What to ask your doctor about COVID treatment (pre-infection)

When you first find out that you have tested positive for COVID-19, you may experience these flurry of thoughts and feelings:

• What can I do to prevent this from getting worse?
• How can I get the care I need if I am stuck at home?
• Am I eligible for treatment?

This can be difficult to sort out when you’re already feeling sick, but not getting the answers you need can affect the outcome and severity of the infection. It is important to make a treatment plan with your doctor beforehand. Especially if you have a weakened immune system and are at high risk of becoming seriously ill.

“If you find yourself infected, you can definitely feel a lot of anxiety about what will happen and what to do next,” he says. William Schaffner, M.D., Professor of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “Having a plan in advance with your provider is very reassuring because it allows you to move forward and do it in the best possible way.”

This is true even if you have already had COVID-19 and have recovered. COVID-19 can be transmitted multiple times, and reinfection is often mild, can get serious according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Starting treatment within a few days of symptoms onset can reduce the risk of serious illness from reinfection.

“Anyone can get COVID-19 again, as we have seen in many patients,” he said. Norman B. Geillis MD, FACP, MACRa rheumatologist based in Aventura, FL.

This can also reduce stress when sick. Dr. Schaffner points to her own experience with his wife becoming infected last summer. He knew what to do next, but he didn’t have a concrete plan.

“The next few hours caused anxiety until my wife and I received a prescription for Paxlovid and an immunocompromised family member arrived at the clinic for treatment,” Dr. Schaffner says. Or a plan, like writing down phone numbers, would have saved me a lot of anxiety.”

Here are five simple questions to ask your doctor today to help you plan your treatment options so you don’t end up in a similar situation.

When and how should I test for COVID-19 if I have symptoms?

There may be a testing facility nearby, but it may be the last thing you want to do when you’re sick (and it may make it less likely that you’ll be tested in time to get treatment). there is). If possible, stock up on test kits at home so you don’t have to rush to find a test when you feel sick.

“Discuss with your doctor what symptoms prompt you to get tested,” says Dr. Schaffner. “And if a family member or caregiver develops symptoms, ask when they should be tested.”

Symptoms of COVID-19 can appear 2 to 14 days after exposure, Mayo Clinic:

• notorious fever
• cough
• Infection-related fatigue
• nausea
• diarrhea
• eye redness or rash

If you have an underlying medical condition that causes symptoms such as fatigue, keep a log of your symptoms so you know you’re experiencing something out of the ordinary. Discuss with your doctor what symptoms he should be tested for COVID-19. If in doubt, do a safe inspection.

Keep in mind that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the expiration date of most at-home tests, so even those that have been in storage for a while may still be usable.

To find out, please consult this table From FDA. If the expiration date has been extended, you will see a link to the updated expiration date. Even if the table does not state that the expiration date has been extended, you must still go by the expiration date indicated on the test box label.

What kind of treatment am I entitled to?

Guidance from public health centers regardless of vaccination status CDC Note that symptomatic immunocompromised individuals, their family members, and close contacts should be tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection as soon as possible and treated within 5-7 days of the onset of symptoms. please.

Early treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 with recommended therapies such as ritonavir-boosted nilmatrelvir (Paxlovid) and remdesivir (Veklury), or second-line molnupiravir (Lagebrio), is associated with severe COVID-19. It has been shown to reduce the risk of -19. The CDC said there were 19, including hospitalizations and deaths.

Paxlovid is Pfizer’s antiviral drug for COVID-19, taken as 3 tablets twice daily for 5 days. FDA eligibility checklist For use by prescribers as a tool in deciding whether to administer paxlobid to a patient:

• Positive SARS-coV-2 test
• Be 18 or older or 12 or older and weigh at least 40 kilograms (approximately 88 pounds)
• Have one or more risk factors for progression to severe COVID-19, such as an immunocompromised state or a weakened immune system
• Mild to moderate symptoms consistent with COVID-19
• Symptoms that develop within 5 days
• Not requiring hospitalization for severe or severe COVID-19 at initiation of treatment
• No known or suspected severe renal impairment
• – No known or suspected severe liver injury
• No history of clinically significant hypersensitivity reaction to any active ingredient or any other ingredient of the product

(Click here for details What you need to know if you are prescribed paxlobid.)

Veklury (remdesivir), on the other hand, remains in many US hospitals despite World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations against its use after releasing disappointing data in late 2021. used in yale medicineInitially approved for critically ill patients receiving oxygen therapy, that approval has since been extended to other groups, and in January 2022 it will be approved for treatment of non-hospitalized patients. I was. Remdesivir is given by injection or intravenously.

Finally, there is the antiviral drug Lagrevio, developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. He needs to take 4 capsules every 12 hours for 5 days and, like Paxlovid, he needs to take within 5 days of onset.

When developing an action plan with your doctor, ask what role your current medications play in your susceptibility to COVID-19 and what treatments they might prescribe if you get infected. please give me.

“Patients should ask their doctor if the treatment regimen itself can be tolerated,” says Dr. Geilis. “They should ask if they are susceptible to COVID-19 and, if so, if they can continue other treatments, such as rheumatic conditions.”

Who should I call to get a prescription for these medicines if I test positive?

It is important to seek treatment as soon as possible after symptoms appear. If you have to wait days to book a doctor’s appointment to get your prescription, you’re missing out on an opportunity.

“Know who to call or email and what to do next after testing positive, including whether you are eligible for Paxlovid or another treatment,” Dr. Schaffner said. says. “Put everything down on paper as part of your plan, and make sure you know who to report to to start treatment and prevent more serious illness.”

Medicines for COVID-19 must be prescribed by a healthcare professional. U.S. Food and Drug Administration(In July 2022, FDA will licensed pharmacist in a licensed country Prescribe Paxlovid. )

Also, ask your doctor about the best way to tell them about your symptoms. You’ll know when you need to scale up your treatment. For example, do you need to contact your doctor through the patient portal, call the office, email, or otherwise? What if the office is closed on weekends or holidays?

What options do I have to access these treatments?

Prescriptions for treatments like Paxlovid are available from health care professionals, pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics.

Some pharmacies can deliver drugs like Paxlovid. If this is not possible, ask a family member or friend in your close network to pick up your prescription and leave it on your doorstep if you have COVID-19.

There are also places where you can get tested and treated for COVID-19, all in one place if you are eligible. this locator.

Are you up to date on all vaccine recommendations?

Talk to your doctor now about all the precautions you can take to avoid serious illness. Asking if you are up to date on immunizations and boosters should be part of the larger conversation about risk reduction efforts.

“Everyone, including those who are immunocompromised, should take standard precautions to protect themselves from COVID-19,” says Dr. Geilis. “At the top of that list is avoiding situations where distancing is not an option, with people in close quarters.”

When Evusheld lost its authority to prevent COVID-19 because of its declining efficacy against new variants, the CDC emphasized the importance of precautions for immunocompromised patients. Before Get sick.

By taking these steps, you are more likely to recover from COVID-19 quickly and without severe symptoms.

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