Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and Me: An Overview Along With My Positive and Personal Long Term Experience Using It For Arthritis.


Massive Beauty-NASA 2/20 Mission Juno

Fears are educated into us, and can, if we wish, be educated out.”— Karl Augustus Menninger


I have been listening to a variety of talk shows, TV and radio to hear the diverse thinking surrounding the coronavirus and its affect on our health care system and economy. Today, I heard one talk show host who specializes in predicting the economy is going to tank imminently. Therefore, we should buy gold, silver and a years worth of food with a 25 year shelf life.

Now, to be perfectly frank, I always keep about a 2-4 weeks supply of food on hand in case of a hurricane, etc. I  got tired of canned food expiring quickly so I bought a 10 day supply of the long shelf life stuff just prior to the current crisis. I am hoping that we never have to use it since the freeze dried banana oatmeal doesn’t do it for me.

Today, I heard him say something that troubled me. He asked a doctor friend about the *serious* side effects of hydroxychloriquine. He also asked about one report that hydroxychloroquine is even more effective while taking azithromycin. He said he believed that some people were deliberately hiding the serious side effects of these drugs.

Here is my response.

A study using hydroxychloroquine alone.

Note: hydroxychloroquine appears to be less toxic that chloroquine.  Hydroxychloroquine, a less toxic derivative of chloroquine, is effective in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro.

You can download the pdf of the study in the link but the conclusion was:

Despite its small sample size our survey shows that hydroxychloroquine treatment is significantly associated with viral load reduction/disappearance in COVID-19 patients and its effect is reinforced by azithromycin.

This medication has long been used for both the treatment of arthritis and malaria. It has been around since 1955.

Generic, cheap and years of safety documentation. Kudos to Novartis for their willingness to ramp up production and donate this medication.

Why is this good? It’s generic and cheap.There are decades of case studies and documentation about the safety of this med.

Today one news report said some companies are ramping up supply an incredible amount of this drug within a few weeks. Novartis Commits to Donate up to 130 Million Doses of Hydroxychloroquine to Support the Global COVID-19 Pandemic Response

A study using hydroxychloriquine and azithromycin to treat coronavirus

Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a treatment of COVID-19: results of an openlabel non-randomized clinical trial. Basically, the study shows promise.  Most of you have probably been treated with the antibiotic, azithromycin, popularly known as a Z-Pak.

But what about side effects?

Are there (*gasp*)  side effects to these drugs? Duh!

Of course there are potential side effects. There are side effects to every drug on the planet yet you take them. For example, see this list for acetaminophen (Tylenol.) People die from acetominophen overdoses.  Yet, it is effective in treating pain and is still used because, in general, it is safe. Today, I heard about a hospitalized baby who was given Tylenol and it caused his skin to sloth off.( He is doing fine, by the way.) So, shouldn’t acetaminophen be banned because that happened to this baby? Of course not. However, we should always be aware of the possibility to untoward reactions.

There is a reason that hydroxychoroquineand other drugs can only be obtained by a prescription given by an MD, NP, or PA.  People need to be examined by their health professional to make sure there are no untoward occurrences.

Hydroxychloroquine Side Effects

As you can see the list is rather long but more on that in a minute.

Azithromycin side effects

Another long list. Notice the combinations of other drugs with this one with potential side effects (some serious) is lengthy. Again, more on that momentarily.

Azithromycin used in combination with hydroxychloroquine

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

For example, there is the potential problem with the heart. Hydroxychloroquine/QT Prolonging Agents Interactions

Taking hydroxychloroquine with other agents that can affect your heart rhythm may increase your risk of irregular heartbeat, which may be life-threatening.

A word of encouragement: I have taken Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)for years and even took a Z-PAK or two during this time as well.

I have a BSN. I even worked, for a short time, at Glaxo, a pharmaceutical company, which means I know a thing or two about side effects. My husband is a cardiologist who knows quite a bit about QT prolongation. We have an excellent internist and I also have a great rheumatologist. Both are experts in the interactions of various drugs.

I have psoriatic arthritis. I started on Plaquenil at least 5 years ago (It may be longer.) I take Xeljanz XR as well. I am checked on a regular basis which often includes blood work.  My eyes are checked by an ophthalmologist every 6 months. On a couple of occasions, I also took a Z-PAK for a serious infection. I did not have a noticeable cardiology side effect.

I am currently doing well and am quite grateful for my medications as well as the health professionals who monitor me.

My advice? It currently looks like we have some possible treatments on the horizon. Nothing is 100% guaranteed. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if one treatment is an old medication that has been used since 1955? Do some reading and decide whether you and your loved ones would take these medications if you were diagnosed with COVID-19. My guess is that many people would elect to do so.

For now, I am social distancing especially since my Xeljanz XR, as well as many drugs that treat arthritis, is immunosuppressive.

Novartis and distilleries responding to the needs

One thing I do know, I won’t stop taking hydroxychloroquine. And I want to commend Novartis and many other companies for doing the right thing during this time!! Distilleries are making hand sanitizer with their in-house alcohol and giving it out for free to combat coronavirus

Comments

Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and Me: An Overview Along With My Positive and Personal Long Term Experience Using It For Arthritis. — 138 Comments

  1. I’ve been on hydroxychloroquine for mixed connnective tissue disease for few years and I’ve also taken a few Z-packs during this period, and have had no negative interaction. My doctor recently noticed the possible interaction, so when I needed an antibiotic earlier this month, she gave me something else, but I never had a problem with the combination. The only remotely unpleasant side effect I ever noticed from the hydroxychloroquine was a sense of motion sickness for the first week and generic dramamine helped with that.

  2. AWWBA, I take insulin (I don’t think I’m the only regular Wartburger who does, either). And it gets better: insulin is made from genetically-modified yeast. Side effects? Well, if you take slightly too much your blood sugar drops, which is not fun. On the plus side, taking insulin has changed my prognosis from certain death to an entirely normal life. So, yes, I quite agree that, whilst there ARE drugs out there with nasty side effects, there are others whose beneficiaries have many reasons to be thankful.

