Did PAXLOVID also relieve your arthritis and autoimmune symptoms?
Hi, everyone
I have been diagnosed with autoimmune diseases.
The diagnoses have changed over time (lupus, not lupus, spondyloarthropathy, akylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Raynaud's, Sjorgren and maybe others that I have forgotten... sorry about the spelling).
When I took Paxlovid for Covid, many of my symptoms disappeared or were significantly reduced.
Has this happened to anyone else?
I'm thinking that perhaps my autoimmune disease is somehow based on a VIRUS, since paxlovid is an anti-viral and it was like a miracle cure for my symptoms.
I told my rheumatologist about it, but I couldn't get her to focus on the logical connection between the anti-viral (paxlovid) and the reduction in my symptoms. It was very frustrating. I actually cried in my car after the appointment.
I think this could be a game-changing piece of evidence in my medical treatment and diagnosis. And maybe for other autoimmune disease sufferers, too! But I don't know where to turn with this evidence.
What do you think I should do? What doctor should I go to?
My primary care doctor probably won't offer anything; he never intervenes in my rheumatological care.
Please let me know if you had the same experience: an anti-viral medication (paxlovid or another one) reduced your autoimmune/arthritis symptoms.
I searched around online, and it was hard to find and hard to understand information there. In the CDC's PubMed, I found one source that indicates the possibility that immune suppressing medications can reactivate the Epstein Barr virus in some patients. Epstein Barr causes fatigue, among other symptoms, but fatigue is one of my worst symptoms.
Thanks!
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So sorry. I'd be terrified of it too if I had ended up in the hospital and on a ventilator.
I hope to find some solutions in this group. Keep fighting!
Your story resonates. I’ve had psoriatic arthritis for several years at age 64. Got Covid for first time in early 2025. Paxlovid temporarily eliminated the severe pain in my thumbs and other fingers. I literally stared at my hands for hours. Paxlovid did a great job on my Covid. Hand pain returned—can’t tell you how long pain free lasted. Would love to see more work done with anti viral meds to treat arthritis like illness. Good luck. Thanks for posting.
Similar experience here.
I have been on Paxlovid for 4 days now, and have definitely noticed an improvement in severe pain in back, hands and feet attributed to my Psoriatic Arthrits. I have been off my biological Cosentyx infusion since January 2025, due to an upcoming surgery, and was suffering with this pain for months. Came down with Covid 5 days ago, started Paxlovid, and here I am today, improved tremendously from both the Covid and my psoriatic arthritis(which is an autoimmune disease.) Has this connection been studied? I will mention to my rheumotologist next week.