{"id":11637,"date":"2020-03-27T09:45:46","date_gmt":"2020-03-27T16:45:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nebulous-oyster.flywheelsites.com\/?p=11637"},"modified":"2020-09-14T08:42:20","modified_gmt":"2020-09-14T15:42:20","slug":"symbicort-and-covid-19-mix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jennifermargulis.net\/symbicort-and-covid-19-mix\/","title":{"rendered":"Symbicort and COVID-19: A Dangerous Combination?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Symbicort

Symbicort and COVID-19. Symbicort is being used to treat COVID-19, but is it safe?<\/p><\/div>\n

Chasing the effects of Symbicort and COVID-19 as my illness moves into its third week<\/strong><\/h2>\n

By Dawn Pier<\/span>
\n<\/span>Special to <\/span>JenniferMargulis.net<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Nineteen days ago, I got sick with what was probably COVID-19. You can read that story<\/span> here.<\/span><\/a> I\u2019ve been quarantined, alone out in the countryside, living in a solar-powered beach house off-the-grid for twelve days now. I’ve also been taking Symbicort, which has created a combustible mix of other problems. Between Symbicort and COVID-19, I’m not sure what’s causing what.<\/span><\/p>\n

Self-quarantine worked out reasonably well for me. I have internet, so I can keep working. <\/span>Friends have dropped essentials off at the gate or outside the house, like green apples, bone broth, and <\/span>vegetables<\/span><\/a>, taking care not to come too close.<\/span><\/p>\n

Four days ago I really felt like I was on the mend. The hacking cough I had when I first got sick was gone, which I attributed in part to the inhaler of Symbicort my doctor prescribed at double the dose (two puffs two times daily).<\/span><\/p>\n

I did notice though that my tongue didn\u2019t feel normal and my sense of taste was \u201coff.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nothing tasted good, not even the homemade organic whole wheat bread I\u2019d made or the red wine a friend gave me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I poured myself a small glass as a treat to go with the bread. It tasted so bad that I was pretty sure it had gone off.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms of COVID-19 or something else?
\n<\/span><\/h3>\n

Friends told me that loss of taste was another COVID-19 symptom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I was having other symptoms: nerve twitches, cramps in my feet, and general muscle weakness and fatigue. I attributed all of this to the virus. I didn’t even consider Symbicort and COVID-19, or one and not the other could be at work within my system.<\/span><\/p>\n

But as the days rolled by, I started to wonder when I was going to feel truly \u201cwell\u201d again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While my muscles felt fatigued, I had a lot of mental energy.\u00a0<\/span>So much so I was having trouble settling down at night to go to bed. I kept having a surge of energy right at night, kind of like I\u2019d had coffee<\/a>, which I rarely drink.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Several friends called to ask me how I was doing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBetter,\u201d I said. \u201cBut weird. My energy feels off,\u201d I heard myself commenting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure it\u2019s just that you\u2019ve been so sick,\u201d they reassured me. \u201cYou just need to rest.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Something about that didn\u2019t sit right with me though. Except for the muscle fatigue, I started to realize that the symptoms I was having weren\u2019t normally those you get recovering from an illness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A racing heart<\/b><\/h3>\n

The next morning, I got up and did my morning routine, including making myself a cup of green tea and using my inhaler of Symbicort.<\/span><\/p>\n

I paused after pouring the hot water over the teabag. I noticed I felt like I\u2019d had caffeine already. A <\/span>lot<\/span><\/i> of caffeine. Right then, my boss texted me. I\u2019d forgotten we had a video conference call. I grabbed my mug and headed to the computer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout the day, the sensation that I\u2019d had too much coffee<\/span>\u2014<\/span>we\u2019re talking 10 double espressos here<\/span>\u2014<\/span>got worse. At one point I felt like my heart was going to pound itself out of my chest. I tried to take my pulse. My heart was beating so fast I couldn\u2019t count it, not even for 15 seconds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I started to feel claustrophobic and anxious like my whole body was inside a massive vice grip squeezing down on me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I tried to push the sensation away and focus on the work in front of me. I had pressing matters to deal with, especially having missed a lot of work with my past illness. But as I read legal opinions online, I couldn’t focus.<\/span><\/p>\n

Several times during the day I forced myself to get up and move around. I made myself a large brunch<\/span>\u2014a <\/span>two-egg, bean, and cheese burrito<\/span>\u2014<\/span>thinking maybe something heavy would bring my energy down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I drank copious amounts of water, but couldn\u2019t slake my thirst.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nothing worked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The frantic sensation that consumed me continued unabated.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Late in the afternoon, I couldn\u2019t take it anymore. I had to do something to dissipate the crazy energy. I called the dogs and took them for a walk on the beach.<\/span><\/p>\n

Partway through my walk, I could still feel the anxiety and pressure in my chest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I told myself to breathe, to try to relax. I invoked the Sanskrit mantra, \u201cOm Namah Shivaya,\u201d and tried to do walking <\/span>meditation<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019d chanted the mantra for a minute or so when a memory popped into my head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Around 1990, when I was in university, my friend Arnie, a chronic asthmatic, sat on the couch in my living room coughing and having trouble catching his breath.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you use your inhaler?\u201d I asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arnie took a big gasp of air and responded in a wheeze about using Symbicort: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have to be careful about using it too often. It can give me heart palpitations and makes me feel high.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He gulped some air before continuing, \u201cSome people really like the sensation and get addicted to their inhaler. I hate the feeling.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AH HA!! <\/span>
\n<\/b>
\n<\/span>Back on the beach in Baja California Sur,\u00a0 I realized what was going on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Symbicort and COVID-19, side effects from which?<\/h3>\n

Symbicort is used to treat wheezing and shortness of breath. <\/span>It contains 2 medications: budesonide and formoterol. <\/span>
\n<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n