Doing OK then a positive Covid test clouded the issue

[Queenie1901]

I posted about 2 weeks ago headed "Overshot I think" while tapering from 3.5 to 3mg. I decided to add 5mg which I did for 5 days and then dropped back to 4mg. I also did the neck stretching exercises and heat treatment for the neck problems I mentioned following links from PMRPro and they certainly helped to increase neck mobility. All seemed fine for several days on the 4mg and then my husband and I both tested positive for Covid. We have both had 3 jabs so symptoms were like heavy colds. However I sm still testing positive on Day 10 and have been dealing with increased sneezing, runny nose, tiredness and mild aches since Day 8. However, paracetamol masks the aches So my conundrum is knowing which symptom belongs to which condition! I was doing ok on the 4mg and feel the best thing to do is to carry on with that until I get a negative Covid test and coldcsymptoms improve. Any ideas? And is there any significance in the fact that my positive test result was a faint line for several days and since Day 8 and the increased cold symptoms is now bold.? ( PCR at beginning was positive)

[SnazzyD]

I would agree with you and stick if you’re keeping your head above water and go by symptoms and as the Covid clears out, see what you’re left with. You can test positive for up to 90 days so that isn’t always reliable as a guide, but your body can tell you how it is. Covid is unpredictable and can blow in like a gale and blow out, or it can be more like the flu and persist for a few weeks or it can drag on in a chronic way well after you are negative. If it were me, I wouldn’t do a panic increase while the paracetamol was doing the trick with pains and neither would I reduce until the picture clears a bit.

[Queenie1901 in reply to SnazzyD]

Thank you. This is very helpful

[PMRpro Ambassador]

How strange - but I do agree sticking with the dose you are at at the very least is the right thing to do. The fact paracetamol helps suggests to me that it isn't so much the PMR as the virus.

I think you need to speak to a clinician though - it almost sounds as if your immune system was getting on top of the virus and then it fought back. Days 8-10 seemed to be a significant point in the disease course with Delta variant, maybe Omicron has achieved a similar effect.

[Queenie1901 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you. Very helpful.

[Queenie1901 in reply to PMRpro]

On the trail of a clinician......any clinician will do......must be an almost extinct breed...... 111....111online....119...still looking, waiting and hoping! Laugh or cry?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Queenie1901]

Laugh hysterically probably - different sort of tears and doesn't make your eyes sore ...

I have seen stuff about people continuing to test positive for a long time - probably fragments of the virus coming up from the lungs it was said but how much does that apply with Omicron? And it is also said that after 14 days you aren't shedding enough virus for it to matter. But who knows really?

[Queenie1901 in reply to PMRpro]

Well said.....could do with a good laugh to alleviate this isolation syndrome🤣