[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

... Take rest and consult your regular doctor if you are ok to take regular flu medicines (anti biotics).

I disagree that antibiotics are a regular flu medicine. Flu is viral: antibiotics wouldn't work.

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Speaking from experience, dengue if left undetected for long is pretty dangerous :(

Yes: I speak from experience of dengue too! It wasn't fun. And if one catches it again, it can indeed be very dangerous.

Anyway, feeling quite a lot better today. Thanks to all for the help and support.

Took the covid test this morning. I hate swabs up the nose! But it isn't painful: just unpleasant.

[Thad E Ginathom]

<Later that day...>

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Took the covid test this morning...

And...

It's positive. I can stop wondering if I've had covid already, because, from now on, I'll know I did!

In this experience, the bad thing is the cough, which hurts the throat, and the throat, which can make even swallowing uncomfortable.

[Roy.S]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

And...

It's positive....

I read your earlier post and was pretty sure you'd test negative. I doubt there is any cause for worry, though. Take care of yourself.
What medication are you taking for this?

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Roy.S

I ... was pretty sure you'd test negative.

I thought it a toss up, until the cough and the throat started getting painful.

I'm not taking anything specific: paracetamol, some herbal stuff.

[Poitive]

Off (Covid) Topic

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

...Take rest and consult your regular doctor if you are ok to take regular flu medicines (anti biotics).

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I disagree that antibiotics are a regular flu medicine. Flu is viral: antibiotics wouldn't work.

Not a doctor so interpret accordingly. Only sharing my understanding:
Agree with Thad that flu is a viral infection and antibiotics don't work for that; they are for bacterial infections. Yet, they are often prescribed in India when one visits a doc who suspects it to be flu. Why?

1) It is often not simple and quick to figure out whether it is viral infection or a bacterial infection (have been through it several times in my teens). It appears the docs take the path of giving the extra coverage than to not cover for the small chance it is a bacterial infection. If it really ends up as bacterial they end up looking as poor docs to most. I have often talked to a doc such, that it is easier for them to not prescribe antibiotics at such times. Such additional use of antibiotics also leads to antibiotic resistance and more resistant forms of bacteria to come up over time. They also mess up with the healthy bacteria in the gut; also ones which help fight fungal attacks. Thankfully probiotics are now commonly prescribed with broad-spectrum antibiotics (have had cases in the family when use of antibiotics without probiotics resulted in fungal infections; at a time before probiotics became the norm).

2) During the early phase of Covid, antibiotics were often prescribed due to a concern of secondary bacterial infections coming up in a body which is oversteressed and has a compromised immune system because of Covid. The idea to to have the coverage as an additional measure; also against the unknown nature of Covid at that stage.

3) Due to a similar reason as above, a doctor might prescribe antibiotics to a patient whom they think is vulnerable and the overall risk-reward is in favour of giving the antibiotic in the case of that spedific patient. This can be based on unsure and quick enogh diagnosis or concern of opportunistic bacterial infectionbs on a compromised patient.

Docs might be able to give a surer opinion.

¬¬¬¬¬

Best wishes for you to have a speedy and complete recovery, Thad.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Thanks, and thanks for your PM.

Had a bad night, and will seek medical help today. Starting with telephone consultation with doc at local private hospital. They will either prescribe medicines or tell me to come and get admitted.

On the antibiotics thing, my mother country has been making an effort to curb over-prescribing for some years (well, decades!) and they are not that easy to get at all. precautionary antibiotics might be given after surgery.

[ankan.m.blr]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I thought it a toss up, until the cough and the throat started getting painful.

I'm not taking anything specific: paracetamol, some herbal stuff.

I am sure you are monitoring your SpO2 level at regular intervals; but if you are not, please do. Get well soon (and enjoy the concerts ) !

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

I am sure you are monitoring your SpO2 level at regular intervals...

Indeed, I am! And am under doctor's orders to do so

I spent a couple of hours today at the "Fever Clinic" of a local private hospital. They are under govt instruction not to mix covid and other cases: it is a work in progress, being built in their basement carpark, not very posh!. I had started with a telephone consultation, but, based on my age and symptoms descriptions, the doc said she wanted to see me, and conduct examination and tests, including a scan to check the lung condition.

It seems that covid has not reached the lungs, and that most of my grief of the preceding night was caused by an incidental microbial throat infection. Just because you've got covid doesn't mean you haven't got anything else.

I had a nice time inhaling various stuff with oxygen, from a nebulizer, and also getting various other stuff through a drip. Samples were taken for more blood tests. I'm supposed to be able to download that,but I can't. Anyway, we have to contact her again tomorrow. The scan showed my lungs to be in good shape. The inhalation, in particular, left me feeling soothed from nose to chest, and in much better shape.

Got a heap of tablets to take, but no specific fancy covid drugs. She seemed to think that I was handling that well enough without them. She told me I'd be fine in a week, and proscribed only 7 days of home isolation.

There you go. My covid+throat-infection saga.

[McLaren Rulez]

I haven't got much to add except to wish you a speedy recovery!

[kushagra452]

After dodging the virus for 24+ months, I finally tested Covid positive today. Symptoms started showing up from yesterday morning. Symptoms include fever (100 to 101) and mild body ache. So far the dreaded cough has not surfaced. I am in home isolation and taking the Paracetamol for symptomatic relief.

Anything else that I should be mindful of? How long does the virus usually take to go away?

Thanks!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by kushagra452

I finally tested Covid positive today.
Anything else that I should be mindful of?

I'm sorry to hear that you are yet another to join the Covid Summer 2022 batch. It's growing.

Hoping you get well soon. I found it useful to get medical advice and some treatment when I started feeling really grotty. That was about three days in. With luck, you won't need to.

[kushagra452]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I'm sorry to hear that you are yet another to join the Covid Summer 2022 batch. It's growing.

Hoping you get well soon. I found it useful to get medical advice and some treatment when I started feeling really grotty. That was about three days in. With luck, you won't need to.

Thank you. Surprisingly I have not lost my sense of smell and taste (yet!). I did consult a doctor who prescribed Paracetamol and Citrizine tablets. Also advised to take plenty of fluids and avoid tea, coffee, alcohol and aerated drinks.

Wishing you a speedy recovery. Take care!

[batish]

Originally Posted by kushagra452

Surprisingly I have not lost my sense of smell and taste (yet!).

You'd lose it eventually. Wait for 48-72 hours. But don't worry both of these would be back in a few weeks albeit at a very slow pace.

I was in the same situation as you 2 weeks back after breaking the streak of evading this virus for 2 years!

Originally Posted by kushagra452

How long does the virus usually take to go away?

Depends on immune system but usually, in 3-4 days you won't have symptoms.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by kushagra452

Surprisingly I have not lost my sense of smell and taste (yet!).

Same here. Yet. Have reached day five or six. Remaining symptom is a continuing cough, but, like with flu, I guess that might hang around a while.

I don't think any covid symptoms are compulsory! Like picking chocolates with eyes closed: out of what's available, we get what we get!

[kushagra452]

The home isolation guidelines have been changed in Jan 2022. The isolation period has been reduced from 14 to 7 days. A person can come out of isolation after completing 7 days provided that he/she is without any symptoms for three consecutive days.

So far (day 2 of home isolation), my body temp is hovering around 99 without Paracetamol (no cough). Hoping to come out of isolation next week.