  3. Im personaly somewhat skeptical of Plaquenil as a covid treatment. I was prescribed for malaria preventative use. But Plaquenil has drug resistance issues due to longterm use.
    I cant say for certain I took it because it been so long and I may have used an alternative and I dont remember it. I know I did not complete me treatment time.

    My skepticism is related to Mixed Connective Disorder. I was curious if I would see any improvement in symptoms as a side benefit, and it was a no for me. Some auto-immunes essential do not treat.
    I did sorta blame it for increased insomnia. But that was likely travel and exhaustion related.

    I can say I have experianced lung involvement twice. It was long ago when I was stronger and I was convinced I had no hope of surviving a third. So, if I encounter the virus I envision a rapid death.

    I am a huge believer in treating an inflamation caused pnumonia with antibiotics. It feels obvious that a sudden bloom of bacteria will follow any shock to the immune system. Our kids came home from school the first week after Christmas break with colds. I was on immuno suppressants.

  4. I have severe reactions cillin drugs, while sulpha drugs work well on me. My daughter has severe reactions to sulpha drugs, while cillin drugs work well on her. Those drugs are much more common, and allergic reactions are not uncommon. None of those drugs have been banned.
    If I catch COVID-19, I’ll be more than happ to take my chances with Plaquenil if a better drug is not discovered/created in the meantime.

    TWIMC: Due to COVID-19 restrictions and fears, “normal” life in rural Kentucky has ground to a halt.

  5. For covid19 aren’t we talking less than 10 days of Plaquenil? And Dee has been on it for 5 years. Seems like a simple Yes to use it for this outbreak.

  6. “I got tired of canned food expiring quickly so I bought a 10 day supply of the long shelf life stuff just prior to the current crisis. I am hoping that we never have to use it since the freeze dried banana oatmeal doesn’t do it for me.”

    I’ve seen those emergency pails of dehydrated foods with a mixture of items packed in mylar bags, such as Cheesy Broccoli Rice, Hearty Vegetable Chicken-Flavored Soup, Fettuccine Alfredo, Buttermilk Pancakes, etc. IMO, survival food should not be a picnic spread … it would be better to have staples on hand with a long shelf life such as dried beans, rice, and pasta. Our forefathers who survived pandemics, wars, and depressions didn’t eat comfort food during uncomfortable times.

  7. I’ve been on Plaquenil for two years for an autoimmune condition that was causing significant hair loss. It has worked very well. My only issue is I need to take it with food or I get an upset stomach. If it was a viable treatment for COVID, it would be wonderful.

  8. “I want to commend Novartis and many other companies for doing the right thing during this time!! Distilleries are making hand sanitizer with their in-house alcohol and giving it out for free to combat coronavirus.” (Dee)

    You can make your own hand sanitizer, ‘if’ you can find the following two ingredients: 99% rubbing alcohol and aloe vera gel. The following mixture will yield a 60% alcohol solution comparable to products you see at the store (or used to).

    2/3 cup of 99% alcohol + 1/3 cup aloe vera gel

    Mix good and put in a soap dispenser bottle.

  9. Max: Our forefathers who survived pandemics, wars, and depressions didn’t eat comfort food during uncomfortable times.

    Excellent point, Max! Starting in the 1880s, my mother’s forebears lived in a city with small, hilly lots. Some built their own houses. All grew their own grapes, raspberries, blackberries, vegetables, and herbs. Hucksters (not a negative term) would come through the neighborhood selling hogs, and people would get together and butcher them. Before refrigeration, my great-grandmother buried head cheese and sauerkraut in crocks in the back yard—I’m thinking this was slightly safer during the cold months. They made pickled pigs’ feet and every kind of preserved food. They raised chickens and rabbits, and got around by donkey and sulky.

    I’m thankful that we have better hygiene practices now. Life expectancy in the US in 1900 was about 47 years. But the self-sufficiency of past city dwellers is pretty amazing.

  10. Friend: the self-sufficiency of past city dwellers is pretty amazing

    Take away their potato chips today and you’ll have a war on your hands!

  11. Friend: pickled pigs’ feet

    My father considered them a delicacy. He learned to “enjoy” them during the Great Depression.

  12. Max: Take away their potato chips today and you’ll have a war on your hands!

    …and not just in the cities…

    I know one person who is rationing his own small stock of Sour Patch Kids right now. That’s far better than going out to buy more, but still a bit kooky.

  13. Am I the only one that thinks a #churchtoo sulution has been found?

    Salacious church activity is at the top of this blogs topic list. Each post is then dutifly followed by comments expressing the need for change.

    Well, change showed up in the form of the greatest anti-groping development in history. Simultaneously. Globaly.

    If you accept that premise, then I would put forward a secound.
    Churches should expect a future wave of sexting lawsuits and alligations. An unintended consequence of social distancing.

  14. “Therefore, we should buy … a years worth of food with a 25 year shelf life.”

    Well, Jim Bakker and his new wife Lori have been peddling apocalyptic chow on his “how to survive-in-a-cave” TV show on the so-called Christian TV networks for years. His ad for the food proclaims: “Imagine — the world is dying and you’re having a breakfast for kings,” I hear the food tastes utterly awful. Might rather starve to death and go on home to meet the Lord than eat the slop he is peddling for profit.

    But I don’t disagree with your statement; it just gave me a chance to rant on the charlatan.

  15. Dr. Chuck DeGroat: “Sadly, there’s far too little research on narcissism in the church. But my own work, over the last 10 or 15 years of doing these assessments, really shows pretty clearly that pastors, the large majority of pastors, test in this cluster B. Now cluster B is narcissism, but it’s also histrionic personality, and borderline personality and antisocial personality. And all of those are sort of like shades of narcissism, right? And so, we can see whether it’s grandiosity or emotionality or drama or need to be the center of attention or whatever form it shows up in. This is why I really try to nuance narcissism in this book. I want people to see it, not just as the caricature of the big, bold, charismatic leader, but I want us to see it in its more subtle forms, as well. And there are people who don’t need a church of 1,000 or 10,000. They’re perfectly happy with their church of 50. Feeling like we’re special. We get it. We’re pure. We’re the elect. And no one else is. And that’s narcissism, too.”

    https://julieroys.com/podcast/the-problem-of-narcissist-pastors/

  16. Max: You can make your own hand sanitizer, ‘if’ you can find the following two ingredients: 99% rubbing alcohol and aloe vera gel.

