Antiviral treatment

[Saab2000]

So Covid finally came to greet me. It appears to be mild. First symptoms overnight from Monday to Tuesday. Positive test at home yesterday (Wednesday) morning.

Two friends of mine, both with significant additive risk factors, took antivirals upon a prescription from their doctors.

AFAIK, I have no additive risks. I’m waiting for the local clinic to open and I’ll call them up. So my question here isn’t so much for medical advice as it is curiosity.

Have any of you who have had Covid been treated with antiviral? Anyone have a doctor who recommended against them? It seems in my quick reading that they’re more for folks with higher risk of severe illness, and I don’t put myself into that category.

Right now it just feels like a summer cold and if I didn’t test or had less awareness of Covid I would simply think I has summer cold. I feel cruddy but not worse.

[monadnocky]

My wife and I recently did have COVID. Oddly, my wife, who is older than I am and has at least one risk factor, wasn't qualified to take the antiviral (according to her doc). Upon my diagnosis, my provider immediately asked me (51, no risk factors) if I wanted Paxlovid. Weird. Her question may have had something to do with the fact that I'm a healthcare provider myself, but I'm not sure.

I turned it down - I figure, let it be (more) available for someone who really needs it.

I've heard that there's no systemic guidance regarding who is offered the antiviral and who isn't (or doesn't qualify) - it's largely a provider-to-provider decision. Seems pretty arbitrary if that's the case - ?

[Saab2000]

My wife and I recently did have COVID. Oddly, my wife, who is older than I am and has at least one risk factor, wasn't qualified to take the antiviral (according to her doc). Upon my diagnosis, my provider immediately asked me (51, no risk factors) if I wanted Paxlovid. Weird. Her question may have had something to do with the fact that I'm a healthcare provider myself, but I'm not sure.

I turned it down - I figure, let it be (more) available for someone who really needs it.


I've heard that there's no systemic guidance regarding who is offered the antiviral and who isn't (or doesn't qualify) - it's largely a provider-to-provider decision. Seems pretty arbitrary if that's the case - ?

I’m 55 but generally in good health so am generally a very low grade consumer of health care. I’ll call them shortly.

[htwoopup]

I couldn't have Paxlovid which they were originally going to give me because of a medication (I THINK it was either a cholesterol or blood pressure pill) that I am on so I had to have the IV one. Evidently there are major interactions they have found with the old man drug and Paxlovid from my understanding. Honestly, I don't know if it made a difference or not simply because I had no comparison. I had to take it within 7 days of the onset of symptoms which I did. I will say that I am still (2 months later) not back to normal on effort on a bike vs heart rate vs tiredness etc. Doc said in some people that takes weeks in others many months.

[bigbill]

My mom had an infusion two weeks ago for covid, but she's 81 with numerous risk factors. One of my employees was given an infusion but he also has kidney disease. I don't know of any people in good health who required an infusion.

[j44ke]

This is the government's description of eligibility. The definition of who is "more likely to get very sick from COVID-19" is vague, and so it is evidently being interpreted as referring to people with significant medical risk factors that would decrease survivability. However, I've heard/read that it probably should be prescribed to people who have a history of worse than average responses to the flu, lung infections, etc. especially because supplies of the medication are good and because of the risk of long covid and resulting disability. It sounds like the government would prefer doctors to over-prescribe the medication rather than parse it out only to those obviously at heightened risk. But that message doesn't seem to be taking hold. Seems to me to be pretty obvious that if supply is plentiful, you'd give it to anyone who wants it. No reason for patients to suffer through a case of covid unnecessarily, especially because our understanding of the long range effects of covid on even healthy people is barely understood. What are they saving the drug for?

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...e-illness.html

[htwoopup]

No reason for patients to suffer through a case of covid unnecessarily, especially because our understanding of the long range effects of covid on even healthy people is barely understood. What are they saving the drug for?

To Jorn's point...they told me that it couldn't hurt, they had it, and they know that it will keep it from getting worse, and provides better protection against reinfection for a few months so in that sense it is a big help.

[vertical_doug]

So Covid finally came to greet me. It appears to be mild. First symptoms overnight from Monday to Tuesday. Positive test at home yesterday (Wednesday) morning.

Two friends of mine, both with significant additive risk factors, took antivirals upon a prescription from their doctors.

AFAIK, I have no additive risks. I’m waiting for the local clinic to open and I’ll call them up. So my question here isn’t so much for medical advice as it is curiosity.

