COVID and Paxlovid treatment, your experience?

[MtnMan]

Made it this far, VAX'ed and boosted, but COVID finally hit me. I'm old, and have other risk factors.

At first thought it was a cold, but no, as confirmed by a COVID test. Called the doc, and they called in a Rx to my pharmacy. They also to pick up some Mucinex to take.

I'm half-way through the doses, and it's not fun. What is COVID and what might be side effects are not clear, but I really feel like crap.
#1 - is a sore throat from hell
#2 - cough, painful as hell but mucinex productive.
#3 - wiped out, feel like a truck with a load of malaise ran over me.
#4 - headache which Alieve doe help
#5 - runny nose, to the point it is raw from blowing it.
#6 - loss of taste/smell

 

[MtnMan]

I posted this originally in OT, for the simple fact that nobody ever fucking comes in here.

 

[MtnMan]

Had it twice already, with all of the listed symptoms + tinnitus.
Ended up to taking paracetamol couple of times, that's all

Tinnitus was something I already had.
Started Paxlovid on Friday and Monday I'm finally feeling batter, not good, just better. Sore throat is not raging sore, which is welcome.

Did you have a rebound of symptoms when you finished the course?

 

[Pohemi]

I've had it twice now. I was fully vaxxed and boosted (5 shots in total).

First time I got it, I barely noticed any symptoms, I was a little sore for a day or two. This 2nd turn kicked my butt, to the point that the first night that it hit me, I called 911 because it felt like my lungs were constricting and I couldn't breathe. I ended up not going to the hospital with the EMTs after they checked my blood oxygen and BP and it was perfectly fine.

I also spent that entire next day on the toilet with the wastebasket in front of me (literally every 30 minutes or more.) That first day in between trips to the bathroom, I called my doctor's clinic and requested the Paxlovid. The worst side effect other than the worst fatigue I've ever had, was the metallic taste in my mouth until a day after I was done with it. I assumed the fatigue was the COVID and the taste was the Paxlovid. I think the Paxlovid also gave me gut cramps and queasiness or slight nausea that lasted as long as the metallic taste did.

That first day and night were the worst for me, and then it got considerably better. After the 5-day Paxlovid treatment was finished, I didn't notice any rebound of symptoms, though I haven't been back to relative "normal" yet. The positive test was on Feb. 2nd.

 

[MtnMan]

By last night, (day 3 of Paxlovid) I felt there was hope for feeling better. Woke up this morning, felt human, and most significant, the sore throat was completely gone.

Body said "but wait" I have another surprise for you... urinary retention. Struggled with it for a while, but it became clear it was not going away. Hours in the ER, and will be looking to make an appointment with a urologist tomorrow to see when I can get the Foley catheter removed, and try to figure out WTF brought this on.

 

[Pohemi]

By last night, (day 3 of Paxlovid) I felt there was hope for feeling better. Woke up this morning, felt human, and most significant, the sore throat was completely gone.

Body said "but wait" I have another surprise for you... urinary retention. Struggled with it for a while, but it became clear it was not going away. Hours in the ER, and will be looking to make an appointment with a urologist tomorrow to see when I can get the Foley catheter removed, and try to figure out WTF brought this on.

Wow, no bueno. I hope it turns out okay and you can get it resolved.

 

[TheVrolok]

By last night, (day 3 of Paxlovid) I felt there was hope for feeling better. Woke up this morning, felt human, and most significant, the sore throat was completely gone.

Body said "but wait" I have another surprise for you... urinary retention. Struggled with it for a while, but it became clear it was not going away. Hours in the ER, and will be looking to make an appointment with a urologist tomorrow to see when I can get the Foley catheter removed, and try to figure out WTF brought this on.

Wonder if you're on other medication that could potentially cause urinary retention that got significantly exacerbated by Paxlovid. It has pretty significant drug drug interactions due to it's metabolism. I really don't care much for it given fairly limited benefit, and significant interactions. I still use it, but in fairly niche cases and not incredibly commonly.

 

[MtnMan]

Wonder if you're on other medication that could potentially cause urinary retention that got significantly exacerbated by Paxlovid. It has pretty significant drug drug interactions due to it's metabolism. I really don't care much for it given fairly limited benefit, and significant interactions. I still use it, but in fairly niche cases and not incredibly commonly.

I only take amlodipine and pravastatin, and on the pharmacist's recommendation I stopped the amlodipine as there is a known interaction. I stopped the pravastatin also just to cover all possible issues.