    I have not seen a bottle of any rubbing alcohol in three weeks. (It’s off with all the surgical masks and toilet paper.) I’m rationing my own supply and checking on CARE packages from a friend across the country.

  17. Proffy: Well, Jim Bakker and his new wife Lori have been peddling apocalyptic chow on his “how to survive-in-a-cave” TV show on the so-called Christian TV networks for years. His ad for the food proclaims: “Imagine — the world is dying and you’re having a breakfast for kings,”

    Only $4500 for seven man-years worth, i.e. the entire Great Tribulation for one.

  18. Headless Unicorn Guy: Only $4500 for seven man-years worth, i.e. the entire Great Tribulation for one.

    Can you imagine the marital discord when the old couple cements themselves inside the bunker and then argue over who was supposed to bring the can opener.

    RIP Bob and Midred.

  19. Headless Unicorn Guy: I have not seen a bottle of any rubbing alcohol in three weeks.

    I shouldn’t be telling you this as a Southern Baptist (I’m “done” now), grain alcohol at your local liquor store is 75% alcohol … but don’t drink it, of course, use it as a hand sanitizer in a pinch. Grain alcohol + a little glycerin will not dry your hands out.

  20. Bridget:
    Leave to a church to do what is absolutely wrong.

    https://julieroys.com/pastor-who-attended-john-macarthurs-shepherds-conference-dies-from-coronavirus-attenders-not-notified/?mc_cid=b8e832bf60&mc_eid=d55e7cf1be

    One super-spreader at a Korean mega infected 1300.

    Note the triumphant “homegoing” announcement in fluent Christianese….
    The sudden disappearance of any references (as of now, It Never Existed)…
    No date at all on the Conference website except “Register Now for SC 2021” (and a “give” menu button)…
    Churches really seem hell-bent on getting and staying on the WRONG side of things, don’t they?

  21. Bridget,

    By contrast: weeks ago, a clergy member in our area tested positive shortly after returning from a church conference. His church immediately spread the word and shut down. His congregation went into self quarantine. Their whole church region has now canceled services till sometime after Easter.

  22. Friend,

    There’s something called the next right thing. Even if you can’t change the past, you can make the best choice to repair a problem or reduce damage.

  23. Headless Unicorn Guy,

    The conference was 15 days before the “homegoing” announcement (which now Never Existed). Add 5-7 days for incubation (max 14) and typical length after symptoms surface (about a week until the switchpoint for recovery or fatal decline) and the timing is real tight for him to have been infected there. No clue as to how soon after the conference it surfaced. If only a couple days, either he got infected early in the weekend and had a shorter-than-normal incubation period, a rapid decline after it surfaced, or he got infected beforehand and attended in the asymptomatic carrier/spreader phase, a possible Patient Zero.

  24. Max: I shouldn’t be telling you this as a Southern Baptist (I’m “done” now), grain alcohol at your local liquor store is 75% alcohol … but don’t drink it, of course, use it as a hand sanitizer in a pinch.Grain alcohol + a little glycerin will not dry your hands out.

    And is now completely sold out, right alongside the N95 masks and toilet paper.

  25. I’ve heard that chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are hopeful. But I’ve also heard the evidence is anecdotal for treating COVAD-19. So much to ponder.

  26. Headless Unicorn Guy,

    Yeah. Finding hi proof alcohol isn’t easy. I’ve been looking for 140 proof at regular stores, most selling at most 80 proof; maybe I should go go a corner liquor store.

  27. Proffy: [quoting one Mr Bakker] – “Imagine — the world is dying and you’re having a breakfast for kings,”

    So; the world is dying, but **** them – I’m living in luxury.

    Pretty much sums up the world of the televangelist.

  28. Max: Our forefathers who survived pandemics, wars, and depressions didn’t eat comfort food during uncomfortable times.

    Sort of.

    Heard tell, homes developed comfort food during challenging times.

    Ex. Charles Schultz said he learned to love his mom’s pancakes.

    2nd: the French create delicacies w/simple ingredients, such as flour, eggs, bit of sugar, butter, milk – breads, crepes, popovers, custard, puddings, etc., or stretching the coffee supply with chicory. Cheese & eggs replace meat: omelettes, quiche, etc.

    3rd: regional Soul Food: variety of delicious examples.

  29. Ava Aaronson,

    A good Southern cook can make anything taste good! Squirrel and dumplings was a popular dish during the Depression where I lived. I probably have the recipe around here somewhere if you are interested 🙂

  30. Ava Aaronson: homes developed comfort food during challenging times

    We were young and now are old … and just discovered parboiled rice! Picked up a couple 5-pound bags at the local Dollar General for emergency food supply. Tried some for lunch – cooks quick and great with stir fry … and will pack good in mylar bags for long-term storage.

  31. This Piper post from yesterday could be a diversion from the virus:
    https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/a-word-to-men-who-demean-their-wives

    One of the more intersting statements in that article;

    This is an important and too-common theme in our inbox: men belittling women as inferior, perhaps in the name of complementarity even. I see this too often in the inbox and we haven’t covered it yet. I wish we didn’t have to address it, but we do.

    Why did it take so long to finally cover it if it is such a common inbox item?

  32. Ken F (aka Tweed): This is an important and too-common theme in our inbox: men belittling women as inferior, perhaps in the name of complementarity even. (John Piper)

    … as he rings his little bell for Noel to walk up 3 flights of stairs to bring him tea. (not realizing that she is building muscles for such a time as this)

  33. A quick prayer request: My dad fell last night and is in the hospital for at least a couple days due to a head injury. My step-mom and he live in the Los Angeles area, and due to the quarantine, she can’t get in to see him. I am in Northern California, and travel is probably not good at this time. Please pray for some wisdom for all of us, and for a hopeful diagnosis for my dad. he just collapsed, and they are trying to figure out why.
    Thanks!

