Pros and Cons of Paxlovid for COVID-19 Patients

COVID-19 has become the main issue of severe illness and continuously causing various problems in the human body. Such as fatigue, itching, high blood pressure, swelling, and so on. And these kinds of problems can become a serious cause for increasing the effect of COVID-19. That is where the medicine like Paxlovid comes in use, and it works well against coronavirus. However, sometimes the medicine shows negative effects or has less benefit if we use it after a certain period of time. So, we have to find the reason behind that type of favorable and unfavorable reaction. For that, we will look into the pros and cons of Paxlovid and also the problems we find after its dosage. 

What is Paxlovid?

Before we talk about the pros and cons of Paxlovid, we should know what this medicine is. Paxlovid usually consists of Nirmatrelvir and Ritonavir medicines. Both medicines are different from each other but are combined to fight against severe illness.

Let’s know a little bit more about both medicines:

• Ritonavir is a protease inhibitor that is used in the making of Paxlovid. The main purpose behind adding this medicine is to decrease the effect of Nirmatrelvir. And the amount is lesser than Nirmatrelvir because of its intense effects. Apart from that, Ritonavir helps to slow down the process of dissolving Nirmtrelvir in the body to work properly against COVID-19.
• Just like Ritonavir, NIrmtrelvir is a protease inhibitor. This medicine helps to cure COVID-19. For that, it needs to stop a specific kind of protease which helps to multiply the number of viruses inside the infected person.

What are the Pros and Cons of Paxlovid?

A medicine like Paxlovid has many benefits and drawbacks at the same time. It can treat serious problems but can also create unbearable symptoms. So, we should be concerned about this medicine before using it. But if you are curious about the pros and cons of Paxlovid, then you need to read the section below to get a better picture of this medicine.

Pros

• If you are struggling with some serious disease and have very little chance to save yourself from death, then Paxlovid is a best friend for you. This medicine can decrease the effects of serious problems. And even work great in those cases where a patient has mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms.
• The best part about Paxlovid is it can be taken orally. So, if you do not like syringes, then it is a good option for you. And orally, you can easily swallow it or even break it into pieces, then can take it. That way, you will not struggle as you do with syringes.
• As we know that Paxlovid does not require you to take it through syringes. You can take it orally without any problem. It means you do not need to visit medical facilities where you go for certain medical needs. Such as syringes. You can have it at home; even doctors will not ask you to visit a clinic or hospital for that. But do not forget to ask them for proper guidance.
• This medicine does not require you to take it for a long period. If you give five days to this medicine, it is enough for that. It can decrease the effect of the problem in just five days. And also can give you relief from the severe disease.
• If you want to know what age group people can take this medicine. The age decided for this medicine must be above 12 years. It means even children can use this medicine, and it will not cause any side effects. But if you find some side effects, you must be concerned with your doctors.

Cons

• Suppose you see signs of COVID-19 but have already spent five days without noticing that; then there is no use in taking Paxlovid. That is because this medicine works only in the starting stage of COVID-19. It means this medicine does not work in the advanced stages of coronavirus.\
• As we have talked about COVID-19’s advanced stage, the effects of the virus cause some serious problems which cannot be dealt with by Paxlovid. Also, remember that if someone from your family is already hospitalized because of coronavirus, then this medicine is an absolute waste for them.
• If your child is below 12 years old in age, then you cannot give this medicine to them. That is because the medical department and law do not allow or recommend giving below 12. Apart from that, those people who suffer from serious problems are also not recommended by medical law to take Paxlovid.
• Some people have serious problems which require many kinds of medicine to use to treat the disease. You should avoid taking this medicine if you are one of them. That is because it can merge with other medicines and create unknown side effects. An unknown kind of side effects can be a bit problematic for people who are already suffering from various diseases. 
• One of the biggest drawbacks of Paxlovid is that it cannot save you from the coronavirus. It can only stop and decrease the growth process of the virus in your body. But it will not cure you from the after-effects.

What are the Problems Created by Paxlovid?

After knowing about the pros and cons of Paxlovid, we should check what kind of problems we may see if we take this medicine. There are many problems we can see when we take this medicine. That is because every medicine has positive and negative effects on certain cases. And those cases can create severe illness in your body. So, it’s better to ask first to your healthcare adviser about the medicine and then start to take it as they guide you. That way, you will be saved from the unwanted disease.

However, if you take medicine without any consultation and see some below listed serious illnesses, then you should contact your healthcare adviser as soon as possible:

• Dark-colored urine, feeling weak or exhausted, stomach pain or upset stomach, and the color of the skin turning yellow or the eyes looking whiter than before. Apart from that, you also find some serious problems in your liver. Such as light-colored stool, right upper belly pain, nausea, and loss of appetite.
• Feeling difficulty in breathing, fever, rashes all over the body, hives, itching, and also feel swelling in certain parts such as lips, throat, and face. Apart from that, you also find some serious allergic reactions in your body. 
• Some problems like diarrhea, high blood pressure, muscle pain, and change in taste can be treated easily with Paxlovid. But if in case, you find that the effects of these problems are still in your body after taking the medicine. Then ask your healthcare adviser so that they can guide you as soon as possible.
• Moreover, there are some diseases that do not need to take Paxlovid. But if you find these problems in your body, you need to consult your healthcare adviser. Diseases such as diarrhea, muscle pain, change in taste, and high blood pressure. 

Conclusion

Through our blog, we learned many crucial things about paxlovid, such as what paxlovid is and the pros and cons of paxlovid. Apart from that, we also discussed the side effects which naturally can be seen in an infected person. And how it can be a big problem for non-coronavirus-infected people too. So, it’s better to keep all these things in mind before taking the medicine. That way, you will be able to protect your health without any unwanted side effects.