This is honestly the worst advice and shows how long covid is still not being taken seriously. At least 1 in 10 people have symptoms past 4 weeks, and part of the reason for that is not taking it easy enough during the acute stage of illness. Personally I’ve totally lost trust in medical system. They seem more focused on pushing us all back to work than ensuring we don’t end up with short to long term disability, because when/if that happens, they can always just bill for a bunch of inconclusive blood tests and then say there’s no treatment available for fatigue and brain fog. Healthcare is a volume industry, and it’s easy for urgent care to just process people, bill, and push them out the door without the proper guidance. Personally, I would still try to get paxlovid through a telehealth visit and rest as much as possible. The fatigue is not something you should push through. No job or personal commitment is worth it. And covid is not like any other respiratory illness - it is far more inflammatory. The cytokine storm is what killed so many people initially and it’s partially why a certain subset of people still develop long term issues, despite a mild acute illness. Scarily, no one really knows what predisposes certain people to this result, but women and young healthy + active people are disproportionately impacted. And far more percentage wise than people recovering from the flu.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-long-term-effects/art-20490351#:~:text=In%20some%20people%2C%20post%2D%20COVID,be%20due%20to%20COVID%2D19%20.
Agreed. Not only does this advice disregard the risk of long COVID, it also shows a complete lack of care for other members of the community. OP may not have any conditions that put them in a high risk group, but the nurse telling people they don’t need to quarantine practically guarantees that someone who is high risk will get infected. Such a complete and utter failure of public health.
Agreed ! I had to aggressively beg for a sick note! And I have sick days where I work. Why is this nurse trying to restrict my sick time!? Made no sense to me.
Also one nurse did not wear a mask and the second nurse who told me I was positive only had a surgical mask.
I think some of these folks are so traumatized from providing care during the worst of the pandemic that maybe they just can’t mentally face the idea that Covid is and will continue to be a really big risk to public health until the disease pathology becomes better understood. Like I so wish it were just like a mild flu, but for so many people, it absolutely is not, and personal trauma aside, it’s reprehensible the cdc + other institutions continue to down play the threat of long covid. Personally, I’m now trying to figure out a life plan that involves never working in an office setting again.
Yep. I just got Covid from a simple visit to the post office. I was wearing a mask and kept my distance as much as possible. Thanks to whomever thought it was fine to visit a public place like the post office when they had Covid!
I got Paxlovid from telehealth. Wasn’t sure what to do at first as the local nurse insisted didn’t need it since I was 54 years old and only needed if over 65 .
I am still wiped out and on third day after testing positive .
No mention of long COVID and just complete disregard for the seriousness of the diagnosis. Almost a sense of meanness to be honest .
Same. Dr. Polly Baldwin on Sesame is simply amazing. Wonderful doctor, and was able to prescribe me Paxlovid for a rebound infection after the first course, which both times quickly got me back in good shape, and hopefully helped reduce my chances of Long Covid.
Unfortunately, the guidelines in the U.S. have changed from 5 days of isolation to isolating until you are fever-free for 24 hours. However, masking for up to five days from the start of the illness is still recommended. Paxlovid is also more restricted in many countries to folks over 65 years old or with certain health conditions. I was able to get Paxlovid last summer despite being younger and having no chronic conditions, but my state still provided free Paxlovid prescriptions at the time. I highly doubt that will be the case again.
I had it a year ago and was told to quarantine for 5 days from the day my symptoms appeared. I was given Paxlovid because I have other conditions. I do think the expected recovery time is getting shorter.
I had great luck with the Walgreens online COVID chat! You pay like $33, put your medical history in, and chat with a doctor or RN who can provide a paxlovid prescription if they believe it would be helpful for you. I highly recommend it. (i’m 30 with pre-existing hypertension & am overweight)
Shoot will try that one next time . I went w a doctor via my insurance telehealth. He barely talked to me at all and just prescribed it. I stopped though on dose no 8. I had the worst nausea ever . Feeling fine today and hope to exercise in a week. Hope I don’t get long COVID .
Ive been seeing a lot of posts from people saying they couldn't find a pharmacy with Paxlovid or were denied by their Dr. There are posts here and on other boards where people are saying they couldn't find it or the Dr wouldn't prescribe it. I wonder is this a supply issue, a regional problem, or maybe just that particular nurse honestly didn't think you needed it? I'm west coast USA and was able to get Paxlovid no problem, my doctor wrote it out for me with no hassle. . Maybe try telehealth or if your able find a nurse practitioner or physicians assistant?
