A Kidney Infection After COVID

I was sent home the same day. I was relieved as I hate staying in hospitals. I was told by an NMO specialist I would be liable for the COVID-19 treatments the NHS offer for those who are immunosuppressed. This was a few weeks before me actually catching COVID. Some of these treatments are called Nirmatrelvir, ritonavir, remdesivir, and molnupiravir.

The next day I spoke to my general practitioner (GP), and they gave me a number to phone and arranged the COVID-19 antibody treatment. I phoned the number, and they took my details. A few hours later, I received a call from the nurse who asked me several different questions. As my symptoms were present for over 3 days, I could not receive the treatment. You can only get the treatment on the first 5 days of your Covid symptoms.

Covid symptoms with NMO

That left me extremely worried; my lungs were hurting while breathing, and my cough worsened. My chest wheezed when I was breathing, especially while lying down. I had cough syrup and strepsils to ease the pain. The back pain was also constant, so I took pain medications.

I took a lateral flow test and tested negative 2 days after my visit to the hospital. I had my Rituximab infusion scheduled for the same week. I had already postponed it due to my kidney infection, and now I have to postpone it again due to COVID. The nurse from the neurology department said it might be a few weeks before I’m allowed in for the infusion as it can be dangerous. However, she would consult my neurologist.

Worries about relapse

If I waited too long to get the infusion, what if I relapsed? I could already feel some of my symptoms worsening. My nerves felt so itchy all over my body, the fatigue was at its worse, and I couldn’t empty my bladder properly. I couldn’t tell if I was flaring because of COVID or because I was about to relapse.

I received a phone call from the same nurse a few days later; she stated that my neurologist said I could get the infusion a week from then, which ended up being the day before my 20th birthday. This made me anxious as it was my first full rituximab dose, and I didn’t want to feel run down on my birthday. But I was glad I didn’t have to wait long to get the infusion.

Successful treatment

A few weeks went by, and the back pain disappeared. I thought the cough would subside eventually, but it still hasn’t. I had an appointment in person with my GP a week ago. She checked my breathing and heart rate, amongst other things, and prescribed me an inhaler for the cough. My heart rate was finally on the normal side. She said that she had seen a lot of patients, even those who aren’t immunosuppressed, who have coughed for a long time after catching COVID. She said if it doesn’t subside in the next few weeks, to go get an X-Ray of my chest in the hospital near my house. They offer a walk-in service.

After my diagnosis, I thought my experience with COVID-19 would be brutal, but it wasn’t as bad as I had expected. Luckily this time, I didn’t lose more hair. I just had some flaring of my symptoms and a longer recovery time. I’m hoping my cough subsides soon.