User Reviews for Paxlovid oral

I started showing symptoms of Covid Sunday 12-3-23, +Covid test on Tuesday 12-5-23. Doctor prescribed Paxlovid Wednesday. First dose was evening Wednesday 12-6-23. Today is Friday 12-8-23, I woke up feeling dizzy with explosive diarrhea that wouldn’t stop. I went to the bathroom between a 4hour time 5times with runny diarrhea not to mention that I was lightheaded, as well. I was able to take a couple of Imodium to settle my bowels and a couple hours later, I felt much better. I also have the Paxlovid mouth which is nothing compared to the diarrhea and feeling your going to faint. As far as the lightheadedness-it has been touch and go all afternoon. If I’d read these reviews prior to taking this medication, I’d never have thought about considering this drug. If one would skim to the least recent reviews, you’ll find it interesting that there are higher star reviews-wonder why that is, perhaps an ingredient change? Makes one wonder or perhaps as one mentioned an expiration date, no doubt something has changed in last year because seems Paxlovid was helping more people with getting better results in the past.Read More Read Less

Not really sure if it alleviated my Covid symptoms, but not only did I experience severe "metal mouth" taste impairment, but the metal mouth has stayed with me to some degree for weeks after discontinuing treatment (and still exists). Definitely not worth taking in my opinion.

COVID finally caught up with me. Thought I had a cold at first and then had a horrible night of sleep, waking up with massive headache and thinking I had a sinus infection. Nope, COVID. Dr. prescribed Paxlovid as I had just had breast cancer surgery two months prior. I should have listened to friends who said Paxlovid made them feel terrible, but I was worried about long-covid or worse. Yes, the taste is absolutely horrible, and it also made me lose my sense of taste (not COVID, because as soon as I stopped the pill, within 24 hrs sense of taste came right back). But worse, this drug made me feel like I was being poisoned, or like I was on a really bad acid trip. I could not sleep day or night, I was wired all the time, my brain felt really, really off. Again I realize this can happen with COVID as well, but about an hour after I would take my dose of the Paxlovid, these symptoms would just get worse immediately and progress through the day. I made it through 2.5 days of the 5 dose regiment and just knew I could not take anymore. The only positive to it is that the virus has not seemed to move into my lungs . I am on day 5 since positive test; today's test the line was a bit lighter. I hope I don't get a rebound case due to stopping the dosage, but it made me feel so horrible there is no way I would continue. I guess just like COVID we all react differently to the drug too, but honestly, worst side effects I've ever had from any drug. It felt dangerous to continue on it.Read More Read Less

I am overweight and feared having Covid. After experiencing chills and horribly bad headaches, I tested positive. I was prescribed Paxlovid for 5 days. Yes the metal taste was bad, yes I had diarrhea, I only ate saltine crackers and water for 3-4 days; but started feeling better every day and tested negative after 12 days. I would definitely take it again. The side effects are worth it.

10 days ago realized the mild cold symptoms were a bit worse than a cold, congested and 99.5 with fatigue. Took a test and yes, Covid had finally caught up with me. In very good health and reasonably fit, I take a statin and that's it. Urgent care prescribed Paxlovid and told me to hold the statin for the duration, which i did. I could not pick the statin up for the first day because of pharmacy hours; in that first day, my symptoms increased to fever (100.5), mild, sinus congestion, mild body aches, mild fatigue, occasional cough or sneeze, and more fatigue. Started Paxlovid the next evening. By morning, i felt 90% normal and did a 2 mile walk isolating in my room at home. Over the next 24 hours, all of my symptoms except for runny nose were gone. Took entire 5 day course of Paxlovid and only side effect was that metallic taste, which i was able to endure by chewing gum. On the 5th day I had zero symptoms and felt great; jogged 2 miles in my room, and tested negative for Covid. Because i don't want to infect my family, i decided per CDC guidance to wear a mask 2 more days and retest. Unfortunately the retest was a very faint line positive, so I continued to mask, felt great. Now, 2 days later, another test and it came back with a strong positive line. Also I woke up at 5 with slight headache and body aches, not too bad, no other symptoms, temperature 97.2. I guess i will wear a mask until I test negative and completely stop symptoms, but i have to say, i feel great. Paxlovid made a big difference in my initial symptoms improving within a half day. However now i have a rebound, although the rebound isn't very noticeable unless i take a test. To me, it feels almost like "flattening the curve" of the Covid infection. I think in the future i would take it if I had awful Covid symptoms or felt like it was in my chest, otherwise i might just see how it went for a day or so, but i will talk to my Dr about that.Read More Read Less

I noticed my daughter feeling very ill. I became sick too. Thought it was a head cold for me. She became lethargic, pale and had a sore throat.. i took her to the doctor and decided i would go too. We began taking this med a few days after feeling really lousy and that dr. Appt. The medicine does leave a nasty taste in your mouth throughout the day. I found mints, chocolate, and licorice tea help, also found quite by accident that pistacio nuts were able to kill some of the taste. Yes diahrea got bad and stung some ..witch hazel helped. All in all feel this medicine shortened the really sick feelings we had for the few days before dr. And by third day of taking this we both feel significantly better. Most importantly my daughter has been able to be awake up and moving now since day two! It was scaring me that she had been so listless and weak. Yes im a bit tired ,weirdly after eating pistacios i feel a little energy. This medicine has helped and wanted to say so on here. I had had covid once before in 2021. Dizzy, exhausted, weak, and headachy, sick to stomach, i really wish id had this medicine then too.Read More Read Less

Diarrhea is the worst part of Paxlovid. My covid symptoms were less of an issue. I regret every starting Paxlovid. By the time I got a prescription and got it filled, my COVID-19 symptoms were mostly fatigue and coughing. The next few days have required racing for the bathroom. Make sure you have diarrhea medicine on hand before you start Paxlovid. Or, just don't start Paxlovid.

Started on11/18/23 for Covid. Ended up going to the ER in the early morning hours on 11/21/23.I was very dizzy and had severe ear pain. ER DR said that I had a Sinus and Inner Ear Infection. DR put me on Amoxicillin,Prednisone,and gave me a Steroid injection.I reached out to my PCP who told me to stop the Paxlvoid.my last Paxlvoid dose was on 11/20/23. I was only on the med for 3 days.Dr told me that it would take the Paxlvoid 1-2 days to get out of my system.I believe the Plaxlovid caused the infections. I refuse to take this drug again. I have had my Covid boosters,been careful and ended up getting the virus.And my covid symptoms were mild.My husband has never had any of the Covid shots, has not been showing any symptoms and has tested negative for the virus.He said that he will not take this drug if he gets Covid because of what I went through and the rebound Covid that you have after stopping this drug. This drug needs to be further investigated. Read More Read Less

On a monday evening I began to feel body aches and just generally crumby. I knew it was something more than a cold, so I tested the next morning. I tested positive. My symptoms were mild but I'm on immuno-suppressants so the doctor decided plaxlovid was warranted. So I took my first dose about 20 hours after my first symptoms. I finished the course and now at day 8 I'm testing negative. I never had any severe covid symptoms - no cough, maybe 36 hours of fever, no stuffy head. I believe Plaxlovid helped me clear the virus faster and probably arrested it's progression. Better safe than sorry. But I wont lie, it does SUCK. After taste is really bad and I had diarrea something fierce while on it. But heck, in the balance though it kept me out of the hospital and got me back on my feet quickly.Read More Read Less

Started taking less than 24 hrs after symptoms/positive covid test. Kicked in within a day- helped alleviate symptoms greatly. No side effects. No covid rebound. Didnt shorten time to negative test though- that took 16 days- but it did return me almost to normal within 24 hrs, as far as how felt. Did lose most of my taste/smell for 4 days 4 days after completing paxlovid.

I was prescribed Paxlovid and regret taking it. I’d had Covid twice before, once in 2021, once in 2022 and now in 2023. My throat was extremely sore in 2022 and 2023. I was prescribed antibiotics for possible strep throat in 2022 (no strep test was done because it was online/virtual visit) and prednisone. The recovery began in about 12 hours and I felt 98% better in 24 hours. With Paxlovid I felt about 80% better in 36 hours and felt tired throughout the duration of taking the medication. The horrible metalic taste was a little nauseating. I finished the 5 day course but will not ever use Paxlovid again. I recovered quicker without it on the previous illnesses and with the side effects of the medication. Read More Read Less

I know there are a lot of negative reviews on here, but wanted to balance it out with my so far not terrible experience. First off- it nipped my covid in the bud RIGHT AWAY. This was my third bout with Covid, after being extremely sick the first time, and asymptomatic my second, I could tell for this third time that I was going down a slippery slope. I had horrible body aches, woke up gaping for air, drowning in post nasal drip, it was not fun. Within my VERY first dose of Paxlovid, I was able to sleep and felt an immediate improvement. I have been fortunate that all side effects have been extremely mild and feel like a relief compared to what Covid had me going through. Yes, there is a sight bad taste (but mine has not been like others who claim it is making it impossible to function). I also have not experience any extreme gastrointestinal issues, other than feeling some nausea the very first dose. Covid is a gamble that you do NOT want to take. I would highly highly recommend Paxlovid to anyone over the terror that is covid. While I'm only on day two of my medication, and have yet to see it's longer term effect, I have no regrets for taking it and it has made me able to function enough to get back online for work. Read More Read Less

On Monday I woke up feeling awful, body aches, sore throat, headache- visited the doctor and tested positive for COVID. Doctor prescribed Paxlovid + Azithromycin. I started on both medicines on the same day. After 24 hours of Paxlovid I was feeling great again. Now two days later I feel 100% normal - can walk the dog , exercise and do yoga again. Only con is the bitter taste in my mouth but it is tolerable .

COVID finally found me November 2 2023 I felt really bad and had really bad shivers , I took a test and the dreaded positive I was so scared because I have COPD and asthma I’m 63 I went to ER with 104 fever doctor prescribed Paxlovid I was so scared to take it after reading the reviews , I should have known better as people with bad experiences are more likely to write a review thrn people with good ones , nevertheless I had to wait 24 hours due to the inhaler I was on so the second day after my positive test I started the paxlovid , yes the bitter taste is there yuk , I also had diarrhea with some of the doses not all , but from how sick I was from COVID to how great I felt 2 days after started paxlovid I’m greatful to be here and on the road to recovery I don’t know what would have happened with out it . I took all the doses as recommended and required You can do it !!! Just make sure you check with your medication first I have completed the doses 2 days ago and still fill fine it’s day 8 still a positive COVID test but most day day 10 is best to test thank you ?? Read More Read Less

I have COPD and had a positive COVID test on November 2 2023 . I had fever chills shivers bad ! I was given a prescription for paxlovid that same day ,filled the prescription next day . Came here and read reviews and was so scared to take it ., that day I fought with myself that COVID can kill me , and this drug may save me I decided to start the next day the 4th of November . The taste in your mouth is nasty it’s true but still tolerable, like metal I used hard candy (wethers) it lessened the yuk , I did have a few bouts of diarrhea but managed . I felt much better after 2 doses I continued taking the medication as prescribed until it was gone . I think without it I may be really really sick I’m so thankful I took it and didn’t let the reviews scare me as everyone is different and people who have had a bad experience is more likely to post then a person who had a positive experience, make absolutely sure that it is okay to take with what ever medication you are on I had to discontinue one of my inhalers Symbcort . But surprisingly enough on the paxlovid my lungs were clearer then they have been in years I found that odd but was happy , I completed all the medication and I’m okay !! I would take it again if need be I’m on day 8 of COVID and feel good although I tested yesterday and still positive. I have been told it takes 9 or 10 days to test negative . So with that being said if you are sick and afraid of what COVID may do to you remember there is a window of time that you must start paxlovid for it to help you ! Hope you feel better soon Aloha Read More Read Less

6 days into covid symptoms I was given this awful drug. I was getting better, but still had symptoms. Dr thought I should take it. BIG MISTAKE! After two doses I had non stop diarrhea. I didn't take anymore and called doctor office. It's been three days since stopping it and I have constant sour stomach and nausea. The diarrhea changed to soft stool with no shape. Pepto bismo doesn't help. I drink lots of fluids. My covid symptoms are gone, but I am sick from this drug. This is worse than my covid. Take this drug off the market! Read More Read Less

Saved my life! One side effects metal taste in my mouth. Worked after second dose

This was my second bout with Covid. My first bout was November of 2020 and I felt lousy for 2 weeks. I have since had the 2 Pfizer shots and 1booster. I’m 69 and in good shape (although I could shed a few pounds). This time, I had relatively light symptoms (low grade fever, sore throat, and what I can best describe as a nasty head cold). I heard of Paxlovid and decided to give it a try. I feel that the symptoms I had retreated within the first days dosage. Of course, the metallic taste came on within a short period of time after the first dose and continued throughout the 5 days. I got to the point that I was able to tolerate it. I had mild diarrhea the 4th day and didn’t have any other side effects until the day after my last dose. I have Gerd, and it was at full throttle… the worst I’ve felt it in years. I’m blaming the Paxlovid because of others testimonies of stomach issues. Was it worth it? Maybe if it would have escalated had I not taken the Paxlovid. But, I’ll never know for sure since I did take it.Read More Read Less

I started taking Paxlovid on my first positive-test day, and it stopped Covid in its tracks. Tested negative 5 days later

“May alter sense of taste and smell” is not enough of a warning. Patients deserve to be warned that their mouth will taste like a mixture of chewed up pills, rotten grapefruit, hot garbage, and bile altogether. I have never tasted something so rancid in my entire life. Rancid is truly the only word that describes it, and that word doesn’t even do it justice. Did it help my COVID from progressing to something worse? I’ll never know, which is a good thing. But at WHAT COST? I can’t eat because everything tastes so overwhelmingly bitter, I can’t sleep without waking up several times due to the taste, I can’t have a minute without being nauseas. The worst part is that it just keeps going for the whole five days, the taste doesn’t diminish at all. My nausea is already bad enough from COVID, it doesn’t help my nausea that I feel like a baby bird that just got puke in my mouth, and I’m just holding it in there. I have bought everything possible from the grocery store to help the taste, to no avail. Can I stop taking it? No! Because apparently the covid can mutate and rebound if you stop. I honestly only wrote this review because I am so angry about this and needed a release, so I figured hey I wonder if I can leave a review somewhere of this god awful medication. And here we are. Read More Read Less