Fighting a virus

[PRL1957]

My wife and I recently had a possibly surprising experience with a virus that broke through our previously robust biosecurity measures.

When I went down with it, I had a slightly raised temperature (briefly + 2°C, but mostly only about 1°C above 'normal') and felt a bit ill for a few days - but was essentially back to normal after 4 days. I still managed to do household chores etc. during my illness and three days later, my wife was telling me it was just a cold or 'man-flu'.

Then (the next day) she succumbed to it: her temperature rose (+2°C), she was effectively bedridden and barely ate for 3 days. It took her over 8 days to return to normal.

I tested for covid on my first day (year old LFT rapid antigen test), got a clear 'test' line but absolutely no covid line. However, I know those tests are not reliable (designed for a previous variant?) and covid infections were almost 3-times more abundant than flu at the time.

So the thought is: rather than my prednisolone (10 mg/day) trashing my immune system, did I benefit from it suppressing the cytokine storm, allowing a faster recovery? I remember that dexamethasone (also a corticosteroid) had some beneficial effects for patients with severe covid.

Our experience is only 'anecdotal', but have others had comparable experiences?

[Seacat30]

I have only had 1 cold in the last 3 years. No sore throat. My nose ran like a tap for 2 days. I was expecting a bad cough. There was absolutely no cough or phlegm in my throat. I made an immediate recovery. 3 Covid tests from different packs were all negative.

[PRL1957 in reply to Seacat30]

Hi, Seacat30,

Thanks for your reply. I'm glad you haven't been overly troubled by any viruses. Our 'biosecurity precautions' had protected us for the past 3 years, too.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

More likely coincidence - pred is unlikely to deal with the cytokine storm in Covid. If it did, they'd have saved a fortune on tocilizumab!

[PRL1957 in reply to PMRpro]

Hi, PMRpro.

Thanks for your reply. Yes - good point about the costs. As I said, our experience was only anecdotal.

[SnazzyD]

Judging by the massive variation I’ve seen across different ages across the variants, I don’t think one can possibly guess. A cytokine storm is not a given and I believe was more prevalent with earlier variants. Generally I have suffered hardly any viral infection during even high doses of Pred but I was prone to bacterial infection from my own flora. Our household experience with Covid was varied too.

March 2020 - Grandad 84 (long term inhaled steroids) blue for two weeks but bounced back fine in a month. Husband 48, mildly ill but long Covid and couldn’t exercise for months. Daughter, 23, ill like your wife but for 2 weeks then long Covid for 6 months. Daughter 19 (asthmatic and atopic) like you but kept getting the Covid rash. Me 58, was on <1mg Pred and once my lungs started to burn upped my Pred for a short time for want of any advice at all. I felt it stopped something taking off. Kept dropping O2 for 3 months then long Covid for 7 months. Off Pred in August during long Covid.

First quarter 2022 - All of us got early Omicrons twice, all mildly ill for a 2-4 weeks and no aftershocks. 19 year old daughter the least ill but feet and hands kept shutting down, for months. Grandad hospitalised nearly died but bounced back in 4 weeks. Given steroids and antibiotics. I was on no steroids by then and didn’t increase.

July 2022 - omicron 5 for my husband and I. Husband moderately ill with sore throat and upset stomach for a week. No chest issues. Ok after 10 days but back to not being able to exercise for months. Me, no Pred but hospitalised with v high fever for 6 days, diarrhoea and what seems to be an adrenal crisis and shock. No steroids given, only IV fluids with potassium after a shot of hydrocortisone. Doctors said gut issues common with O5 by their observations. Both of us kept getting everything going until recently as if our immune systems had been compromised. No sign of cytokine storm or autoimmune symptoms but more than 50% of my hair fell out…again.

Dec 2022 - Grandad nearly won his fight with Covid No3 after having lots of steroids, anti-virals and antibiotics. Amazingly better in a week but then had a stroke which was the last straw. RIP Feb. Doctors said strokes a real issue with Covid but he was 86.

Bottom line, it’s a lottery, of the wrong sort.

[PRL1957 in reply to SnazzyD]

Hi, SnazzyD,

Thank-you for your reply. Wow! You and your family had a really bad experience with the pandemic. Sorry to hear abour your granddad. Covid (Apr. 2022) was the final straw for my father-in-law, too (but he was nearly 95). I hope the rest of your family are properly better after all that.