Paxlovid

DH contracted covid last weekend playing golf (never went inside). He has afib and because of his medications could not take Paxlovid so he had the monoclonal infusion. He is feeling better other than a lingering cough.The bummer is he was scheduled for a long awaited catheter ablation on July 6, which they won't do now because he had covid within the last 30 days. It was postponed till September 7 (first available opening).

I tested postive this morning and immediately called my doctor and was prescribed Paxlovid. I had a slight fever and sore throat last night and today just nasal congestion and some coughing, basically like a typical cold. I'm 69 have no other issues and have had the vaccine and 2 boosters. My doctor told me to take Paxlovid because of my age. I'm skeptical of taking it because I don't feel very sick but worry that maybe the virus will replicate in me and I will get sicker.

I'm so over this covid thing. We have been extremely cautious keeping current with vaccines, continuing to mask (when the rest of the world isnt) and only attending outdoor functions. I guess it is what it is.

Can anyone here tell me what their experience with Paxlovid was like?

My 82 yo DM recently had covid and was prescribed Paxlovid. She was not happy with the side effects at all, she hated the bad taste in her mouth. She did recover very quickly once she started taking it.

bad after taste but very effective in reducing serious infections and hospitalizations. IDK if it will reduce the risk of long Covid but it might. I don't seem much downside and took it myself

DH recently had Covid. He is 74, vaccinated and 2x boosted. He took Paxlovid with no problem. He says he was glad that he did so.

I'm 70 in generally good health and if I get covid-19, I intend to get a prescription for Paxlovid. There is just no telling how the virus will affect an individual and the efficacy of Paxlovid seems high.

DW and I are both 65 and took Paxlovid. I had a bad taste in my mouth, but nothing else. DW had the bad taste and severe diarrhea. She quit taking it after two days.

Dash man said:

DW and I are both 65 and took Paxlovid. I had a bad taste in my mouth, but nothing else. DW had the bad taste and severe diarrhea. She quit taking it after two days.

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Yes, Mom had both of those, but she did finish out the meds. She is 82 so I'm sure that was a good idea. And Covid symptoms greatly improved.

Dash man said:

DW and I are both 65 and took Paxlovid. I had a bad taste in my mouth, but nothing else. DW had the bad taste and severe diarrhea. She quit taking it after two days.

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My husband tested positive Sat June 11 and I tested positive Wed June 15. Both started Paxlovid as soon as we test positive. Horrible taste in mouth for hours after taking it and FH had bad heartburn. Lots of advice on the FB group Paxlovid (not official group) group page. We felt better 2-3 days after starting meds. My husband appears to have a rebound case 2 days after he finished the meds. I have 3 more doses. Whoopee!

We are masking in the house and staying in different parts just in case. So tired of this...but it could be worse.

DW & I enjoyed Covid for the second time 2 weeks ago. Doc prescribed Pax for me.

Yuk! Awful cement taste constantly, could not mask it. Felt light headed and had loss of balance. Upset stomach. I quite using it after 2 days. The warning sheet was rather scary too.

Recovered in about 5 days anyhow, but still have a cough.


_B

46YO immune-compromised female here. I took Paxlovid that was prescribed by my PCM. Bad taste in mouth was the only bad side effect for me. It really helped me a lot. The first three days of Covid I felt like a truck hit me. I could barely get out of bed. On the 4th day, the Paxlovid kicked in (second day taking it) and I started feeling better. By the 5th day I was able to work again. I was feeling great on day 7 which was my last day of Paxlovid and I tested negative on home test that day. Day 11 my symptoms returned, but not as bad as the first time. Second time through my symptoms were more like a bad cold, sore throat again, congestion and low-grade fever. I also tested positive again on home test on day 11. Second time through only lasted about 3 days. Day 17, I finally tested negative again on a home test.

It sucked that I had a recurrence of symptoms after ending the round of meds, but the recurrence was not as bad and overall, I would take it again. As bad as I felt the first 3 days, I am not sure how well I would have done if I had not taken the Paxlovid, I may have ended up in the hospital. So, to me it was worth it.

Lastly, I do seem to have lingering effects of Covid. I tested positive on April 25th. I run half marathons and have not been able to run an entire mile without taking a walking break and I am much slower than before Covid. I did complete a half marathon on June 6th because I had signed up for it in January and paid for it. I took it slow, walked for about 30 seconds at the end of each mile and managed to make it through. It was the slowest half I have ever run, but I made it. Training for my next half in July and still cannot get my stamina back up. My PCM told me it could take me 9 months to a year to get back to where I was in my running stamina and speed. That is my only long- term effect, so I can't complain too much when there are some people who can barely walk down the street or up a set of stairs a year after covid.

