So I guess everybody is getting Covid

[rdrr]

Just got a positive test yesterday afternoon. I was semi-shocked, because of all the of negative tests over the past 2 years or so (must be 50 - 75 tests). All this time, and to the best of my knowledge I have never gotten it. So I just lost my Covid virginity, and boy this ain’t no joke.

Unfortunately I am overdue for my booster, because I was waiting for the new shot to be available. Go figure…. Is anyone on Paxlovid, my doctor prescribed it and recommended I take it due to my High BP, and being overweight.

 

[Eric]

Just got a positive test yesterday afternoon. I was semi-shocked, because of all the of negative tests over the past 2 years or so (must be 50 - 75 tests). All this time, and to the best of my knowledge I have never gotten it. So I just lost my Covid virginity, and boy this ain’t no joke.

Unfortunately I am overdue for my booster, because I was waiting for the new shot to be available. Go figure…. Is anyone on Paxlovid, my doctor prescribed it and recommended I take it due to my High BP, and being overweight.

Sorry, as you have probably seen I just got it myself and I can assure you it's kicking my ass, very miserable until the fevers actually subside. Feel great in the mornings when they break and it creeps back up all day long. I'm spacey and a little delusional at times because of it.

I did write my doctor about Paxlovid twice and still haven't gotten a response, they just give you a link to treat it at home but I asked for Paxlovid. Now I'm probably past the 5 day period where I can use it.

Good luck, hoping you have a mild version of it.

 

[rdrr]

Sorry, as you have probably seen I just got it myself and I can assure you it's kicking my ass, very miserable until the fevers actually subside. Feel great in the mornings when they break and it creeps back up all day long. I'm spacey and a little delusional at times because of it.

I did write my doctor about Paxlovid twice and still haven't gotten a response, they just give you a link to treat it at home but I asked for Paxlovid. Now I'm probably past the 5 day period where I can use it.

Good luck, hoping you have a mild version of it.

I am feeling for you my Covid brother. Had a 101 fever yesterday, slight today 99.7, and my headache mostly gone, at least for now.

I was lucky enough to get the last telehealth for the day yesterday. Just had my third dose of Paxlovid tonight and I just got the metallic taste in my mouth a hour ago, but I’d rather have that then going to hospital. Not sure if I would have, I think they were just being overly cautious.

 

[Eric]

I am feeling for you my Covid brother. Had a 101 fever yesterday, slight today 99.7, and my headache mostly gone, at least for now.

I was lucky enough to get the last telehealth for the day yesterday. Just had my third dose of Paxlovid tonight and I just got the metallic taste in my mouth a hour ago, but I’d rather have that then going to hospital. Not sure if I would have, I think they were just being overly cautious.

Nice man, word is it knocks it out pretty handily. I bet tomorrow by this time you’re back to normal, good luck and report back.

 

[Edd]

Relevant story with CVS pharmacies being understaffed during vaccine season:

Have a complaint about CVS? So do pharmacists: Many just walked out — NPR

After a large walkout forced at least a dozen stores to shut down in the Kansas City area, CVS promises change. But critics say the crisis in staffing and unfair pay extends beyond that market.

apple.news

I had an experience at Rite-Aid here a month ago. Had an appointment to get my COVID vaccine and I waited at the drop off counter for 25 minutes without being acknowledged. A woman behind the counter was alone and doing everything. I finally called to her and she suggested getting in the pickup line (5 people deep at that point). “Fuck that”, I thought, and left after having a word with a young store manager. She did not have the bandwidth for complaints of any kind.

A few days later I stopped to pick up a prescription and there were 5 people behind the counter, all from stores in other towns. No regular staff present.

I got my vaccine yesterday finally and there were two people back there, the man who gave the shot was from another store. BTW, it’s the only pharmacy in town, kind of stuck with them because lazy.

 

[rdrr]

Update with a bit of concern. Bear in mind that I tend to over worry about my health, but for what ever reason I seem to fall in the “rare” cases more often then not. Side effects/outliers etc.

