Oh, I would *definitely* take Paxlovid again... I'm immunocompromised, so at the very least it should prevent hospitalization and dying, like you said. Also I had a rebound case after Paxlovid and it was unpleasant, even if it was short-lived (the acute symptoms, anyway). I wouldn't want to experience that again unless I had to. Although, the "Paxlovid mouth" side effect was pretty bad. Still better than being in a hospital, though I am disappointed we still got long COVID symptoms =/

I had covid in July of 2020 before there were any shots had a very mild case but ended up with long covid. I felt like my life was over even though I had a very very mild case. In July 2020, all of the testing was still done at your doctor's office and I never tested positive but covid was at its height and my doctor sent me home to isolate till I felt better. Which never happened. I never felt better. My pulse ox was rarely above 90. I would even go to the ER with my pulse ox in the high 80s and nobody did anything, they would just send me home because I didn't test positive. My doctor tried to get me into the local long covid clinic and they wouldn't accept me because I never tested positive.

Finally my doctor did an IGG which is only positive if you've actually had it, it's got nothing to do with whether or not you've gotten vaccines. It's not a blood test for immunity. And it came back high that yes indeed, I had had covid and now I had proof so that they could get me into the long covid Clinic!

Except by then it was already 2 years barely ever leaving the house except for doctor appointments. Pulmonologists, cardiologists, x-rays, heart x-rays etc., lung x-rays, MRIs, CAT scans, a partially collapsed lung and kidney stones! Then suddenly, I'm needing oxygen at night and an inhaler for asthma. Then I'm diagnosed with POTS and now I'm on high blood pressure medication. This was all new since covid. B the time I had the blood test to prove that I actually had had covid the previous year, and could actually be diagnosed with long covid, the clinic was full because people were testing at home now and didn't need proof that they had tested positive anymore. So my appointment with the long covid Clinic was hoing to be in 8 months.

I was fully boosted and all that stuff and then in August 2022 I got covid again. I tested negative again but a person I had been with on Friday had the exact same symptoms as me on Monday and she tested positive. Although you aren't supposed to be on paxlovid unless you tested positive it was very clear that I'm just not somebody who ever tests positive. I was put on Paxlovid anyway and I found my long covid symptoms after being on paxlovid improved. I finally got to go to the long covid clinic and that was sadly a waste of time. I had waited two and a half years for a 2-hour appointment that didn't help me. So now I'm at the 3-year mark. I'm on high blood pressure medication and I am now on a CPAP which my understanding is covid actually can be helped using a CPAP and I find my breathing and my life so much improved just having been on a CPAP for a month. I feel like I wish I could use my CPAP 24/7! It's possible I had sleep apnea before covid but covid is known to make either cause or make mild sleep apnea worse. I also have a chronic pain inflammation condition and covid took me out of remission back into a full flare going on 3 years now so I'm on crutches since covid in July of 2020 and just purchased an electric wheelchair.

It's so hard for me when I hear people say that covid is over. Whatever was left of my life it feels like it went away. But I started writing this to tell you that when I took the paxlovid last August with the second go-round of covid it actually helped. I think paxlovid ought to be looked at as treatment for long covid. I'm not the only one I've ever heard of that has had long covid then got put on the medication and got somewhat better.

So I don't know about Paxlovid causing long covid but I believe it can help it. If the inflammation of the vaccine causes you great distress then the inflammation of covid is going to destroy your life.

So if you're reading this and you find yourself in similar situation as I've been in get a sleep study! I've had no trouble adjusting to the CPAP and in a minute she put it on my nose in the sleep study test I felt like I could breathe for the first time in 3 years.

I don't know that I answered you a question and I kind of went off in the field but CPAP is right now my chance of living again. And yes I did just buy an electric folding wheelchair. But people/friends who are tired of hearing me say I'm sick, well, I'm afraid to start using the wheelchair for being further judged. Covid, long Covid, destroyed my life and covid has destroyed millions of lives. But we want to ignore all of us now.

I don't know if this helped you and I don't know if it helped anybody else to read this, but I count my blessings everyday that I've been using CPAP for a month now and then I've adjusted beautifully and I feel like I have somewhat a little bit of my life back. I even used it during the day if I'm just sitting watching TV because it really does help. Sleep apnea is caused by tissue in your throat closing your airway. "Obstructive sleep apnea." The inflammation of covid makes it worse and my body is 200% inflamed. I work at trying to regulate my diet with gluten and sugar etc. But sometimes, my best medication is dark chocolate M&Ms! Lol Take good care.