Did PAXLOVID also relieve your arthritis and autoimmune symptoms?

Yes, it happened to me. I felt wonderful for two whole days. I have RA that I take infusion for. Like you I am sure that when I tell my RA doctor he probably won’t listen unless there are many patients with the same outcome. It’s frustrating. So I tend to keep things to myself. I know after 3 days on Paxlovid I started to feel free of all major pain. Once I came off Paxlovid the RA pain returned with a vengeance. So what should we say and do? That’s a great question to which I have no answer.
Here is my statement to you; I felt no pain for two wonderful days. You are not alone. I guess we are a pattern of two.

I just found out I have RA. I know it all started 2 years ago after having covid. Like you I am in great shape but having horrible joint pain in all of my joints. Have you found anything that helps?

Welcome @jegjeweljulie, I'm glad to see have connected with @lisajade4mayo. While you wait for a response I thought you might want to scan through discussions and comments by other users on the topic of what helps RA. Here is a link that shows the discussions and comments - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/?search=rheumatoid+arthritis+what+helps

Another person on this site said Paxlovid helped her with her RA. I just wanted you to know. She said after she started taking it her RA symptoms went away and then when she stopped taking the Paxlovid, her symptoms came back.🤷‍♀️. I would say, that Paxlovid helped her RA.

I also want to report a strange positve effect of Paxlovid, which I began taking after the onset of Covid. I have suffered from arthritis for 8 yrs. Within 36 hrs of starting, Paxlovid all of my arthritis pain has disappeared, totally!

Yes!!! I am only on my 3rd day of Paxlovid treatment and I am noticing my severe, bone-on-bone osteoarthritis pain in my knees is lessening! How is this possible and is anyone investigating this? This is definitely worth following up and I hope we will see studies and answers soon.

@lindalee126, you may also wish to join the discussions with other members living with rheumatoid arthritis in the Autoimmune Disease support group. See these related discussions:
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) - Introduce yourself and meet others
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/rheumatoid-arthritis-ra-introduce-yourself-and-meet-others/
See all:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/autoimmune-diseases/?search=Rheumatoid%20Arthritis&index=discussions

I had my second bout with Covid in Jan ‘24 and was asymptomatic. However, a month later my RA, which was in remission for 12 years, came back with a vengeance. My titers for information were through the roof. Humira for six months with no relief. Had to take 20mg of prednisone so i could get out of bed. Was on that for 6months as well much to the dismay of all my doctors. Then was switched to Rinvoq and caught covid for a third time. Thought it was an inner ear infection since I’m a swimmer. Fast forward to a month and I have rebound Covid with fever (thought it was a sinus infection or side effect of Rinvoq). Nope. Was put on Paxlovid. Only on it a day and stopped prednisone and Rinvoq two days prior and I have NO joint pain. I definitely think there’s a virus connection because back in 2009 I had that awful swine flu and that’s what engaged my RA. I am going to pursue this as far as I can. What put me into remission all those years ago was Minocycline. Hmmm?????

I went to my Mayo Clinic Rheumatologist last week and explained that taking Paxlovid made my chronic knee pain go completely away for 30 days. His response was that many medications have good side effects for other ailments. Oh well I tried!!! I guess it was out of his expertise.

Hi! I realize this is an older post, but I just found it.
I was diagnosed with lupus out of the blue for years ago at age 55, otherwise perfectly healthy, active, my right weight, vegetarian, meditator, outdoorsy etc. bang! Pericarditis! Then came all the joint aching, especially lower back and hips… I've been living with this for four years.
Three days ago I was diagnosed with Covid for the first time (I worked hard to avoid getting it for these past four years, but my husband came home with it and here we are).
I started on Paxlovid immediately, terrified that the Covid virus would initiate a huge Autoimmune flare, Reignite pericarditis, Bring on lung inflammation, And God knows what else.
On the bad side, I experienced (and am experiencing) Neurological symptoms more than anything… Extreme headache, dizziness, nausea, lightheadedness and general malaise.
On the amazing side, I have absolutely no joint pain. of course I had never read anything about this… So I was only telling my family. I'm usually so stiff when I get up from the couch, and now there is absolutely no discomfort… I feel totally normal in that regard, like I could go out and walk 5 miles (except I would fall down dead because of my head).
I have always thought my autoimmune condition was due to a pathogen… Likely a reactivated virus, like EBV.
so like you, I'm kind of seeing this as confirmation… Unless, Paxlovid is a huge anti-inflammatory.
I've been reading confirming cases about disappearing joint pain for the last two days.
Like you I am wondering where to go with this information. My Yale rheumatologist is so conservative, she's never interested in anything out of the box.
I feel generally unwell on the Paxlovid, it makes me nauseous, I have a horrific bitter taste in my mouth, and feel like crap… like I'm going to faint if I'm up too long. Although it's hard to tell which symptom is from the antiviral and which is the Covid virus.

I'm going to show this thread to my rheumatologist.

Meanwhile I came up with a disconcerting article siding research that Paxlovid causes worsening arthritis!!
I am unable to post links here apparently.
if you Google the following, the article should come up:

"Paxlovid accelerates cartilage degeneration and senescence through activating endoplasmic reticulum stress and interfering redox homeostasis"

Ugh!!