OT corona testing
Well my 18 yo son currently has all of the symptoms of corona virus and they told us not to bring him in for testing. He was at a large event for his high school last weekend in the metro area of Detroit. I guess we will never know! I may send him to family Dr for influenza testing tomorrow.
Do NOT go to a doctor's office or ER for a test. 1. They most likely won't have it. 2. You are risking exposing health care workers and patients to the virus.
We should have had drive-through testing setup by now like South Korea which would have been the way to go. I would not seek in-person medical care unless your son was having trouble breathing or condition worsens.
Yes, just remember that there is absolutely no treatment for the virus. There is NOTHING they can do for you for the COVID-19, so it makes no difference if he gets tested or not. Testing is really for the government to see how wide the spread is and what actions should be taken. It is more important for you at this point to not to spread it as much as you can.
Just make sure your son does not get pneumonia (at which point you need to go to the hospital). But otherwise, you need to quarantine yourselves and not spread it to others.
March 15th, 2020 at 10:09 PM ^
Can’t agree more with this comment. STOP obsessing about testing! If you think you have it, then just assume that you do and quarantine yourself. Hydrate, rest, Tylenol, Advil, etc. Don’t even take him in to get tested for the flu! Assuming he’s otherwise healthy he is 18!! All you do is risk exposing other people for no reason. With as long as the incubation period is, the length of the contagious period is, testing is just not very useful. They aren’t even testing healthcare workers who are exposed daily. If you start to run a fever and become symptomatic, you go home, assume you have it, and supportive care. If you’re critically ill, be seen immediately. I beg all of you, stop thinking you need to be tested, it doesn’t change the management of the disease. As always, if you are very ill, you get admitted to the hospital, if not, you go home, COVID+ or not. It is up to all of us to use our limited resources responsibly, lives depend on it.
Agreed. Though it does make it confusing for people who might have to work; if you have someone who is showing symptoms, but you don't know, you should quarantine yourself. But what if your job doesn''t accept that?
Regardless, OP, good luck and take care of your boy!
Depends on where your wife is working and their policies on self-quarantine. Some areas in Washington state are so short-staffed that they need those workers present, self-quarantine rules be damned. But most of these cases have been rare so far so it is surprising to hear this. Eventually it's not sustainable if every health care worker who is exposed to a patient self-quarantines for 14 days. Another reason why drive-through testing is so needed right now to screen health care workers. Most of the tests so far have been prioritized for high-risk patients.
Get a few bottles of ester C vitamin C. Usually Gnc Carrie's them. Also get him some curcumin from any health store.
Start megadosing him with both of these. I have lots of personal experience mega dosing these supplements and its completely safe.
You can read up on people using mega doses of vitamin C with promising results for serious conditions. Also I saw a video that a doctor said he treated CV with large vitamin C doses.
At the very least this should help get his symptoms down and maybe not spread it?
Its worth a shot
Edit - a guy named Thomas delauer on YouTube has done some videos on the subject of vitamin C and corona V. I cant upload from my phone. It's worth a look
I think we found Dr. Linus Pauling's MGoAccount
Do not give out false medical information right now. That is one of the worst things I have seen on the board lately and that is saying something. That will not prevent the spread of anything.
Oh for fuck's sake. What doctor told you he treated COVID-19 with vitamin C? Dr. Phil? Dr. Dre? Dr. J?
Tell me his name so I can draft a letter to the medical board of whatever state this quack is in and have his license pulled.
HEAR ME OUT PEOPLE. I spent five years in the bowels of Northwestern Medical School (actually it was a lovely 16th-floor penthouse of a lab of with a view of Lake Michigan) studying immunology and microbial pathogenesis and I'm categorically telling you VITAMIN C MEGADOSING WILL ONLY RESULT IN YOU MEGAPISSING VITAMIN C, there's only a modest amount that will be absorbed anyway and your immune system doesn't give a fuck about it and neither does the virus causing Covid-19.
This is all because Linus Pauling couldn't stay in his physics/chemistry lane and thought he was a biologist/immunologist. The vitamin C thing is a myth. I just can't stress this enough.
March 16th, 2020 at 12:34 AM ^
So a man trying to help his son by using something with virtually zero chance of negative side effects is bad why?
I smell someone with an agenda
OP can at the very least do some researching himself.
You sound like the typical quack who when confronted with scientific evidence, goes to the typical, defense of "you're a paid agent of .. (insert your choice of Big Pharma, Big Medicine, Illuminati, Lizard People etc)"
I too smell someone with an agenda. I smell someone with a legit medical background trying to counteract Vitamin C mega-dose quackery. And who understands that telling someone to mega-dose against a virus (FFS) might give one who reads this a false sense of security that they can avoid COVID-19 by taking a shit-ton (or piss quart?) of Vitamin C, when hand hygiene, social distancing, etc., are the proper measures.
As far as agendas go, it's a worthy one.
March 16th, 2020 at 10:31 AM ^
So everyone who reports getting good results from large doses of vitamin C is a quack right?
And you are supposed to spread the doses out through the day in 3 or 4 different doses. That way the body absorbs it better and it's not all pissed out like the mgoexperts say.
