Mierin
Assistant Coach
I was complaining about the cough medicine advice. Not the advice on needing to go to a hospital to get tested. And it sucks that it's hard to get the test.
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
- Thread starter suh_fan93
- Start date
I was complaining about the cough medicine advice. Not the advice on needing to go to a hospital to get tested. And it sucks that it's hard to get the test.
drfish
Five-Star Recruit
It seems very reasonable to me. Lot's of people cough. Cough medicine provides some relief. It won't keep her from getting short of breath if she begins to get lower respiratory disease. It won't increase the likelihood of lower respiratory tract disease. It might help her to be a little more comfortable. Now, if they would have put her on an antibiotic (unless she has had COPD problems when she gets a respiratory illness or certain other risks), that would have been cause for concern. I think the advice is sound and the treatment is reasonable. IMO
Oh and your health care providers don't like the situation either.
Oh and your health care providers don't like the situation either.
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Mierin
Assistant Coach
I'm just not seeing how it's okay right now for a clinic to tell someone in their 70s with Covid symptoms who's been running a fever on and off for weeks and thinks they might have pneumonia to take some cough medicine.
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drfish
Five-Star Recruit
If she is short of breath, (or has other symptoms that suggest lower respiratory disease and were probably screened for by the clinic in question), then she should be seen. If she is not having symptoms of serious problems, then it is her best interest to stay home as it is unlikely that she would be told to do anything else if she came in but take something for the symptoms. If she had symptoms for less than 48 hours, she could be tested for influenza. If it has been more than 48 hours, that would not change the advice either. I cannot help what you feel. I am just trying to provide education, because a lot of people are going to be in the same boat. Unless you are sick enough that you need to be evaluated for admission to the hospital, it is better to stay home. If you are not sure, please call your medical provider's office so someone can talk to you and help decide if you should be seen. If it is felt that you are unlikely to be severely ill, it is in your best interest to stay home because as this problem increases (see my previous post on exponential growth) most people with fever and cough will have other illnesses initially but may come into contact with someone who has the COVID-19 disease and end up catching it. OR. you may have COVID-19 but be one of the majority of people who get mild symptoms, but you come in and infect people when there isn't a damn thing we can do for you but prescribe a little cough medicine. Plus you will burn through another mask that can't be replaced to be told to go home where you should have stayed to begin with. I am sorry if you feel that is being defensive. We are trying to figure out how we will take care of people when our supplies run out because people don't want to follow the best advice we have to give.
/rant
/rant
RedDenver
Heisman Trophy Winner
It's not ok. The combination of our effed up healthcare system and incompetent leadership led us here, so now there aren't enough tests for covid-19 nor do we have the capacity to test her for pneumonia apparently.
drfish
Five-Star Recruit
If you are concerned that something else is needed, consider https://www.bryanhealth.com/services/bryan-health-ezvisit/ or https://www.stelizabethphysicians.com/our-services/virtual-health or
https://www.chihealth.com/en/services/virtual-care.html
Even if they had a test, which they don't through no fault of their own, and it was positive, if she did not have symptoms severe enough to warrant hospitalization, they would have prescribed a cough medicine and sent her home and told her do not go anywhere, do not see let anyone come and see you. Call us if you get sicker.
I am not certain that I can make it any plainer than that. I wish WE had tests, but we don't. I wish WE could replace the supplies that we are using, but we can't. I would like to be able to prescribe something, but I can't. i would like to give everybody an immunization, but I can't. It is likely that in the near future I would like to put you or someone like you on the ventilator, but I won't be able to and I will have to choose who gets a chance and who doesn't. That REALLY SUCKS. Right now we are giving people the best advice we have which is unless you are having trouble breathing, GO THE HELL HOME AND STAY THE HELL THERE. That is the only treatment that I have for people who are not seriously ill.
RedDenver
Heisman Trophy Winner
Are they unable to diagnose or treat pneumonia?
My anger is for the healthcare system and the federal leadership and lack of preparedness, not for the doctors and nurses. We had ample time to have tests ready and waiting - there's no excuse for absolutely botching that.
Mierin
Assistant Coach
They didn't mention Covid-19 to her, they didn't tell her to stay away from other people, or to stay at home. They prescribed her more cough medicine because she had run out of the previous prescription. That was literally it.
And do we know someone can't get Covid-19 after recently having the flu?
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RedDenver
Heisman Trophy Winner
I mentioned this in the other thread: right now we're finally starting to test in large numbers, so the current growth rate is actually a combination of the virus spread and just catching up on the virus that had already spread but we hadn't confirmed it yet. It's good to be informed but also realize that the rates are not good for making longer term predictions or estimates of whether the virus spread is accelerating or not. (But I think you're probably correct that we'll easily hit 50k if we actually have enough testing.)
drfish
Five-Star Recruit
That is probably correct. We have not been testing much, so our actual numbers are going to be significantly higher. However, that is not a comforting thought as in places where community spread is established we are missing quite a few cases. The Imperial College report is rather chilling
knapplc
International Man of Mystery
@drfish How possible is it that I had Covid-19?
First week of March I got SICK, flu-like but hit harder than any flu I've ever had before.
Here's the list of Covid symptoms from WebMD with an X next to the symptoms I had:
X - Fever: 88%
Dry cough: 68% (now, after these other symptoms went away)
X - Fatigue: 38%
X - Coughing up sputum, or thick phlegm, from the lungs: 33% (big chunky junk)
X - Shortness of breath: 19%
X - Bone or joint pain: 15%
X - Sore throat: 14%
X - Headache: 14%
X - Chills: 11%
Nausea or vomiting: 5%
X - Stuffy nose: 5%
Diarrhea: 4%
Coughing up blood: 1%
Swollen eyes: 1%
On top of that, my throat swelled up (maybe tonsils?) and breathing was restricted, but not difficult, for about a week.
That was almost three weeks ago, and I'm perfectly fine now (with an occasional dry cough).
I'm really hoping it was Covid-19 so I don't have to deal with getting sick like that again. If that was just the flu, it was pretty bad.
First week of March I got SICK, flu-like but hit harder than any flu I've ever had before.
Here's the list of Covid symptoms from WebMD with an X next to the symptoms I had:
X - Fever: 88%
Dry cough: 68% (now, after these other symptoms went away)
X - Fatigue: 38%
X - Coughing up sputum, or thick phlegm, from the lungs: 33% (big chunky junk)
X - Shortness of breath: 19%
X - Bone or joint pain: 15%
X - Sore throat: 14%
X - Headache: 14%
X - Chills: 11%
Nausea or vomiting: 5%
X - Stuffy nose: 5%
Diarrhea: 4%
Coughing up blood: 1%
Swollen eyes: 1%
On top of that, my throat swelled up (maybe tonsils?) and breathing was restricted, but not difficult, for about a week.
That was almost three weeks ago, and I'm perfectly fine now (with an occasional dry cough).
I'm really hoping it was Covid-19 so I don't have to deal with getting sick like that again. If that was just the flu, it was pretty bad.
