I ain't going anywhere for a while.

[UTTransplant]

My brother in law got hit hard too. He already had a serious autoimmune disease, then he got COVID in 2020. His family blew off all the recommendations from health officials, had a pile of people at Thanksgiving, and they all came down with it, adults and kids alike. ICU for a while, and oxygen. Everybody else recovered, but not as much for him.

 

[DonTom]

There are worse things than dying from Covid. I have two surfing buddies who had their lungs trashed by the disease. Now they are on oxygen for the rest of their lives. I see them down at the beach just gazing out to sea and checking the waves. Bummer.

Was that from the 2020 bug, or from one of the now more common varients? I assume they got the old, more powerful bug.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[garyb1st]

Felt pretty good this morning. Now I'm thinking I'll be hanging around the house for a few more days. Still feels very much like a head cold without the sniffles.

 

[Wasillaguy]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1597834732209045505

 

[DonTom]

. Still feels very much like a head cold without the sniffles.

The opposite with me this morning. I have been sneezing a lot but feel fine otherwise.

I now have to clean off some snot off my computer screen (seriously).

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Reinigm]

Was that from the 2020 bug, or from one of the now more common varients? I assume they got the old, more powerful bug.

-Don- Reno, NV

All the people I know who were hit hard, either dying or experiencing long term damage, had it come from the original bug. I don't know anyone personally that died or had damage from the variants, whether they had the boosters or not. My sister is an administrator of a large hospital and they were buried in serious cases for about a year, then it started to taper out.

 

[DonTom]

All the people I know who were hit hard, either dying or experiencing long term damage, had it come from the original bug. I don't know anyone personally that died or had damage from the variants, whether they had the boosters or not. My sister is an administrator of a large hospital and they were buried in serious cases for about a year, then it started to taper out.

I hear the problem now is that these new weak variants cause around 10% of the issues as before, but ten times as many people catch it, so it still keeps some hospitals about as busy.

I know one guy who died around a year ago from COVID. He was 80 years old but seemed like he was in great shape and looked a lot younger. He was one of the guys in my Reno motorcycle riding group. Nobody I knew expected the bug to kill him, but it did.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DutchmenSport]

....

It now seems to me with COVID there are two types of people.

1. Those who have already caught it.
2. Those who will catch it.
...

-Don- Reno, NV

Well, I differ with that assessment, but that would probably turn political. Suffice to say, I've never had Covid, I've also never had the shot. I also don't socialize. I don't hang out at places of entertainment, places where people gather, parties, or social gatherings. And I also refused to go into my office and surround myself with people of unknown medical statuses. When "They" threatened "get the shot or get terminated", I followed all the rules, applied for the "exemptions" and the responses were not to my satisfaction.

In order to "protect" myself ... I chose to quit my job. I was old enough to retire with full Social Security benefits. I set everything up for Social Security, Medicare, Part A, B, and the rest of the alphabet. I made sure everything was in place for a couple months, then when the new year rolled around I told them to take their "requirement" and shove it!

My wife and I have been on the road with the camper a LOT in the last 2 years. We've traveled, we both worked from home (or from the camper) all of 2020 and 2021. In 2022, I retired. She's still working from the camper. We're about as isolated as we can get.

No... your statement is wrong! For lots of reasons. There are multitudes of people who have never had the shot and they will never get Covid either.

 

[DonTom]

No... your statement is wrong! For lots of reasons. There are multitudes of people who have never had the shot and they will never get Covid either.

Yeah, I suppose if one isolates themselves enough from everybody else all contagious diseases are preventable, even the common cold.

But I would rather take my chances and not go quite that far.

"Some people are so afraid to die, they never begin to live."
-Henry Van Dyke

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Skookum]

All the people I know who were hit hard, either dying or experiencing long term damage, had it come from the original bug. I don't know anyone personally that died or had damage from the variants, whether they had the boosters or not. My sister is an administrator of a large hospital and they were buried in serious cases for about a year, then it started to taper out.

Hospitals are still very busy with Covid and it's still kicking every health system in the financials, that's for sure. But fewer people are dying and that's a good thing. Ivermectin and homeopathy didn't get us here.

 

[DonTom]

. Once you recover, still get the vaccine because it provides protection against getting it again.

It looks like I got all the booster I need for the next three months:

"For those who have recently recovered from a Covid-19 infection, the CDC recommends waiting at least until the illness has passed and a person is no longer contagious. For best results, it may be better to delay a booster for at least three months after symptoms started. Infection itself probably already acted like a booster; studies have shown that people have a relatively low risk of getting sick again for about three months after they recover."

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Tom]

Didn't previously comment here for various reasons, but was interested in the observations/comments.

We were "fully vaccinated" when we caught covid in Sept, 2021. We'd spent the summer isolated from everyone and, on our last weekend in WY, had dinner with friends - only 4 on a table and 15 feet from the nearest table.

The prior evening, our friends attended a "block party" at someone's house, and a few days later we received a text saying that the husband tested positive. We subsequently experienced symptoms and, in a video with the local Doc, he thought we had covid. A brief trip to his clinic and we were confirmed positive.

The Doc prescribed infused monoclonal antibodies (at the local hospital) which helped, but it was still debilitating. We were trying to wrap up and leave our WY lot, but couldn't work more than 10 minutes without having to sit or lay down for 30-60 minutes. We left a week later, stopped only at truck stops for diesel fills. Stayed home and self-quarantined for a combined total of 21 days or so.

