Had Covid. Am getting better.

I tested positive this morning, a year to the day from my first positive test. I have a call in to my doctor to get some Paxlovid which was not available in Canada last time for patients of my age. Any other new developments that I should take advantage of?  Maybe some ultraviolet light for my innards

I hope you have a mild case. First time I got it I declined the Paxlovid since my case was mild and it didn't seem necessary to take an anti-viral medication that can cause stomach issues. However this last time I got it I decided to take it even though again a mild case. The difference was that there is now a study (I think from April this year) showing a significant decline in long covid for those who took Paxlovid. I was advised to take a probiotic with it and have on hand Imodium (for the lower digestive issues that could come). Imodium not needed and no bad effects from the Paxlovid at all. Just listen to your body and hydrate and rest as you think best.

wendy said:

I hope you have a mild case. First time I got it I declined the Paxlovid since my case was mild and it didn't seem necessary to take an anti-viral medication that can cause stomach issues. However this last time I got it I decided to take it even though again a mild case. The difference was that there is now a study (I think from April this year) showing a significant decline in long covid for those who took Paxlovid. I was advised to take a probiotic with it and have on hand Imodium (for the lower digestive issues that could come). Imodium not needed and no bad effects from the Paxlovid at all. Just listen to your body and hydrate and rest as you think best.

Thanks. I am worried about the Paxlovid mouth. Did you have it and was it bad?  Definitely want to avoid long Covid. My last bout was pretty bad (three weeks in bed). 

Good idea about the probiotics. 

GoSlugs said:

Thanks. I am worried about the Paxlovid mouth. Did you have it and was it bad?  Definitely want to avoid long Covid. My last bout was pretty bad (three weeks in bed). 

Good idea about the probiotics. 

Paxlovid mouth is nasty, but you get used to it. It's just a bad taste that kind of sits there for a few hours after your dose, but at least you can taste.

ridski said:

Paxlovid mouth is nasty, but you get used to it. It's just a bad taste that kind of sits there for a few hours after your dose, but at least you can taste.

My doctor, who also has Covid, says I am too young to receive Paxlovid per provincial (United Conservative Party) regs. 

Yes; I remember the metallic taste. Not horrible but yes there. Being 71 there wasn't really an issue as to age and I am not sure there is an issue regardless in the USA. But I am still a fan of Canadian and otehr Not for profit insurance regimes. Good luck. 

It’s irritating. The province is sitting on millions of doses but they won’t release them because our nut job provincial premier doesn’t believe in Covid. 

This is something a lot of people don’t understand about Canada. We don’t have national health care here. Each province has its own system and the systems in those provinces that are under the conservative yoke have real problems. It is undoubtedly far better than the US while, at the same time, far worse than it could be. 

GoSlugs said:

ridski said:

Paxlovid mouth is nasty, but you get used to it. It's just a bad taste that kind of sits there for a few hours after your dose, but at least you can taste.

My doctor, who also has Covid, says I am too young to receive Paxlovid per provincial (United Conservative Party) regs. 

That sucks and I'm sorry.

Feel better.  Hydrate and get as much rest/sleep as you can.

Did you get the latest vax version before coming down with it?  Speaking of coming down, reported cases (in NJ at least) have been declining for some time now.   I haven't read anything about any significant new variant on the rise but it always seems to happen.

bub said:

Did you get the latest vax version before coming down with it?  Speaking of coming down, reported cases (in NJ at least) have been declining for some time now.   I haven't read anything about any significant new variant on the rise but it always seems to happen.

I got the shot on Saturday, tested positive this morning.  It didn't have enough time to take hold, I was exposed to someone who was positive on Sunday.  Bad luck.

Anecdotally, it's spiking here, my family has it, my doctor has it, 4 out of 20 people at my wife's work have it, three of my daughters friends have it (we caught it from one of them).  Hospitals are reportedly at 150% in the Edmonton area.

GoSlugs said:

Anecdotally, it's spiking here

For Paxlovid mouth: Try sucking cinnamon hard candy, like Brach’s.

Current reports of COVID infections are based exclusively on hospitalizations, which have been increasing.  Some parts of the State are showing moderate transmission rate.  Last time I checked, we were still low here in Essex County. Our local health department is recommending the new vaccine for virtually everyone.  Mask optional is becoming more prevalent.

Get well soon. I have an annoying cold that is hanging on now 3 days. Panadol working, but too distracted and sniffling to do anything productive.

joan_crystal said:

Current reports of COVID infections are based exclusively on hospitalizations, which have been increasing.  Some parts of the State are showing moderate transmission rate.  Last time I checked, we were still low here in Essex County. Our local health department is recommending the new vaccine for virtually everyone.  Mask optional is becoming more prevalent.

Maybe you're referring to national stats because the official NJ.gov web site shows hospitalizations decreasing steadily since Oct 4.  

Referencing briefings by town public health nurse to advisory committee on which I serve.  Most recent such briefing was last evening.  She recommended getting both the new COVID shot and the flu shot ASAP, confirmed availability of both vaccines locally, indicated that with colder weather and more indoor gatherings, people might want to wear a face covering.  She also said that the town is no longer tracking COVID cases, this is being done at the State level and is based on hospitalization rates since not all positive COVID home tests results are being reported to the State.  Shift in tracking/reporting makes it difficult to determine how the infection rate for COVID is fluctuating locally.  From personal experience, I know that COVID is presently spreading through the older adult community here.  Fortunately, I am not aware of any resulting hospitalizations from COVID infection.  To your point, Essex county remains at low transmission (as I stated above) and infections reported to the local health department still tend to be the result of residents traveling outside the immediate area.

As of yesterday, NJ is one of the states reporting a noticeable rise in new cases this fall. It is nothing like the rates we've seen before but still. it is picking up and now that the weather will be driving more indoor gatherings things like colds, flu and COVID cases will rise. Captain Obvious also reminds us that the Thanksgiving and solstice-related holidays will shuffle the population deck. Good times. Be careful out there folks. It's still worth wearing a mask indoors. Not to jinx myself but I believe it has been all the way back since February 2020 that I've been sick and I attribute using masks as the largest reason for it. No flu? No colds, bronchitis or sinus infections? I'll take it.

I still work for a guy who cannot afford to get sick so I wear a mask almost everywhere. If I'm sick, I can't be around him and he only has 3 people on his crew. I also have a personal anecdote to add that is annoying as all hell. I play trumpet in an orchestra and the woman playing first chair isn't a believer in wearing a mask anymore in spite of her job putting her in contact with lots and lots of people each day. So, of course, she just told me she's got COVID again and our concert is on Sunday. I have to learn her parts and now the pieces won't have the full orchestration. Dang it.

Yeah, when it comes to Covid, up here in Northern Canada we are about a month and a half ahead of you, weather wise. This has been the pattern in previous years as well. 

Woke up this morning without a sore throat and tested negative.  I am still very tired but I am happy that this proved to be a far milder case than the one I had last November (1 week in bed vs 3).  Even so, there was one night that was pretty scary, I couldn't catch my breath and I would start to choke whenever my body approached horizontal.

Thank you all for the solid advice and sympathy.