And I said "it's worth a shot"
That's hardly saying " this is will fix everything ".
You need to buy the vitamin C with bioflavanoids to get the best absorption.
God forbid anyone who spends $10 for something that could keep you're family safe and has no side effects besides yellow piss
March 16th, 2020 at 10:33 AM ^
So everyone who reports getting good results from large doses of vitamin C is a quack right?
And when you are supposed to spread the doses out through the day in 3 or 4 different doses. That way the body absorbs it better and it's not all pissed out like the mgoexperts say.
And I said "it's worth a shot"
That's hardly saying " this is will fix everything ".
You need to buy the vitamin C with bioflavanoids to get the best absorption.
God forbid anyone who spends $10 for something that could help protect you and you're family from something deadly.
It's best to not look like a quack though and get downvotes on a sports blog
You will actually start mega-pooping the vitamin C more than mega-pissing. There is a bowel tolerance to high doses of vitamin C, which should tell you something.
There have been claims that Vitamin C megadoses administered via IV have been helpful in some cases. Supplementing orally with Vitamin C has not been claimed to be successful by anyone reputable that I'm aware of.
So the key distinction is the IV megadose, which obviously requires participation of medical personnel.
That being said, there's nothing wrong with taking some more Vitamin C these days to help strengthen your immune system a little bit.
March 16th, 2020 at 10:10 AM ^
China is experimenting with high dose Vit C in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation support FWIW.
As it turns out there is some evidence that daily vit D3 supplementation (800-1000 IU) daily May have a role in preventing respiratory infection.
March 16th, 2020 at 10:41 AM ^
What is this...... common sense ?
How dare you.
And yes the IV form is the best option but most people wont be doing that.
You CAN definitley still feel results from large doses of supplemental vitamin C but it needs to be from a decent brand like Ester C which has bioflavanoids.
On top of this you try and spread the doses out through the day. Usually 3 or 4 different doses in a day.
“My work told me that if I’ve had direct contact with a case I need to self quarantine for 14 days“
Seriously? You are ASSUMING he has coronavirus?! Your son most likely has the flu. Period. If everyone who has contact with someone with flu symptoms were to be quarantined... Well, some of us get the picture.
Have you been paying attention at all? There are no definitive COVID-19 symptoms.
Not saying you shouldn’t be careful - the flu has already killed 12,000 - 30,000 Americans this year. And its estimated that 30,000,000 Americans have had the flu SO FAR.
Hope we get REALLY expanded testing soon before this becomes worse than it already is getting.
PS - As a parent, I should add that I hope your son feels better very soon.
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I'm under the impression that people shouldn't be going to the hospital to test one way or the other unless your health demands it. Treatment is the same either way. Don't waste physician resources & time unless absolutely necessary.
Give a call, tell them what you're observing and see what they say.
March 15th, 2020 at 10:37 PM ^
At this point in time they are asking you to cancel unnecessary doctor appointments if they are not critical. People need to stay away from all potential infected areas unless it is absolutely necessary. Those areas like doctors offices, ER, Urgent Care facilities etc. have high potential of exposure because an infected person went for treatment.
From my girlfriend who is in the medical field: Unfortunately a lot of places do not have the testing kits yet. Even if he went, they wouldn't be able to test him anyways. Monitor him closely, if he starts having breathing problems call the E.R.
For treatment at home, alternate between acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Plenty of fluids, use a humidifier or crank the shower high. Plenty of rest. Goes without saying but limit his contact with others so no one else gets infected.
I hope this helps. I asked her just now. Hoping and praying for the best for everyone out there. God bless us all.
Don't call the ER. We don't take advice calls and we are really kind of busy right now. Call your PCP or advice line.
My sister, a Johns Hopkins trained MD, says only Tylenol is safe now. The NSAIDs suppress your immune system response. Fight the fever with Tylenol, but don’t suppress your immune system.
It’s dangerous to give NSAIDS for viral infections.
Only Tylenol (acetaminophen) for pain relief.
EDIT - Teeba beat me to the punch
March 15th, 2020 at 10:00 PM ^
Hat tip to Rugbypass.com. Which begs the question, why are they only warning the rugby players? What about the rest of us?
March 15th, 2020 at 10:42 PM ^
But, but, but it's his GF and she's in the medical field.
March 15th, 2020 at 10:50 PM ^
And everything in his post was correct. Yea ER's are busy so calling may be a minor annoyance but it's better than showing up.
March 15th, 2020 at 11:07 PM ^
Except that you shouldn’t take ibuprofen if you think you’ve been exposed to COVID-19.
And both of your links point to a French study that MAY indicate a problem!
WD isn't sharing a rogue treatment approach. Here's something CURRENT from the NY Health Dept:
https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/prepare.htm
"Have soap, hand sanitizer, tissues, fever reducers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen on hand."
LIGHTEN UP EVERYBODY!
March 15th, 2020 at 11:41 PM ^
And everything in his post was correct
Ummm
No.
You don't take Ibuprofen for a fever.
But keep defending the clown. Carry on.