We continue to be vaccinated (boosters), but a few symptoms remain (aka long covid???).

 

[DonTom]

but a few symptoms remain (aka long covid???).

See here for the known facts about long Covid.

What You Need to Know​

• Post-COVID conditions can include a wide range of ongoing health problems; these conditions can last weeks, months, or longer.
• Post-COVID conditions are found more often in people who had severe COVID-19 illness, but anyone who has been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience post-COVID conditions, even people who had mild illness or no symptoms from COVID-19.
• People who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 and become infected might also be at higher risk of developing post-COVID conditions compared to people who were vaccinated and had breakthrough infections.
• While most people with post-COVID conditions have evidence of infection or COVID-19 illness, in some cases, a person with post-COVID conditions may not have tested positive for the virus or known they were infected.
• CDC and partners are working to understand more about who experiences post-COVID conditions and why, including whether groups disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 are at higher risk.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[garyb1st]

Friend of mine, also age 79, was hospitalized for 8 days when he had Covid. He was in rough shape with several blood clots in his lungs. I've know him since high school when he was a long distance runner. Excellent health until his 60's when things started going down hill. Lost touch until 3 or 4 years ago. When we reconnected I was totally taken aback. He was easily 75 lbs heavier, had difficulty getting into my Jeep Wrangler and looked like he was ready for the farm.

One of the things that surprised me was the number of meds he was taking on a daily basis. IIRC at least 6. I don't take any meds. Personally I believe meds are totally over prescribed. I've also wondered if there was a connection between our heavily medicated senior population and their high rate of death from Covid. Not expecting to see anything in the news regarding the overprescribed generation.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Personally I believe meds are totally over prescribed.

Not sure if it's monetary incentives, CYA or kicking the can down the road, but handing you a prescription on your way out the door seems to be the standard dr. office protocol. If you balk, then you're "denying care" which nets you the inability to be seen for anything until you become compliant. Next thing you know you're on the slippery slope, taking pills just to counteract the side effects of other pills. No question as we get older some of these become less optional but it seems rather than coach patients through diet and exercise or other mitigations the easy solution is to just throw pills at it, and the problem goes away for 6 months or a year until your next visit.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Wasillaguy]

Next big wave, already underway, is blood thinners/anti-clot drugs. One of their favorites is Coumadin/warfarin. If you point out this is rat poison they'll tell you it's also an important medicine, but quinine is just poison, and ivermectin is just for horses.

 

[UTTransplant]

We continue to be vaccinated (boosters), but a few symptoms remain (aka long covid???).

I have my regular yearly check up with my PCP on Wednesday, and I am going to chat with her about my continuing symptoms of serious fatigue and brain fuzziness. I had COVID with a bang, total exhaustion for well over a week, then just moderate exhaustion for more weeks. I totally understand about your “work 10 minutes, rest for 60“ Tom! We were on the road home from Tucson FMCA convention when both Kevin and I came down with it. His case was mild, mine was totally debilitating.

 

[Tom]

I have my regular yearly check up with my PCP on Wednesday, and I am going to chat with her about my continuing symptoms of serious fatigue and brain fuzziness.

If it's not too personal, I'd be interested in the response you receive from your PCP. We certainly don't have the same energy we had pre Covid.

 

[UTTransplant]

If it's not too personal, I'd be interested in the response you receive from your PCP. We certainly don't have the same energy we had pre Covid.

I saw my PCP yesterday, and I got all the blood work results today. She said there is no definitive test that says, “Yes, this person has long COVID,” particularly in milder cases like mine. I still sleep a lot; my normal 7.5 hours went to 9+ beginning in April when I came down with COVID. Even at 9 hours, I am sometimes so tired I want a short nap. I am very easily fatigued. My brain is just slightly fuzzy too, though that is improving. All of these things could be accounted for my other conditions, but the blood work pretty much rules them out. My thyroid and Hgb levels are perfectly normal, as were the liver and kidney tests. My A1C (blood sugar) is still higher than she wants, but not at a pre-diabetes level. Since we have ruled all the common things out, she thinks it very well could be a residual from the COVID. Nothing to do except take good care of myself. Thank goodness I don’t have to go to an office and work long hours anymore!

 

[Skookum]

Not sure if it's monetary incentives, CYA or kicking the can down the road, but handing you a prescription on your way out the door seems to be the standard dr. office protocol. If you balk, then you're "denying care" which nets you the inability to be seen for anything until you become compliant. Next thing you know you're on the slippery slope, taking pills just to counteract the side effects of other pills. No question as we get older some of these become less optional but it seems rather than coach patients through diet and exercise or other mitigations the easy solution is to just throw pills at it, and the problem goes away for 6 months or a year until your next visit.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

It goes both ways. There's a monetary incentive for Pharma because they get to sell pills. But your insurer and services like Medicare have to pay for them. Insurers are very insistent on controlling costs and making sure your providers only provide you what is medically necessary.

Coaching patients through diet and exercise is a waste of money because most patients don't follow it and ultimately change their lifestyle, and health conditions need to be treated in the now. A good example is high blood pressure. If it's purely a symptom of poor diet and lack of exercise, a good doctor will tell you that it needs to be treated with pills right now (to prevent other damage) but that you should also change your habits so that you can come off the medication. Your insurer wants you on the medication right now because it's still a good hedge against having to pay for heart surgery down the road. Hoping you'll go to the gym is not.

In the past 20 years, many commercial insurers have rolled out wellness incentive programs and some of them even require you to participate and track your activities in order to receive coverage.