So after taking my third dose of Paxlovid and starting to feel better, I developed a new symptom. Tightness and a sore throat, that progressed to what felt like razor blades when I swallow and difficulty swallowing. Symptoms of an allergic reaction, and one I am familiar with due to a Doxycycline allergy. So I made a telehealth visit, and the nice person said it could be that so stop taking the Paxlovid and to expect a Covid bounce (resurgence of the symptoms). It could also be Covid throat, or an opportunistic strep throat. They sent me down to an Urgent care facility to get a rapid PCR test. Those folks weren’t happy that I was there, but I was able to rule out strep.

Now I am lying here waiting for my current slight headache to fully bloom to a fever, and noticing that the coughing is getting more frequent. On a side note, my BP has been higher than normal and something the CPN wants me to watch more closely. This morning after taking my HBP medication, it was still 129/96 with an 84 Heart rate. Usually I am 11X/7X with a heart rate in the 60s.

 

[Eric]

Update with a bit of concern. Bear in mind that I tend to over worry about my health, but for what ever reason I seem to fall in the “rare” cases more often then not. Side effects/outliers etc.

So after taking my third dose of Paxlovid and starting to feel better, I developed a new symptom. Tightness and a sore throat, that progressed to what felt like razor blades when I swallow and difficulty swallowing. Symptoms of an allergic reaction, and one I am familiar with due to a Doxycycline allergy. So I made a telehealth visit, and the nice person said it could be that so stop taking the Paxlovid and to expect a Covid bounce (resurgence of the symptoms). It could also be Covid throat, or an opportunistic strep throat. They sent me down to an Urgent care facility to get a rapid PCR test. Those folks weren’t happy that I was there, but I was able to rule out strep.

Now I am lying here waiting for my current slight headache to fully bloom to a fever, and noticing that the coughing is getting more frequent. On a side note, my BP has been higher than normal and something the CPN wants me to watch more closely. This morning after taking my HBP medication, it was still 129/96 with an 84 Heart rate. Usually I am 11X/7X with a heart rate in the 60s.

Wow, sorry to hear that, I know I tend to overreact to these things quite a bit myself but it sounds like you have genuine concern. They say relapse is a potential risk but it sounds like most recover fine from that if it happens, Biden is one example.

If it's any consolation I did have the headache for the first few days, along with the dry cough but the fevers always knock it out. Then the next day it comes back, rinse repeat. I have yet to go 24 hours without a high fever but hoping it will eventually slow down.

Hang in there, I think we just need to let it run its course and who knows, in the end maybe our natural immunity will be better off for it.

 

[rdrr]

Question is what do you do to past the time? I have run out of Star Wars/Clone Wars episodes I skipped, and Star Wars/Rebels I am now on session 3. Some of the episodes are hard to complete. Trying to get a much as I can out of Star Wars Ashoka.

Apple TV Foundation season 2 was a disappointment. Guess I’ll go back to reading the books again.

 

[Cmaier]

Question is what do you do to past the time? I have run out of Star Wars/Clone Wars episodes I skipped, and Star Wars/Rebels I am now on session 3. Some of the episodes are hard to complete. Trying to get a much as I can out of Star Wars Ashoka.

Apple TV Foundation season 2 was a disappointment. Guess I’ll go back to reading the books again.

I find that i enjoy the show quite a bit more if I just do my best to pretend that it isn’t intended to have anything to do with the books. I think the biggest problem is going to be the mule - the beauty of the books is obviously that the mule couldn’t be predicted and they were in no way prepared for him. Revealing the mule so early, and then having the proto-2nd foundation have so much time to prepare, can’t possibly improve on the way it was handled in the books.

 

[Eric]

Question is what do you do to past the time? I have run out of Star Wars/Clone Wars episodes I skipped, and Star Wars/Rebels I am now on session 3. Some of the episodes are hard to complete. Trying to get a much as I can out of Star Wars Ashoka.

Apple TV Foundation season 2 was a disappointment. Guess I’ll go back to reading the books again.

Do you live with anyone else? It's me and my wife at home and she's been testing negative each day, thankfully. So I've been holed up in the spare room this whole time, using a separate bathroom and masking up everytime I leave the room and only being out as long as needed so I'm not lingering. Want to give her the best shot of not getting this thing.

It's definitely an isolated life but also have my shows, I really liked this season of Foundation and the rise of Demerzel but I've already watched it. Have you tried Invasion yet? I feel the same way you do about Foundation on it but it's entertaining enough.

I also still watch a lot of old Benny Hill episodes.