  34. Linn,

    Linn, I prayed for your father just now … and for you and your family as you deal with this given the restrictions in CA.

  35. Max,

    Thank you, Max! We had a family wedding in early September, and the whole family spent a wonderful long weekend together. I am glad we had that time. I’ll post an update when I have one.

  36. Max: I’ve seen those emergency pails of dehydrated foods with a mixture of items packed in mylar bags, such as Cheesy Broccoli Rice, Hearty Vegetable Chicken-Flavored Soup, Fettuccine Alfredo, Buttermilk Pancakes, etc. IMO, survival food should not be a picnic spread … it would be better to have staples on hand with a long shelf life such as dried beans, rice, and pasta.

    I’ll take beans and rice over Cheesy Broccoli Rice any day…

  37. Ken F (aka Tweed):
    This Piper post from yesterday could be a diversion from the virus:
    https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/a-word-to-men-who-demean-their-wives

    One of the more intersting statements in that article;

    Why did it take so long to finally cover it if it is such a common inbox item?

    I read the article. The woman’s husband locks her out of the house when he gets upset at her. Clearly, he is telling her he wants her to leave. How is that anything other than abandonment?

    Mr. Piper has already demonstrated that he is not a fan of women bringing up concerns about husbands: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/what-does-it-mean-for-a-man-to-lead-his-family-spiritually

    From the article: “Well, my first thought is this: I wonder why Kelly wrote to us instead of her husband… I hope it is not because he is dragging his feet, and she is having to pull him along. My first suggestion is that she go get her husband right now. Turn this off. Go get him, and listen to this together, rather than becoming the mediator here and turning it into something he may not like.”

    Why is his very first thought that, in the course of relaying Mr. Piper’s words, she is going to twist them inappropriately? What did she say or do to merit that kind of suspicion from Mr. Piper? Oh wait. She wondered out loud what to do when her husband is less-than-perfect. Tsk tsk tsk.

  38. I see that Pence is trying to keep the pew sitters wallets open. Here is a quote from Saturdays briefing

    “One thing the president and I promised was to remind people that on the weekends that you’re not in the pews, it’s still a good — it’s still a good idea to, if you can, to go ahead and make that donation. All the ministries are continuing to play a vital role in our communities and we encourage your continued support.”

    Notice that he didn’t say give to charities that are helping those grappling with the Corona virus, but give to churches! Pay the Pastors

    Church and State coming together

  39. Nancy2(aka Kevlar): Frog giggin’ is, oftentimes, an exercise in futility.

    Catfishin’ is usually more productive. As a child, frog grabbin’ was the thing; we graduated to frog giggin’ later in life when we weren’t so agile. Morel mushroom season is just around the corner – go get you a sackful Nancy! (they taste like chicken)

    Speaking of toilet paper, there ain’t a roll in the county! The local Dollar General still gets them, but they go fast. My wife asked the check-out at DG yesterday when was the best time to shop for them there. During the conversation, the lady indicated that her daughter in Arizona couldn’t find any, so she shipped her a case … a case! Reckon where she got them? Hmmmm … I wonder if that is going on at WallyWorld, too … employees hauling them off when they come in? There are 1.5 million WalMart workers in the U.S. Think about it … they need toilet paper, too, butt …

  40. Iowa Steve: Church and State coming together

    Did he really make this an either/or situation? Did he tell people to support ministries instead of supporting charities? Did he say to support one expression of faith to the exclusion of all others? Unless he did this, I don’t see anything wrong with a government official encouraging people to continue to support ministries. What is the problem with that?

  41. Because of the pandemic, we canceled a trip and saved the cost of travel. Yesterday I contacted the inn where we had planned to stay, and asked how we might be able to help their local economy. The manager recommended a food delivery program for home-bound elders. I contacted that group directly and made a donation online.

    Our household income has gone down somewhat, but so have our expenses–for now. My next online donation will be to our local food bank.

    For what it’s worth, our church has moved everything online and has not asked for more money. Our donation happens electronically and remains unchanged.

    So much for Matthew 6:3… but I’d love to know others’ ideas for keeping things going. Where and how are you spending, both for charity and for goods and services?

  42. Friend,

    “we canceled a trip and saved the cost of travel. Yesterday I contacted the inn where we had planned to stay, and asked how we might be able to help their local economy.”
    ++++++++++++++++

    that’s so very kind and thoughtful

  43. “The army was building a field hospital with 5,500 beds in a convention center in Madrid, where hotels are also being turned into wards for virus patients without serious breathing problems.”-AP

    Last year I had a dream where I was telling Christians that this is exactly what we would soon be needing: specialized teams that could travel around as needed and turn hotel rooms into hospital rooms. But never mind that, no one believes in the Holy Spirit any more for It is dead. And now John MacArthur is in the news because a recent attendee of one of his total b.s. conferences is dead from COVID-19 and his ministry is trying to hide from it. We all know greedy JMac speaks the truth that the H.S. speaks to no one except people who believe in his personal theology…

  44. The FDA has not yet approved this drug combination for treatment of covid-19. Nevertheless, the rumored shortages appear to have some basis.

    It’s complicated, though. This article says that lupus and rheumatoid arthritis patients, who are already using Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) or chloroquine, will probably fine for awhile if they can’t get their prescriptions filled:

    https://www.hss.edu/conditions_hydroxychloroquine-plaquenil-chloroquine-shortage-covid-19-coronavirus.asp

  45. Mr. Jesperson,

    Other people’s problem

    “A book on this topic is desperately needed right now. But more than that, we need a deeply thoughtful treatise on this subject that also points a healthy way forward. This is that book. Every one of us can learn something from Chuck’s words, but more importantly we can gain the courage needed to face this destructive force in our churches.” (Nancy Ortberg, CEO of Transforming the Bay with Christ)

  46. Max,

    When my youngest cousin was 17 and my daughter was 13, the pair went “giggin”. It wasn’t until after they returned with their catch that I discovered that my cousin held the light while my daughter aimed the .22.
    I had to sit them down and explain the legal technicalities concerning “frog giggin'”.

