I’ve written before that I’ve suffered from several illnesses since my first bout with COVID in August. On Christmas Day, I started getting sick from what I believed to be a sinus infection, which I get a few times a year.
I didn’t see a doctor until Tuesday since offices were closed on Dec. 26. Yes, she said, you have a sinus infection. We’ll check for COVID, Flu A, B, and RSV to be safe.
Great, I thought. Let’s rule everything out.
Within 30 minutes, I got my latest positive COVID result.
I had been taking some over-the-counter decongestants to help with the sinus pain and a nighttime cold medicine to help me sleep. I knew that to be a bad idea because I have hypertension, and certain medications increase blood pressure. No surprise, my BP measured 153 over 97 at the doc’s office.
No more over-the-counter meds for me. But I could take a prescription steroid and an antibiotic for the sinus issues, right?
No, because the doc prescribed Paxlovid, which doesn’t play well with some other meds. I even had to stop temporarily taking some of my blood pressure meds.
I’ve received both COVID shots and boosters. I’ve delayed getting the third booster because I’ve been, in essence, sick since August.
In early December, after a couple of weeks of Vibramycin, I started feeling a little better. I still suffered bouts of fatigue but slowly began getting back to normal. I went to the gym, saw Avatar with my wife, organized a bourbon dinner, and made plans for New Year’s Eve.
Forget New Year’s Eve. I stayed home wearing a mask on and watching two of the best college football games you’ll ever see (Sorry, Buckeyes).
With all this illness, I’m left to wonder (as many others are): What are the long-term health complications for people who have had a respiratory virus, COVID more than once, and underlying health conditions? What bodily systems — lungs, kidneys, brain, heart — might be affected? How long will it be before I start seeing the effects if there are any? I already suffered from, in some instances, debilitating fatigue.
What else am I missing?
COVID is still so new that we have no idea how it impacts people long-term. We want answers to everything now, and when it comes to a virus, there are no explanations right now since COVID continues to mutate. The fact that we produced a vaccine within 18 months borders on miraculous. Science hasn’t had time to figure out several other vexing issues, like long-term impact, though we are getting hints.
The journal Nature Medicine reports that repeat COVID infections increase the chance of dying and suffering long-term heart, lung, and brain issues. The journal noted that reinfection occurs at intervals that match my own — I had my first bout at the end of August and the second almost fourth months to the day later. The nature medicine study mirrors others.
I plan on wearing a mask when I’m at a grocery store, a movie, or in any place that’s densely packed with people. It’s the only weapon any of us have. Research already shows that the vaccine’s effectiveness wanes fairly quickly. Masks can hopefully help keep the virus at bay, at least a little.
I’m now in a position in which I have to pay very close attention to my surroundings and mitigate risks the best I can.
I know we’re over COVID, but COVID isn’t over us. There’s a new subvariant on the loose at the traditional height of the cold and flu season. I don’t think “third time’s a charm” applies to COVID, and I don’t want to find out.
Ray Marcano’s column appears on these pages each Sunday. He can be reached at raymarcanoddn@gmail.com
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