Hi Everyone!
I had noticed Paxlovid helped me tremendously with pain, swelling, PVC’s, allergies, dry eyes, and digestive issues.
I was able to finagle taking it for 6 months. During that time, I started to notice the improvements started to lessen probably around month 4. I had high liver enzymes, and I went from severe constipation to loose stools that created other digestive issues for me.

I found a chronic disease specialist who specializes in CFS/ME, LC, HIV, etc. I recommend searching for doctors who specialize in chronic fatigue syndrome. They’ll be the best to think outside the box.

There is a LOT of literature out there about how viruses trigger autoimmune diseases and especially Covid. Autoimmune diseases are a downstream symptom of an upstream cause. AND I know that treating the upstream cause such as Covid, is the answer!

I too have had positive then negative ANA testing. Then my IgM markers for Sjogrens are high but this doesn’t mean I have it yet. However, I’m heading in that direction…

My LC doc knows Paxlovid really helped me. So she wanted to treat my EBV reactivation, but that didn’t do anything like Paxlovid had done.

TREATMENT THAT WORKS:

Many months later, I’ve actually found that treating my gut has had similar and even better results than Paxlovid! I’m of the mind that it’s killing off the bacteria which are harboring the virus. As well as improving my gut thus helping my immune system.

Covid virus infiltrates and infects bacteria. Also, it’s been shown that people experiencing LC have lower immune systems that cause lower antibodies to Covid, thereby unable to fully remove the virus. Hence, why Paxlovid and antibiotics would help.

I don’t have all the answers here and everyone is different. But for me, when I read these articles:
https://patientresearchcovid19.com/hypothesis-matrix-metalloproteinase-inhibition-with-low-dose-doxycycline-in-long-covid-and-me-cfs-pghj-issue1-may2023/
(Showing doxycycline as a potential treatment)

Then the is article summarizing all that has been learned thus far 2024:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1471491424000285
As well as my experience of taking Rifaximin with various other antibiotics that helped tremendously! Even better than Paxlovid….

I see my issues pointing towards gut dysbiosis, with very probable remaining virus, and poor metabolism affecting all my systems! As my mitochondria and body can not get the energy or nutrients needed to fight this virus and others off if my gut cannot function properly. Most of our immunity is in our gut!

If my gut microbiome can be cleared of all the infected bacteria, then repopulated with beneficial bacteria, and I can improve my digestive processes with digestive enzymes to assist in metabolism, along with taking Rifaximin and other antibiotics, my body will be getting the required nutrients it needs. Thereby improving mitochondrial function and decreasing inflammatory pathways. I’ve found this seems to work!

I’ve found taking combination of antibiotics to be helpful. I took Cipro/Flagyl which made me feel like I was completely normal for 2 weeks then, everything came back. (Gut bacteria grow back fairly quickly)

I tried that combo again, with no real improvements. Fast forward to finally getting Rifaximin, with Flagyl and I felt great again!! But only for a few weeks.

Then tried Rifaximin for 3 weeks straight at 550mg 2x/day. It helped my energy, allergies, PVC’s and eyes. Helped my bm too. But still had bloating.

Tried taking off 2 weeks, but started noticing everything getting worse after about day 8. So went back on it with Flagyl, felt better then worse at day 6 while on meds- pretty sure my body doesn’t like Flagyl.

So I got off of Flagyl and added doxycycline. Felt better with 24-48 hours.

Rifaximin has been used long term for hepatic encephalopathy and doxycycline has also been used long term so both have good safety records for long term use.

For 2 months now following this regimen, I’ve been improving! I had gained full body swelling weight of 40 pounds within 4 months, rapid onset of constant PVC’s (super scary), dizziness, brain fog, and inability to even walk from my bed to couch most days. These symptoms plagued me for 8 months straight until Paxlovid, everything came back again at month 4-5, and for these past 7 months I’ve been off and on various gut antibiotics.

The past 2 months straight I’ve been on Rifaximin and added doxycycline, I’ve lost 26 of the 40 pounds I gained, my pain is gone, my eyes are better, no brain fog, no dizziness, energy is waaay better (not normal but inching up there). I feel like my body is finally getting what it needs!

I’m thinking of taking long term (6 months - a year) of Rifaximin combo with doxycycline. Hopefully this will help “reset” everything? It’s ongoing and other things will be tried I’m sure. But for now this has given me back hope!

Sorry so long I just wanted to share what I’ve been finding as this might benefit others…