When the doctor becomes the Patient (Surviving Covid 19 omicron variant)
(Edited)
Mask up! You can still be infected with the Omicron variant of covid-19 even after vaccination and it is extremely infectious. Not to instil any fear but to create awareness and remind you that COVID-19 IS REAL BUT PREVENTABLE.
HOW IT STARTED
I've been "M.I.A" for about two weeks here but I just got discharged from the hospital.
The week before I fell ill, was doing frequent night calls for money, sleeping late, eating less, abusing sleep medications and other self sabotaging activities. So when I got Ill, I brushed it off as exhaustion and started home treatment. I'm a doctor so who'd treat me best if not me however doctors are the worst patients.
I was taking antibiotics, anti-malaria drugs and my daily supplements.
I'm the least person that could ever get this virus, I usually brag to my friends that I don't need to wear a mask that my immunity is superb.
- I'm a health and fitness junkie
- I work out everyday
- I eat healthy, vegetables, fruits, protein and complex carbs
- I take supplements, lots of them, vitamin C, zinc, glutathione, omega 3, probiotics..
- I've received two doses of my covid vaccine
- I drink ginger and lemon green tea every morning
- I do steam inhalation before I go to bed
Plot twist
I became the index patient that started the spread.
I started having symptoms a week before admission
WHAT WERE MY SYMPTOMS?
- Severe body weakness
- Constant headaches
- Cough
- Stuffed nose with loss of smell and taste
- Intermittent loss of appetite
- Fever
- Psychiatric symptoms (Hallucinations, nightmares, depressive symptoms)
- Diarrhoea
The cough
Believe me when I say the cough is the worst you would ever experience, it isn't dry as people say it is. It is productive, very distressful at night. I'm a pretty deep sleeper but it kept waking me up, No quantity of cough syrup can make it better. Then the chest tightness and cheat pain that followed suit.
The psychiatric symptoms scared me. I thought I was going crazy so I never told anybody about them. I woke up one night to hear people screaming across the room however I was the only one in the house. Very creepy.
Then bouts of sadness, crying unprovoked, loss of interest in activities that used to interest me. I stopped working out, I stopped posting on hive, stopped engaging on posts or commenting on posts, even had few suicidal thoughts. As at then, was also having issues with my superior at work so I thought it was the cause.
Fever always came visiting at night, a deceitful type of fever. Making you think you are alright then boom night comes and you are chilly and shaking.
Continued the home treatment,
Then one morning, I felt like my soul had left my body. I can't completely describe the feeling, it was as if I was reliving my past memories in one moment, like life was flashing before my very eyes. It was extremely scary and I was alone at that time, everyone had gone to work. Then I thought, if I were to die today I want to be around doctors and nurses and the small family I had made in this workplace. So I called my friend Irene.
In this life, get you loyal friends, it truly pays. She saved my life!
She helped me put on clothes, combed my hair so I don't look crazy, called the authorities and an ambulance was brought to my accomodation. I can't recall what happened after that incident, I just remember a couple of voices kept saying, sorry, Dr Daisy. Ah that "oyibo" doctor.
I woke up hours later to find a cannula in my hand with fluid running through my veins, my head was on fire, my chest, my throat. Every single thing!
TESTING TIME
They weren't sure it was covid-19. They started treating me as a case of malaria. Gave me a shot of arthemeter injection, I cried like a baby.
The lab people came with their testing kit.
Stubborn Port-harcourt blood, I declined being tested! They restrained me and poked the swab deep down my nostril despite my struggle (P.s I'm very strong even in illness cause I lift very heavy weights) After two unsuccessful attempts, third times a charm. They finally got a sample, I cried again. In fact everyone don "see me finish" in that hospital.
All the nurses, patients, cleaners, they all saw me cry like a baby. Even when another cannula was being put into my vein.
**After one hour, sadly, it came out positive! **
Was wheeled to the isolation ward, I could not walk! My hair was a mess, blisters all over my face, I don't know if it's part of the disease.
The ward is depressing, very few visitors, nurses all dressed in personal protective equipment as if you are the virus itself. The stigma is enough to make you sicker but I was determined to fight the virus.
I was alone throughout my admission, eating hospital food. Everybody avoided me like a plague apart from Irene. I should get her a gift.I couldn't eat a thing so I was placed on IV fluids.
