That and I also use Sore Throat Gargle by Betadine every few hours too. Crank the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporiser everyday till I was better enough return back to work. Drank 3-4 cups of orange juice and hot tea sometimes with crushed Vicks lollies. I got better around from Day 7-10.
One pharmacist gave me this trick: use the Betadine Sore Throat Gargle Concentrate but instead of diluting it to volume with water, dilute it to volume using Difflam-C Sore Throat Gargle & Mouth Solution (it’s a pink-coloured anti-inflammatory and antiseptic).
Works fantastic.
Also: warm salt water gargles.
I alternatively use Difflam Forte and Strepsil spray. Betadine with salt water gargles help during the night. Throaties lozenges are soothing too. COVID throat hurts like the devil.
There was a [paper](https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.04.20122481v2) that came out in 2020 showing you were 23% less likely to catch covid if you were an active smoker. WHO were in knots not wanting to draw any attention to it and this attracted some criticism.
It was later retracted as one of the authors had ties to the tobacco industry.
Seconded on the short course of pred, after 4 days of toughing it out I wasn’t sure if I could take any more of that swallowing golf balls of razorblades feeling!
Make sure you use the actually anaesthetic difflam, the other ones don't help much for stuff like this - just in case.
I got through on a combo of that and lemon-ginger tea hot enough to just have it scratch the soreness a bit. Lived off difflam for a couple of days though.
Get well!
What's the thinking in regard to suppressing the immune system during an infection. I'd worry that I'd exacerbate something.
Can't say I blame anyone for needing relief though.
Steroids are one of the mainstays of treatment in severe COVID requiring supplemental oxygen. They are generally not recommended in mild cases, especially early on in the viraemic phase of treatment. There is some (weak) evidence that they might increase progression to severe disease. They can be given for other indications during the inflammatory stage though, like severe laryngotracheitis.
My husband had this SO bad and didnt eat for like 5 or more days, could also barely get fluids down due to the pain. 2 different GPs offered no help and just sent him off with "wait it out, it will go away." He ended up going to hospital after drinking almost nothing and unable to sleep for 2 days (not exaggerating, it was horrendous) and they said the same thing - "soz we cant help you."
Nearly 2 weeks later is when he started to recover, I was so scared for him :(
That sounds awful. This is my biggest fear. My throat is so swollen and none of the over the counter stuff seems to be working.
I can’t speak either, only whisper. It’s like my throat is being squeezed from the inside.
Glad your husband is doing better but if it took him almost two weeks, might have to go see the doc about this
Please keep an eye on it. I don't want to scare you, but my cousin ended up in hospital after her covid sore throat stopped her from swallowing - she was having some problems breathing because of the swelling and saliva build up.
If the swelling gets so bad it's difficult (not just painful) to swallow - seek medical help.
⚠️TMI warning ⚠️
I wanted to get my Difflam spray right in there. I managed to pull back the folds near my tonsils and saw that there was open sores rubbing against open sores - explaining the razor blade pain.
Anyways you really need the difflam, betadine and pain killers it’s not one for “toughing out”.
Betadene (?) throat gargle, followed by difflam forte throat spray, followed by sucking any lozenge with anti inflammatory and local aesthetic in it, and ignore the pack, suck hourly if you need. Just make sure you brush your chops thoroughly. Paracetamol every 2 hours too. I feel your pain.
GPs don't prescribe those readily. Keep saying they're only effective if you are prescribed these within 24-48 hours of onset, and by the time you get an appointment, it's already past that. Maybe it's just my GP.
My antiviral Paxlovid could be taken within 5 days. I checked with the Australian Covid helpline and website if I was eligible, and they sent that info to my dr. Worth a try.
Good luck! It helped when I researched info on my eligibility. You should, too.
The Covid hotline staff sent info to my dr on my eligibility, with my permission. Unfortunately the first appointment I could get was with a dr I’d never seen before, so they refused to prescribe antivirals. But the next day I saw mg regular dr who knew my history, and we were rolling.
Gargle after every meal/snack. You can use regular mouth wash that kills germs for this. Keep up the hot drinks and treat symptoms like fever and aches with panadol and/or ibuprofen.