  47. Iowa Steve: He singled out Churches That’s a problem

    That quote did not single out churches. He mentioned pews and his opinion that people should continue to contribute as they had before. How is that a problem? How is that against the constitution? Had he gone the other way by telling people to stop giving to their places of worship, that would have been a much bigger problem. We live in a free country where people have choices and freedom of expression, including politicians. I believe you are looking for a problem that does not exist.

    I am certainly in favor of people contributing to causes that will help fight the virus. But I also believe we live in a country that can walk and chew gum at the same time, and that we should find ways to keep other aspects of our culture alfoat while we fight the virus You seem to view this as an either/or issue, but I see it as a both/and issue.

  48. My sister-in-law in Orange Co., NY still doesn’t know if she has the virus. The lab didn’t call her with results when they should have, so she called the lab. The, ahem, “lady” who answered told her they were busy, and not to call the lab again. Nice, huh?

    Meanwhile in the Bluegrass State ………

    Confirmed COVID-19 cases are creeping ever closer to home (Now Y’all, around here, 30 miles is gettin’ close)….. there is no truly safe place.

    People are mean, selfish …… Most stores have placed limits on the # of purchases of certain items people can make ~~ TP, etc……. like it’s making a difference. The same people return day after day and purchase the limit each day.

    There are also people who are buying up things like cigarettes and soft drinks, then hiking the prices and reselling.

    Government buildings are closed to walk-ins. Hubby discovered that when he went to change titles on a truck. Pharmacies are drive-up window service only – glad I keep anti-bac wipes in the car. (Reminder to self: give parents an earful because they don’t keep a stash in their vehicles.)

    We’re still sittin’ pretty for a while. Hubby had to go through Muhlenburg Co. Friday and he found potatoes and onions at the Kroger in Powderly! …….. we may plant a bigger garden this year……..

  49. All,
    I have not been reading/writing much on TWW for the last week… I could not take the misinformation any longer and started publishing the scientific information that I trusted, along with my opinion. I have followers that are PhD bioChemical Engineers from big name Biopharma and US Chemical Companies commenting on what I am writing, as well as several Clinicians…..
    TWW has taught me a number of things over the years, and I am using them on my FB… including dealing with “nut jobs”… for now, my FB is public…

  50. Iowa Steve: Church and State coming together

    Not at all Iowa Steve.
    The last time I checked, Congress has made no law establishing a State Church.

  51. Max: Now that’s an idea.I have a brother who is in a remote corner of Arizona.I’ll have him look for items there that I can’t locate here.

    “Remote corner of Arizona”?
    Would that happen to be Show Low?
    Reason I’m asking is a couple months ago someone told me when the various AZ counties were asked about their SHTF-level disaster plans, the county Show Low is in replied “we dynamite all the bridges and mountain passes at the county line and don’t let any outsiders in”.

  52. Max: Catfishin’ is usually more productive.

    Max, and Nancy too, downstream Hoover dam is purported to have some HUGE lunker channel cats. Butcha’ can’t get close after they made gettin’ close to the power station illegal.

  53. elastigirl: cut…stop….someone explain frog giggin’

    Frog gigging for bullfrogs is a popular sport in parts of the South and Midwest. It is performed at night in wetlands with the use of a 3-4 prong gig on a long pole and a light. When a frog is located with the light, they are then “dispatched” with the gig and placed in a sack. Later the legs (a delicacy) are severed from the body, destined to be battered and fried in hot oil. Ummmmmm. You should try the sport and dish sometime!

  54. Earlier today, I observed one of the local notorieties making off with 2 packs of toilet paper from a grocery store. They had apparently stashed some just for him – he had connections. I felt like mobbing him, but I didn’t have a mob with me.

  55. Friend: but I’d love to know others’ ideas for keeping things going. Where and how are you spending, both for charity and for goods and services?

    We sent our housecleaners a check this week to stay home, of which they were very appreciative because they’re not charging cancellation fees right now.
    Also took in a foster pup with a broken leg since the local dog shelter is trying to minimize their staffing, and they are still legally required to take in all strays. Hope he doesn’t whine as much tonight…

    On another note, was finally able to get 2 patients tested for COVID-19 last Wed., STILL waiting on the results! Will be glad if they can get the rapid test available and in quantities that are needed.

  56. Muff Potter: Max, and Nancy too, downstream Hoover dam is purported to have some HUGE lunker channel cats.Butcha’ can’t get close after they made gettin’ close to the power station illegal.

    I’ve heard tell that Tennessee Valley Authority divers have seen blue channel cats in Kentucky Lake that are “big enough to swallow a man”, however bit that is.
    Biggest I’ve ever seen pulled out with a line is 85 lbs. …….. that’s a lotta filet! It would take a mess of hushpuppies, slaw, and tater salad to go with it. I’m gettin’ hawngry, just thinkin’ about it.

  57. Muff Potter: Max, and Nancy too, downstream Hoover dam is purported to have some HUGE lunker channel cats. Butcha’ can’t get close after they made gettin’ close to the power station illegal.

    I’ve heard tell that TVA divers have seen cats in Kentucky Lake that are big enough to “swallow a man”. I ain’t right sure how big that is, but it sure would be a lot of filets! The biggest I’ve ever seen pulled out on a line was an 85 lb. blue channel car.
    Oh, me …… catfish and frog legs ……. throw in some hushpuppies, tater, salad, slaw ……. makin’ me hungry.

  58. Max: You should try the sport and dish sometime!

    Not a dish , Max….. A platter, a platter piled so high, the legs fall off on the table!
    Ooooo, and fried pickles!

  59. readingalong: Also took in a foster pup

    How did you meet the pup? We have thought about fostering right now, but are not sure how to determine whether the foster would get along with our dear old mutt, while we all maintain a safe distance from people. Did the shelter have to send folks to check the suitability of your home?

