Paxlovid etc on vacation

[LuvOrlando]

So jumping off of the thread about traveling this summer, we haven't traveled much for a while & would like to start. The big thing holding me back is wondering if it would allow a continued vacation or if it would cause an icky feeling. It's been around a few months now so I was expecting more chit chat about it but I don't know anyone who has been given it so I can't ask and the news isn't saying how many people have been given it and how it's all been going so that's no help. Anyone out there gotten sick while traveling and had an experience with the treatment?

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Our former pastor, with whom I am Facebook friends, was given it and has now relapsed and is quarantined again.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Our former pastor, with whom I am Facebook friends, was given it and has now relapsed and is quarantined again.

Oh no, so then I guess a trip would have been ruined?

I've had Tamiflu and while I'd be down a day I think by day 2-3 I'd be back to myself and able to do my thing so i had fingers crossed for it being similar, with trips being in the thousands I'd go for it.

My Dr said he had given 15 people the stuff and it went very well so I was hoping it would be a quick fix, so on a 10 day trip it wouldn't be more than a stumble in the mix. So far I'm not reading, seeing or hearing much about it & I want to

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

Paxlovid wasn't a miracle drug for me. It made some symptoms better but I still felt like death for the most part AND I had a resurgence of symptoms about two days after I ended my dosage. I do think it helped, but the fatigue was real and I would NOT want to be on vacation with Covid. I spent most of my time in bed and even doing simple things like going downstairs exhausted me. I think I'm on week 3 and I'm still sick.

 

[Southernmiss]

But isn't the official word still to quarantine and isolate, if positive, for a number of days.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

The official word is kind of laughable--quarantine for 5 days after a positive test or start of symptoms (that will be your day 0). If you are then asymptomatic you can leave quarantine. If you aren't, you must wait 10 days.

But it's all honor system, which is why we're seeing huge spikes right now. Most people in my town aren't even reporting their positive cases to the schools. My second grader usually has a class of 17, it's been 7-8 for the past two weeks. But that's not reflected in the numbers the town releases every week.

I'm on day..I think 17 and I still feel like crap and cough so hard I throw up. But I'm expected at work on Monday in the office where masks are optional and testing just became voluntary.

 

[SirDuff]

But isn't the official word still to quarantine and isolate, if positive, for a number of days.

That's what I was thinking. You're trip is still going to come to something of a standstill, since you'll have to isolate (or, at least, you should be isolating).

ETA - not to say that having it on hand is necessarily a bad idea, just that it, even it it meant no symptoms, it would mean that the vacation can go on uninterrupted.

 

[leebee]

I guess I'd be surprised that a doctor would prescribe Paclovid without a positive test. DH just recovered from Covid and he had to send a screenshot of his positive test to get the script. Having said that, he felt markedly better within 24 hours of taking the antiviral, but still had to wait out the quarantine, to lower the chance of infecting others.

 

[RUDisney]

My MIL's last dose is today. She didn't feel better immediately, but by day 3 she was no longer coughing and was just very tired. By day 4, she was no longer napping all day.

 

[Moliphino]

My dad got Paxlovid last month, the rest of us did not. He definitely seemed to have an easier go of it than the rest of us, though none of us was horribly sick. His didn't linger as long, either.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Ohhhh wow, so the responses made me go and look up the new recommendations. I thought I was keeping up but think people just saying stuff around me in conversation totally twisted up my understanding on what the vaxed can and can't do, seems we are all supposed to do the same thing. Still, out of 10 days on a trip, 5 days lost is better than 10 days lost, as a general rule I can't be bothered flying anywhere less than Friday to Sunday, or close to it. I think I could build in a 5 day buffer with days allocated to be at a beach or nature park, something other family members could do.

Honestly, there really should be commercials on the guidelines, if I need to endure that freaky kid go all Exorcist over nicotine warning commercials I'd think a short update for this would be reasonable for Pete's sake. I'm busy trying to sort out travel, a gentle Smokey the Bear style snippet would help keep me on track.

It's good to know a lot of people are doing well with it, that inspires me too venture out

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

PLEASE keep in mind that even if you are out of the Day 5 quarantine and you have fever or ANY SYMPTOMS (runny nose, sore throat, cough, etc.) YOU ARE LIKELY STILL CONTAGIOUS!

My entire family likely caught Covid from other people who did the bare minimum 5 days and then sent their kids back to school still sick. We are EXTREMELY LUCKY that we are not in high at risk categories but several other families who also got sick in the same wave did and it's not good.

Please don't put a vacation above the safety of other people. I'm not saying you are, but just keep it in mind.

 

[LuvOrlando]

To be clear I am not positive & am not traveling today, this is an info finding & planning attempt, I'm too much of a planner to just leave things to chance and way too skittish to throw caution to the wind. My Dr shared that they can write me a script with positive tests and virtual visit, seems too be trying to encourage a very cautious person. But the script just covers a small part of how it works so now it's the logistics, can I sort out a plan with contingencies... I'm trying & think it can maybe be done.

 

[xipotec]

Both Paxlovid and Tamiflu suffer from the same problem. People think its a cure…

It is not.

It simpley can reduce the likely hood of hospitalization…..thats it.

It also has a very strict policy on use. Its for people at high risk, with good kidney function, who have had a positive COVID test…

No one else should be using it. Its not for prevention, prophylaxis or treatment beyond these reasons.

It has MAJOR drug interactions as well.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

Yeah my husband couldn't take it because he would've had to stop a major medication he takes daily to do so.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Both Paxlovid and Tamiflu suffer from the same problem. People think its a cure…

It is not.

It simpley can reduce the likely hood of hospitalization…..thats it.

It also has a very strict policy on use. Its for people at high risk, with good kidney function, who have had a positive COVID test…

No one else should be using it. Its not for prevention, prophylaxis or treatment beyond these reasons.

