User Reviews for Paxlovid oral

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

This company makes billions on this med from insurance companies to individuals and yet when you read how sick feeling people feel from the disgusting taste and side effects I’ve seen no change. I have RA so getting Covid for the first time is scary. But I will till you I have one more dose to take but going forward I wouldn’t personally take this again. The 24/7 metallic taste and diarrhea to the point you think your butt needs a fire hose isn’t worth it to me. So what I would say to this massive company take some of those billions you are making and figure it out. Fix the taste fix the major side effects. It’s hard enough dealing with Covid for your med to add to the discomfort. Read More Read Less

From someone who suffered from ARDS first round of covid, i really wish this existed back then. I was so scared to go through it all over again. Now with my second time getting covid i was able to get my hands on Paxlovid 2 days after symptoms (which were equally as awful as the first time). I started feeling better 3 days into taking Paxlovid and yes the taste it gross but it’s a small price you pay. This with Tylenol helped me through it!

Started it the day after exhibiting fever over 104 F. Had to go to 2 pharmacies to acquire some. I do believe that, initially, it turned the course of the Covid around. Body pains diminished. Didn't feel quite as sick. But, then the side effects kicked in. The bad taste is really strong. That may have contributed to feelings of nausea. The diarrhea was overwhelming. Imagine pooping fire ten times an hour. At a certain point, the side effects were about equal to suffering with the Covid. When you pick up your Rx, be sure to also grab some heavy duty incontinence cream for irritated skin - you will need it. It's been 18 hours since my last dose and still have the side effects. Seems more warranted for moderate to severe cases with breathing difficulties. Read More Read Less

The side effects from this drug are not worth it it has eases some of my symptoms but also has made me have other issues!! I stopped on the fourth day!!

My husband and I both took paxlovid after testing positive. My husband seemed to be improving but developed a whole body itch that lasted over two weeks. He was living on Zyrtec and benedril. I developed something called hyper-hydrosis which made my hands and feet swear profusely. My feet were literally slipping out of my shoes. It was horrible and scary. After reading up on it I found out there is no cure but it could be caused by taking anti-viral drugs. Thankfully it got all better after the paxlovid was out of my system which took well over a week. I have read that it helps some people dramatically but from our experiences I would not recommend taking Paxlovid. It never helped with my symptoms (my cough was terrible and lingered over 3 weeks) and ended up being a nightmare for both of us!!Read More Read Less

Immediately after taking a dose, I got a headache worse than a migraine and my body aches worsened. The metallic taste was horrible and made me nauseous as hell which led to vomiting. Every symptom I had prior to taking this horrible drug, Paxlovid intensified greatly. I stopped taking it Immediately and was sorry I took it to begin with. Please don't take this drug if you want to get better. It should be taken off of the market!!!!

Huge improvement on my worst covid symptoms by day 2, mild symptoms on day 3, and just a little sore throat and muscle aches by day 4. The metallic taste was unpleasant but I would just eat right before my next dose when the taste was the faintest. Diarrhea and stomach cramps I had on day 3 and 4 were unpleasant, but a huge improvement on being in pain all over my body from the covid. I would recommend trying it.

I started this on day two of Covid. I’m vaccinated and have one booster, take no other medication and am healthy aside from being moderately overweight (why my doctor prescribed). This was my first Covid illness. I started to feel better after first dose. It helped with body aches and congestion. But by the next day, and two more doses, I felt worse with the symptoms of the Paxlovid drug than I did with Covid - terrible headache, stomach, dry throat like unquenchable thirst, fatigue worse than Covid. Of course, I expected the taste, which sucks but felt like the trade off. However, after a day of what felt like pooping glass and untouchable headaches, I opted out after three doses. I’d rather have cold and flu symptoms than Paxlovid crappiness. I appreciate this can save lives for those more compromised or unvaccinated- but clearly not for everyone. Hoping it didn’t screw up my immune systems.Read More Read Less