  60. Another datapoint to add to this thread: I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis in my hands and feet when I was 20 years old by one of the top Rheumatologists in the world at the time. We explored many treatment options, and decided that a daily dose Chloroquine Phosphate was the best option since I did not have a drug plan at the time, and it was cheap and effective enough to put the arthritis into remission. Fast forward 35 years of taking this drug daily (except for a brief period of about 3 years when I stopped), the arthritis continues to be in remission, my bloodwork continues to be normal, the annual visual field tests show no deterioration in my eyesight, I’m actually healthier now than I have ever been (lost a lot of weight & working out often). Yes the side effects can be real with this drug, but without it my hands would be stiff and in pain, to me it is worth the risk. Recently my Rheumatologist changed my prescription to Hydroxychloroquine, and only because a key ingredient in Chloroquine became unavailable in my country (Canada). At the time, I was his only patient that was still using Chloroquine, everyone else had transitioned to Hydroxychloroquine.

    Whether this drug prevents me from catching covid-19 remains to be experienced. I’ll let you know if I do catch it. I do hope that further research can be done to see if it is effective in combating this terrible virus!

    I think there is enough Chloroquine in my blood to mitigate any worries of catching malaria!! Though I doubt that this is a concern in a Canadian climate. I do have a rock on my desk that keeps elephants away. How do I know? I haven’t seen any elephants. LOL! I hope this bottle of pills will keep covid-19 away from me!! 🙂

  61. Friend: How did you meet the pup?

    We had a connection to the Dog Shelter after fostering for them years ago, plus adopted our last 2 dogs from there. So no, they didn’t send someone out to our home, but we did have to go in and pick up the dog, which made me a bit uneasy (they are limiting visitors there now).
    We have 2 dogs of our own, and the foster dog is very small (but at 5 lbs, he still snarled at my 50 lb dog when she got near his food!), so between crates and baby gates we’ll need to keep them mostly separated especially since he just had leg surgery.

  62. Jeffrey Chalmers: I could not take the misinformation any longer

    Found your FB, thanks.

    (By “misinformation,” I hope you are not referring to TWW, where we just learned not to go frog gigging with a .22.)

  63. Friend: we just learned not to go frog gigging with a .22

    In my State, it is legal to harvest frogs with a .22 rifle during the frogging season if you have a hunting permit. A fishing permit is required for gigging or grabbing them. I’m pleased you have enjoyed this diversion from the nationwide shortage in toilet paper!

    On a more serious note, I am praying for America’s medical professionals. This is tough duty for them … it truly is a war against an invisible enemy. I am hopeful that a drug cocktail of existing medications can be used to treat patients suffering from COVID-19 disease.

  64. Max,

    Max…. you have been saying for many years that the American Church needs a purge/cleaning, or other similar thought… I think you are a prophet.. I believe that when this virus “event” winds down, allot of 501c pretending to be true churches will be gone…
    To me, the first test is are these Mega’s, or even little guys, crying for giving BEFORE they even mention looking at for the pew peons might be going hungry already…

  65. Jeffrey Chalmers: the first test is are these Mega’s, or even little guys, crying for giving BEFORE they even mention looking at for the pew peons might be going hungry already…

    Yes, their true hearts are being revealed. I trust that the “pew peons” will see that and decide that charisma, gift of gab, and gimmicks aren’t worth returning to when the pandemic subsides. As tough as it is, the Christian Industrial Complex is in need of a huge correction … this might very well do some of the imposters in. The valley that believers are going through should cause all of us to look to Jesus and to not trust in men. 911 did that for a while, but the organized church got over it quickly … this might be different.

  66. Thanks for those of you who prayed for my dad. He was sent home this afternoon, with instructions to see his primary physician to see if they can figure out exactly why he fell. He has a small brain bleed that will resolve itself from hitting his head, but no fractures. I’m very thankful.

  67. Ohio Board of Pharmacy has just made an Emergency Rule:

    “Unless otherwise approved by the Board’s executive director, no prescription for chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine may be dispensed by a pharmacist or sold at retail by a licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs unless:
    The prescription bears a written diagnosis code from the prescriber;
    If written for a COVID-19 diagnosis, the diagnosis has been confirmed by a positive test result, which is documented on the prescription and both of the following apply:
    The prescription is limited to no more than a fourteen-day supply, and
    No refills may be permitted unless a new prescription is furnished.”

    In other words, to prevent the waste and misuse of the drug for people wanting it “just in case”, like we had people calling for Cipro when the Anthrax scares occurred. This should limit the use to more severe cases, who are also more likely to get tested (due to current testing limitations).

  68. readingalong: to prevent the waste and misuse of the drug for people wanting it “just in case”

    That sounds prudent. Needs to be a nationwide restriction until the FDA determines that it is both useful and safe for covid-19 patients.

    People are so desperate. I haven’t yet seen anything about shortages of azithromycin, and I hope it will also be protected.

  69. There were several foods I ate as a child in South Carolina that I quit eating many years ago.

    Catfish (don’t do bottom feeders anymore)
    Inside parts of Chicken (gizzards ,hearts etc we raised, killed and plucked our own chickens. Gizzards have sand inside.
    tails of cows, (My father butchered steers)
    Pigs Feet (too sophisticated)
    fried cornbread (too dry)
    fried corn with pepper (makes me sick)
    Fish cakes made from canned mackerel with tomatoes (mackerel is a cheap Fish very boney)
    Sardines (can’t take the little Skeletons anymore)
    okra (too slimy)
    boiled peanuts (Can’t locate) and also can’t find moon pies
    crab legs (can’t be bothered)

    I still love banana sandwiches on white bread and mayonnaise
    Grits and black eye peas and rice with tomato sauce.

    Someone did mention catfish and frogs

  70. Max:
    On a more serious note, I am praying for America’s medical professionals.

    My brother’s wife is a physical therapist at a nursing home. She had the flu last week ……. That’s the only time I’ve been glad to spknow that a flu test came back positive!