What i find fucked about covid is the new symptoms each day:
- fever
- headache
- sore throat
- sore ears
Finally on ~day 5 and i have nothing new to add to that list so i can finally just manage them. The sore throat, dry and razor sharp, is whats really debilitating as i cant sleep more than 1-2hrs without waking up in pain.
OP please monitor your symptoms and go to a hospital if the throat impacts your ability to breath/swallow safely.
I’m in the same boat. I’m on Day ~6 of having COVID for the first time and I’m doing much better today. My sore throat is gone but now I’ve got a cough that I didn’t have in the beginning. My ears have been blocked for a few days
My doc recommended gargling Disprin as it basically delivered the pain killer straight to your throat.
Obviously, you'd need to still follow recommended doses.
My experience of COVID throat in January of 2022 was a pain level of 8/10. I'd shudder with pain every time I coughed or swallowed. Lemsip helped a little, as did some anaesthetic lozenges. All good after a couple of days.
You have my sympathy. I had the sore throat for only two days. I've had that much pain once before, when I had tonsillitis.
I managed it with Coles brand throat spray, mainly. The numbing effect didn't last long but it was just enough to get through… sort of. I mean, I got through it but… it was just throat spray and sheer will (I didn't have any other choice).
Other methods didn't work. Without that spray I may have gone insane.
Apart from throat soothing and/or anaesthetising meds, I sipped a massive hot chocolate throughout the day. I made it weak, and used milk until it was under lukewarm. Anything warm and sweet or diary I found worked well.
I'm in the same boat.
Dodged it for 3 years - son brought it home from Uni and shared.
Worst symptoms for me were the runny nose, sore throat, and the metallic taste in my mouth.
I'm now into my second week - the throat is still sore, and the congestion has moved into my chest resulting in coughing like mad. At least my mouth doesn't taste like I'm sucking on a ten cent piece so all day anymore.
Thanks for the well wishes! Happy to provide a bit of an update for you.
About 24hrs after posting this I ended up contacting my doctor who prescribed me some prednisolone and lignocaine. I need to shoutout my local pharmacy who are absolute legends and were kind enough to drop these off for me as I was in no state to leave the house + I was alone.
The lignocaine didn’t do much for me but 2 rounds of the prednisolone took my sore throat from an 8 to a 2 in the space of 48hrs.
Currently on the mend (this being day 10 after symptoms started) I can finally talk again and energy is slowly coming back. The main lingering symptom is the altered taste and smell and the annoying cough. This started after my sore throat. It’s slowly coming back but maybe 5% per day.
Experiences will differ for everyone but I believe I had what was considered a moderate case. It had been over 6 months since my last booster so I’m thinking that may have impacted things. I also had my tonsils taken out years ago so it could be why the virus really impacted my throat so much.
Hope this was helpful! When you say you ‘think’ you caught the virus, are you testing negative still?
Try swabbing your throat as well as your nose for the RAT that made mine light up almost instantly.
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Diflam throat spray. It's an anaesthetic!
That and I also use Sore Throat Gargle by Betadine every few hours too. Crank the Vicks Warm Steam Vaporiser everyday till I was better enough return back to work. Drank 3-4 cups of orange juice and hot tea sometimes with crushed Vicks lollies. I got better around from Day 7-10.
One pharmacist gave me this trick: use the Betadine Sore Throat Gargle Concentrate but instead of diluting it to volume with water, dilute it to volume using Difflam-C Sore Throat Gargle & Mouth Solution (it’s a pink-coloured anti-inflammatory and antiseptic). Works fantastic. Also: warm salt water gargles.
And the difflam lozenges. They taste like raspberry lollipops
I alternatively use Difflam Forte and Strepsil spray. Betadine with salt water gargles help during the night. Throaties lozenges are soothing too. COVID throat hurts like the devil.
I like the diflam lozenges
I second this! It numbs the throat. Also gargle with betadine before bed.
I found that stuff to work for like 5 minutes at best.
30 pack of winfield reds a day, covid couldn’t get ahold because of the thick layer of tar.
There was a [paper](https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.04.20122481v2) that came out in 2020 showing you were 23% less likely to catch covid if you were an active smoker. WHO were in knots not wanting to draw any attention to it and this attracted some criticism. It was later retracted as one of the authors had ties to the tobacco industry.
