COVID-19 Survivor – Autoimmune Warrior

Getting COVID-19 with an Autoimmune Disease: My Experience

Hey all! It’s been a while since I last wrote a blog post. And the reason for that is…after 2.5 years of this pandemic and being fully vaccinated, I finally got COVID-19.

Getting COVID was one of my worst fears during this pandemic. As someone with an autoimmune condition, I wasn’t sure how my body would react to getting the virus. I had read stories, such as this young woman with an autoimmune condition, who had caught COVID and ended up having to get a lung transplant. It’s really scary since some people report that their symptoms are more of a bad flu, while others end up with crippling long COVID symptoms or worse, end up passing away.

It’s been a few weeks since I first tested positive, and I’m on the mend. My main symptoms were a fever, chills, sore throat, dry cough, loss of taste and smell, fatigue, joint pain, muscle soreness and weakness. As you can imagine, it wasn’t a fun recovery!

My only symptom now, a few weeks post-COVID diagnosis, is a lingering dry cough. I have asthma, and although it’s a very mild form of asthma, it definitely flared up when I got COVID.

I wanted to share some of the things that helped me recover from COVID-19 quickly when you have a compromised immune system. Of course, always talk with your doctor before beginning any kind of treatment plan or modifying your health regiment.

1. Anti-viral medication

The first thing that helped me recover from COVID more quickly was getting on anti-viral medication. The medication, called paxlovid, was developed by Pfizer and is composed of two separate medications: nirmatrelvir and ritonavir. The medication is taken orally as six pills swallowed daily – three in the morning, and three at night.

Paxlovid isn’t available to just anyone, however. You have to be at high risk for severe disease if you get COVID-19. As someone with an autoimmune condition and asthma, I definitely fit that category. I was able to get a last-minute telehealth appointment with a family doctor, and he prescribed me paxlovid, as well as some prescription cough medication.

A clinical trial showed that taking paxlovid resulted in an 89% reduction in the risk of hospitalization and death. So, if you get COVID and you’re immunocompromised in some way, I would definitely talk to your doctor to see if you can get a prescription for paxlovid or another anti-viral medication to help you recover faster.

2. Heating/Cooling Pad

Another item that really helped me recover from COVID was a lavender heating and cooling pad. I’ve talked about using a lavender heating pad in the past on this blog for general muscle aches and joint pains, but it was definitely helpful in recovering from the virus as well.

For example, when I was running a low-grade fever, I was able to put the pad in the freezer to turn it into a cooling pad, helping me cool down when I was running hot at night. When I had bad muscle aches and joint pains, I would heat up the pad in the microwave and within a minute, I was able to get some relief.

There are many inexpensive heating pads that you can find online – for example, I found this lavender heating pad from Amazon for only $12.99. You can obviously get an unscented version if you prefer, but I do enjoy the floral aroma.

3. Humidifier

As someone with Sjogren’s syndrome, having a humidifier is always a good bet, since it makes the air feel less dry and helps moisturize your immediate environment. That being said, it also helped me to feel more comfortable when sick with the virus, since COVID gave me a bad dry cough as well, not to mention I had a flare up in many of my Sjogren’s syndrome symptoms, like eye, mouth, and skin dryness.

The humidifier I use is from the brand Crane, but you can find various humidifiers online in different styles and sizes that will fit your space best.

4. Throat Spray

If you’re like me and you experience a bad sore throat and cough when you’re sick with COVID, then I’d recommend looking into an over-the-counter throat spray to help relieve some of the soreness and discomfort. You can get throat sprays with a numbing agent, like phenol or lidocaine, at most major pharmacies. I ended up picking up this cherry-flavored throat spray from CVS, and it definitely helped me get through some of my worse days.

If you’re looking for more of a natural throat spray, you can try an echinacea throat spray such as this one on Amazon for less than $12. Echinacea is a natural compound derived from perennial flowers, and has been used among Native American populations for its healing properties. That being said, echinacea is believed to work by boosting one’s immune system (like Vitamin C), so if you have an autoimmune condition, just be sure to get the go-ahead from your healthcare provider before taking any herb or medication that could increase immune activity.

Those are the items that helped me the most to recover more quickly from COVID-19. Are you someone with an autoimmune disease or other chronic illness who caught the virus? If so, what helped you to recover? Let us know in the comments below!

Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine if I have an autoimmune disease?

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Is the COVID-19 vaccine right for autoimmune disease patients? — *The COVID-19 vaccine is expected to roll out to members of the public in early 2021. Image courtesy of the BBC.*

As the COVID-19 vaccine rolls out across the nation, many members of the public are wondering if getting vaccinated against the coronavirus is right for them. More specifically, those with autoimmune disorders, a disease class in which one’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues, wonder if they are candidates for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. Shafinaz Akhter, Physician at Chester County Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, states, “Our advice has always been that there is no harm to getting it. It is very unlikely that you’re going to have an adverse reaction or worsening symptoms from your underlying disease based upon receiving the vaccination.” For this reason, she says that at her hospital, they are recommending that anyone with an autoimmune disease, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or Crohn’s, get vaccinated.

