Took me 3 years but Covid19 finally got me

[Kitty 34]

OP Here - Hi everyone - I "think" I'm turning a corner. I'm not exhausted or weak anymore.

What I do still have is: blowing my nose - a lot! When does this end? I'm on day 9. And the WORST is I still can't taste. Freaking me out this may stay with me. Still have a nasty sounding cough when I do cough but that isn't that much.

Now both DD's and their families have it also. My oldest DD has been through the ringer the past month. She had her gallbladder out, which lead to pancreatitis and a week in the hospital from infection, to come home and now get Covid. It's been a month of nightmares for her. Appreciate any prayers!

My sister's DH has been dealing with Covid for over a week now. (completely boosted; just got his last booster in January) Have you tested recently to see if you still have Covid? He was quite sick, as you, for quite awhile. He actually has it worse then when he got Covid the December (2020) before he could start his Vaccination rounds.

 

[Snowflakey]

My sister's DH has been dealing with Covid for over a week now. (completely boosted; just got his last booster in January) Have you tested recently to see if you still have Covid? He was quite sick, as you, for quite awhile. He actually has it worse then when he got Covid the December (2020) before he could start his Vaccination rounds.

I haven't taken another test. I'm only on my second week so I really don't want to waste a test as I'm sure I'm still positive.

 

[LuvOrlando]

OP, so sorry this is dragging on for you.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I read through the posts and the general vibe on the Plaxlovid is striking.

In general, I get new medicines are scary but I can't understand risking long Covid and not taking the Paxlovid if your Dr gives it a nod, all my Dr's indicated I would need it right away to avoid the cytokine mess & would keep me out of the hospital.

My DD took it and had a surge after finishing but it didn't strike me as a rebound at all, more like it was just waiting to pounce and would have slammed her worse if she hadn't had the Paxlovid. She was fine and baking cookies then she was suddenly really really sick, it was steam rolling her and looked scary. We got the medicine quickly and she was better within hours. She hated the icky taste, said it was like similar to what she imagines would be like holding a nail polish cotton ball in her mouth, but hot sauces worked out fine. She was grossed out by Long Covid stories of ongoing bad smells and tastes the virus can cause so needed zero prodding from me, knew people who complained of ongoing exhaustion and such and wanted no part of it. She tested neg 2 days after treatment ended and on day 3 was positive again so thank goodness she didn't rejoin us just yet, but for her the second phase of the experience was very mild with just a mild fever, a bit of throat clearing, a slight achiness in ears and mild headache & l slight loss of taste for about 5 days - none of what I saw and she described on day 1 came back. We didn't think of this as a rebound, struck us more like the virus wasn't completely killed off by the treatment so when it had an opening it came back to life, but at that point her own body had enough of a defense to more easily fight it off. After about day 14 absolutely everything vanished & she has zero issues now so it made her better and prevented the Long Covid, which was her goal. While it might be better if she had it for 10 days like Tamiflu I can't imagine a shorter time isn't better than nothing, maybe it is too hard on the liver or something to go longer, not sure but I'm going to assume there is some sort of reason.

People still get really really sick and long term consequences of viruses like EPV & HPV are well documented enough to indicate caution so it seems dangerous, to me at least, to conclude that not having treatment would lead to better outcome. No matter how much it tastes bad for few days I would rather that than risk the arthritis I have which has been linked to Epstein Barr or having permanent anything of any kind, that is a game I would not play. I hope I continue to evade but if not then I will follow the best advice of my Dr's just like I did when I got my ovaries out because of BRCA2, that was crummy too, painful and no walk in the park but I listened because I am not a Dr and did not go to school for 8 years to shove enough info in my head to have a valid argument with my Drs. I just can't imagine going against medical advice when the stakes are so high over discomfort & can't wrap my head around comfort being weighted more heavily than well being.

Maybe people don't know how awful it it to live with chronic problems so if that is the argument please do enough research on the negative consequences to know what you are playing with as you weigh thing, go see what complaints are out there for Long Covid. No-one knows enough about Long Covid enough to speak of it yet so I don't grasp how people are ok with being Lab Rats. Not to put too fine a point on it but there is a whole spectrum of suck out there that sits between fine and dead, I live in this spectrum and would happily trade a week of bad taste to avoid my spot,

 

[georgina]

Or perhaps like me they have very mild Covid symptoms and don't feel it is necessary. I just got over my 2nd round (both caught in Orlando by the way). I coughed for 2 or 3 days and felt fine both times. Only tested because I was around family last week. Never lost my sense of smell or taste. Did not see any need for Paxlovid. (I believe I have had all 5 shots, 2 rounds, 2 boosters, then the latest booster)

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

can't understand risking long Covid and not taking the Paxlovid if your Dr gives it a nod, all my Dr's indicated I would need it right away to avoid the cytokine mess & would keep me out of the hospital.

