What's the latest on what to do if you have covid?
September 6, 2021 12:18 PM Subscribe
If you test positive for covid, what's the latest on what might help to prevent a severe case/complications. I remember sleep on your stomach (and don't lie down except to sleep if you can avoid it). I remember breathing exercises. Are those still a thing? Is there any vitamin it's worth taking at that point or did that ship sail once you have the positive test? Medications to get from family doctor to prevent serious disease?
Interested in answers relevant to unvaccinated kids, vaccinated adults, and vaccinated seniors.
Interested in answers relevant to unvaccinated kids, vaccinated adults, and vaccinated seniors.
For higher-risk people, monoclonal therapy is a good idea (if they're in the US, or another country where it's available). They'll want to get it ASAP after diagnosis - it's not effective once disease becomes severe. Regeneron and GSK are the two makers with EUAs in the US (I think Regeneron may be available more broadly).
posted by kickingtheground at 12:39 PM on September 6, 2021 [7 favorites]
posted by kickingtheground at 12:39 PM on September 6, 2021 [7 favorites]
Monoclonal therapy as suggested above is recommended.
From the article: "The drugs often prevent severe disease, keeping people out of the hospital if taken within seven to 10 days after symptoms begin. And since last month, they can be given prophylactically to millions of people who have been exposed to the coronavirus and are at high risk of serious consequences."
posted by shoesietart at 12:55 PM on September 6, 2021 [3 favorites]
From the article: "The drugs often prevent severe disease, keeping people out of the hospital if taken within seven to 10 days after symptoms begin. And since last month, they can be given prophylactically to millions of people who have been exposed to the coronavirus and are at high risk of serious consequences."
posted by shoesietart at 12:55 PM on September 6, 2021 [3 favorites]
Buy a thermometer and a home pulse oxymeter and monitor your temp and oxygen saturation so you know if you need to get help. Some larger healthcare providers may have some kind of self monitoring program or check in calls from nurses so good to touch base with your PCP if you have one.
Monoclonal antibodies are prescribed for a limited population of higher risk folks.
posted by latkes at 2:13 PM on September 6, 2021 [6 favorites]
Monoclonal antibodies are prescribed for a limited population of higher risk folks.
posted by latkes at 2:13 PM on September 6, 2021 [6 favorites]
For non-elderly, fully vaccinated people, as far as I know there's no particular treatment advised (I'm in the UK, and I haven't heard of anyone receiving monoclonal therapy here). Anecdotally, vaccinated people who catch Covid seem to come through it without too much difficulty - they might feel ill, but they don't tend to go to hospital.
In general, having a pulse oximeter at home, and seeking help if oxygen saturation falls, is a good idea. And the usual rest, fluids, paracetamol etc.
posted by altolinguistic at 2:30 PM on September 6, 2021
In general, having a pulse oximeter at home, and seeking help if oxygen saturation falls, is a good idea. And the usual rest, fluids, paracetamol etc.
posted by altolinguistic at 2:30 PM on September 6, 2021
Make sure someone keeps an eye on you in case you become ill enough for a hospital but are unable to call for help. Keep your phone on you at all times if you're sick.
Tylenol for fever and aching, lots of salty brothy soup and ginger ale. During the 1st lockdown, I had a basket with a thermometer, Tylenol, cough drops, and comfort supplies available in case I was sick at home, as well as a bag in case I went to the hospital (remember the phone charger).
posted by theora55 at 2:57 PM on September 6, 2021
Tylenol for fever and aching, lots of salty brothy soup and ginger ale. During the 1st lockdown, I had a basket with a thermometer, Tylenol, cough drops, and comfort supplies available in case I was sick at home, as well as a bag in case I went to the hospital (remember the phone charger).
posted by theora55 at 2:57 PM on September 6, 2021
The tips from brainwane are at least 5 months out of date, and possibly quite longer as it talks about not having vaccines yet. I would prefer my advice from a trusted, updated source.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 4:11 PM on September 6, 2021 [8 favorites]
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 4:11 PM on September 6, 2021 [8 favorites]
This thread has some good guidelines for testing even before you develop symptoms.
