Q: Many of you have been asking if you should take a second booster vaccination for Covid. A: My response has been to wait until a booster is available that is more active against the new variants we are seeing. The current vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna are only partially effective against these new variants. […]
booster vaccination, COVID, COVID vaccine immunizationQ: I just contracted Covid. What treatments are available for me? A: Since my last post on treating Covid at home, there has been a “game changer”! The FDA has authorized several medications for management of acute mild-to-moderate Covid. These new medications can reduce the severity and duration of a Covid infection. The first was […]
Q: I just found out today I was Covid positive. What should I do!? A: Personal management of suspected COVID depends a lot on your symptoms. If there are no symptoms, then isolation / quarantine is the only concern. If you have chest pain, severe cough, shortness of breath or any evidence of blood clotting, then the […]
Q: Many of you have contacted us to ask if a COVID booster shot is recommended for PWCs. A: The best antibody protection is conferred to those who have already contracted COVID, but immunization with the currently available vaccines has provided protection in about 90% of cases. Those vaccines, however, are only about 60-70% effective against […]
COVID, COVID vaccine immunizationQ: Should I take the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available? A: Many PWCs (Persons with CFS or FM) have developed a flare or relapse after vaccination with live viruses, so we have always recommended avoiding immunization with influenza vaccine, the MMR, and Hepatitis B, if feasible. The question is: how safe are the COVID-19 […]
COVID-19, Immunization, VaccineQ: One individual emailed that she contracted COVID-19 about four months ago andseemed to recover, but then went downhill with class symptoms of post-viral fatigue such as exertional malaise, brain fog, and insomnia. “I am concerned about this turning into something chroinc,” she wrote, and wondered what to do abouti it. A: Studies have shown […]
COVID-19, post-viral fatigue, PVFSQ: One of my doctors is suggesting that I take hydroxychloroquine to possibly reduce the progression or severity of COVID-19 if I contact it. Is it safe? A: Preventative hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is neither FDA-approved nor endorsed by any authority that I am aware of. In fact, in a recent article in the New England Journal […]
COVID, HydroxychloroquineRecently A.M. asked: “when severe anxiety disorder is present, can you distinguish Chronic Fatigue Syndrome because the symptoms are so similar?” The answer is, “It may be difficult.” However, there are characteristics that tend to differentiate the two: (1) Anxiety tends to be more of a lifelong disorder, whereas ME/CFS more frequently has a more […]
A reader asked to clarify: if the fastest my heart can beat is 159 (based on age 71) then the AT I understand occurs at 95 beats per minute. If, after a 35 minute walk daily the heart rate immediately afterward is 100, does this equate to overdoing it, despite feeling fine? Answer: The formula […]
Q: Are there any reliable treatments for insomnia? A: Most experts on ME/CFS agree that sleep disruption is the one symptoms that should be addressed first. Sleep allows the tired achy muscles to recover; and lack of sleep increases pain and fatigue. There are many ways to approach insomnia, starting with good sleep habits, especially […]