Because like any drug out there it has its intended recipients with who may be better suited for it. And the possibility of the rebound is actually really important not just for how people feel if they get rebound but how they live their lives since you can test negative and then test positive again with rebound.

Not all doctors have the same guidelines either so just having a doctor give you a script for it doesn't mean a huge amount. The doc was readily fine with giving it to my 33 year old healthy no comorbidities husband but he's not the intended target for that drug. And in other places doctors would not prescribe the drug to someone like my husband.

I knew one person my age who took it simply because he could not because he actually had concerns or comorbidities.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Because like any drug out there it has its intended recipients with who may be better suited for it. And the possibility of the rebound is actually really important not just for how people feel if they get rebound but how they live their lives since you can test negative and then test positive again with rebound.

Not all doctors have the same guidelines either so just having a doctor give you a script for it doesn't mean a huge amount. The doc was readily fine with giving it to my 33 year old healthy no comorbidities husband but he's not the intended target for that drug. And in other places doctors would not prescribe the drug to someone like my husband.

I knew one person my age who took it simply because he could not because he actually had concerns or comorbidities.

We all have a choice and I hear you, I still would not play chess with this virus when I am not as well equipped as my Drs. and honestly I am not willing to bet my well being on my guesstimates but to each their own.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We all have a choice and I hear you, I still would not play chess with this virus when I am not as well equipped as my Drs. and honestly I am not willing to bet my well being on my guesstimates but to each their own.

I get that for you, I'm just explaining for others, it is not intended for everyone.

Your doctors know your health. Not every doctor who is open to prescribing it is basing it on years of health knowledge of a particular patient though.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I get that for you, I'm just explaining for others, it is not intended for everyone.

Your doctors know your health. Not every doctor who is open to prescribing it is basing it on years of health knowledge of a particular patient though.

True, but sometimes it sounds to me like people are being encouraged to go against the advice of medical institutions so while going your own way is ok to do in the singular, I think it is unwise to tilt the scales away from what is recommended for others and would not want the consequences of discouraging anyone following recommended care on my conscience. Thing is a great of people simply have no idea that there is something unusual lurking in their physiology that could go wrong, this unknown probably explains why some people can't seem to get it at all while it literally knocks others off their feet. I would imagine it is a similar unknown that lands some people in the ER and others are fine, the medical community simply doesn't know yet so until they know it seems best to leave it to them as this think morphs into uncountable permutations. Probably best to take more of a talk to your Dr or proceed at your own risk stance than to risk causing harm to other people. If anyone has the data to make far reaching generalized recommendations it is likely those in charge of US public health here and now, not some bloggers or whatever else might be out there with their untested theories. I like to think that the people in the CDC, as a collective, are making recommendations to do the least harm to humans and suggest following those guidelines before anyone else anywhere as public health is very literally their job.

So again, while in the singular it is fine to choose for oneself things get muddy if anything goes beyond that.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

True, but sometimes it sounds to me like people are being encouraged to go against the advice of medical institutions so while going your own way is ok to do in the singular, I think it is unwise to tilt the scales away from what is recommended for others and would not want the consequences of discouraging anyone following recommended care on my conscience. Thing is a great of people simply have no idea that there is something unusual lurking in their physiology that could go wrong, this unknown probably explains why some people can't seem to get it at all while it literally knocks others off their feet. I would imagine it is a similar unknown that lands some people in the ER and others are fine, the medical community simply doesn't know yet so until they know it seems best to leave it to them as this think morphs into uncountable permutations. Probably best to take more of a talk to your Dr or proceed at your own risk stance than to risk causing harm to other people. If anyone has the data to make far reaching generalized recommendations it is likely those in charge of US public health here and now, not some bloggers or whatever else might be out there with their untested theories. I like to think that the people in the CDC, as a collective, are making recommendations to do the least harm to humans and suggest following those guidelines before anyone else anywhere as public health is very literally their job.

