Covid 19

[Ainsmay68]

Because I have Hughes syndrome if I catch covid 19 will I be more susceptible to sever illness and clotting

[MaryF Administrator]

The advice appears to be constantly changing, and if your doctor feels you need to shield you will be told to do so, also, for my family I have everything in order everybody has relevant medical letters on their phones, and on a sheet, the list of drugs they are taking, also supplement etc and a brief medical history.

Lupus UK is a very good charity and they put out this information, which I have borrowed from them, as obviously Lupus and Hughes Syndrome are autoimmune diseases which are like 'cousins' I hope you are keeping as well as possible. lupusuk.org.uk/coronavirus/ MaryF

[Ray46]

Short answer: no one knows, yet. Maybe when it's all died down and researchers have a bit of time, someone will dig through the data and come up with an answer.

Longer, more speculative answer: it may well depend on exactly _how_ Covid causes clotting. If Covid causes clotting by triggering APS, then we've already got it triggered so maybe no worse off. If, on the other hand, Covid causes clotting through some other mechanism, then we would have two systemic clotting disorders at same time, probably not good news.

Consider some pipes with fluid circulating:

- if something triggers the "inject glue", then you get sticky fluid & blocked pipes

- if something else triggers "inject glue", then you have same sticky fluid as already

- but if something else triggers "make pipe walls sticky", and you already have sticky fluid...

Now the big problem: we still don't know exactly how (every step) APS triggers clotting, and we definitely don't know yet how Covid does, so we don't have any clue which pipes scenario above is correct. Also, it's going to be a lot more complicated than that, with multiple steps/stages/processes in clot triggering process, some may be common between APS and Covid, some may be different.

One thing we do know - isolation works. It may be a blunt tool, it may be criticised as "medieval", in fact we've probably used it for millennia, but it's the best (only) tool we've got right now. Stay home, wait it out, stay safe.

[Ainsmay68 in reply to Ray46]

Thank you Ray it has been so hard to keep self isolated I am in nsw Australia in the country and covid 19 has not reached our little town as yet although I have a housemate that wants to go out every day to the shop to get the paper etc he doesn’t seem to think it will be a problem but you just never know where it can turn up he washes his hand but it is still worrying I haven’t been anywhere for almost 5 months now I started isolation early just in case I hope you and your family all stay safe and well

[Ozchick in reply to Ainsmay68]

I'm in lower mountains NSW and considered fairly safe. The one thing we both do if we've come home from shopping is hand wash and sanitise. The price of sanitiser has come down considerably and worth having a couple of pump dispensers in the kitchen or near the front door. Do you not go out for a walk in this great weather? 5 months is a long time to be stuck at home!

[Ainsmay68 in reply to Ozchick]

Hello I have been out in my back yard and have been sitting on my front verandah

[Ozchick in reply to Ainsmay68]

I think I would go nuts if that's all I could do!! Besides, the dog is keen for her walk each day and reminds me it's time I do change my 'outside ' shoes (sneakers) leaving them outside and have slippers for inside. I guess if you're happy with your situation that's all that matters-we are all different.

[Lure2 in reply to Ainsmay68]

It is important that your housemate also is isolated if he lives in the same house. I do not know if you are over 70 years old. Here in Sweden it is very important that the old people keep distances, do not go to the shop when there are a lot of people and get help to get drugs from the Farmacyshop etc. We can have the food to our door after ordering it on the net if we like.

Try to explain that to your housemate. He must think of you. I think it could be possible to go out together and go by car if you have got a car that is. It is exstremely important to exercise and take walks. I am 76 and exercise every day to feel fine and keep my INR (use Warfarin) in the right place. I take the steps if I can and keep the distances. No one is allowed to come into my appartment.

[judes]

As everyone else has said, no one knows, new information is coming out all the time.

I was advised to shield as have other health probs so haven’t been out for 10 weeks now and it is driving me up the wall, it’s a wonder I haven’t started on the Gin

Once the twelve weeks is up I will start going out even if it’s just to local shop.

We are all different, with different views and have different ways of coping.

J