Did PAXLOVID also relieve your arthritis and autoimmune symptoms?

Posted by annewoodmayo @annewoodmayo, Jul 15, 2023

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!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

I also have autoimmune ltd scleroderma. I took Paxlovid for the covid. All my joint pain completely was gone and I felt the best from my autoimmune symptoms in years. My energy level was the best it’s ever been. Unfortunately all my autoimmune symptoms came back when I went off the Paxlovid. I did write to Pfizer to let them know my experience with Paxlovid. I have not heard anything back.

REPLY

I have wondered why there has been so little push for antivirals. The continued push is for vaccine even though people seem increasingly hesitant to stay up to date with boosters. It’s all puzzling. The vaccine was untried, yet rushed out for public use. Why just the one avenue being promoted?
I hate to think it is all profit motivated. I’m sure there is profit aplenty in antivirals as well.
Yes, yes I know the studies of Paxlovid are ongoing, but these studies are taking forever while people suffer.
I wanted to get into a Paxlovid study, but since I was not diagnosed, but did home testing, I did not qualify.

REPLY

Were you also taking steroids diring covid in addition to Plaxovid? I had covid pneumonia and it was the steroid treatment relieved all my ankylosing spondylitis (spine arthritis) pain. Once off the steroids, pain all returned.

REPLY

Same here. Similar diagnosis - Fibromyalgia, Raynauds, etc = ALL GONE DURING PAXLOVID and lasted about 2 weeks after completed the regimen. This needs more research and Medical professionals to listen to their patients experiences.

REPLY

I have arthritis that hasn’t been diagnosed or should I say I have many diagnoses nothing confirmed as correct. I got Covid in September of 22 and was put on anti viral molnupiravir. The BEST 5 days I have had in 6 years. All of my joint pain disappeared, fatigue went away. I was able to do things I haven’t been able to do for years. It was glorious!!! It stopped when my anti virals ended. Talked to my PCP, rheumatologist, orthopedic surgeon, was sent to a hematologist who was super intrigued and actually asked some of his virology colleagues if they would take my case. They said no. Every doctor has been intrigued but brushes it off as interesting. They throw meds at me all the time to take that “might work” like I am a walking experiment but no one will look into why this happened and if we can make it happen again with an anti viral. Been searching internet, doctors ever since. If there are more of us out there that had the same experience there has to be some doctor willing to help.

REPLY
@colldoll24

I have arthritis that hasn’t been diagnosed or should I say I have many diagnoses nothing confirmed as correct. I got Covid in September of 22 and was put on anti viral molnupiravir. The BEST 5 days I have had in 6 years. All of my joint pain disappeared, fatigue went away. I was able to do things I haven’t been able to do for years. It was glorious!!! It stopped when my anti virals ended. Talked to my PCP, rheumatologist, orthopedic surgeon, was sent to a hematologist who was super intrigued and actually asked some of his virology colleagues if they would take my case. They said no. Every doctor has been intrigued but brushes it off as interesting. They throw meds at me all the time to take that “might work” like I am a walking experiment but no one will look into why this happened and if we can make it happen again with an anti viral. Been searching internet, doctors ever since. If there are more of us out there that had the same experience there has to be some doctor willing to help.

Jump to this post

@colldoll24 you made me laugh and I needed to. LC since November '21 and along the way I took antibiotics and ibuprofen for another issue. My LC symptoms mostly went away and several Doctors in response to my telling them that said "hmmm, that's interesting". Maybe one day we will have this figured out.

REPLY
@colldoll24

I have arthritis that hasn’t been diagnosed or should I say I have many diagnoses nothing confirmed as correct. I got Covid in September of 22 and was put on anti viral molnupiravir. The BEST 5 days I have had in 6 years. All of my joint pain disappeared, fatigue went away. I was able to do things I haven’t been able to do for years. It was glorious!!! It stopped when my anti virals ended. Talked to my PCP, rheumatologist, orthopedic surgeon, was sent to a hematologist who was super intrigued and actually asked some of his virology colleagues if they would take my case. They said no. Every doctor has been intrigued but brushes it off as interesting. They throw meds at me all the time to take that “might work” like I am a walking experiment but no one will look into why this happened and if we can make it happen again with an anti viral. Been searching internet, doctors ever since. If there are more of us out there that had the same experience there has to be some doctor willing to help.

Jump to this post

It's because physicians know very little about most medications, especially paxlovid. Most docs only prescibe a total of 20 or so meds. so they know nothing about the mass number of others on the market, nor should we expect them to. Obviously they know nothing about paxlovid other than it's used to treat covid, thats it.

REPLY

No, you are not alone. I found this page because I'm try to find out why my arthritis pain as gone away after catching Covid and taking Paxlovid. I have been dealing with arthritis in my knees, left shoulder and low back for almost 3 years now. I was having daily mobility issue and my left should was losing range of motion. On the 3rd day of taking Paxlovid, I noticed my shoulder was no longer hurting. By the 5th day, my knees no longer hurt. I am now about 4 weeks post Covid / Paxlovid. and I have no pain. My mobility has returned, I'm walking around and feeling like the old me before arthritis started. Also, I used to have a keloid on my neck that was raised about 1.5mm. It is now flat and flush with my skin.

Like I said at the start, I found this thread searching around trying to make sense of "why" I feel so good, overall, after Paxlovid. I'm very curious to know what this drug did inside of my body.

REPLY

Yes!!!

