Anecdotal story re:antiretroviral meds for HIV as treatment for Covid19

[tulipsandroses]

So a few days ago, a family member started telling me he was feeling really sick. He said it was the worst he had ever felt in life. Fatigue, chills, body aches, minor cough. He recently relocated to this area so has not had time to establish care with a PCP. I went to check on him and took his temp, no fever. Checked it again in the days following and he never developed a fever.

He continued to tell me he just felt awful. I was thinking he could possibly have covid 19 so I started to look into how to get him tested. After making some calls, I was told his symptoms were not severe enough for testing. He should just stay home.

Anyhoo, I remembered reading articles regarding HIV meds being tested as a possible treatment.

He takes Truvada as prophylaxis to prevent HIV. I asked him if he was still taking it, he said he had not taken it in a few days because he ran out of it and he was waiting for it to come in the mail.
So 2 days later he gets his Truvada and resumes taking it. Over the next 2 days, he said he was feeling better. Still had body aches -but not as intense.
Now, mind you he never got tested so I do not know for a fact that he has covid 19.

So now I am feeling like crap. Despite taking utmost care, wearing gloves when I took his temp. It seems now I have been infected with
whatever he has, whether just flu or covid 19.

I have body aches, barely slept last night because of a throbbing headache all night. Today I have taken 800 mg of Ibuprofen and 500 mg of extra strength tylenol and I still feel achy, with a minor sore throat and my head still throbs.
Also last night I had what I thought were the most vivid, weird nightmares I have ever had. Now I am wondering if my temp spiked last night and I was having fever dreams or hallucinating.

I just took my temp. It is 99.5 - using a temporal thermometer -they tend to read lower than oral temp by 0.5-1. So my temp is probably 100-100.5. This is after taking Tylenol and Ibuprofen earlier today so I don't know if it was higher earlier before taking meds.


I am not promoting the use of this drug. I understand that testing is still being done and there have been mixed reviews.
Bottomline, I just find it interesting that he never developed a temp and is feeling better after resuming taking Truvada

Again, neither I or my family member have been tested. So I can't say for a fact that we have covid 19.

[procon]

1. I really caution against posting these kinds

of personal anecdotes. People in desperate circumstances will do desperate things out of fear for their own lives or to save the lives of their loved ones.

No matter how many times you might add a word of caution, "do not try this at home", some people will still gasp onto your story like a drowning man grabs a life ring.

The dam internet is chock full of incidents where people followed some nutters idea or a total strangers suggestion. Remember the couple who guzzled down that patent medicine that Snake Oil Donny is always pushing, the husband died. And who can forget the endless streams videos showing morons trying to copy another moron's bone breaking stunt.

Be safe, not sorry.

[tulipsandroses]

4. You may be right about that. It was an interesting observation that

I wanted to share. By the way, Truvada is ridiculously expensive as are many of the other anti retrovirals for HIV.
He gets a grant for it. Its $1600 per month. Which was my other thought, if the HIV meds work - will it be affordable? Will insurance cover it?

[Karadeniz]

2. What is the pain killer recommended for covid? Acetometophen!n

[tulipsandroses]

3. Yes, I have read that. At the time all I had was ibuprofen and it felt like

my head was about to explode. I went and picked up Tylenol and will be taking it if needed.

[EndlessWire]

7. You know what works for any HA I have?

It's Walmart's Equate house brand of Headache Relief. It is identical to Excedrin. It has acetaminophen, aspirin (nsaid) and caffeine as a compound. It costs $4.00 for a pack of 2, 100 tablet bottles in tablet form. That is far less than Excedrin.

When I am out of this, a cup or two of coffee helps to fix the brain. Not saying you should, but some HAs can make you want to die. Keep coffee on hand. And, sometimes heat on your neck can help.

Of course, I am only telling you what works for ME...

[Demsrule86]

5. If you suspect Covid19, do not take Ibuprofen.

[Ilsa]

6. "...took X and got better..." They may have gotten better regardless

or in spite of taking the drug.

[tulipsandroses]

8. You are absolutely right about that. That's why I stated that it was

an anecdotal story- anecdotal means- not necessarily reliable - a personal experience- not based on facts or research.

It was an interesting observation that I made when looking at both of our symptoms and how things have progressed.

[roamer65]

9. Both are RNA viruses.

Truvada targets RNA replication.