 

[C1]

COVID-19 rebound after Paxlovid and Molnupiravir during January-June 2022 - PMC

Recent case reports document that some patients who were treated with Paxlovid experienced rebound COVID-19 infections and symptoms 2 to 8 days after completing a 5-day course of Paxlovid. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Good Luck

PS: Both wife & I caught C19 on airline flight to Minneapolis in June. (Had all earmarks of Omicron.) Got sicker than hell & was quarantined in hotel for 5 days. Up front went to local ER & got prescription for Merk's Molnupiravir. (Whole town was out of Paxlovid.) Took about 5 weeks to clear the C19. However, I would estimate that it seemed to permanently cut my motivational energy by 10%, so I advise avoiding subsequent C19 infections thru taking the necessary precautions anyway you can.

 

[Pohemi]

I only take amlodipine and pravastatin, and on the pharmacist's recommendation I stopped the amlodipine as there is a known interaction. I stopped the pravastatin also just to cover all possible issues.

The Atorvastatin was the only medication (out of maybe 8 pill meds) that my doctor instructed me to stop while taking the paxlovid, and not to restart until 10 days after stopping the paxlovid.

Depends on who you see, I guess. I also take Amlodipine, and nobody said a word about that one. /shrug

 

[MtnMan]

The Atorvastatin was the only medication (out of maybe 8 pill meds) that my doctor instructed me to stop while taking the paxlovid, and not to restart until 10 days after stopping the paxlovid.

Depends on who you see, I guess. I also take Amlodipine, and nobody said a word about that one. /shrug

My BP went up initially, not horrible, but high, but had raging COVID symptoms... The day after I finished Paxlovid to restart Amlodipine, my pressure was great, 118/70, so I haven't restarted it. My weight is down about 25lbs from the time I started Amlodipine. COVID diet took a quick 5lbs off.

 

[Pohemi]

My BP went up initially, not horrible, but high, but had raging COVID symptoms... The day after I finished Paxlovid to restart Amlodipine, my pressure was great, 118/70, so I haven't restarted it. My weight is down about 25lbs from the time I started Amlodipine. COVID diet took a quick 5lbs off.

Yeah, I only weigh around 150lbs and the first (bad) day I dropped just over 10lbs. It felt to me much like severe diabetic ketoacidosis, which was up til now, the worst illness I had ever experienced. This at least matched it.

 

[TheVrolok]

I only take amlodipine and pravastatin, and on the pharmacist's recommendation I stopped the amlodipine as there is a known interaction. I stopped the pravastatin also just to cover all possible issues.

The Atorvastatin was the only medication (out of maybe 8 pill meds) that my doctor instructed me to stop while taking the paxlovid, and not to restart until 10 days after stopping the paxlovid.

Depends on who you see, I guess. I also take Amlodipine, and nobody said a word about that one. /shrug

Statins are a mixed bag, depends on the statin. Prava is fine to continue with Paxlovid, Simva/Lova 10 day hold, Atorva/Rosuva 8 day hold is general guidence.

I generally continue amlodipine and ask that patients monitor their BP, if it gets low, dose reduce or hold.

Honestly, it's an annoying drug.

 

[MtnMan]

Statins are a mixed bag, depends on the statin. Prava is fine to continue with Paxlovid, Simva/Lova 10 day hold, Atorva/Rosuva 8 day hold is general guidence.

I generally continue amlodipine and ask that patients monitor their BP, if it gets low, dose reduce or hold.

Honestly, it's an annoying drug.

I've tolerated Amlodipine for years. First BP med I was put on gave a horrible cough. Got worse during the day, to the point I couldn't get a sentence out without coughing. It stopped the instant I laid down in bed, and would build slowly the next day.

I have not restarted it, now a week, and BP is consistently around 120/70.

 

[Pohemi]

First BP med I was put on gave a horrible cough.

I'ma take a wild guess...Lisinopril? heh

 

[Brainonska511]

My parents had used it and it seemed to help cut their symptoms down. My mom had reported a slight metallic taste while on it, which is a known side effect.

The only big concern when using an antiviral is to just check the potential drug-drug interactions, because the pathways your body uses to break down paxlovid can interfere with those same pathways for other drugs, and lead to higher or lower than expected levels of those other drugs.

 

[tcsenter]

Wow I'm not sure that was a pharmacists call to recommend you discontinue amlodipine, unless it came with 'check with your cardiologist first'. Statins, yes, nobody dies from a week of their cholesterol increasing but they do from sudden cessation of beta or calcium channel blockers. In the context of an illness like COVID-19 where blood pressure and myocardial burden can increase dangerously from that alone, it should have been your cardiologist's call. Feel better soon.

 

[TheVrolok]

My parents had used it and it seemed to help cut their symptoms down. My mom had reported a slight metallic taste while on it, which is a known side effect.

The only big concern when using an antiviral is to just check the potential drug-drug interactions, because the pathways your body uses to break down paxlovid can interfere with those same pathways for other drugs, and lead to higher or lower than expected levels of those other drugs.