It has MAJOR drug interactions as well.

No sure about the new medicine but I have had Tamiflu in my home dozens of times for a family of 4 and it stops everything cold in our experience and it's only listed at under 40% or something like that. When I say stops things cold I mean every single symptom just vanishes, the Paxlovid is way higher success I think and I hit all the boxes you mention so no hesitation on my part if indicated by a Dr. I suspect the biggest problem with Tamiflu numbers being so low is getting a diagnosis within that 48 hour window, after that it works but not as well. It's tough to expect people to get a sniffle, recognize it might be Flu, get into an appointment and get tested all within 48 hours of onset, especially while traveling. For me I know it instantly by that Flu migraine alongside the cough and fever all at once. I think the only reason we have success with getting it on time is pre-existing conditions which make us vigilant and a Dr who sees us regularly and who works with my family as a team, stuff can breakdown anywhere in the middle and ruin the outcome - this is why I am researching ahead of travel. My Dr is very supportive with managing my care but not everyone has that

This sort of thing is why I wish we all had access to inexpensive at home Flu tests like we do for the Covid, especially when away from home traveling. I was at Cape Cod this weekend for a $1500 trip and you can bet I had $40 worth of tests in my bag, we didn't need them but I had them. I would keep Flu too because why not? Right now the Flu ones for at home are over $200 so it's cheaper to get a visit at a Dr or Urgent Care for a $30 co-pay to get the test, it's cheaper to get my whole family of 4 into a Dr with $30 copays each than get the test myself so we are all incentivized to gobble up provider appointments which isn't great IMO. Personally, I'd rather pay the $30 to buy tests, self monitor and seek out a Dr virtually ONLY once I know I need to bother my Dr, right now I am incentivized to take up time the Dr's can't really spare.

To each their own but as a high risk person I'd take it within a heartbeat of getting a positive result especially on vacation. Truly, anything available to me to help me care for myself and not gobble up Dr visits and prevent severe illness is a thing I'll do at my own expense if I can manage it. I really want to be able to travel freely again and this is the grease necessary for me to move away from my comfort zone.

 

[Moliphino]

PLEASE keep in mind that even if you are out of the Day 5 quarantine and you have fever or ANY SYMPTOMS (runny nose, sore throat, cough, etc.) YOU ARE LIKELY STILL CONTAGIOUS!

My entire family likely caught Covid from other people who did the bare minimum 5 days and then sent their kids back to school still sick. We are EXTREMELY LUCKY that we are not in high at risk categories but several other families who also got sick in the same wave did and it's not good.

Please don't put a vacation above the safety of other people. I'm not saying you are, but just keep it in mind.

I wouldn't say ANY symptoms. I still have a mild cough four+ weeks later, pretty sure I'm well past being contagious. I tested negative a week ago.
I quarantined until my symptoms were improving, then wore an N-95 when I went anywhere until the cough was mostly gone.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

I meant after just 5 days. Many, MANY people who test positive wait only the 5 days and then so long as they're 'feeling better' they stop quarantining when they should be staying quarantined for at least 5 more days.

I'm on day 17 and still coughing but testing negative.

 

[Moliphino]

Oh yeah, if you still have symptoms at 5 days stay home. I was still testing positive on day 8 of symptoms.

I went back to work on day 13 and wore the N95 mask for the first two weeks I was back.

 

[xipotec]

No sure about the new medicine but I have had Tamiflu in my home dozens of times for a family of 4 and it stops everything cold in our experience and it's only listed at under 40% or something like that. When I say stops things cold I mean every single symptom just vanishes, the Paxlovid is way higher success I think and I hit all the boxes you mention so no hesitation on my part if indicated by a Dr. I suspect the biggest problem with Tamiflu numbers being so low is getting a diagnosis within that 48 hour window, after that it works but not as well. It's tough to expect people to get a sniffle, recognize it might be Flu, get into an appointment and get tested all within 48 hours of onset, especially while traveling. For me I know it instantly by that Flu migraine alongside the cough and fever all at once. I think the only reason we have success with getting it on time is pre-existing conditions which make us vigilant and a Dr who sees us regularly and who works with my family as a team, stuff can breakdown anywhere in the middle and ruin the outcome - this is why I am researching ahead of travel. My Dr is very supportive with managing my care but not everyone has that

This sort of thing is why I wish we all had access to inexpensive at home Flu tests like we do for the Covid, especially when away from home traveling. I was at Cape Cod this weekend for a $1500 trip and you can bet I had $40 worth of tests in my bag, we didn't need them but I had them. I would keep Flu too because why not? Right now the Flu ones for at home are over $200 so it's cheaper to get a visit at a Dr or Urgent Care for a $30 co-pay to get the test, it's cheaper to get my whole family of 4 into a Dr with $30 copays each than get the test myself so we are all incentivized to gobble up provider appointments which isn't great IMO. Personally, I'd rather pay the $30 to buy tests, self monitor and seek out a Dr virtually ONLY once I know I need to bother my Dr, right now I am incentivized to take up time the Dr's can't really spare.

To each their own but as a high risk person I'd take it within a heartbeat of getting a positive result especially on vacation. Truly, anything available to me to help me care for myself and not gobble up Dr visits and prevent severe illness is a thing I'll do at my own expense if I can manage it. I really want to be able to travel freely again and this is the grease necessary for me to move away from my comfort zone.

personal experience does not trump actualy scientific data.

People have been misusing antibiotics with the same reasoning for decades….

Day One : Gets sick
Day Three: Gets antibiotics
Day 5 : Begins to feel better
Day 7-10: Infection gone

Incorrect assuption; Antibiotics cured me.

Reality: Most illness self resolved in 7-10 days without treatment.