Staying covid free with IBD

[Delta_hippo]

Hello everyone. Just posting to see if there is any advice about how to keep clear of covid if you are on immune suppressant other than wash hands/ open window/ wear mask. I am asking because covid is just rampant here in the UK but the government and a lot of the public are bored with it now so taking zero precautions/ restrictions except covid didn’t get the memo and is spreading rather than fading.
If it was just me and the other half then living in a cave like hermits might be an option but with a little one then school and birthday parties etc are part of life.
I am jabbed and wear a mask and work from home but it is so prevalent now I don’t think it can be avoided indefinitely.
Does anyone have any knowledge of preventative strategies e.g. antiviral nasal sprays? Air purifiers? Chlorhexadine mouthwash or salt water gargle? Vitamin c? Does anything reduce risk if you are exposed or going to be in a crowded place?
Grateful for any thoughts. Since being on biologics I catch every cold and bug my son brings home from school and they wipe me out for ages (compared to pre-Crohn’s when 24 hours in bed and a paracetamol cured anything). So I am motivated to keep avoiding covid if I possibly can.

 

[Scipio]

I am jabbed and wear a mask and work from home but it is so prevalent now I don’t think it can be avoided indefinitely.
Does anyone have any knowledge of preventative strategies e.g. antiviral nasal sprays? Air purifiers? Chlorhexadine mouthwash or salt water gargle? Vitamin c? Does anything reduce risk if you are exposed or going to be in a crowded place?.

Sounds like you are already doing the best things: vaccine, mask, and avoid crowds, especially indoors.

As for the others:
Antiviral nasal sprays? - maybe, but I haven't seens any data showing that it works. In general, anything harsh enough to kill viruses is probably going to be painful and perhaps dangerous to inhale.

Air purifiers? - Yes, some of these are said to be helpful, but they are only going to have much effect in a closed room over time. So unless you have some possibly-infected people visiting you at home or in some other room where you spend a lot of time, it's probably not going to be necessary.

Vitamin C - Probably won't help unless you are currently vitamin C deficient - as in so deficient that your immune system is crashing. Which probably isn't the case if you eat fruits and vegtables at all.

Chlorhexadine mouthwash or salt water gargle? - same as anti-viral sprays. Anythng strong enough to really kill the virus is probably too strong to be ingested. Plus, the route of COVID infection is nearly always the nose, not the mouth.

Does anything reduce risk if you are exposed or going to be in a crowded place? - Keep that mask on! And use a N95 ot KN95 mask. No wimpy cloth masks. Reducing risk is why I haven't been to a movie theater in over two years, and I'm not going back any time soon. Same with dining in at restataurants. I get take out.

 

[Jo-mom]

Oil of Oregano is a good addition as well.

 

[my little penguin]

Have they tested for immunodeficiency?
Since you catch every bug or virus from your child ??
My kiddo started biologics 10 years ago in 3rd grade(age 8) so lots of crud and colds at the school but in those 10 years he has barely been sick with a cold
If anything he was far healthier than my non ibd kiddo who was on no meds

as far as Covid
Ds stays home
When he goes out - n95 mask
No crowded areas
Hand wipes in the car to wipe his hands /phone when he leaves a place
No eating out etc…
He does take vitamin C and vitamin d
But was told by Gi to take those prior to Covid

There is evushield
Which protects from Covid infection for 6 months
It’s been out in the US for a while
Supposed to be available to immunocompromised (crohns patients )
But supply far exceeds demand in the US at least

 

[Lisa]

I've been on Remicade for over 14 years...and am generally the most healthy person in the family - my husband and daughter seem to get sick more often than I do. I am just getting over a head cold - and that is all that it was....caught it from my daughter (of course lol).....

I sanitize, wear a mask in places that I feel there is an increased risk (it is mandatory at doctors' offices right now)....stay away from people who I know are sick or not feeling well.....

I've been working the whole time too - even at Covid testing locations (in an administrative function) and I have NOT had Covid...nor has my husband/daughter.

 

[Delta_hippo]

Thanks for the feedback very helpful. I do use the proper masks, good reminder. Take vitamin d daily (for Crohn’s) but I think adding vitamin c might help as I eat very healthily but I’ve had some intestine chopped out so never quite sure what gets absorbed. I will look into a spray to keep levels topped up.
Oregano oil is a great idea to keep on standby, thank you.
I will ask the GI about immunodeficiency next time I speak with him, I definitely catch more and take longer to recover than when I was pre-Crohn’s - although mainly from my child’s school - but before Crohn’s I worked in a prison and they are pretty similar for germ spreading I guess.
Interesting about evusheld as not really mentioned in the UK although I see it's AstraZeneca and they did our jabs before the booster programme so I don’t know why we aren’t accessing it. All I have been told is if I get covid to ask for the Pfizer pill that you have to take as soon as possible after infection (pavloid).
Hope you guys all keeping well and here’s hoping this pandemic will burn out soon before too much more damage is done
God bless all xx

 

[my little penguin]

Immunology (immunogist ) has to test for immunodeficiency. Not a Gi thing

 

[Lynda Lynda]

I was diligently wearing a face mask until recently.
Now I don't wear a face mask at all.

 

[Bufford]

I fully support getting vaccinated along with the booster shots. I am not so sure about masks. I recall the day I had problems adjusting the mask in the middle of a grocery shopping run. I knew my hands maybe contaminated. Then about 8-10 days later I got the covid, and that virus is no joke. I had two days of the dry lung, with difficult breathing in bed. All told it took two weeks to fully recover. I no longer wear masks now that the mask mandate is over, but I will remain distancing, and continue hand sanitizing, and avoid crowded places.

 

[Steiconi]

We were isolating in January; hubby did curbside pickup at the grocery store (while wearing an N95 mask), and had symptoms 2 days later. Couple more days, and I got sick. We both tested positive for covid. We were both vaxxed and boosted.
I later read that omicron stays alive on surfaces longer than other variants, so maybe being more careful with the bags and washing more thoroughly after unpacking the groceries might have helped.

Hubby said he felt like he had a bad cold, mine was more like a moderate flu.

On the up side, we both recovered without any special treatment, and now feel comfortable going out and about, since we have very low likelihood of infection.