So again, while in the singular it is fine to choose for oneself things get muddy if anything goes beyond that.

You may be reading more into people's stories here about their experiences in declining or not doing the drug again although I understand your points. I would generally trust that people are going with their doctor's advice or have discussed any side effects they've had with their doctor for any future times

 

[LuvOrlando]

You may be reading more into people's stories here about their experiences in declining or not doing the drug again although I understand your points. I would generally trust that people are going with their doctor's advice or have discussed any side effects they've had with their doctor for any future times

I like that!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

@LuvOrlando, just like anything else, paxlovid isn’t for everyone. I won’t take it again because, as I explained earlier, it caused a rebound case for me that was way worse than the original case I had. It increased and prolonged my illness. From my own research, my experience wasn’t unique. I wished I hadn’t taken it. Live and learn. I think people should make informed decisions and do what is best for them. My husband, daughter and sister took it and they were fine. My SIL and I were not.

BTW we all got it from the MA DPH website from an NP who didn’t know any of us. Getting it from our own practitioners wasn’t an option, they referred us there. She did review our medical histories and medicines. I know someone who they told to stop their anticoagulant going on Paxlovid, but that wasn’t a good thing for that particular person, and that was later confirmed with their cardiologist. So the system for obtaining and taking Paxlovid isn’t as perfect as it might seem.

@Snowflakey, it sounds like you’re at the point where you should try the Arm and Hammer Saline Spray in Extra Strength. This was recommended to me by my ENT when I had a scope up my nose I was in so much distress. Follow the instructions on the back. Know that what you are doing is trying to wash some of your snot away. You have to be somewhat aggressive with it. The stuff that gets in your nasal passages from Covid, as I explained earlier here, is a gummy-type phlegm that’s unique to Covid. It’s made from the same cells that make cartilage, so it’s strong and hard to move it around, even when you blow your nose or cough. So the spray literally washes it away. It’s pretty gross, as it runs in globs out of your nose and down onto your face. You have to do it over a sink or in the shower and then clean yourself and Lysol the whole area. Twice a day. I think, for me, finally after 3 or so days, it started to feel better because an awful lot had come out. Sorry to be so explicit but I want to get the point of this stuff across. The whole point is that it physically removes it. Just spraying a little up there isn’t going to do much. Good luck, and PM me if you have any ?s.

 

[Snowflakey]

I get that for you, I'm just explaining for others, it is not intended for everyone.

Your doctors know your health. Not every doctor who is open to prescribing it is basing it on years of health knowledge of a particular patient though.

My doctor didn't want me to take it. I am fully vaccinated and boosted though.

 

[Snowflakey]

@LuvOrlando, just like anything else, paxlovid isn’t for everyone. I won’t take it again because, as I explained earlier, it caused a rebound case for me that was way worse than the original case I had. It increased and prolonged my illness. From my own research, my experience wasn’t unique. I wished I hadn’t taken it. Live and learn. I think people should make informed decisions and do what is best for them. My husband, daughter and sister took it and they were fine. My SIL and I were not.

BTW we all got it from the MA DPH website from an NP who didn’t know any of us. Getting it from our own practitioners wasn’t an option, they referred us there. She did review our medical histories and medicines. I know someone who they told to stop their anticoagulant going on Paxlovid, but that wasn’t a good thing for that particular person, and that was later confirmed with their cardiologist. So the system for obtaining and taking Paxlovid isn’t as perfect as it might seem.

@Snowflakey, it sounds like you’re at the point where you should try the Arm and Hammer Saline Spray in Extra Strength. This was recommended to me by my ENT when I had a scope up my nose I was in so much distress. Follow the instructions on the back. Know that what you are doing is trying to wash some of your snot away. You have to be somewhat aggressive with it. The stuff that gets in your nasal passages from Covid, as I explained earlier here, is a gummy-type phlegm that’s unique to Covid. It’s made from the same cells that make cartilage, so it’s strong and hard to move it around, even when you blow your nose or cough. So the spray literally washes it away. It’s pretty gross, as it runs in globs out of your nose and down onto your face. You have to do it over a sink or in the shower and then clean yourself and Lysol the whole area. Twice a day. I think, for me, finally after 3 or so days, it started to feel better because an awful lot had come out. Sorry to be so explicit but I want to get the point of this stuff across. The whole point is that it physically removes it. Just spraying a little up there isn’t going to do much. Good luck, and PM me if you have any ?s.

