Paxlovid Availability

[Alan]

UK bought almost 3 million courses of therapy and have dispensed under 20k as of beginning of May

Yes, it is still only being prescribed to those with Covid who are vulnerable to serious illness.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coron...s-for-coronavirus/treatments-for-coronavirus/

The NHS is offering antibody and antiviral treatments to people with coronavirus (COVID-19) who are at highest risk of becoming seriously ill.
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You may be at highest risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 if you have:

Down's syndrome
certain types of cancer or have received treatment for certain types of cancer
sickle cell disease
certain conditions affecting your blood
chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 4 or 5
severe liver disease
had an organ transplant
certain autoimmune or inflammatory conditions (such as rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease)
HIV or AIDS and have a weakened immune system
a condition affecting your immune system
a rare condition affecting the brain or nerves (multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, Huntington’s disease or myasthenia gravis)
A doctor or specialist will confirm if you are eligible for treatment.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

To continue the anecdotal data...DW tested positive May 5 and picked up the last remaining Paxlovid Rx at the nearest Kroger Little Clinic the following morning.

By then, she was experiencing all the usual Covid symptoms including loss of taste, headache, fever, cough, fatigue, etc. Despite being triple vaxed.

She did not notice any improvement in symptoms until day 3. Paradoxically, she complained of both loss of taste when eating or drinking AND experiencing a constant terrible taste. We didn't know that was a Paxlovid side effect until reading some of these posts.

She did not experience any symptom rebound after finishing Paxlovid. But residual effects including fatigue, mild headache, and mild cough were slow to resolve. She was disappointed that the 10 pound weight loss was "resolving" faster.

She finally claimed to be "mostly back to normal" last week and played a fairly vigorous couple hours of pickleball on Thursday. Unfortunately, she experienced a bad asthma attack during the last game and nearly passed out.

She doesn't have asthma or at least never did previously. Fortunately, I always carry a rescue inhaler. Hoping that too eventually goes away.

Despite taking no precautions around DW, I never experienced any symptoms and tested negative several times including PCR.

I finished up my Paxlovid 3 days ago and so far, so good. I still have a little post nasal drip, but that could be some of the allergies that are rampant right now. Other than that, I feel great and have had some great sleep the last couple of nights. Other than the bad taste, I did have a couple spells of light headedness but that could have also been from being dehydrated.

Wife is still testing negative and is showing no symptoms, so I think we will be good to go on our next trip...woohoo!

 

[MarieIG]

https://covid-19-therapeutics-locator-dhhs.hub.arcgis.com/


DS and DH came down with Covid. DS was double vaxed, and DH got his two vaccines and last booster three months ago.

DH tested negative on a home test, but after DS tested positive, and DH was hacking up a storm, I made him go into Urgent Care, and he tested positive. I then had him call his PC and ask for a script for Paxlovid. While he was on hold, I called our local CVS to find out if they had it in stock - or if not they could get it from another CVS. I was put through to a "Covid hotline" which was totally useless, did the search myself and found a pharmacy a few towns over where it was in stock. I then gave DH the number for that pharmacy to have the doctor call that pharmacy; and we were able to get it.

The above link is the therapeutic locator which I used to find the Paxlovid.

 

[FIYes]

I completed the Paxloid treatment yesterday. No side effects while taking the drug except for a bad taste in my mouth. As long as I have no long term effects I will consider myself very lucky. My Covid symptoms were mild. I am no longer testing positive. Walked 3.7 miles this morning.

 

[MarieIG]

https://covid-19-therapeutics-locator-dhhs.hub.arcgis.com/ x .


DS and DH came down with Covid. DS was double vaxed, and DH got his two vaccines and last booster three months ago.

DH tested negative on a home test, but after DS tested positive, and DH was hacking up a storm, I made him go into Urgent Care, and he tested positive. I then had him call his PC and ask for a script for Paxlovid. While he was on hold, I called our local CVS to find out if they had it in stock - or if not they could get it from another CVS. I was put through to a "Covid hotline" which was totally useless, did the search myself and found a pharmacy a few towns over where it was in stock. I then gave DH the number for that pharmacy to have the doctor call that pharmacy; and we were able to get it.

The above link is the therapeutic locator which I used to find the Paxlovid.

________________________________

DH finished up on Tuesday. He complained about the taste following his evening doses; and also had some pain in the back of his calves. These went away the day after he finished his course of medication. He still has a little flem, but overall feels good and is back to taking his six mile walk.

DS still has quite a cough.

I'm still asymptomatic (had previously tested negative both at home, and later at Urgent Care) - but I suspect that I may have had Covid twice before (late February/early March of 2020 - gosh awful, and sick for months); December of 2021 (two weeks after booster and symptoms five days after exposure, but just an amazingly runny nose which ran for a day and a half and stopped abruptly).