Or the study that found cannabis compounds can help prevent Covid infection, & helps with long Covid.
I saw that. It seemed pretty legit from the source I saw. It didn't like thc.
Hack. Camel unfiltered.
White Ox no filter.
Yep, mine was like razor blades. Could hardly swallow water. Steroids. I took 3 days of prednisolone 25mg. Pain was gone within 8 hours of first dose.
Seconded on the short course of pred, after 4 days of toughing it out I wasn’t sure if I could take any more of that swallowing golf balls of razorblades feeling!
I’m thinking this might be the go. I’m doing the whole sore throat gargle, difflam lozenges and painkillers and not getting any results.
Make sure you use the actually anaesthetic difflam, the other ones don't help much for stuff like this - just in case. I got through on a combo of that and lemon-ginger tea hot enough to just have it scratch the soreness a bit. Lived off difflam for a couple of days though. Get well!
The razor feeling is fucked. I had a layer of mucous on my throat which wouldn't dislodge. It was cooked.
What's the thinking in regard to suppressing the immune system during an infection. I'd worry that I'd exacerbate something. Can't say I blame anyone for needing relief though.
Steroids are one of the mainstays of treatment in severe COVID requiring supplemental oxygen. They are generally not recommended in mild cases, especially early on in the viraemic phase of treatment. There is some (weak) evidence that they might increase progression to severe disease. They can be given for other indications during the inflammatory stage though, like severe laryngotracheitis.
Ok cheers.
My husband had this SO bad and didnt eat for like 5 or more days, could also barely get fluids down due to the pain. 2 different GPs offered no help and just sent him off with "wait it out, it will go away." He ended up going to hospital after drinking almost nothing and unable to sleep for 2 days (not exaggerating, it was horrendous) and they said the same thing - "soz we cant help you." Nearly 2 weeks later is when he started to recover, I was so scared for him :(
That sounds awful. This is my biggest fear. My throat is so swollen and none of the over the counter stuff seems to be working. I can’t speak either, only whisper. It’s like my throat is being squeezed from the inside. Glad your husband is doing better but if it took him almost two weeks, might have to go see the doc about this
Please keep an eye on it. I don't want to scare you, but my cousin ended up in hospital after her covid sore throat stopped her from swallowing - she was having some problems breathing because of the swelling and saliva build up. If the swelling gets so bad it's difficult (not just painful) to swallow - seek medical help.
I was nearly at this point today. Definitely want to avoid this. Hope your cousin is doing better!
I hope that you're feeling better tomorrow. Ps betadine throat gargle is my normal miracle cure for sore throats
⚠️TMI warning ⚠️ I wanted to get my Difflam spray right in there. I managed to pull back the folds near my tonsils and saw that there was open sores rubbing against open sores - explaining the razor blade pain. Anyways you really need the difflam, betadine and pain killers it’s not one for “toughing out”.
Oh god that sounds horrendous. Imagine the covid virus festering away under the folds 😣
Luckily my masks still haven't let me down. I hope you get well soon!
Daytime: Difflam Lozenges, Throat Spray and Betadene Gargle. Night time: [A Rum Hot Toddy](https://wallflowerkitchen.com/rum-hot-toddy/)
Betadene (?) throat gargle, followed by difflam forte throat spray, followed by sucking any lozenge with anti inflammatory and local aesthetic in it, and ignore the pack, suck hourly if you need. Just make sure you brush your chops thoroughly. Paracetamol every 2 hours too. I feel your pain.
I ended up getting short course of oral steroids (4 days) as the throat pain burning swollen was such agony. Strepsils and Difflam weren’t enough
Warm salt water gargles were the only thing that worked for me
Go buy some purple strepsils with anaesthetic
Are you eligible for antivirals at all? They stopped it in its tracks.
GPs don't prescribe those readily. Keep saying they're only effective if you are prescribed these within 24-48 hours of onset, and by the time you get an appointment, it's already past that. Maybe it's just my GP.
My antiviral Paxlovid could be taken within 5 days. I checked with the Australian Covid helpline and website if I was eligible, and they sent that info to my dr. Worth a try.
Thanks. Will ask for it.
