After 3 years of avoiding Covid, I finally got hit this February. As I got sicker, my doctor agreed I was a good candidate for Paxlovid, one of the Covid meds out there.
I’m generally pretty healthy.
I rarely get sick except for gastro-intestinal issues — which every woman my age seems to battle. I exercise, half-heartedly and without enthusiasm, but pretty regularly. I don’t smoke and I eat a healthy diet. I do like my wine. My only health challenges have related to my eyes, which some excellent surgeons have helped me with. I am fully vaccinated and boosted against Covid.
I got sick.
How sick was I? Compared to the terrible loss that some have suffered, I was not very sick. But I felt lousy, and was getting worse every day, not better. By Day 4 I had had four days of fever all day every day. My cough was getting deeper and more painful. Headache, sore throat, congestion, and rash all over my torso. And I was starting to vomit. I have a weird condition (my dad had it, and so does my brother) that when I feel really nauseous I pass out. It feels terrible, and it’s dangerous because of the potential for a fall.
The doctor prescribed Paxlovid.
I had an e-visit with my doctor, and he agreed I was a good candidate for Paxlovid.
Paxlovid helped immediately, and also brought a few side-effects.
I took the full prescribed dose, which was three large pills in the morning, three large pills in the evening, for five days.
Within about ten hours of the first dose, I started to feel better. After three days, my symptoms were mostly gone. By Day 5 I felt completely healed.
There were definitely some unpleasant side effects. It can cause diarrhea, and it did. It also causes a terrible taste in your mouth. I know that sounds silly, but the taste is really awful. But cough drops, altoids, and liquids helped a lot. I would definitely take both side effects over having covid. The bad taste and the gastro-intestinal issues went away 24 hours after finishing my dosage.
Is it for you?
A call to your doctor is in order. It may not be worth the side-effects if you’re not very sick. But if you are high risk, or feeling pretty sick, it’s worth a call.
I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. My opinion is based only on my personal experience. Here are some articles by those more knowledgeable than me:
