My experience of the corona virus using dual bio socio medical approach and taking antibiotic to treat secondary symptoms and boosting immune systems using Vitamin C and a Regime of vegetable and fruits
By Dr Muzvare Hazviperi Makoni
Disclaimer- the experience I shared below does not recommend or prescribe medication to anyone. Friends and family asked me to share. This is personal experience and it has nothing to do with my profession. I am sharing information as a patient and not professional.
I started with very mild symptoms around 3 March 2020. Mind you mild symptoms can be managed at home. Prior to that I had uneasiness and tiredness of the body for a week or so. I had sore throat(itching) and some fever and temperature. I did not bother to measure temperature I even ignored as that was similar to flu. To me it was flu. But my whole body was just unusually weak. I ignored for one week. Kept on Ibrofen. One other day I took Ibuprofen and sore throat pain overpowered it. It repelled it. Got shocked. I ignored. Then my breathing was hard. Got shocked. GP said I had Corona symptoms and should not come to the surgery. He asked if I had contact with any infected persons. I told him yes someone where I do work was in hospital. He advised I call ambulance.
I had questions as to how I contracted the virus. I washed my hands every 30 minutes. I had lots of sanitizers in the home and office. I had a clean and well vented small office. I think, it must have been face to face with someone I later learnt tested positive. Four of us in the same office suffered mild and acute symptoms of corona virus. Three of us tested positive by 16 March 2020. Two of us were attended by emergency services on close but different dates. All four of us survived. To be honest I wont bother who infected me. Corona virus is deceptive and someone can have it without knowing. I could even have been infected during shopping or anywhere. It is not easy to say where.
Treating the wrong symptoms with wrong home remedies is wrong
Testing is no longer done outside hospital which puts lives at risk
I have empathy for everyone in self isolation experiencing chest tightness and lack of breathing like I went through. Due to lack of understanding of what was going on with Corona virus symptoms see what I initially tried on my own
1. Small inhaler for flu – did not work t
2. Ibrofen inflamed my chest. It was overpowered by pain
3. Eardrops could not stop itching
None of the above which I had used for flu before worked.
I want to say that I better understood the symptoms in my native Shona language through descriptives. Some Shona words for some Corona Virus Symptoms based on personal experience also would need translation into Ndebele and other languages so that people understand them according to their context.Even here in UK, BME communities should make effort to have interpreters. Missing the symptoms can have serious consequences for your health as you might ignore thinking it’s just flu or sore throat.
Here we go;
1. Kuzarirwa
2.Gararwa pachipfuva
3. Kukarakata nekuvaviwa pahuro
4. Kutemwa nemusoro
5. Mabayo
6. Gosorwa
7. Kurukutika
8. Kurutsa
9. Kusvotwa
10. Kurukutika
11. Kuzungaira
12. Kuti rasikei pfungwa
13. Maoko kuita kunge blue -Get oxygen checked
14. Kuvava munzeve and maziso
15. Kunge uri kuoma mukanwa
16. Kuchaya nekumhanyisa mudumbu
17. Kutsva
18. Kutonhorwa- I had two heaters around me- one front and another back
19. Stuffy nose- ndaive nedzihwa raibuda nemagodo eropa. Ndakatomboti mututu nyambiswa kwete. Doctor vakatsanangura my system was fighting and so it affected some veins
20. Kubuda furo pese pandaitadza kufema
Others
I also had constipation. I had a puffy face. My eyesight became blurred.
Calling Ambulance can save your life
Emergency attendance by ambulance is the best and so call 999
They come well equipped with everything even to resuscitate.
Medics came to my house on Thursday 19th March 2020 house in PPE gear. Was lucky to get a swab test and a bit of breathing support. They did not think I was hospital case. I would be worse in hospital. To them breathing was not gone at all. Got my Corona virus results at home on a Sartuday via phone. Video assessed by a clinician. For some reason Doctor gave me some antibiotic. It worked very quick that Sartuday and following Sunday. Gararwa started to clear and was shocked. Yellow thick stuff started coming out. Since then I have been Skype video assessed daily for for effectiveness of antibiotic and other meds.
WARNING !!!!!!
Do not let situation deteriorate to your lungs
Just some advice I got during all this;
Those who are at acute stage really go through a horrible time but similar to me and others whose trouble was around chest but also about to affect lungs. On scan, lungs turn into honeycomb and they appear as ground glass particles. They later remain as scars. I did not go this far. Mine was just mucous build up in the chest which was causing respiratory shut down. I made a mistake of taking Ibrofen which inflamed my chest.It blocked my breathing. It was gararwa on chest but once I took Antibiotic called Doxycycline first 200mg and then 100mg for 6 days the yellow mucous came out in droves. The dose was high because “to attack such a big enemy one needs a strong army”.
What helped me
●When you are told you are positive with Corona virus whether at home or hospital be very calm. Accept the results and forget about death news going round. Do not collapse your mental health as it plays a supportive role to your treatment. Focus on whatever treatment prescribed to you as noone knows exactly is the real treatment.
● Dont expose any family member to you. You can cause death to those in family with underlying health conditions, of poor immune systems, those pregnant and those with hearing and other disabilities. All high risk groups are on NHS website. I unapologetically isolated myself. No close contact allowed at all. Keep 3 metre distance. None of my children were allowed in or near my room.
●You are isolated and there is stigma.