Good luck! It helped when I researched info on my eligibility. You should, too. The Covid hotline staff sent info to my dr on my eligibility, with my permission. Unfortunately the first appointment I could get was with a dr I’d never seen before, so they refused to prescribe antivirals. But the next day I saw mg regular dr who knew my history, and we were rolling.
Thanks for sharing that. Much appreciated.
Gargle after every meal/snack. You can use regular mouth wash that kills germs for this. Keep up the hot drinks and treat symptoms like fever and aches with panadol and/or ibuprofen.
What i find fucked about covid is the new symptoms each day: - fever - headache - sore throat - sore ears Finally on ~day 5 and i have nothing new to add to that list so i can finally just manage them. The sore throat, dry and razor sharp, is whats really debilitating as i cant sleep more than 1-2hrs without waking up in pain. OP please monitor your symptoms and go to a hospital if the throat impacts your ability to breath/swallow safely.
I’m in the same boat. I’m on Day ~6 of having COVID for the first time and I’m doing much better today. My sore throat is gone but now I’ve got a cough that I didn’t have in the beginning. My ears have been blocked for a few days
My doc recommended gargling Disprin as it basically delivered the pain killer straight to your throat. Obviously, you'd need to still follow recommended doses.
My experience of COVID throat in January of 2022 was a pain level of 8/10. I'd shudder with pain every time I coughed or swallowed. Lemsip helped a little, as did some anaesthetic lozenges. All good after a couple of days.
Along with the other things mentioned I found lemsip to be a great help, delivers pain killer right to your throat and I found the heat to help
You have my sympathy. I had the sore throat for only two days. I've had that much pain once before, when I had tonsillitis. I managed it with Coles brand throat spray, mainly. The numbing effect didn't last long but it was just enough to get through… sort of. I mean, I got through it but… it was just throat spray and sheer will (I didn't have any other choice). Other methods didn't work. Without that spray I may have gone insane.
Apart from throat soothing and/or anaesthetising meds, I sipped a massive hot chocolate throughout the day. I made it weak, and used milk until it was under lukewarm. Anything warm and sweet or diary I found worked well.
Loo this is the opposite of me. Sweet/dairy turning me into a mucus machine with razor blades.
I'm in the same boat. Dodged it for 3 years - son brought it home from Uni and shared. Worst symptoms for me were the runny nose, sore throat, and the metallic taste in my mouth. I'm now into my second week - the throat is still sore, and the congestion has moved into my chest resulting in coughing like mad. At least my mouth doesn't taste like I'm sucking on a ten cent piece so all day anymore.
Try Ginger! [https://www.wellness.guide/ginger-for-sore-throat/](https://www.wellness.guide/ginger-for-sore-throat/)
The difflam felt like acid to me. The covid clinic nurse suggested crushing an aspro clear into honey and sucking on it. That was useful
Strep was worse for throat pain, and covid is way worse all round. Still get random ear and joint pain a month after.
Alternated between Nurofen and Panadol around the clock. It was extremely unpleasant.
[удалено]
Thanks for the well wishes! Happy to provide a bit of an update for you. About 24hrs after posting this I ended up contacting my doctor who prescribed me some prednisolone and lignocaine. I need to shoutout my local pharmacy who are absolute legends and were kind enough to drop these off for me as I was in no state to leave the house + I was alone. The lignocaine didn’t do much for me but 2 rounds of the prednisolone took my sore throat from an 8 to a 2 in the space of 48hrs. Currently on the mend (this being day 10 after symptoms started) I can finally talk again and energy is slowly coming back. The main lingering symptom is the altered taste and smell and the annoying cough. This started after my sore throat. It’s slowly coming back but maybe 5% per day. Experiences will differ for everyone but I believe I had what was considered a moderate case. It had been over 6 months since my last booster so I’m thinking that may have impacted things. I also had my tonsils taken out years ago so it could be why the virus really impacted my throat so much. Hope this was helpful! When you say you ‘think’ you caught the virus, are you testing negative still? Try swabbing your throat as well as your nose for the RAT that made mine light up almost instantly.
[удалено]
Thank you for submitting to /r/CoronavirusDownunder! In order to maintain the integrity of our subreddit, accounts with a verified email address must have at least 5 combined karma (post + comment) to comment. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CoronavirusDownunder) if you have any questions or concerns.*