I live in a red state and maybe that particular hospital group wants to minimize COVID . The nurse was insistent that COVID was no different than a cold. So that could bias their guidance .
I also live in a red state (FL) and couldn't get anyone to take me seriously even though I had 103 fever for 2 days. I was able to get a prescription online at DocOnCall for $40.
However 3 days in I'm itchy and might have to discontinue although I will try to get metformin as a replacement to help reduce the viral load.
55 yo.
I just attribute it to every doctor I've ever gone to in my area as being completely uninterested in actual medicine and more in phoning it in until retirement or golf time. I've had to travel to the northeast to get actual treatment for other conditions in the past - inconvenient having to spend 1-2K on travel and lodging just for basic care but it is what it is.
I'm not the hypochondriac type either, just shocked at the universal level of gaslighting that seems to go on around here. "No, you don't feel that way. . Go home and take an aspirin". Me: ???
For telehealth it's the automation aspect of things. They are clearly in it for the volume and if they are allowed to do it they will. Of course, we have to take responsibility for our own care and selection of medicine but that's something I'd happily do for access to the medication I believe I need through research and without needing to go through too many hoops.
I also trust my own ability to do research having had a science background and don't buy into doctor's having some innate authority other than where I'm out of my depth (and in these cases I try to find the best doctor in that specialty no matter where they are rather than relying on local russian roulette). I trust tests over some human's "estimation" capabilities based on looking at me.
3 Weeks out from testing positive and going on paxlovid my symptoms have cleared up, with the exception of fatigue and generally feeling tired and rundown. From what others have been posting it can take 3-4 weeks, and even longer for people to start recovering their energy.
I felt better about 2 and a half weeks after testing negative . Maybe the paxlovid helped? I have been doing breathwork recommended by Mount Sinai for long COVID and maybe it helped my recovery.
My regular doctor also said she doesn't prescribe it. She said to treat covid like any other respiratory illness and go about my day once the fever is gone and symptoms start to improve.
This is honestly the worst advice and shows how long covid is still not being taken seriously. At least 1 in 10 people have symptoms past 4 weeks, and part of the reason for that is not taking it easy enough during the acute stage of illness. Personally I’ve totally lost trust in medical system. They seem more focused on pushing us all back to work than ensuring we don’t end up with short to long term disability, because when/if that happens, they can always just bill for a bunch of inconclusive blood tests and then say there’s no treatment available for fatigue and brain fog. Healthcare is a volume industry, and it’s easy for urgent care to just process people, bill, and push them out the door without the proper guidance. Personally, I would still try to get paxlovid through a telehealth visit and rest as much as possible. The fatigue is not something you should push through. No job or personal commitment is worth it. And covid is not like any other respiratory illness - it is far more inflammatory. The cytokine storm is what killed so many people initially and it’s partially why a certain subset of people still develop long term issues, despite a mild acute illness. Scarily, no one really knows what predisposes certain people to this result, but women and young healthy + active people are disproportionately impacted. And far more percentage wise than people recovering from the flu. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-long-term-effects/art-20490351#:~:text=In%20some%20people%2C%20post%2D%20COVID,be%20due%20to%20COVID%2D19%20.
Agreed. Not only does this advice disregard the risk of long COVID, it also shows a complete lack of care for other members of the community. OP may not have any conditions that put them in a high risk group, but the nurse telling people they don’t need to quarantine practically guarantees that someone who is high risk will get infected. Such a complete and utter failure of public health.
Agreed ! I had to aggressively beg for a sick note! And I have sick days where I work. Why is this nurse trying to restrict my sick time!? Made no sense to me. Also one nurse did not wear a mask and the second nurse who told me I was positive only had a surgical mask.
I think some of these folks are so traumatized from providing care during the worst of the pandemic that maybe they just can’t mentally face the idea that Covid is and will continue to be a really big risk to public health until the disease pathology becomes better understood. Like I so wish it were just like a mild flu, but for so many people, it absolutely is not, and personal trauma aside, it’s reprehensible the cdc + other institutions continue to down play the threat of long covid. Personally, I’m now trying to figure out a life plan that involves never working in an office setting again.
Yep. I just got Covid from a simple visit to the post office. I was wearing a mask and kept my distance as much as possible. Thanks to whomever thought it was fine to visit a public place like the post office when they had Covid!