I started paxlovid on my 4th day of covid onset only to feel worse than i did without it, I have taken almost 3 out of the 5 day dosage but will not finish this medication. I have diarrhea now, I feel like I have motion sickness everytime I move, like I can't turn my head without feeling like I need to throw up. I feel worse now than I did from the start. This medication is horrible. Idk why I ddnt just tough it out, I can't go thru anymore of this paxlovid. I can't stand the feeling like this. This is terrible. I will not ever take this again and will not recommend paxlovid either. Read More Read Less

In all fairness, I am only half way through the 5-day treatment of Paxlovid. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised in the end, but right now I am miserable. The intense bitter taste is a show stopper and affects me every minute, even affects my ability to eat and sleep. My sore throat keeps getting worse. I can only hope this medication does in fact cure my COVID and gets out of my system quickly. I am also worried about a rebound case.

Took this in Jan 2023 , definitely relieved my respiratory symptoms immediately, had bad taste and diarrhea but managed.Just took it a few weeks ago after testing positive again, with min symptoms, immediately within 30 minutes awful taste and 30 minutes later awful Stomach cramps , diarrhea, nausea , couldn’t eat , so sick .Stopped after one dose since COVID symptoms minimal.let my dr know .It just really disagreed with me .

Probably had Covidd for six or seven days prior to taking the medicine. It severely messed with my urinary functions and caused my left eye to become nearly useless. Effects became more severe with each day (5-day regimen). The fifth day was worse with very uncharacteristic depression and suicidal thoughts. Within 18 hours after completing the dosage, everything was back to normal and I felt fine. I would not take Paxlovid again under any circumstance.

Took Paxlovid upon testing positive. After 5 days I was free of symptoms and tested negative. Then 2 days later Covid came back with a vengeance and is far more severe than ever. I am really sick. My doctor didn't recommend Paxlovid and I wish I had listened.

Started experiencing symptoms on a Sunday but didn’t test positive for Covid until the following Wednesday. Received Paxlovid Thursday and started first dose right away. The severe body aches that I was experiencing from Covid cleared up after a day (due to Paxlovid?) but my cough and congestion lingered for several more days. Dealt with some pretty severe side effects including diarrhea, nasty taste, severe night sweats, fatigue, and worse of all, emotional imbalance including anxiety, depression, sudden bouts of crying. These were symptoms that I have never had before so it was quite worrisome and had me feeling as though I was losing my mind. Took a my last dose of Paxlovid last night - hopefully these side effects will clear up soon. Read More Read Less

This is horrible! The medicine after taste is absolutely disgusting. I tried taking it…. after the first full day I woke up and had much worse throat pain than I did since Covid hit me. I continued to take it for the next day, that next night I couldn’t sleep due to the pill feeling like it was stuck in my throat burning all night. Needless to say I’m on day 3 and I’m done taking it, I’ll take my chances without it lol

This treatment was prescribed when my daughter and I tested positive for covid, due to high risk factors. I took it for 4 doses/2 days and found my condition got much worse than when I started, especially the congestion and a new loss of smell and taste. The after-taste of the medication was terrible, like bitter grapefruit rinds even though I took it with food, it lingered. Stopped the treatment and a day later started to improve. My daughter saw no improvement at all and took it for 6 doses. She also improved once she stopped Paxlovid. Very disappointed as I hoped it would lessen the covid duration and symptoms. Read More Read Less

I started taking paxlovid on day one after testing positive for covid. I'm on day 3 now and I have no symptoms. I haven't had a fever, without taking tylenol for over 24 hours. I never got the vaccine because I have a strong immune system. I don't get sick often, but I got covid and I was scared. Paxlovid works wonders!!! I would love to be the poster child for this medication. If you get covid,immediately, take paxlovid. I feel great, but I didn't feel well at all until I took paxlovid. A miracle drug, indeed??????Read More Read Less

Started taking this on Friday afternoon. I had body aches, extreme sleepiness, and a slight fever before this god awful treatment. I have not had any improvement in 3 days with my symptoms. The metallic/bitter taste is awful and my constant nausea/near vomiting has become unbearable. This medication has not helped me one bit. I want to store taking it but my husband is pushing me to continue.