Honestly, given barriers to its use (due to drug drug interactions and avoidance in advanced renal insufficiency) in the very population where it has any efficacy and then even fairly limited efficiency there (in terms of absolute risk reduction rather than the advertised relative risk reduction), I just don't put a lot of value in it.

Thst said, some of the data on reduction in "long Covid" even in non high risk populations is certainly interesting.

Not sure what your view is from your end.

 

[Brainonska511]

Honestly, given barriers to its use (due to drug drug interactions and avoidance in advanced renal insufficiency) in the very population where it has any efficacy and then even fairly limited efficiency there (in terms of absolute risk reduction rather than the advertised relative risk reduction), I just don't put a lot of value in it.

Thst said, some of the data on reduction in "long Covid" even in non high risk populations is certainly interesting.

Not sure what your view is from your end.

I don't think those barriers are that large to use - more of a "prescriber should be aware type of thing", which would be true in any polypharmacy case. The risk reduction aspect: I agree that is a bit ambiguous, but with how COVID can progress, it seems like something where you would want to err on giving something to reduce symptoms early instead of waiting too long and hospitalizing them.

Though, do take what I've said with a little bit of salt. I may have a doctorate, but I'm not a medical doctor and I haven't kept up so much with the paxlovid literature. My alley as of late in medical communications is more in oncology and rare diseases.

 

[MtnMan]

Wow I'm not sure that was a pharmacists call to recommend you discontinue amlodipine, unless it came with 'check with your cardiologist first'. Statins, yes, nobody dies from a week of their cholesterol increasing but they do from sudden cessation of beta or calcium channel blockers. In the context of an illness like COVID-19 where blood pressure and myocardial burden can increase dangerously from that alone, it should have been your cardiologist's call. Feel better soon.

I don't have a cardiologist. The pharmacists is the final watchdog to alert patients about possible interactions between drugs.

I did monitor my BP closely, and it initially went up some, but now it is back to the level I maintained while on Amlodipine, without restarting it.

 

[stargazr]

My girlfriend tested positive last Thursday night for Covid, and then I did as well by Saturday morning. We are both fully vaccinated, with one booster shot each.

We both were prescribed Paxlovid, and are over 60. She just had a heart valve replacement last year. She had to cut some of her meds in half that she normally takes due to the Plaxovid, like I think blood thinner.

GF was pretty sick the first few days, with fever, extreme fatigue, chills and a cough. She is doing pretty good now, still gets tired but is doing more activity each day. Her taste buds are still messed up. Said she never felt that sick before in her life.

I had much milder symptoms. Slight fever first night but mostly was similar to a cold, with congestion, headaches and also fatigue. No change to taste buds. It came and went, and sometimes I felt like it was gone. I feel much better now but also tired a lot.

I would say the medication seemed to really help my GF. Not sure if it helped me as far as a quicker recovery. I still test positive but am doing pretty good. The taste from the Paxlovid is gross though. I'm almost half way done and hate it, but oh well.

All in all, we feel lucky in that it could have been a lot worse, like people we know and have read about who got earlier versions of Covid.

 

[Pohemi]

The taste that the Paxlovid leaves in your mouth 24/7 is worse than strong antibiotics in my opinion. Like a mixture of metal with a slight tinge of vomit. Was pretty disgusting and definitely didn't help when I had nausea or queasiness, lol.

I'd take small sips of water every 5 to 10 minutes and it seemed to help lessen the taste...for 5 or 10 minutes, heh.

 

[MtnMan]

The taste that the Paxlovid leaves in your mouth 24/7 is worse than strong antibiotics in my opinion. Like a mixture of metal with a slight tinge of vomit. Was pretty disgusting and definitely didn't help when I had nausea or queasiness, lol.

I'd take small sips of water every 5 to 10 minutes and it seemed to help lessen the taste...for 5 or 10 minutes, heh.

I took lots of sips of water every few minutes, first for the sore throat from hell, and the taste. Day 3 on Paxlovid I lost all sense of taste and smell, which was nice. I did get my smell and taste back slowly over the next couple of days.

 

[stargazr]

The taste that the Paxlovid leaves in your mouth 24/7 is worse than strong antibiotics in my opinion. Like a mixture of metal with a slight tinge of vomit. Was pretty disgusting and definitely didn't help when I had nausea or queasiness, lol.

I'd take small sips of water every 5 to 10 minutes and it seemed to help lessen the taste...for 5 or 10 minutes, heh.

Bourbon seems to kill the taste for awhile, but of course you don't want to drink a lot while sick lol

 

[Pohemi]

Bourbon seems to kill the taste for awhile, but of course you don't want to drink a lot while sick lol

I didn't think of it while I was sick, but maybe a hot toddy/hot lemon would do okay. Hot water, lemon juice, a touch of honey, and whisky/bourbon.

My parents use to make them for my sis and I when we'd get sick as kids. Helped us sleep of course, heh.