Covid no 2nd treatment

[clifflee]

Tested positive for covid 2/11/22, via 111 went through to Covid Medicine Delivery Unit at St Georges Hospital at Stafford. They prescribed molnupiravir antiviral tablets and sent it out to me 25 miles away via a blood bike, brilliant service.

Two days later had a very red rash covering the palms of my hands but not on the fingers, had big patches on my back and chest and it was on my neck at the front and back, again phoned 111 and eventually asked me to go into Queens Hospital Burton for examination, they decided it was a viral rash from my CLL damaged immune system or the antiviral tablets, they weren't too worried about it and sent me home and told me to complete the course of antivirals.

Its now 2 weeks and am still testing positive and am still feeling very rough, headaches, body aches, blocked stuffy nose requires blowing every 10 minutes and alternate between going hot and cold no energy. Spoke to 111 again and they arranged a call back from Covid Medicine Delivery Unit whom say you can only have 1 drug within 5 days of testing positive and there are no 2nd line drugs! they at my insistence are arranging a call back from one of their doctors. My CNS is not available and have left a message for my Haemotologist to phone me.

I was diagnosed with CLL (Matutes score 5) in July 2013 stillll on WW although haematologist keeps asking about starting chemotherapy, am diabetic, previous bowel cancer 2004, 2 x colon resections and 30 weeks of chemotherapy, collapsed lung 1992 (spontaneous pneumothorax) cured by pleuradesis + several other things like heart murmur, high PSA, calcium deficiency and divercation of the adonis recti..... am 74 years old and reasonably active and fit ain't giving in to covid! Anyone any ideas?

[Big_Dee]

Hello clifflee

I don't have any brilliant suggests, but like your, "ain't giving in to covid!". Blessings.

[SofiaDeo]

Well, maybe if you point out to a higer-up somewhere that Dr. Fauci did repeat treatment of antivirals for *his* severe Covid infection, and he isn't even a cancer patient, perhaps you can get more. It's reasonable IMO considering your medical history, multiple cancers plus lung problems to boot!

[clifflee in reply to SofiaDeo]

Apparently its down th the UK health postcode lottery! the area I live in, although Derbyshire, comes under Staffordshire and they are funded for limited covid drug delivery only, not for monitoring or any form of follow up. If this is required you are referred back to your General Practitioner (GP) its a bit like snakes and ladders - when you get to the top you slide down to the bottom again!

My haematology Doctor got one of the nurses to phone back and said that you should stop testing as its picking up dead virus, and after 10 days I would no longer be infectious, I was also told I could suffer from covid for up to 4 weeks or longer and there is no further treatment and again referred me to my GP or if I become seriously ill to phone 999 and go to hospital.

No wonder the UK hospitals are overflowing as there is little care in the community, everyone is passing you on, your GP passes you to a specialist and the specialist passes you back to the GP....

All well it appears I have 'to suck it up', so its back to work tomorrow and head and forget about it, as I said earlier I ain't giving in covid I have too many adventures left to enjoy in life 😁

[country76]

Sorry for all your history. However, you have a great attitude!!!

[bennevisplace]

The docs are not being difficult, it's just that the circumstances these meds are approved for don't include a repeat course well past the 5 day point. What you are experiencing may be a variation of Covid rebound, popularly associated with Paxlovid but possible with any antiviral of similar action. In immunocompromised patients especially, an AV course of 5 days may mitigate symptoms but may not be enough to clear the infection completely, allowing the virus to resurge or at least linger longer.

[SERVrider]

I can't add anything helpful to your treatment but was pleased to see that your Molnupiravir was brought by a blood bike. Blood Bikes provide the support service to the NHS entirely without charge. The service is mostly at night for emergency supplies of blood, platelets, plasma, and transfer of patient samples but the daytime work includes collecting donor human milk for use by neonatal ICUs and unusual consignments such as yours. Blood bikes receive no funding from the State nor from Local Government; it is all funded by donations from you, Joe Public. Volunteers receive no pay or expenses. The Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes (NABB) is the parent organisation covering England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Eire. Learn more by searching "Omoleto Blood Bikes"