Well, it happened. I was out running several errands on Saturday, December 2nd, and Sunday, December 3rd, 2023. I’m not sure exactly where I picked it up from. I was not wearing a mask (my fault), but I have faithfully received every vaccine and booster available for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. I thought I did a good job of being aware and vigilant and washing my hands. I just received my latest Covid booster shot in October (about 2 months ago exactly), as well as a flu vaccine.
I was definitely not expecting to catch Covid- I thought it was an afterthought. I barely thought about or worried about it anymore, even though I knew it’s still out there.
I started feeling pretty bad on the night of Monday, December 4th and all throughout the day on Tuesday, December 5th. It started out as a sore throat, like every other time I catch a cold or the flu. I was not able to breathe through my nostrils (severe congestion), couldn’t sleep very well, had aches and pains, briefly lost my sense of smell and taste, had a temperature, and had the chills. I was also very tired. I never got short of breath, fortunately. I thought at first that maybe it was just a bad cold. Unfortunately, I had to stay home from work for the rest of the week (without pay), but at least I didn’t get anybody else sick. The new quarantine period for Covid if you test positive is 5 days, and if you have to go out for anything, wear a mask, of course.
Then I took one of the at home COVID-testing kits that I received for free through the Biden Administration, and it showed up as Positive almost right away. My brother advised me to call my doctor and try to get prescribed Paxlovid.
My doctor’s schedule was full and I could not get in to see him for at least 2 days. So I went to Urgent Care instead. I was prescribed with Molnupiravir (brand name: Lagevrio). I took 4 pills every 12 hours for the next 5 days. This is a miracle drug and I feel so much better now! This drug is an alternative to Paxlovid and does not have any known side-effects or bad reactions with other medications. I drank as many fluids as possible (water, sugar-free Gatorade, Gingerale, 7-up, soup broth, herb tea, etc.)
Paxlovid does not mix well with statins (cholesterol reducing medication). Also, Molnupiravir should not be used by pregnant people or people who may become pregnant.
I just wanted to share my experience with all of you, partly to remind you all that Covid is not over, in the midst of all the other horrible things going on all over the world on a daily basis)! I wanted to share with you what made me feel better, so if you have a similar experience, you might try some of the things I did in order to feel better sooner. One important thing to remember about Molnupiravir and Paxlovid is they need to be started within 5-days of the onset of symptoms.
I don’t think anybody needs to be dying from Covid-related illness anymore, with the vaccines and antiviral medications readily available. Of course, still be careful and vigilant and wear your masks! Avoidance and prevention is still the best strategy when it comes to the Coronavirus!
I, for one, am very grateful to President Biden for making these treatments more possible and available to the general public.
I know if it were President Trump, he simply wouldn’t give a damn about my experience, or whether I lived or died!
Note: This is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are sick or think you may have Covid symptoms, please see a doctor as soon as possible. Please take good care of yourselves and your families and friends!