This article has some rules of thumb for how to monitor your breathing rate (should be under 23 breaths per minute) and blood oxygen (should be over 92%)
IANAD, and my experience with hospitals is pre-Covid, but I believe home testing has an additional benefit: presenting a positive home test may help to make the case for immediate monoclonal therapy, and avoid wasting days due to false negative PCR tests or physician dithering. You might even check to see where you can get it beforehand.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 4:15 PM on September 6, 2021 [2 favorites]
This article has some rules of thumb for how to monitor your breathing rate (should be under 23 breaths per minute) and blood oxygen (should be over 92%)
IANAD, and my experience with hospitals is pre-Covid, but I believe home testing has an additional benefit: presenting a positive home test may help to make the case for immediate monoclonal therapy, and avoid wasting days due to false negative PCR tests or physician dithering. You might even check to see where you can get it beforehand.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 4:15 PM on September 6, 2021 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks, everyone. If anyone has anything to add, please do, since I'm surely not the only one it might have been relevant to. But happily the person who had close contact with a positive cases has tested negative (6 days since last exposure), so we have to keep isolating, but for the moment there's nothing to treat. :)
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 7:37 PM on September 6, 2021
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 7:37 PM on September 6, 2021
(to avoid confusion in my post ... over 92% blood oxygen is GOOD, and under 23 breaths/minute is GOOD)
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 8:00 PM on September 6, 2021
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 8:00 PM on September 6, 2021
Possibly, Vitamin D? Vitamin D can modulate the immune system and reduce the production of pro-inflammatory markers. Vitamin D supplementation has reduced interleukin-6 levels in several clinical trials. Vitamin D may reduce the risk of ARDS and mortality from COVID-19 by raising ACE2 levels... (The relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and the severity of COVID-19 disease and its mortality, Nature, Sept. 2, 2021) [Research from the last 18 months discussed in the paper.]
Possibly, zinc? In general, it seems that serum levels of 25(OH)D, vitamin B12, and especially zinc at the time of admission can affect clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Highlights: Lower levels of zinc in death cases compared to surviving cases in Covid-19; Lower levels of B12 and D in death cases compared to surviving cases in Covid-19; No effect of levels of zinc, B12, and D on the length of hospital stay in COVID-19. (Evaluation of the relationship between serum levels of zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19, Journal of Medical Virology, Aug. 18, 2021) [Zinc supplementation made no difference in this 214-patient Cleveland Clinic study published in February. Zinc trials. JAMA commentary on supplements for treating mild COVID-19.]
Dietary Supplements in the Time of COVID-19, NIH overview has links to interesting research.
posted by Iris Gambol at 8:40 PM on September 6, 2021 [1 favorite]
Possibly, zinc? In general, it seems that serum levels of 25(OH)D, vitamin B12, and especially zinc at the time of admission can affect clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Highlights: Lower levels of zinc in death cases compared to surviving cases in Covid-19; Lower levels of B12 and D in death cases compared to surviving cases in Covid-19; No effect of levels of zinc, B12, and D on the length of hospital stay in COVID-19. (Evaluation of the relationship between serum levels of zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19, Journal of Medical Virology, Aug. 18, 2021) [Zinc supplementation made no difference in this 214-patient Cleveland Clinic study published in February. Zinc trials. JAMA commentary on supplements for treating mild COVID-19.]
Dietary Supplements in the Time of COVID-19, NIH overview has links to interesting research.
posted by Iris Gambol at 8:40 PM on September 6, 2021 [1 favorite]
Fluvoxamine, an antidepressant, might be of use:
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/22619137/fluvoxamine-covid-ivermectin-together-study-mcmaster
posted by SweetLiesOfBokonon at 12:59 AM on September 7, 2021
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/22619137/fluvoxamine-covid-ivermectin-together-study-mcmaster
posted by SweetLiesOfBokonon at 12:59 AM on September 7, 2021
An oxygen saturation level of 92% is not great for a person who is free of lung disease (like COPD or chronic smokers), when the person is breathing room air. Saturation levels of 95% and above are considered normal for most people. If you don't have underlying lung problems I would be concerned if my saturation dropped to 92%, and I'd keep a close eye on it. In the hospital I'd be paging the doc to alert them, try to reposition the patient in case they had, for example, a pneumonia in one lung and repositioning them helped, similar to the proning seen in hospitalized covid patients, and I would give the patient oxygen to raise his saturation.
Elevated respiratory rate is common when people feel short of breath or on exercise. Keep in mind that the physiological normal rates of respiration differs greatly according to age, and a normal resting rate of 12 - 16 or 18 is smack dab in the middle or normal for adults, while a rate of 18 (school aged child) to 60 (infant) is normal for children at various ages. However, a normal oxygen saturation rate is always 95% or above, no matter what the resp rate. Oxygen saturation is a powerful diagnostic measurement of respiratory problems.
posted by citygirl at 7:00 AM on September 7, 2021 [1 favorite]
Elevated respiratory rate is common when people feel short of breath or on exercise. Keep in mind that the physiological normal rates of respiration differs greatly according to age, and a normal resting rate of 12 - 16 or 18 is smack dab in the middle or normal for adults, while a rate of 18 (school aged child) to 60 (infant) is normal for children at various ages. However, a normal oxygen saturation rate is always 95% or above, no matter what the resp rate. Oxygen saturation is a powerful diagnostic measurement of respiratory problems.
posted by citygirl at 7:00 AM on September 7, 2021 [1 favorite]
A physician friend said melatonin has had some promising studies re: covid.
posted by spamandkimchi at 10:34 AM on September 7, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by spamandkimchi at 10:34 AM on September 7, 2021 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Other than that, at home treatment is the same as flu: rest, lots of fluids, OTC pain meds, self-quarantine, IF you are showing symptoms. But given you may not show symptoms for 2 weeks, self-quarantine is the key.
posted by kschang at 12:24 PM on September 6, 2021