Please
Somebody needs to research precisely how and why Paxlovid works on autoimmune symptoms, the pain and inflammation was virtually gone by last dose.
Above all, how long will this relief last???
Is this unexpected side effect of Paxlovid a permanent cure or just a reprieve, possibly a treatment for inflammation and pain due to autoimmune disease???

If not, and the pain comes back, I would welcome getting Covid again if that is what it takes to get another Paxlovid prescription just to have this luxury of being virtually pain free.

The aftertaste side effect of Paxlovid is consistent with many others patient's descriptions, predominantly described as metallic taste and rotting flesh, it’s far more tolerable than chronic debilitating pain and the fatigue that comes along with it.

It would not be inconceivable for people with debilitating inflammation and pain from autoimmune disease to decide to make a beeline toward anyone with a Covid cough just to get a Paxlovid prescription.
For over 10 years I have dealt with pain caused by autoimmune inflammation related inflammation, this morning, when I woke up and realized I was actually able to move and get out of the bed without wincing from pain it took me off guard, was I still sleeping, dreaming?

My painful and somewhat disfiguring leg is swelling is almost completely gone. This still seems too good to be true. I’m still apprehensive, actually thinking just writing this might jinx me.
For well over 10 years, I have dealt with various levels of pain from a tolerable 2 or 3 at best (with the help of steroids shots and Diclofenac) to consistent pain level 7 and above, debilitating pain levels mostly between steroid shots.

Too many doctors over the years were dismissive of the pain, consistent with numerous research studies proving doctors tend to be dismissive of a female and minorities pain and symptoms. Paxlovid seems to be a game changer or silver bullet of hope.
Instead of doctors finding the cause or cure or at least a proper diagnosis I was often prescribed various pain medications but only steroids/anti-inflammatories successfully mitigated the pain and swelling. Paxlovid’s unprecedented ability to drastically reduce my inflammation, swelling, and pain is a gift, even if it’s temporary because for me anything strong than an over-the-counter painkiller causes nausea and the spins.
Years of pain relieved by a Covid meditation??? This seems too good to be true, I can’t help worrying how long will this last instead simply being grateful for the reprieve.

Researchers should do a study on Paxlovid patients, not just how it relieves inflammation/swelling/pain but include the experiences of the participants, for one thing, an explanation for why autoimmune diseases are rampantly misdiagnosed.

If Paxlovid was created as a treatment against the Covid virus, and components of it were originally used to treat a different virus, could it possibly mean somehow auto immune disease/ arthritis/inflammation are in someway related to or are the root cause the cause of a virus?

REPLY
@krzjaz11703

Yes!!!

Please
Somebody needs to research precisely how and why Paxlovid works on autoimmune symptoms, the pain and inflammation was virtually gone by last dose.
Above all, how long will this relief last???
Is this unexpected side effect of Paxlovid a permanent cure or just a reprieve, possibly a treatment for inflammation and pain due to autoimmune disease???

If not, and the pain comes back, I would welcome getting Covid again if that is what it takes to get another Paxlovid prescription just to have this luxury of being virtually pain free.

The aftertaste side effect of Paxlovid is consistent with many others patient's descriptions, predominantly described as metallic taste and rotting flesh, it’s far more tolerable than chronic debilitating pain and the fatigue that comes along with it.

It would not be inconceivable for people with debilitating inflammation and pain from autoimmune disease to decide to make a beeline toward anyone with a Covid cough just to get a Paxlovid prescription.
For over 10 years I have dealt with pain caused by autoimmune inflammation related inflammation, this morning, when I woke up and realized I was actually able to move and get out of the bed without wincing from pain it took me off guard, was I still sleeping, dreaming?

My painful and somewhat disfiguring leg is swelling is almost completely gone. This still seems too good to be true. I’m still apprehensive, actually thinking just writing this might jinx me.
For well over 10 years, I have dealt with various levels of pain from a tolerable 2 or 3 at best (with the help of steroids shots and Diclofenac) to consistent pain level 7 and above, debilitating pain levels mostly between steroid shots.

Too many doctors over the years were dismissive of the pain, consistent with numerous research studies proving doctors tend to be dismissive of a female and minorities pain and symptoms. Paxlovid seems to be a game changer or silver bullet of hope.
Instead of doctors finding the cause or cure or at least a proper diagnosis I was often prescribed various pain medications but only steroids/anti-inflammatories successfully mitigated the pain and swelling. Paxlovid’s unprecedented ability to drastically reduce my inflammation, swelling, and pain is a gift, even if it’s temporary because for me anything strong than an over-the-counter painkiller causes nausea and the spins.
Years of pain relieved by a Covid meditation??? This seems too good to be true, I can’t help worrying how long will this last instead simply being grateful for the reprieve.

Researchers should do a study on Paxlovid patients, not just how it relieves inflammation/swelling/pain but include the experiences of the participants, for one thing, an explanation for why autoimmune diseases are rampantly misdiagnosed.

If Paxlovid was created as a treatment against the Covid virus, and components of it were originally used to treat a different virus, could it possibly mean somehow auto immune disease/ arthritis/inflammation are in someway related to or are the root cause the cause of a virus?

Jump to this post

I am happy to see that many patients have the same experience. I told my story to my rheumatologist and pneumologist, but their response was quite weak and there was little enthusiasm. I think we should give our information to Pfizer itself.
pfizermedicalinformation@pfizer.com
Pfizer can do golden business, with so many rheumatism patients waiting for a good medicine.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.