Have any of you who have had Covid been treated with antiviral? Anyone have a doctor who recommended against them? It seems in my quick reading that they’re more for folks with higher risk of severe illness, and I don’t put myself into that category.

Right now it just feels like a summer cold and if I didn’t test or had less awareness of Covid I would simply think I has summer cold. I feel cruddy but not worse.

Did you have a case of fevers and chills yet? Once you are past that, you are probably on the mend already. But if your doctor will prescribe it, go ahead.
My aunt recently had covid and she took the anti-viral, but she is in her 70's.

Look at the bright side, when I first had it in March 2020, I called A&E in London. The extent of the treatment at the time was "there is nothing we can do for you, so unless you have trouble breathing, stay at home otherwise call us back. "

The world is a much better place right now and I would not wish the heart issues I had for the 6 mo after covid on anyone.

[Saab2000]

Did you have a case of fevers and chills yet? Once you are past that, you are probably on the mend already.

My aunt recently had covid and she took the anti-viral, but she is in her 70's.

Look at the bright side, when I first had it in March 2020, I called A&E in London. The extent of the treatment at the time was "there is nothing we can do for you, so unless you have trouble breathing, stay at home otherwise call us back. "

The world is a much better place right now.

No chills or fever. Honestly, this is mild. It feels like a cold and not even a bad one. It’s not like I’m ready to hop on the bike for a race-pace century ride but compared with what others have had, including my two friends who got the antivirals, my case appears to be mild. One has asthma and the other has bunch of additive conditions as a cancer patient. She’s certain she would have been hospitalized without the Paxlovid.

[defspace]

Saab - I tested positive Friday morning after some heavy chills last Thursday night. I got on paxlovid Friday afternoon. I called my doctor up and had an Rx sent to CVS in 30 minutes. I realized later that I probably would not have self identified as the target population (35 years old, otherwise great health). I have a history of asthma which may have been why she wrote the prescription. Hard to know how the infection would have progressed without paxlovid, but my symptoms were far less severe than a day of bad springtime allergies. I tested negative (and symptom free) yesterday on day 5 of the five day course. Paxlovid does literally leave a bad taste in your mouth. It's a bit of a metallic taste in the back of your throat.

[Saab2000]

I called a local walk-in clinic and they said to show up in person. So I’ll go see what’s up.

[Saab2000]

Report: The medical people I saw were pretty non-committal as to the antiviral options for me, saying it was my choice and having me read some paperwork. There’s an antibody infusion I could get but even that they weren’t super committed to and said I have up to seven days to do that and today is day 3. I opted to wait.

I rarely go to doctors and it’s clear why US medicine is so expensive. Lots of places they’re adding costs to the payer and profits to the shareholders. I’m on a high deductible HSA so I’m wondering what this will end up looking like. But that is another topic for another time.

Glad I went. Learned a few things but I’m going to let nature handle this unless my symptoms worsen.

[beeatnik]

Paxlovid was not tested in the vaccinated. And for a non insignificant percentage (25%?) Paxlovid rebound occurs. Something to consider.


https://mobile.twitter.com/Bob_Wacht...02344195153920

[defspace]

I tested negative (and symptom free) yesterday on day 5 of the five day course.

Paxlovid was not tested in the vaccinated. And for a non insignificant percentage (25%?) Paxlovid rebound occurs. Something to consider.
https://mobile.twitter.com/Bob_Wacht...02344195153920

Well, today is ten days out from first symptoms. I woke up with a sore throat and tested. Positive.

[Saab2000]

I have mild, and seemingly subsiding, symptoms. Tested positive this morning and won’t be working this week. Let’s see what happens going forward.

Thankfully this has been pretty mild. But it’s not nothing either.

[beeatnik]

Well, today is ten days out from first symptoms. I woke up with a sore throat and tested. Positive.

https://mobile.twitter.com/rileyrayg...02615101018114

[defspace]

https://mobile.twitter.com/rileyrayg...02615101018114

I hope he feels better soon.

[beeatnik]

^How are you doing?

[defspace]

^How are you doing?

Good, negative and feeling fine.

[fastupslowdown]

I'm fully vaxed(one booster). I plan to get the new booster once approved, but if I got Covid I would not take the anti-viral unless a Doctor strongly encouraged it. I'm generally healthy but there are some nasty side effects that go with the anti-virals. If statistically I'm in the camp where I should come through Covid OK, I see no reason to this route. -Mike G