The last time we spoke, I was sharing my decision to ramp off the EffexorXR that seemed to be helping the burning mouth pain, but causing other side effects that cumulatively overwhelmed that benefit.

I ramped down under my Neurologist’s instructions – I can’t stress how important it is that you don’t just “stop taking a prescription!” Your body isn’t built to do that and you can cause yourself so much damage and pain that is not necessary at all! Even with ramping off gently, there can be a few side effects so please do this only under a doctor’s supervision.

I had just finished the last week of minimal doses and had discontinued the medicine when…(insert dramatic music here) COVID hit me like a ton of bricks!

Now those of you out there who have had it one or multiple times, or had mild cases of it are probably wondering, “What’s she making a fuss about?”

It was my first time. End of 2019-2020-2021-2022- and most of 2023 and I had dodged the dang bullet. I masked, I vaccinated, I distanced…and now at the end of 2023 I must have lowered my guard a tad too much, or even more likely, this variant is a sneaky one! We still can’t figure out where I may have picked it up because it was a pretty constrained weekend with family and no one else got it! Thank God for Paxlovid, because it had my symptoms under control in a matter of days.

Here’s what you came for:

What did going off Effexor XR do to my Burning Mouth pain?

What did having COVID do to my Burning Mouth pain?

What did taking Paxlovid do to my Burning Mouth pain?

Are we done with COVID???

I am so sorry to say that the answer to the first question is “Not a lot.” My burning is at a fairly moderate level right now and discontinuing the medicine did not change that much at all. I am still taking one dose of Clonazepam ODT around dinner time and that seems to be keeping me stable.

(Dental work soon, so no promises there won’t be a flare. You know how that goes!)

The second question is interesting. I think my body was so overwhelmed with fever, headache, coughing so hard I gagged, and multiple body aches, that it was tantamount to a lot of capsaicin remedies. The pain in your tongue takes away the awareness of any other pain, briefly. This lasted a bit longer, but you get the drift.

Paxlovid was a Godsend (Call your doctor for it as soon as you get a positive test!), and although I did experience a little metallic taste while taking it, that was more than offset by the relief of symptoms and the pharmacist’s suggestion to suck on something cinnamon flavored if it was bothersome. I usually avoid cinnamon-flavored things, but I have to say that a cinnamon Altoid lozenge every once in a while really did the trick and did not seem to bother my tongue.

Now I am well and have returned to that stable, moderate level of burning that escalates through the day.

UPDATE: NOT WELL. Paxlovid rebound is no joke and I am still isolating and masking through that a week after writing this post. I am glad I had it, because it did keep me from developing worse symptoms, but it was a bit disappointing to get another positive test even when I felt fine. Under CDC guidelines I should be officially done with all of this by the 23rd. Keep testing, my friends!

That takes me to the last question as to whether we are done with COVID. Survey says…Not a Chance. In fact, the wastewater testing and school data have shown a surge since school started back in many places.

People are asking me now, “Are you going to get the new Covid Booster?” Are you going to mask again?

Heck, yes! I want to get COVID again like I want to have an alien strapped to my face!

My plan is to get the new booster, and a flu shot for this year (That A strain is a nasty one!), and I am finally old enough for the Pneumococcal Vaccine, so let’s go for those bonus points!

Oh, by the way, there is a RSV vaccine as well and you may have heard that RSV is very hard on babies, but we older folks are not in much better shape when it comes to getting that. Every year RSV shows up in the elderly and wreaks a path of destruction, so ask your doctor if that is something you should consider.

Masking is a no-brainer. If I am somewhere with lots of people, I will be masking. I have joined a new singing group and will mask to and from, but not during rehearsals, so I will be monitoring closely. Everyone in the choir is expected to vaccinate and vacate if they have exposure or suspicion they might have picked it up. Many of us are older and it is worth the effort to protect ourselves, our families, and those around us who may be more fragile.

UPDATE: Since writing the above paragraph I discovered that the choir I had decided to join had chosen to follow the CDC’s direction and they now consider COVID over. No boosters or proof of vaccination are required from members and evidently, the nursing homes they perform at are not requiring anything, either.

With that information in hand, and realizing I could easily have exposed thirty people or more to COVID before I even knew I was positive, I had a decision to make. I decided to leave the choir. I can’t be the person that does something I selfishly enjoy but that puts other, even more medically fragile people in more danger of exposure.

Take care of yourself out there, my friends. There is only one you!