience of as feeling very different to the flu. Justin, who did not give his surname, said he first fell ill early this month. He developed a headache and deep ache in his lungs before his breathing became progressively laboured. As his symptoms worsened, Justin said he 鈥渘early passed out for no apparent reason鈥 before eventually taking himself to his local hospital鈥檚 Emergency Department. Justin outlined on Twitter: 鈥淏y that point it hurt to breath. They treated me for flu, gave me Tamiflu, an inhaler, and sent me home. They said if I felt worse to come back, so I went back.鈥 Justin was then hospitalised. 鈥淭oday it hurts to breath so much. Walking to the bathroom is like running a marathon. 鈥淒on鈥檛 think chest pain like a heart attack or flu 鈥 this isn鈥檛 the flu. We all pretty much know the flu.鈥 鈥淭hink deeper, think lung pain. It鈥檚 hard to visualize but I think when you breath cold air and that 鈥榩ain鈥 in your lungs before they warm back up. It鈥檚 kinda like that.鈥 Justin said the inhaler makes his lungs hurt worse. 鈥淲ith the inhaler, think of when you cut yourself and apply alcohol to the wound. It鈥檚 kinda like that. Applying medicine to a wound,鈥 he said. 鈥淭his is no flu. The flu is its own thing. This feels SO much different than a flu.鈥 Justin was allowed to leave hospital and return to his family, who are all in lockdown. 鈥淚鈥檓 home and 鈥榪uarantining鈥 with my family.鈥 Justin used the media exposure to urge people to say home in a bid to stop the spread of the disease. Justin鈥檚 tweet @jwdaddy80 said: 鈥淚 have it. Don鈥檛 sleep on this thing, people. I鈥檓 a very healthy type 1 diabetic. My body is fighting it very well but it鈥檚 kicking my ass. Don鈥檛 be a moron. Stay home!鈥 Justin is still tweeting and his post on Tuesday, March 24, was 鈥淔ATIGUE! That鈥檚 the prevalent deal right now. Headache is still around, lung pain is subsiding, and breathing is painless, FINALLY!鈥
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