On day 2, the facial swelling decreased after taking Benadryl and Claritin, but it is still there. It still hurts to smile and I am starting to feel weak. At this point, I still did not suspect COVID, but I am suspicious of the weakness. I am continuing to treat the facial swelling with antihistamines. I may be battling a cold, or my body may feel weak because of the huge histamine release with the facial swelling. An allergic reaction is a lot for your body to go through, so maybe this is why I feel tired?
At this point, I still did not know the results of my IgE levels and I would continue to treat the facial swelling as if it is an allergic reaction. I will continue taking my vitamins to boost my immune system and remain hopeful that I am able to prevent my weakness from progressing. I always say, prevent don’t treat! Ironically, we should be treating the virus as a hyper-immune response. Most of your symptoms, even people who progress into respiratory failure, are caused by your own body attacking itself. Such a weird virus. It is unlike anything I have ever experienced before.
For my day 1 COVID treatment, click here. For my weird symptoms and what I experienced on Day 1, click here.
| DAY 2 MEDICATIONS | PURPOSE |
| Benadryl 100mg in AM | Antihistamine = decrease facial swelling |
| Claritin 10mg in AM | Antihistamine = decrease facial swelling |
| Albuterol Inhaler 2 puffs in AM and every 6 hours | Bronchodilation = keep airways open |
| DAY 2 VITAMINS | PURPOSE |
| Vitamin C 1000mg in AM & PM | Antiviral and boost immune system |
| Vitamin D 1000 IU in AM & PM | Decrease COVID illness severity |
| Zinc 30mg in AM & PM | Decrease COVID illness severity |
| Lysine 1000mg in PM | Antiviral = decrease viral replication |
Immune System Boosters: Vitamin C, D and Zinc
I take vitamin C, D, and zinc daily to keep my immune system strong. My hope is that I will be strong enough to prevent COVID or if I get COVID, I will have mild symptoms. Why vitamin C? It is an antiviral and can decrease virus replication. It also helps grow and repair tissue in the body. You can take lower doses of vitamin C, but 1000mg is an effective dose linked to improving the immune system. Both vitamin C and zinc are known to shorten the length of a cold.
I take 30mg zinc every other day normally, but I am not only taking it daily but twice a day since the facial swelling occurred to give my immune system an extra boost. Zinc acts as a natural antioxidant. Also, if I am battling a cold I want to shorten the length and decrease the severity of the symptoms. As a warning for everyone, make sure you do not take zinc on an empty stomach. Even with a full stomach, this vitamin makes my stomach upset at times. Do not be surprised if you have a rushed bathroom visit after zinc, especially if you take it on an empty stomach. Some people experience nausea with it. I am fortunate, and at the worst, I visit the bathroom promptly once it hits my stomach.
Vitamin D is another supplement known to decrease the severity of COVID symptoms and boost your immune system. I take 1000 IU every day to help keep my immune system strong. Since vitamin D is known to help fight against respiratory infections, I increased my dose to 2,000 IU, taking an additional 1,000 IU when I arrived home to fight against a cold or anything else my body was experiencing.
Research shows most people can take up to 4,000 IU daily without negative effects. Why the recommended 5,000, or even up to 10,000? This is because people are trying to fight against COVID-19. I would be willing to increase my vitamin D up to 4,000 IU, but I do not think it is necessary to exceed this amount. Especially not for a long period of time. If you take 5,000 + daily, you increase the risk for kidney damage. Sure, some are taking this high of a dose, but remember, they are taking it for a short period of time and consider the risk of kidney damage if you do this for an extended amount of time.
Did you know that the majority of hospitalized COVID patients are low in vitamin D? UC Health reports 80% out of 200 hospitalized patients had a vitamin D deficiency.
I added lysine into the mix to help support my immune system as well. Lysine is known to decrease cold sore outbreaks and the severity of colds. How does it do this? Lysine blocks arginine. Why does this matter with COVID? The NCBI study reveals arginine is necessary for virus replication and as a key component contributing to the severe inflammatory response in SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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