 

[Edd]

After the vaccine yesterday I’ve had a low grade fever all day which is my normal reaction. It’s bad enough to make me fully useless. Should be ok tomorrow.

I‘ve been binging 1883 all day. Pretty decent, I’m not hate-watching it like I do Yellowstone. One episode left, but dang, it’s grim.

 

[Eric]

After the vaccine yesterday I’ve had a low grade fever all day which is my normal reaction. It’s bad enough to make me fully useless. Should be ok tomorrow.

I‘ve been binging 1883 all day. Pretty decent, I’m not hate-watching it like I do Yellowstone. One episode left, but dang, it’s grim.

I get the same reaction every time for the most part, totally worth it though.

 

[Eric]

Tomorrow will be day 5, pretty much as sick as I've ever been but things are starting to improve slowly. Looking forward to my first day of being under 100 (only 99.7 so far today ) but am congested everywhere and am guessing that'll take a while to resolve. Wife is still testing negative and we've taken every measure possible.

@rdrr How are things going for you? Wishing you a speedy recovery man!

Funny story, I asked my doctor about Paxlovid 1 or 2 days in and they didn't respond until today saying "Sorry, you're past the 5 day window" (yeah no shit). The lesson there is call telehealth or something, my doctor has never taken COVID seriously, when I saw her she recommended I wait until Christmas to get the new vaccine.

 

[Herdfan]

my doctor has never taken COVID seriously, when I saw her she recommended I wait until Christmas to get the new vaccine.

Kind of surprised she is still your doctor.

Glad you seem to be almost over the hump.

 

[Eric]

Kind of surprised she is still your doctor.

Glad you seem to be almost over the hump.

She pretty much addresses most of my issues so I don't have a problem with her from that standpoint, when it comes to COVID you really have to be your own advocate, they can just tell you what they think but I can still get it anytime I want. I believe her logic was to wait before the surge where it will have more impact but I would rather get it sooner (this weekend had I not gotten COVID).

That said, I've moved away from the area so will need a new doctor anyway at some point, it's just a hassle as I'm sure you've experienced after your move.

 

[Roller]

Kind of surprised she is still your doctor.

Glad you seem to be almost over the hump.

I wholeheartedly agree on both counts.

Joseph Ladapo doesn’t take Covid seriously either. He altered the results of a study to make it seem the risks of significant side effects from vaccines are greater than they are, and he continues to push back against boosters and masking.

I looked up Covid on the state’s website, and it only says most people have mild symptoms and should stay home - no mention of isolation, masking, Paxlovid, or what to do if you have severe symptoms.

But not only is Ladapo still a licensed doctor, he’s the surgeon general of Florida, hand-picked by DeSantis for his views.

If the members of the Florida Board of Medicine had any principles or dedication to protect the health of Florida’s people, they’d withdraw his license or resign, but they like their jobs too much.

 

[Herdfan]

it's just a hassle as I'm sure you've experienced after your move.

Without a doubt. About 1 month in I had a filling come out. It was an old one from when they liked to drill to the center of the earth. So a new cavity was growing under it.

Long story short, I ended up with a root canal and a crown. Nice thing about the crown was there was no temporary. They used some camera thing that made a 3D pic of the old tooth and then a 3D pic of it when they had prepped it for the crown. Then some sort of machine cut the crown from a solid little block of porcelain and after a test fit it was baked and ready to install.

But finding a dentist was a PITA. The first one I went to just didn't have a good vibe to me. Can't really describe it, but something seemed off. Liked the second one, but they had to schedule me back a week later and the whole time I am just waiting to bite something wrong and have the tooth break. At that point, it is an implant, not a crown.

But they didn't like the look under one my other crown, so going back in later this fall to have it cut off and probably replaced.

Already have a doctor in Phoenix. My daughter's baby sitter from the time she was a year old is a PA in Scottsdale and she got us in with a doctor she knows well. Yeah its an hour + drive, but from everything I have heard about doctors here is they like to push scripts and while I am not anti-pharmaceuticals, I just remember taking my parents to their doctor visits with their bag of drugs. That will not be me.

Back to COVID. I am surprised it hit you this hard. Same with you @rdrr. I figured after all the boosters it would be mild. I have not had any boosters, just the first 2 shots and both times I knew I had it, it was relatively mild. Now the time before when I think I had it, or whatever it was, hit pretty hard. Must be a new variant.