  71. Max,

    “Frog gigging for bullfrogs is a popular sport in parts of the South and Midwest. …battered and fried in hot oil. Ummmmmm. You should try the sport and dish sometime!”
    ++++++++++++

    i’d have to kill a frog…

    i can’t even kill spiders

  72. Nancy2(aka Kevlar),

    “A platter, a platter piled so high, the legs fall off on the table!”
    ++++++++++++++++

    i pride myself on being open to eating anything, no matter how different.

    i think i met my match here, though. i just couldn’t.

    (maybe it’s my love of Sesame Street,…and kermit…)

  73. Arthur,

    “I do have a rock on my desk that keeps elephants away. How do I know? I haven’t seen any elephants. LOL! I hope this bottle of pills will keep covid-19 away from me!!”
    +++++++++++++++

    why did the elephant sit on the marshmallow?

  74. Muslin, fka Dee Holmes: Fried okra is not slimy. It’s also not very healthy. But it sure is yummy.

    My dad’s take on boiled okra was that after eating it your socks tended to slide down to the tops of your shoes.

  75. elastigirl: “banana sandwiches on white bread and mayonnaise”
    +++++++++++

    what….?

    Yeah, that’s sick! Everyone knows you are supposed to use wheat bread for such a delicacy 🙂

  76. Max: The abomination of desolation.

    Amen.

    Did y’all hear the story about the woman that pitched some left over boiled okra out to some hungry hound dogs?
    Well, one hound dog caught the okra and gulped down. He swallowed it so fast that he thought the other dog had hogged it all, and jumped on the other dog and whipped him good.

    That’s not a problem here: 1) I don’t boil okra. 2) our dogs like fried green tomatoes (so do we).

    For the record, I hate boiled okra. Fried is good!

  77. Max: 911 did that for a while, but the organized church got over it quickly … this might be different.

    9/11 was a single SHARP event, not repeated (at least not at that level). This is a long-term continuing event that Won’t Go Away.

    Given that, I see individual churches (501c3s?) going in two separate directions. One is to NOT get over it as it just keeps going and going and going. The other is to keep Doubling Down and SCREAMING LOUDER! LOUDER! LOUDER!

  78. Meanwhile, back to the thread topic … hydroxychloroquine appears to be in short supply as demand spikes for COVID-19 treatments. All you Wartburgers using the drug for other ailments need to make sure you have 1-3 months on hand, as production gears up.

  79. Arthur: Whether this drug prevents me from catching covid-19 remains to be experienced.

    I’m not a scientist. From what I have read, hydroxychloroquine is being discussed as a possible treatment, not as a means of prevention.

    Here’s a CDC link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/therapeutic-options.html

    Excerpt: “There are no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs specifically for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. At present clinical management includes infection prevention and control measures and supportive care, including supplementary oxygen and mechanical ventilatory support when indicated. An array of drugs approved for other indications as well as several investigational drugs are being studied in several hundred clinical trials that are underway across the globe. The purpose of this document is to provide information on two of the approved drugs (chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine) and one of the investigational agents (remdesivir) currently in use in the United States.”

    The link shows some medications that are being actively tested.

  80. Ken F (aka Tweed),

    I checked out the site. It doesn’t sound bad! Okra is a common ingredient in gumbo, too. But, I just can’t see okra in a stew and wrap my head around the fact that okra in a stew is not the same as plain ole boiled okra.
    Unless mine is breaded and fried, I just can’t get past the image of that wide-mouth jar of boiled okra that my grandma kept on the kitchen table ……… I was my granddaddy’s little shadow and he liked boiled okra, so I saw an awful lot of that okra. My grandma was a fine cook, but boiled okra? No. …….. Took me years just to cave in and sample fried okra.

    A Maine recipe website……. I’ve spent some time in Western Maine – my husband was born and raised in Oxford Co.. There’s some fine food to be found up there (lobster, trout, salmon, and wild blueberry pie, just for starters….) but Maniacs don’t do cornbread – (or biscuits, or milk gravy….) at least not the Mainiacs I know. Hubby’s family didn’t even have a decent idea of what cornbread is, until I came into the picture. Two of hubby’s brothers and his father served in the military. The father was stationed at Ft. Knox Kentucky for 3 years …… he was very happy to discover that mess hall cornbread does not qualify as cornbread where I come from. (I don’t believe it even qualifies as food!)
    Hushpuppies were a new one on them, too.

  81. Did you-all make your tithe payment Sunday as Pence told Christians to do during his Saturday news conference?? He didn’t mention if illness or unemployment was an excuse not to pay.

    Gotta keep those 501c3s going

  82. From my daily scripture reading (we all need more scriptures and less of our own personal opinions:)

    Hab. 3:1 ,”Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
    Repeat them in our day,in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.
    God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran.
    His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth.
    His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand,
    where his power was hidden.
    Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps.
    He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble.
    The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed—
    but he marches on forever.”

  83. Iowa Steve: Did you-all make your tithe payment Sunday as Pence told Christians to do during his Saturday news conference??

    I think you reading way too much into what he actually said. Divisive people often do this. Also, with all the other major problems with this virus, why do you focus so much on this particular nit?

  84. Nancy2(aka Kevlar): It doesn’t sound bad!

    After we moved to Alabama my wife acquired a Cajun Cooking Encyclopedia (neither of us are from the South). It provides fascinating history on the development of Cajun food, and some great recipes. I am not a fan of okra, but after she found this way to include it in stews I have to admit it tastes like a slice of heaven.

  85. Ken F (aka Tweed): Okra is incredibly good in combinations with tomatoes.

    That’s the only way I can stand boiled okra. I don’t mind it fried, either, but if it’s fuzzy or slimy, I am not touching it!

