Last updated 3/27/20: My patients and newsletter subscribers are receiving these updates via email, which I am compiling here as an easy reference for all. Please do your own research and consult with your own physician, as information changes rapidly during this pandemic. You can subscribe to my newsletter (and get my free eBook) by filling out the form at the bottom of this blog article page.
The best outcomes we can hope for are that 1) you can avoid getting ill, 2) you can recover more quickly if you do get ill, and 3) that you avoid spreading the virus to others, especially to those who may be less able to cope.
NEW: Here (in a separate post) is my latest experience with my own patient being admitted to a hospital with COVID-19 and the difficulty I had with the hospital not agreeing to the Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) treatment that I prescribed for him. My patient is doing better so far, but do read the full story here.
My team and I have been working hard to implement the practices I recommend below and to keep ourselves isolated (at home and the office) so that we can continue to take care of you. My hope is that we will get through this without having to close the office for any significant period of time. Fortunately, I’ll be able to do patient visits through a Telemedicine program called Doxy.me or by phone. If you have an upcoming visit one of my staff will let you know how to connect.
We have also been working very hard to keep a supply of the highest quality supplements in stock for you to be able to continue to have the supplements you usually take as well as ones that will help support your immune system and hopefully keep you healthy. Many of the supplement companies are running into temporary shortages. I will be posting a supplement bundle recommendation frequently based on what we have in stock that will support a strong immune system.
You can place your orders by phone, our Updox patient portal, or email, and some products are available in our online store. Local courier and curbside pickup orders are available, as well as phone and online orders.
We will be suspending IV therapy at the clinic for now. However, we will alert you when we have the mechanisms in place to keep both you and my staff healthy. I’ll be excited to start it back up again because of the benefits that IVs provide.
Essentials Immune Kit: This bundle includes the basics for immune system support. Each supplement was carefully selected to boost your immune system defense and help you fight viral infection. I’ve included enough supplements for a one month supply (instructions will be emailed to you and included in your package). During the difficult time of this pandemic we are bundling these products together to offer you the best products at the greatest value, below the suggested retail price.
B IMMUNE Wellness Support Formula: A powerful combination of supplements in AM/PM packets designed to help strengthen and support the immune system. (Limited availability)
And here is a link to my store’s home page if you’d like to browse in general. Please keep in mind that availability is subject to change rapidly.
There are many supplements that support the immune system or have antiviral properties that you can also use if we have them in stock or if you have them at home.
The coronavirus is a type of virus we have dealt with previously, and this year the strain we are dealing with is SARS-CoV-2. Once a person has contracted the virus, the resulting disease is called COVID-19.
The main symptoms are sore throat, fever and cough. Additional symptoms include body aches, sore throat, headache, diarrhea. Usually congestion is not a symptom, but some people do cough up sputum later in the illness.
When the virus moves into the lungs, it can cause pneumonia. It can progress to ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) requiring oxygen and when very severe, intubation and a respirator. Some patients are also having heart issues (cardiomyopathy).
The American College of Gastroenterology is reporting that up to half of COVID-19 patients present with a digestive symptom as chief complaint, and further, that there may be a higher risk in these cases: “In this study, COVID-19 patients with digestive symptoms have a worse clinical outcome and higher risk of mortality compared to those without digestive symptoms, emphasizing the importance of including symptoms like diarrhea to suspect COVID-19 early in the disease course before respiratory symptoms develop,” said Brennan M.R. Spiegel, MD, MSHS, FACG, Co-Editor-in-Chief of The American Journal of Gastroenterology. “This may lead to earlier diagnosis of COVID-19, which can lead to earlier treatment and more expeditious quarantine to minimize transmission from people who otherwise remain undiagnosed.”
The virus starts in the throat, then moves to the airways and lungs–essentially becoming a “coronavirus factory” releasing the virus into the environment.
You can get it from breathing in the virus from someone coughing or by touching a contaminated surface and then your face.
There are several locations in Austin and most cities set up to do testing… but testing is still limited so it is being reserved for those with known exposures and those who are very ill. At-home kits are becoming available through Everlywell (an Austin based company) on Monday, March 23 (read more here). This may be the best option so that you don’t have to go out. If you have a mild case and can’t get testing, please contact the office, and I’ll give you my recommendations on how to prevent it from getting worse. If you develop a severe case, please also let me know so that I can give you my latest information on the best treatment available. I am also working on getting a supply of “at-home tests” and will keep you posted.
Pets are a hot topic. There are some recent reports that dogs can get sick, and coronaviruses in general (previous strains vs. this one) are a known pathogen in dogs. Here is a PubMed article published 3/16/20 discussing coronavirus/COVID-19 eye infections in animals and humans.
Also, it makes sense if the virus can live on other surfaces like cardboard and plastic for hours or days, it could live on your pets for hours or days.
It may be a relief from cabin fever to take your dog to the park, but remember that if your dog is off-leash and interacting with other dogs and then comes back to you and your home, he may be infecting your environment.
Take appropriate precautions to keep your pets safe and those around you. Will try to delve into this more in the next newsletter.
Here is what the CDC recommends to protect your pet if you are sick:
“If you are sick with COVID-19 (either suspected or confirmed), you should restrict contact with pets and other animals, just like you would around other people. Although there have not been reports of pets or other animals becoming sick with COVID-19, (NOTE: since this was written, now there are anecdotal reports of pets with COVID-19) it is still recommended that people sick with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus. This can help ensure both you and your animals stay healthy.”
“When possible, have another member of your household care for your animals while you are sick. Avoid contact with your pet including, petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked, and sharing food. If you must care for your pet or be around animals while you are sick, wash your hands before and after you interact with them.”
Remember prevention is the best option. Use the above recommendations to reduce your risk (social isolation, supplements and good food to keep your system strong).
But it’s good to know that there are some treatments that are looking promising.
Please donate any N95 or N99 masks or respirators (the type used for painting and working on cars) if you have them so that the health care, dentists (now limited to emergency care) and EMS workers that are on the “front lines” have them. Simply call your providers and ask them if they would like a donation. One of the biggest challenges is that so many of the doctors and nurses and other health care workers are getting the virus because they don’t have adequate protection as they are caring for patients. I am so grateful to Mike Dillard for donating some N95 masks to my office so that we can stay safe and continue to care for you!
We are empowered to help our bodies be more resilient in any situation. I believe that if we take daily actions to support our immune system, we will have a much better outcome. This may feel overwhelming, but just take the next best step and the steps will add up. Use this time to implement more proactive habits in your life for your future. Sending my best wishes for you and your loved ones. My sister sent me this poem that I would like to share with you:
What if you thought of it
as the Jews consider the Sabbath—
the most sacred of times?
Cease from travel.
Cease from buying and selling.
Give up, just for now,
on trying to make the world
different than it is.
Sing. Pray. Touch only those
to whom you commit your life.
Center down.
And when your body has become still,
reach out with your heart.
Know that we are connected
in ways that are terrifying and beautiful.
(You could hardly deny it now.)
Know that our lives
are in one another’s hands.
(Surely, that has come clear.)
Do not reach out your hands.
Reach out your heart.
Reach out your words.
Reach out all the tendrils
of compassion that move, invisibly,
where we cannot touch.
Promise this world your love–
for better or for worse,
in sickness and in health,
so long as we all shall live.