Beldar said:

The warning sheet was rather scary too.

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Is there a prescription drug warning sheet that isn't scary?!

I have not taken it, but the bad taste is the most common side effect I have heard from others who have.

Wishing you good health soon!

I started coming down with Covid symptoms on Wednesday, tested positive for the first time on Friday. On Saturday I started a course of Paxlovid. I didn't feel really terrible on Friday -- temp was 97 and change, and I didn't have a lot of symptoms other than a sore throat and cough. Today, after taking my third dose of Paxlovid, I'm a little short of breath and was perspiring pretty heavily while working around the yard for a few minutes. I don't know if that's from the Paxloid or the progression of the Covid virus. At any rate, I'm glad I have the medicine and will continue to take it, bitter taste and all.

I tested positive a couple days after Memorial Day. They were going to prescribe Paxlovid for me but wanted me to do a blood test first because I have Type II diabetes and the meds that I am on. Since my symptoms were similar to a mild cold, I told them that I wasn't interested in a blood tests and I passed on the Paxlovid prescription.

Becca (OP) any update on your health and did you end up taking Paxlovid?
Like your DH, I have Afib and take blood thinners so I was not eligible to take it when I got Covid (2nd time) in April. I wasn’t very sick and recovered quickly.
My wife got it at about the same time and did take Paxlovid with the same side effects most others have mentioned here and felt better quickly.
Hope you are doing well.

I only took 3 doses (day and 1/2) of the Paxlovid starting on the day I tested positive. I couldn't handle the terrible taste in my mouth, it was making me nauseous and keeping me awake at night. I was never very sick with the covid. A slight fever the first night and then just a runny, stuffy nose, like a typical head cold. It lasted 3 days. I might have had a rebound because 4 days later the runny, stuffy nose came back for a couple of days. I tested 13 days after my initial symptoms and was negative. I have had a lot worse colds than this. I do have a lingering cough, but I always get that after a cold.

DH was pretty much the same as me....just a cold and also a lingering cough.

I don't think I would take the Paxlovid again...or maybe take it if my symptoms got real bad after the first couple of days.

The worst part of the whole experience was having to isolate when we really did not feel bad.

Mr._Graybeard said:

I started coming down with Covid symptoms on Wednesday, tested positive for the first time on Friday. On Saturday I started a course of Paxlovid. I didn't feel really terrible on Friday -- temp was 97 and change, and I didn't have a lot of symptoms other than a sore throat and cough. Today, after taking my third dose of Paxlovid, I'm a little short of breath and was perspiring pretty heavily while working around the yard for a few minutes. I don't know if that's from the Paxloid or the progression of the Covid virus. At any rate, I'm glad I have the medicine and will continue to take it, bitter taste and all.

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From what I understand it’s a good idea to take it very, very easy while recovering from Covid, otherwise you risk getting sicker and lengthened time with symptoms.

audreyh1 said:

From what I understand it’s a good idea to take it very, very easy while recovering from Covid, otherwise you risk getting sicker and lengthened time with symptoms.

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You're right, I'm sure. I just had a few chores that needed to be done. My O2 level was 99% when they tested me at urgent care, so I'm not terribly sick.

After five doses of Paxlovid, my cough is gone. I still have a little congestion in my throat, which may be a Paxlovid side effect as I understand it.

You still might experience a rebound, so it’s a good idea to keep taking it easy and watch for symptoms returning.

My kids wanted me to take it when I was sick in Ireland. I decided not to when I didn’t get super sick. Not sure from what I read if I would meet the requirements despite my age and health issues.

Despite Midpack's warning, I caught COVID while out of state at an outdoors music festival. I tried to wear a mask when close to others but it was a very large four day festival and was difficult to mask in the heat and rain (glasses fogged up). I felt bad on Sunday but tested negative, tested positive on Monday, and immediately phoned my doctor's office who called in a prescription for Paxlovid with no further testing. It was easy to get the antiviral even in a small town of 20K in southwestern Colorado.

I had read that Paxlovid is most helpful for people with mild COVID symptoms who are at high risk of developing severe disease. While I was not terribly ill, I had a low grade fever which is unusual for me and minor nasal congestion but it was quickly spreading to my chest. Even with the common cold, I get bad chest congestion and cough for weeks so was especially worried that COVID would impact my lungs. There was a bitter taste in my mouth after each Paxlovid dosage but it lasted just a couple of hours. Also got a headache on the fifth treatment day and some light headedness but not sure it was due to the medication. I felt better within a couple of days of starting the antiviral and was very thankful that it was readily available.

Glad you are recovering and please let us know your progress. Hopefully you don’t experience any rebound effect.