 

[Eric]

Without a doubt. About 1 month in I had a filling come out. It was an old one from when they liked to drill to the center of the earth. So a new cavity was growing under it.

Long story short, I ended up with a root canal and a crown. Nice thing about the crown was there was no temporary. They used some camera thing that made a 3D pic of the old tooth and then a 3D pic of it when they had prepped it for the crown. Then some sort of machine cut the crown from a solid little block of porcelain and after a test fit it was baked and ready to install.

But finding a dentist was a PITA. The first one I went to just didn't have a good vibe to me. Can't really describe it, but something seemed off. Liked the second one, but they had to schedule me back a week later and the whole time I am just waiting to bite something wrong and have the tooth break. At that point, it is an implant, not a crown.

But they didn't like the look under one my other crown, so going back in later this fall to have it cut off and probably replaced.

Already have a doctor in Phoenix. My daughter's baby sitter from the time she was a year old is a PA in Scottsdale and she got us in with a doctor she knows well. Yeah its an hour + drive, but from everything I have heard about doctors here is they like to push scripts and while I am not anti-pharmaceuticals, I just remember taking my parents to their doctor visits with their bag of drugs. That will not be me.

Totally get this, both my wife and I have driven to our respective healthcare providers for this exact same reason. She has also had to get a crown like you did and loved the dentist from our old area. Now she's getting invisiligns and has to drive up there at least once a month, twice if something is off.

Back to COVID. I am surprised it hit you this hard. Same with you @rdrr. I figured after all the boosters it would be mild. I have not had any boosters, just the first 2 shots and both times I knew I had it, it was relatively mild. Now the time before when I think I had it, or whatever it was, hit pretty hard. Must be a new variant.

CDC states that the booster starts losing efficacy after 6 months, I waited a year because I wanted to wait for the newest strain, a decision that obviously cost me lol.

COVID vaccine protection against infection drops after 6 months, protection against severe disease strong: Study

A new study found that the original COVID-19 vaccines saw their effectiveness decline against infection with the omicron variant to less than 20%.

abcnews.go.com

 

[rdrr]

@Eric I thought I had turned a corner. After a second night of hell with my throat. Pain and trouble swallowing. Waking up feeling like I am choking is not a good feeling at all. Today it was mild, still there but I thought I was over the hump. Then 7 PM rolled around and the tightness and pain in my throat have crept back in. My cough is very mild and the fever is gone. It just the Covid throat.

On a side note my 77 year old mother and my wife (immune compromised) are both feeling under the weather, both are negative so farm fingers crossed. I am a bit concerned since we all got together a week from Saturday.

@Herdfan I like Eric was waiting for the latest booster to become available and hadn’t gotten a shot for about 10 months. I hope you actually had an innocent question, but your reputation around here makes me feel like it was another one of your trolling contrarian posts. If it is I will ask you how you would feel if it was you and your family, if it was genuine maybe just some well wishes and go about your day would be received better. Forgive me, I am really not feeling well and my patience is very thin.

 

[Eric]

@Eric I thought I had turned a corner. After a second night of hell with my throat. Pain and trouble swallowing. Waking up feeling like I am choking is not a good feeling at all. Today it was mild, still there but I thought I was over the hump. Then 7 PM rolled around and the tightness and pain in my throat have crept back in. My cough is very mild and the fever is gone. It just the Covid throat.

On a side note my 77 year old mother and my wife (immune compromised) are both feeling under the weather, both are negative so farm fingers crossed. I am a bit concerned since we all got together a week from Saturday.

Glad to hear you're on the way back, hope it continues and that your family is spared.

@Herdfan I like Eric was waiting for the latest booster to become available and hadn’t gotten a shot for about 10 months. I hope you actually had an innocent question, but your reputation around here makes me feel like it was another one of your trolling contrarian posts. If it is I will ask you how you would feel if it was you and your family, if it was genuine maybe just some well wishes and go about your day would be received better. Forgive me, I am really not feeling well and my patience is very thin.

You just have to assume they don't keep up with standard news and trends with this stuff and that it's not intentional. Although, it's pretty well known otherwise. Want to have some fun? Check out the COVID thread at MR for some true batshit ignorance, especially by that tool maflynn.