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

It's been a bit since I have been on the forum but wanted to check in let the 2 people who *might* care know that COVID didn't take me out.

The Paxlovid did the trick and I was back in business pretty quick. A couple of weeks later, we took a trip to Roatan (about a month there) and another couple joined us for a few days. One of them tested positive prior to returning home (just shy of the testing required to enter the US was dropped). He didn't have any symptoms and was able to get back home about a week later. DW and I tested as well just to be sure and I tested positive AGAIN...but no symptoms. Not sure if it was "Paxlovid" rebound or not, but I felt fine and tested negative two days later. It was an interesting trip, to say the least! Air travel this season has been a pain, and I am very happy to be home. No trips planned for the foreseeable future for DW and me.

Oh, one last thing on the Paxlovid. I have known two other folks to take it and they had similar responses as I did. Bad taste, but quick recovery. I have also know a few folks that have tried to get it, but their docs told them that they either 1) didn't qualify or that it 2) doesn't work. The "doesn't work" thing is somewhat surprising to me.

 

[disneysteve]

their docs told them that they either 1) didn't qualify or that it 2) doesn't work. The "doesn't work" thing is somewhat surprising to me.

There are specific criteria that must be met to get Paxlovid. If you don't qualify, that's a good thing because it means you don't have any of the health conditions that make you a candidate.


As for "doesn't work", it certainly does work, but many providers, myself included, aren't huge fans of prescribing experimental unapproved medications to our patients, especially those with multiple medical problems.


In my setting as an urgent care physician, it's even harder because putting someone on Paxlovid often requires adjusting or temporarily stopping their usual medicines, something I'm very uncomfortable doing for patients I don't know and won't have any further contact with. Also, I often don't have recent liver or kidney function lab work to know if the drug is even safe for them to have.

 

[rodi]

I just got my prescription for Paxlovid - but it helps that I'm on zero prescription drugs, over 60, and obese... Apparently there is enough of a shortage that the doctor was hedging - saying she'd prescribe but they may not have it on stock.

I feel like total poop - so I'm hoping it's as effective as people say.

 

[Tekward]

I was sick in while traveling and the MD offered Paxlovoid, which I declined based upon weak Emergency Use Authorization data (the study used to determine statistical improvement was for non- vax'd subjects). He then confided he would not recommend it to his family.


Pfizer issued a press release 6/14/22 to amend their initial announcement with these two nuggets (I bolded):

• In a sub-group analysis, non-significant 57% reduction in hospitalizations and death observed in PAXLOVID-treated vaccinated patients with at least one risk factor for severe COVID-19
• Pfizer to cease enrollment into the EPIC-SR trial due to low rate of hospitalization or death in the standard-risk population; will continue to evaluate treatment in populations with high unmet need

 

[anethum]

When I had my annual Medicare Wellness visit with my doctor this year, I asked her if she thought I should take Paxlovid if I test positive. She said yes, solely because of my age. I have no other comorbidities and am not taking any other prescription drugs.

A few weeks ago, I had some minor symptoms (sore throat, slight cough, headache) which might have been a mild case of Covid. When the symptoms persisted all day, I tested myself with an iHealth antigen test. There appeared to be a faint line which looked like the faintest line in the 5 photos shown in the iHealth paper instructions. However, I'm colorblind and wasn't certain the red line was present. I took a photo of my test result and sent it to a close friend who is also a retired physician. She called me back immediately and told me she could see the line so presumably I had Covid. I took another iHealth test right away and got the same result. I went online and made an appointment for a PCR test the following morning, which would be just 12 hours after the 2 antigen tests.

The next morning, I got the PCR test and I sent my doctor a message along with the antigen test result photo. She sent in a Paxlovid prescription. That evening, I took 2 more antigen tests, iHealth & BinaxNow. This time, both were negative.

I had no idea how long it would take to get my PCR results back. The morning after the PCR test, I still had the mild symptoms and I decided to start taking the Paxlovid. I took a 2nd dose later that evening. Just before I went to bed that night, I got my PCR results: Negative.

I stopped taking the Paxlovid, and I sent my doctor a message telling her about the PCR result and thanking her for sending in the prescription so quickly. I added that I stopped taking it after getting the negative PCR result. The sore throat and mild cough persisted for a total of 4 days. I let my friend know, too, and she and I both found the conflicting test results exasperating. She wondered if perhaps I had some other coronavirus which caused the first two antigen tests to produce a faint red line.

Since I wasn't absolutely certain that I didn't have Covid, I stayed away from my 100 year old mother's home for a week.

So now, I have a 4 day supply of Paxlovid on hand.