He meant well, & if he hadn't posted some incorrect info, I wouldn't have been educated by the responses. So there is that...
March 16th, 2020 at 11:30 AM ^
That's bullshit dude.
Anyone else would have been flamed to oblivion.
But because it's the WD cult of personality, he gets a free pass on spreading DANGEROUS INFORMATION... and passing it off as expert advice?!?!?!
Whatever.
Pull your head out of the sand.
I had just proclaimed that my head had been pulled from the sand. But dangerous? To take ibuprofen? Ridiculous... But don't pass up a chance to shit on someone.
Please contact the NY Dept of Health and share you knowledge!
https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/prepare.htm
"Have soap, hand sanitizer, tissues, fever reducers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen on hand."
Since Ibuprofen suppresses one's immune system, it makes perfect sense to take it when you have something attacking your body. Awesome advice!
I’ve stated this in other threads. I was in the medical diagnostic field for many years. They don’t have a lot of tests to go around right now, so they are (should be) saving them for the highest risk groups, which doesn’t include your son.
I say give it 2 weeks and they should have a good amount of reliable tests to enter the market. I hope they do those drive in testing tents.
What’s the point of testing those who are already sick if you have a limited supply of tests? Do you need that confirmation to know or could you diagnose based on symptoms and physical assessment?
seems like if all we do is test the sick, we will skew our numbers terribly. It’d be more meaningful to know how many test positive but never show symptoms, no?
March 15th, 2020 at 10:46 PM ^
That will come eventually, but for now the test is a marker, and the thing to do is to treat as above. Go to ER if you develop difficulty breathing. Wasn't sure about the NSAID issue, thanks for the confirmation.
March 15th, 2020 at 10:54 PM ^
Right now and going forward, it is extremely important to know who has it and who doesn't. If you are showing symptoms, knowing you have a common cold vs knowing if you have COVID-19 will ensure you approach each respective illness correctly. For example, if you have a cold, then no real need to self contain, maybe take an antibiotic etc.
Also, its very important to get a more accurate incidence rate number. In my opinion, this will drive A LOT of decisions down the road. As of now, the fatality rate (death rate divided by incidence rate) is the main driver of hysteria going around. Deaths by COVID are fairly accurate, incidence rates are not (lots of guessing here). Based on the reported pathology of the virus, it is quite likely a lot more people have it than what people are guessing because we don't have a widespread testing protocol yet. Getting an accurate number in this regard means the incidence rate goes way up, and the fatality rate goes way down, which could ease some social tension/panic and provide us an accurate assessment of just what we are dealing with. And maybe, just maybe, enable us to get back to a normal life.
There doesn't seem to be any method for using what tests are available, but if we can get up to 1M tests in the next month, we can start setting up testing tents were you drive up and don't even have to get out of your car. The optics of this alone will go a long way in reducing hysteria.
March 15th, 2020 at 10:44 PM ^
My wife who lives in another state has had flu symptoms for about a week or so. She goes to a very reputable health system, had a one hour phone call with them on Tuesday but they did not do much. Was told to follow up with urgent care if feeling worse. So on Thursday she did and since she's mid 50's and had an organ transplant they are testing her for coronavirus. She was given Tamiflu and antibiotics and told to stay home until the test results are back in about 5 days. Maybe we'll know on Tuesday.
She started out with body aches, mild fever, no respiratory issues at first, then things began progressing. Now she's coughing badly with night sweats and I'm guessing that she has it. She does get sick a lot, it's not an easy life for an organ recipient and I've learned to expect the worst and hope for the best. I figure she'll be in the hospital by mid week.
Unless there is an underlying condition, home treatment probably is the best option, but monitor closely and don’t be shy about calling your dr if there are symptoms that concern you (high fever, any trouble breathing etc.). While you don’t want to waste medical resources or expose either your son or health workers to anything un-neccessarily, you also don’t want to be to blaise because of advice you got on a sports blog.
Jesus Christ I hope everyone in your family is ok.
If he has a viral infection, there isn't much they can do anyway, even if it is the flu. Antivirals only reduce recovery time, but are not a cure.
If you have any sort of inkling your son has COVID-19, quarantine him. That does not mean just keeping him home, but keep him as separate from the rest of your family - especially little sister - as possible. He stays in his own room, uses his own bathroom, eats in his room, etc.
On a positive side, that probably means your pediatrician will prioritize talking to you and will give you more attention than the no doubt many calls they are getting about potential corona cases. Thoughts with your family and any other mgobloggers with potential coronavirus risk factors in their families
If it makes you feel any better, I have a doctor friend whose daughter was diagnosed with leukemia 6 months ago, and she is not worried about her exposure to Coronavirus as much as she is worried about our medical system being strained more than it can handle, making it difficult for her daughter to get the care she needs if she has an emergency. It sounds like even immunocrompromised patients are not at any higher risk than the general population. It's basically just the seniors.
This is what cdc says about risk factors
Early information out of China, where COVID-19 first started, shows that some people are at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness. This includes:
- Older adults
- People who have serious chronic medical conditions like:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Lung disease