Anti viral?

[Vqueen]

Does anyone know if they're still giving anti viral medication for a positive covid patient? I'm on rituximab and azathioprine aswell as prednisolone. I've not yet done a test but have been feeling breathless and coughing more than normal. I'm not allowed to have my covid or flu vaccinations due to my recent rituximab infusion.

[gilders]

Yes, but it's not automatic like previous. By automatic, I mean the last time (prior to my current covid infection), once I uploaded my test result, I was contacted. I was covid positive last Friday and had to go through 111.

I have GPA and I'm a kidney transplant patient. I was given IV Sotrovimab last year, but the Dr I spoke to said that this was ineffective against current strain. He also said some local authorities have removed it as a treatment. Due to my heath conditions, that only left Molnupiravir. He explained that this antiviral did not reduce severity, risk of hospital admission, or risk of death. It does reduced symptoms and makes you less contagious to others sooner. As previously, I had to stopped one of my transplant antirejection drugs (to give my immune system chance to fight).

Overall this strain seemed to effect me less than last year. But, I think this could be due to me likely having a lower viral load (only a faint line on LFTest) and perhaps, Molnupiravir helped with the symptoms. All the "healthy" people I know, who have recently caught covid, have described this strain as being much worse than last years.

[Vqueen in reply to gilders]

Thank you for your reply, this is just so scary, I'm 3 years in and only managed remission for 2 years and just found out that the rituximab didn't really change my numbers as it did last time. Fingers crossed for a healthier future for both of us 🤞

[gilders in reply to Vqueen]

It's obviously not the same for everyone, but I found that the periods of remission tend to get longer each time. The first 5 years for me felt like I was constantly either battling a flare/relapse, or fighting to get in to remission. My main issues in the many years that followed was a slow decline in kidney function.

Hopefully you'll enjoy some longer periods of remission in future years (without the kidney damage).

[Vqueen in reply to gilders]

Thank you so much, hopefully this will be the case for me. Gives me a little hope as it can get you down when see posts about people being in remission for 10 years or no longer on treatment. I know everyone is different and respond to treatment differently but it's sometimes hard not to compare. Good luck for whatever the future holds. 😊

[Investigator1]

Hi Vqueen. Yes I had it a month ago and got the antivirals after a right carry on. To be honest it was my GP who got her act together in the end but I was 5 days into Covid and was starting to recover. I was tempted to ride it out and keep them just in case. It was Paxlovid which is a combination of drugs as soon as I started the course it provoked an immune response and got a really heavy cold, apart from the first 2 days I hadn’t been too bad. I took the 5 day course and the day after tested negative.Nick.

[Vqueen in reply to Investigator1]

Thanks my test was negative. I'll repeat in a few days if I feel no better. Fingers crossed its just a cold.

[Rachel-X]

Hi yes they are. I phoned my doctors but 111 can help too.

I hope you get well soon! Xx

[Rachel-X in reply to Rachel-X]

Sorry just seen you were negative that’s great!

[Johndeeregreen]

I'm three years in and up and down with bouts of remission. Recently tried to switch from Methotrexate to AZA and crashed. Got strep that quickly turned into really serious meningitis in hospital for 3 weeks and still recovering 2 months later. The low immunity we deal with really stinks. I've avoided covid, but I'm in health care and get more nervous as time goes. We live very isolated and I hate this and for my wife.

[Investigator1]

yknow Vqueen that’s quite a coincidence or is it? I have just got back from Cyprus and about a week before we went I had the same, felt just like the onset of Covid but tested negative, then about Wed this week same thing. Tested negative and the one thing I can say is I take a thermometer and my temp never went above 37.1 and that gave me a bit of confidence considering it rose to 39.5 when I was positive. Nick.

[ElaineRH]

Hi, yes definitely they do still give anti virals for covid. Although my recent experience shows that the sign posting to get it isn’t clear. Took 18hrs and a trip to A and E to get it sorted

[Suzi70 Administrator Vasculitis UK]

There is information via the VUK website if it helps at all vasculitis.org.uk/news/covi...

[Vqueen]

Does anyone else get frequent high temperatures? It feels like every other day atleast my temperatures hits 38 or above.