Thank you Pea-n-Me!!! I always appreciate your advice. I do have that saline spray but haven't used it faithfully. And you are exactly right about the phlegm consistency! It is unique and I've been saying that to so many people. I will pay attention to using the spray today. I wasn't being that aggressive. I just spray some and blow my nose after. How long do you spray it? Do you hold it down for a while and let it come out down my face? If so, I haven't been doing it that long.....

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thank you Pea-n-Me!!! I always appreciate your advice. I do have that saline spray but haven't used it faithfully. And you are exactly right about the phlegm consistency! It is unique and I've been saying that to so many people. I will pay attention to using the spray today. I wasn't being that aggressive. I just spray some and blow my nose after. How long do you spray it? Do you hold it down for a while and let it come out down my face? If so, I haven't been doing it that long.....

Yes, you have to hold it down for quite a bit until the snot starts coming out the other nostril! You also have to tilt your head to the side - instructions are on the back. Good luck!

 

[leahgoogle]

I read through the posts and the general vibe on the Plaxlovid is striking.

In general, I get new medicines are scary but I can't understand risking long Covid and not taking the Paxlovid if your Dr gives it a nod, all my Dr's indicated I would need it right away to avoid the cytokine mess & would keep me out of the hospital.

My DD took it and had a surge after finishing but it didn't strike me as a rebound at all, more like it was just waiting to pounce and would have slammed her worse if she hadn't had the Paxlovid. She was fine and baking cookies then she was suddenly really really sick, it was steam rolling her and looked scary. We got the medicine quickly and she was better within hours. She hated the icky taste, said it was like similar to what she imagines would be like holding a nail polish cotton ball in her mouth, but hot sauces worked out fine. She was grossed out by Long Covid stories of ongoing bad smells and tastes the virus can cause so needed zero prodding from me, knew people who complained of ongoing exhaustion and such and wanted no part of it. She tested neg 2 days after treatment ended and on day 3 was positive again so thank goodness she didn't rejoin us just yet, but for her the second phase of the experience was very mild with just a mild fever, a bit of throat clearing, a slight achiness in ears and mild headache & l slight loss of taste for about 5 days - none of what I saw and she described on day 1 came back. We didn't think of this as a rebound, struck us more like the virus wasn't completely killed off by the treatment so when it had an opening it came back to life, but at that point her own body had enough of a defense to more easily fight it off. After about day 14 absolutely everything vanished & she has zero issues now so it made her better and prevented the Long Covid, which was her goal. While it might be better if she had it for 10 days like Tamiflu I can't imagine a shorter time isn't better than nothing, maybe it is too hard on the liver or something to go longer, not sure but I'm going to assume there is some sort of reason.

People still get really really sick and long term consequences of viruses like EPV & HPV are well documented enough to indicate caution so it seems dangerous, to me at least, to conclude that not having treatment would lead to better outcome. No matter how much it tastes bad for few days I would rather that than risk the arthritis I have which has been linked to Epstein Barr or having permanent anything of any kind, that is a game I would not play. I hope I continue to evade but if not then I will follow the best advice of my Dr's just like I did when I got my ovaries out because of BRCA2, that was crummy too, painful and no walk in the park but I listened because I am not a Dr and did not go to school for 8 years to shove enough info in my head to have a valid argument with my Drs. I just can't imagine going against medical advice when the stakes are so high over discomfort & can't wrap my head around comfort being weighted more heavily than well being.

Maybe people don't know how awful it it to live with chronic problems so if that is the argument please do enough research on the negative consequences to know what you are playing with as you weigh thing, go see what complaints are out there for Long Covid. No-one knows enough about Long Covid enough to speak of it yet so I don't grasp how people are ok with being Lab Rats. Not to put too fine a point on it but there is a whole spectrum of suck out there that sits between fine and dead, I live in this spectrum and would happily trade a week of bad taste to avoid my spot,

That is definitely your take and your right to take Paxlovid. I didn't and never will take it and I didn't get long covid. I also had covid before vaccines and handled it well and never got vaccinated. Every person is different and not everybody needs Paxlovid. You have to evaluate your need and risk of severe symptoms and long covid and do what is right for you.