The diarrhoea came on Day1 of admission, had not eaten all day but I had about 5 episodes of diarrhoea. Had severe abdominal cramps followed by vomiting. It was terrible. The toilet in the accident and emergency was appalling but I didn't care.
Then the reoccurring nightmares, being chased by dark people. Hearing voices in my sleep. I thought I was going crazy.
Lost my sense of smell and taste later. Everything tastes bland. You don't know the value of these things till you lose them
Contact tracing
Four other doctors that got in contact with me had tested positive. My friend had a weak positive result but no symptoms, she has asthma so I was so scared for her result.
I was the only one who was too sick that I had to be hospitalised. Talk about good luck.
Called my family to update them
I don't give up easily so I was ready to fight the "damn" virus.
PREVENTION
This is dry season and the virus thrives in cold
For health workers, start empirical treatment whether you test positive or not. Treatment comprises
- 1g vitamin C daily for two weeks
- 100mg zinc tablets daily for two weeks
- Ivermectin tablets 15mg on day 1 and day 3 then monthly
- Azithromycin tablets 500mg daily for five days
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Get vaccinated if you haven't
Avoid crowds, social distancing - And most importantly, always mask up.
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
Please wear your mask, it's not a joke. I was discharged yesterday and I feel stronger now. Still taking my medications and would be retested in a week.
I was once a Thomas. Hardly wore mask cause it gave me chin acne but I'd rather treat acne than treat covid
It was a terrible journey and I'm happy to transition into 2022 healthy and happy.
REFERENCES
https://www.who.int/news/item/28-11-2021-update-on-omicron
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/omicron-variant.html
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Thank goodness you are recovering...this is an eye opener for those that still doubt the existence of COVID-19.
Do well to stay safe, you sure will be fine.
Ps: do add the reference to the first image used.
Thanks I've done that, it's too real. Still scares me
That will make people remember you. I admit one of my greatest fears is being the first person to get COVID19 in my social group ... meaning that I would be the one who caused everyone else to get sick.
BTW, what were your Vitamin D and Vitamin K levels?
I know right?! Even the nurse that attended to me on the first day, just heard this evening that she's currently sick and also tested positive to the virus, it's sad but we move! I'm taking adequate precautions now so I don't infect any more people. I'm staying indoors for two weeks till I test negative. They didn't check my vitD and K levels though
My understanding is that Vitamin D regulates the immune system including the cytokine storm. Vitamin K2 regulates blood clotting. There seems to be a very strong correlation between vitamin D levels and severity of the sickness. It seems to me that these are two metrics to monitor.
Here is a chicken soup flavored pizza to help you feel better:
!pizza
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How could you have been the index patient when you also must have got it from someone? Glad you were able to pull through. I am currently experiencing some symptoms similar to those above but I am certain this is malaria :).
Welcome back Doc.
Oh my bad. By index I meant within my work place not in the general population o. Lol, that one would be termed as patient zero.
You can never really be certain though but so long as it's responding to malaria drugs it's fine. Mine wasn't responding. Thanks dear
Glad you are okay and recovering.
I have a weird question:
I have never heard of this expression before :3
Thank you
"Doubting Thomas" it's a biblical expression, apostle Thomas in the Bible doubted the resurrection of Christ.
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Isn't this true of all covid-19 variants? Maybe you mean you can get infected with omicron more easily compared to other variants?
Pretty scary symptoms indeed! Some sound a bit like a panic attack, for example the dissociation ('soul leaving the body').
Your story also shows that no one is immune to covid, no matter how healthy their lifestyle.
No it's not. That's the point of vaccination, it provides immunity but the batch of vaccines produced were only tested against the antigens of the older variants.
Yes, but I mean, it's still true to say that "You can still be infected with the X [input whatever you want] variant of covid-19 even after vaccination". I don't think any vaccine guarantees 100% protection against infection of any variant. That's what I meant.
Thank you, Yeah it was indeed scary and I felt so alone.
COVID does not care about who is who. They touch everyone. Thanks for this testimony that I hope will be useful for those who will read it. Please stay safe and I wish you a prompt full recovery.
From what I have read (although there is no proof in the scientific meaning yet), Omicron is very contagious but not as dangerous as the previous Delta variant. This may be our chance as humans... at least until the next variant.
PS: I am now fully vaccinated again for more than a week, with 3 doses! ^^