Furthermore, Dr. Akhter adds that many autoimmune disease patients take immunosuppressants or other immune-modulating prescription drugs, which are medications designed to decrease immune system overactivity and the damaging inflammation that comes along with it. These medications may reduce the vaccine’s ability to stimulate your body to mount an immune response against the virus. For this reason, it’s important to speak with your healthcare provider regarding the timing of when you take your medications and when you receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Examples of such medications include methotrexate or rituximab.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert, weighed in on the subject, stating, “It is clear that if you are on immunosuppressant agents, history tells us that you are not going to have as robust a response as if you had an intact immune system that was not being compromised. But some degree of immunity is better than no degree of immunity. So, for me, it would be recommended that these people do get vaccinated.”

The CDC, for its part, has stated that those with autoimmune conditions may receive the COVID-19 vaccine, while also acknowledging that no data currently exists with regards to the safety of these vaccines for autoimmune disease patients.

The CDC adds that it is expected that the risk of the COVID vaccine for autoimmune disease patients to be minimal, based on the vaccine’s mechanism of action. This is because none of the COVID vaccines use a live virus, nor do they include an adjuvant, which is a substance that enhances the body’s immune response to an antigen. Finally, none of the available vaccines become incorporated in your own genetic material (i.e. DNA), since they are mRNA vaccines.

As with any new medical treatment, it’s encouraged to speak with your healthcare provider before making a decision on whether or not to get the vaccine, so that they can advise you based on your specific situation. To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines, visit the CDC website.

Are you planning to get the COVID-19 vaccine? Let us know in the comments below!

Christopher Cross Nearly Dies from COVID-19, Temporarily Paralyzed by Autoimmune Disease

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Famed singer-songwriter Christopher Cross recently detailed his excruciating battle with COVID-19 in an exclusive interview with CBS.

In the interview, the 69-year-old Grammy winner described his ordeal as ‘the worst 10 days of [his] life,’ saying that he had a number of ‘come to Jesus moments’ where he was left begging for his life from a higher power.

Cross states that in early March, when the pandemic had just struck North America, he and his girlfriend Joy were touring in Mexico City for a concert. Upon their return to the United States, they fell ill and ended up testing positive for COVID-19.

“Nobody knew about masks, or anything like that,” Cross said. “No one wore masks on the plane, no one was doing that. We weren’t made aware that it was a problem.” In total, he and his girlfriend were sick for about three weeks’ time. While Joy continued to get better, Cross got continuously sicker, landing him in the intensive care unit at the hospital for 10 days.

In April, Cross says he finally began to feel better, and ended up going to the supermarket. However, when he returned home, his legs completely gave out. That’s when he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a neurological autoimmune disease which causes the body to attack its own nerves. His doctors believe that he developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome as a direct result of COVID-19.

Describing his COVID-19 and Guillain-Barre diagnosis, Cross says tearfully, “I couldn’t walk, I could barely move. And so, it was certainly the darkest of times for me…It really was touch-and-go, and tough.” He became paralyzed from the waist down, and his hands were paralytic as well; being a professional musician, he was concerned he would never be able to play the guitar again.

Guillain-Barre is one of many devastating effects that have been reported by COVID-19 surviv o rs. Early in the pandemic, disturbing reports came out about multisystem inflammatory syndrome, an autoimmune complication in children who had been affected by the virus. It is thought to be similar to Kawasaki disease, an inflammatory condition affecting the heart’s coronary arteries.

Though Cross himself was only temporarily paralyzed by Guillain-Barre, he reports that he is still feeling the impact of this neurological autoimmune disease now. Initially, he used a wheelchair, and though he no longer needs it, he now relies on a cane as his mobility aid. He also suffers from nerve pain, brain fog, memory loss and issues with his speech.

*Christopher Cross undergoes physical therapy to heal from the affects of Guillain-Barre and COVID-19.*

Last month, Cross shared further details on his Instagram page about his grueling recovery, and paid tribute to the medical staff that helped him during that harrowing time, saying, “I’m grateful for my care team, especially my physical therapist, who has helped me to build strength and walk again.” He continued, “I realize that I am lucky to have survived COVID-19 and be on the mend from GBS. Most of all, I am blessed to have the love and support of many people.”

Though he’s recovered from the coronavirus, and has a 90% to 100% prognosis of making a full recovery from Guillain-Barre, Cross explained that he still wants to share his story to help others. “I felt it was sort of my obligation to share with people: ‘Look, this is a big deal…you’ve got to wear your mask. You’ve got to take care of each other. Because this could happen to you.'”

As part of his healing, Cross is turning to his music, which has always been a source of solace for the singer-songwriter. And, he can’t wait to get back to touring…when it’s safe to do so, of course!