I am a public person who at some stage told myself not to come out but, well I decided to use my personal experience to help others.
●I had the worst terrible messages from friends and relatives that antibiotic would not work because this was a virus. The questions were harmful and played on my mental health too much. I had those even telling me like first time it was flu. I blocked them and focused on Indian doctor who was supporting me. He was quite good. So believe in what you doctor tells you. Agree to try medication even to help others in future.
●Create your own “hospital ward” which is well ventilated. Make sure the room is not entered by anyone no matter the reasons. You are your own nurse. And empower yourself with taking temperature and keeping records in a book. When you cant breathe and talk, they can use your notebook to know what was going on.
●Your medicines, water bottles, vitamins should be in full supply.
●Learn some breathing exercises too. Just master your breathing on your own. I did this. I forced my lungs to breathe. Had 5 minutes run daily in my room. Helo your chest to ease and open naturally as well. Not everyone will get ventilator.
●Cough up and blow out. Zvimwe zvinhu buditsawo wega.
●Sleeping posture that helped me is face down over a heap of blankets
●Learn to regularly steam bath – kunatira but be careful kuzarirwa.
●Drink lemon, ginger and honey a lot. Start even before your lungs are affected
●Drink litres and litres of water. Cleanse antibiotic and other medications
●I checked my urine always. At first it was coloured with vitamins. Drink plenty of water to flush toxins out.Keep toxins out of your liver and kidneys. Once I did it worked.
●I have gone vegetarian. Tomatoes have been the best. I am reacting to any meat or fish products. At the moment I get blocked if I take solid foods. My tummy bloats. Soup mixed with lemon is good.
●Keep windows of the house and especially your isolation room open. You need fresh air for good breathing. Use natural air too.
●Avoid sunlight when taking certain medication. Follow antibiotic religiously. Dont miss time. Also monitor side effects.
●Know your body very well. Dont doubt symptoms. Dont delay treating secondary symptoms. Virus is very deceptive and stubborn. It wont go unless it conquers the body. Constantly use your immune to kick it out.
●Before Corona virus please keep your immune very strong. Take vitamin capsules and vitamin from fruits and vegetables.
Your garden is your pharmacy
VEGETABLE REGIME for last minute immune boosting against Corona virus
Your garden is your nearest pharmacy
– Wash thoroughly and cut into pieces. Mix them. Boil 3 eggs per day. Cook your sweet potato. Mix them all and enjoy medicine from your garden
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are low in calories but high in water and several important vitamins and minerals. Eating cucumbers with the peel provides the maximum amount of nutrients.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are often touted as being healthier than white potatoes, but in reality, both types can be highly nutritious. While regular and sweet potatoes are comparable in their calorie, protein, and carb content, white potatoes provide more potassium, whereas sweet potatoes are incredibly high in vitamin
Hard boiled eggs
A large hard-boiled egg contains 78 calories and several important nutrients, including: lutein and zeaxanthin, which are antioxidants that support healthy eyesight. vitamin D, which promotes bone health and immune function. choline, which boosts the metabolism and helps with fetal brain development
Peppers
Red, Orange, and Yellow Bell Peppers are full of great health benefits—they’re packed with vitamins and low in calories! They are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium. Bell Peppers also contain a healthy dose of fiber.
Mix all above with vinegar instead of cooking oil
Apple cider vinegar has various healthful properties, including antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. What’s more, evidence suggests it may offer health benefits, such as aiding weight loss, reducing cholesterol, lowering blood sugar levels, and improving the symptoms of diabete
Please know that any fruit and vegetable is good enough. List is not exhaustive.
Post recovery tips
●Not yet over. I must go for antibodies tests when they come. I have been advised these are done regularly to see if immune is strong against the virus. Waiting patiently for UK to speed up this. This is done in the next six months and to be cautious I will not do anything with human contact until I finish all the tests. I am confined to the house for six months. I am cautious about being reinfected. I am aware we differ in terms of immune systems but mine would need tests first. My job is flexible and remote working will remain in place until am tested. Not much is known about this virus. Reinfection is said to be 14% in China. Prevention is better than cure. Not everyone develops antibodies to fight the virus.
●My brain is slow processing things. I lived between life and death and so please be patient and kind. I can see you but I take time to understand who you are. You all look as if we once met. I think this was caused by some blackouts and will clear.
●I must manage my skin- mouth is peeling off. I have thrash on the mouth
●I must check urine- it must be clear when I pee and so taking lots of water is a must
●I must ensure Vitamin C capsules and fruits and vegetables as permanent diet. Virus is very complex and deceitful and so Prevention is better than cure by ensuring your immune is strong.
●Work around sex and relationships. Sex drive is affected during illness. Your body is used to yourself. It’s not easy to warm it up and be intimate. It will need someone very kind, patient, gentle and considerate.
●I have helped others with same symptoms and provided emotional support. It is self therapy too.
●It will take years to believe am alive. And to deal with all mental health issues caused by shock, anxiety, loneliness, denial, anger and coupled with knowing death was imminent. I must come up with a therapy manual for all like me who went through this near death experience and felt their own unique” loss”
Inspirational Quote
There is one of my sayings which goes like this;
“It is not the first time we have fallen sick. It will not be the last time either. Disease is part of human life. One time it overpowers us but the other time we overpower it. Either ways do not immerse yourself in a problem. Immerse yourself in a solution.
Muzvare Hazviperi Betty Makoni
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