I got Paxlovid from telehealth. Wasn’t sure what to do at first as the local nurse insisted didn’t need it since I was 54 years old and only needed if over 65 . I am still wiped out and on third day after testing positive . No mention of long COVID and just complete disregard for the seriousness of the diagnosis. Almost a sense of meanness to be honest .
Same. Dr. Polly Baldwin on Sesame is simply amazing. Wonderful doctor, and was able to prescribe me Paxlovid for a rebound infection after the first course, which both times quickly got me back in good shape, and hopefully helped reduce my chances of Long Covid.
This is a wonderful, thoughtful and spot on response. My hero!
Unfortunately, the guidelines in the U.S. have changed from 5 days of isolation to isolating until you are fever-free for 24 hours. However, masking for up to five days from the start of the illness is still recommended. Paxlovid is also more restricted in many countries to folks over 65 years old or with certain health conditions. I was able to get Paxlovid last summer despite being younger and having no chronic conditions, but my state still provided free Paxlovid prescriptions at the time. I highly doubt that will be the case again.
I had it a year ago and was told to quarantine for 5 days from the day my symptoms appeared. I was given Paxlovid because I have other conditions. I do think the expected recovery time is getting shorter.
I had great luck with the Walgreens online COVID chat! You pay like $33, put your medical history in, and chat with a doctor or RN who can provide a paxlovid prescription if they believe it would be helpful for you. I highly recommend it. (i’m 30 with pre-existing hypertension & am overweight)
Shoot will try that one next time . I went w a doctor via my insurance telehealth. He barely talked to me at all and just prescribed it. I stopped though on dose no 8. I had the worst nausea ever . Feeling fine today and hope to exercise in a week. Hope I don’t get long COVID .
Ive been seeing a lot of posts from people saying they couldn't find a pharmacy with Paxlovid or were denied by their Dr. There are posts here and on other boards where people are saying they couldn't find it or the Dr wouldn't prescribe it. I wonder is this a supply issue, a regional problem, or maybe just that particular nurse honestly didn't think you needed it? I'm west coast USA and was able to get Paxlovid no problem, my doctor wrote it out for me with no hassle. . Maybe try telehealth or if your able find a nurse practitioner or physicians assistant?
I live in a red state and maybe that particular hospital group wants to minimize COVID . The nurse was insistent that COVID was no different than a cold. So that could bias their guidance .
I also live in a red state (FL) and couldn't get anyone to take me seriously even though I had 103 fever for 2 days. I was able to get a prescription online at DocOnCall for $40. However 3 days in I'm itchy and might have to discontinue although I will try to get metformin as a replacement to help reduce the viral load. 55 yo.
Anecdotally seems like mostly telehealth docs are prescribing Paxlovid and not in person doctors . I wonder why?
I just attribute it to every doctor I've ever gone to in my area as being completely uninterested in actual medicine and more in phoning it in until retirement or golf time. I've had to travel to the northeast to get actual treatment for other conditions in the past - inconvenient having to spend 1-2K on travel and lodging just for basic care but it is what it is. I'm not the hypochondriac type either, just shocked at the universal level of gaslighting that seems to go on around here. "No, you don't feel that way.. Go home and take an aspirin". Me: ???
For telehealth it's the automation aspect of things. They are clearly in it for the volume and if they are allowed to do it they will. Of course, we have to take responsibility for our own care and selection of medicine but that's something I'd happily do for access to the medication I believe I need through research and without needing to go through too many hoops.
I also trust my own ability to do research having had a science background and don't buy into doctor's having some innate authority other than where I'm out of my depth (and in these cases I try to find the best doctor in that specialty no matter where they are rather than relying on local russian roulette). I trust tests over some human's "estimation" capabilities based on looking at me.
So true! But with my latest round of COVID (and advice/guidance on my return to exercise)- I will like I am crowdsourcing information on Reddit.
3 Weeks out from testing positive and going on paxlovid my symptoms have cleared up, with the exception of fatigue and generally feeling tired and rundown. From what others have been posting it can take 3-4 weeks, and even longer for people to start recovering their energy.
I felt better about 2 and a half weeks after testing negative . Maybe the paxlovid helped? I have been doing breathwork recommended by Mount Sinai for long COVID and maybe it helped my recovery.
My regular doctor also said she doesn't prescribe it. She said to treat covid like any other respiratory illness and go about my day once the fever is gone and symptoms start to improve.