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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I searched ur Subject and see ur post. I just had C for 4th time. No vax. 2020, 21 and 22. Got it again 2 weeks ago. I started taking Hydroxy for RA in blood in 2020. No symptoms til mid 2023. Began more meds and by mid 2024, took Hydroxy, Sulfasalazine and later Methotrexate, all 3. 2 months ago the combo started being less effective. Doc ordered a biologic injection to start next week plus other 3. I treat covid with Hydroxy and Ivermectin plus vits and supps plus a steroid mister. Knocks symptoms down in 3 days. I tried Paxvolid 2nd time and made me sicker day 1. Quit. 3rd C, I tried it without Iver added and it worked well. That was 2022. I had no RA symptoms then. This time I wasn't going to use Pax but though symptoms were mostly gone in 3 days, I still tested positive and needed to test negative to go on long time planned family car trip. My RA joints(wrists/hands) got double worse in 1st 3 days of 4th C infection. When I took 1st dose of Pax that 4th day and took a nap for 3 hrs, I woke up and hand/wrist pains were like they were(light) in 2023. I was stunned and texted my RA and PCP who gave me the Pax. That was 1 week ago today. I took 3 days of Pax and quit say 4 days ago. My old pre-Pax pains are now returning but still less than their height a week ago. Waiting to hear comments from both docs, RA and PCP. I think there is something about Pax as my 3 RA meds had never knocked the pains out and they were wearing off. I will ask about a 15 day test on Pax. I hear it is tough on organs but so are the Sulfa and Methotrexate