  86. Here’s an article with some useful analysis about the scientific evidence of hydroxychloroquine + amoxicillin for covid-19. Bottom line – the evidence so far is pretty low-quality, and these drugs do have some side-effects. So prescribing them without good evidence could have some unintended negative consequences. Plus, some people depend on them for their health care, so prescribing them willy-nilly all over the place could have negative effects on the people who depend on them also, without much positive benefit to the people who have covid-19.

    https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/are-hydroxychloroquine-and-azithromycin-an-effective-treatment-for-covid-19/

  87. ishy: 9 Marks too many ideas on Twitter yesterday:

    They missed an opportunity by not including gps tracking devices, and perhaps software that reports on every web site their members visit.

  88. jeff allen:
    There were several foods I ate as a child in South Carolina that I quit eating many years ago.

    My grandpa is from the South (Arkansas) and had a muscadine bush out here (California) that a relative had brought him. It lived a long and fruitful life before moving on to that big garden in the sky. I sure do miss homemade muscadine jelly.

  89. Friend:
    I’d love to know others’ ideas for keeping things going. Where and how are you spending, both for charity and for goods and services?

    What you did with changed travel plans gave me a lot to think about, thank you.

    Our oldest goes to preschool, a small one run by a local church. Even though it’s cancelled for at least the next month, we’re continuing to pay tuition. And I do a mommy-and-me class with our youngest through the local parks-and-rec; we’re also still paying tuition for that, even though they’ve also been cancelled. We want the teachers to still be able to get some sort of income during this time.

    We’ve also decided to do take-out once a week from a local, independent restaurant, as they’re getting hit harder right now than larger chains.

  90. Wild Honey: We’ve also decided to do take-out once a week from a local, independent restaurant, as they’re getting hit harder right now than larger chains.

    Our local paper suggested buying a gift card, discount card, or gift certificate for your favorite restaurant. Even small family-owned places sometimes have those. (The sad risk is that they’ll go under before you redeem the value… but it will help prevent closures.)

  91. Yellow split peas (which may be called something different in Americaland) are not slimy, and make a fantastic thick soup (or, indeed, sauce).

    We’re fairly actively pondering going veggie the noo, as Boris announced full-scale lockdown. Admittedly, the UK isn’t the first country to do this. But the lockdown itself is hitting the elderly very hard. Even some who lived through the Blitz are saying it’s the most stressful thing they’ve ever experienced, as they deal with loneliness and isolation as well as food shortages and virtual house-arrest.

  92. Rich: prescribing them willy-nilly all over the place could have negative effects on the people who depend on them also, without much positive benefit to the people who have covid-19.

    And here’s another unintended consequence:
    “Phoenix man dies, wife in critical condition after self-medicating to treat coronavirus”

    https://www.azfamily.com/news/continuing_coverage/coronavirus_coverage/phoenix-man-dies-wife-in-critical-condition-after-self-medicating/article_fac3d7cc-6d48-11ea-9092-8b65922dc7c0.html

  93. Friend,

    More, and not scientifically precise. Were they self-medicating with a drug now in short supply, or ingesting a fish-tank cleaning chemical?

    “According to a press release from Banner Health, the product that the couple used was chloroquine, which is a malaria medication that they recommend to not be ingested or used to treat or prevent COVID-19.

    “The man and his wife, both in their 60s, became sick within 30 minutes of ingesting chloroquine phosophate, and experienced immediate effects requiring hospitalization. Chloroquine phosphate, is an additive commonly used at aquariums to clean fish tanks.”

  94. I’ve just spent 4 hours of my afternoon tutoring some boys in math, 8th and 9th graders. We have internet in our rural county, but it is not always reliable, and it is currently being overloaded. And 25% or so of our school kids do not have Internet access at home. The FaceTime classes that some places are doing are simply not possible here.
    Our schools are going to be in a real mess if things don’t change soon.

    Now, back to the food discussion: Why in the world hasn’t anyone brought up fried green tomatoes????? I can hardly wait to get our garden planted. Fried green tomatoes are the first things we eat from the garden!

  95. Nancy2(aka Kevlar): Why in the world hasn’t anyone brought up fried green tomatoes?????

    One of Mrs. Muff’s friends is a Southerner.
    We’ve had fried green maters’ on several occasions.
    I like em’, I think they’re good!

  96. I’ve thought of a great way to get toilet paper back on the shelves again. Pence makes an announcement that all alcohol distributors will be restricted shortly – because mingling and impaired social distancing. The hordes then make a run on the bottle shops – because herd behaviour. In the distracting melee the toilet paper is quietly put back on the shelves (along with hand sanitizer, tissues, et al). Iowa Steve, hope you liked this one 🙂

  97. Haitch,

    Shouting “There’s toilet paper at Dollar General!” in the WalMart coffee aisle is a good way to clear the house in order to get to the coffee you wanted.

  98. Max:
    Haitch,

    Shouting “There’s toilet paper at Dollar General!” in the WalMart coffee aisle is a good way to clear the house in order to get to the coffee you wanted.

    Barring any GI bug hitting, my TP supply is OK (several weeks’ worth). It’s paper towels I’m worried about — scarce as TP and my supply is starting to run low.

    I hear all these news items about TP & paper towels shipments arriving, but the shelves are still empty. Silly me, who didn’t panic-buy when the buying was good, just topped off my usual supply.

    And we are moving into the maximum danger phase of the pandemic. Lockdown should cut the number of new infections, but the curve in Wuhan showed a two-three-week delay before the visible cases and caseload declined. That interval will be the period of maximum spread and danger.

  99. Headless Unicorn Guy: I hear all these news items about TP & paper towels shipments arriving, but the shelves are still empty.

    There are 1.5 million WalMart employees in the U.S. Reckon where they get their toilet paper? They keep saying the TP shipments are coming in, but the precious recycled paper pulp never seems to hit the shelves. Hmmmmm …

    We asked the Dollar General check-out about their TP deliveries. Every Friday, she said. During the conversation, she indicated that her daughter in Arizona couldn’t find any, so she shipped her a case … a case! Reckon where she got it? Hmmmm …

    At our local grocery, I saw one of the city notorieties carrying 2 large packs of TP from the customer service desk … which appeared to have been stashed there for him. He obviously had TP connections. Hmmmm …

  100. Headless Unicorn Guy: And we are moving into the maximum danger phase of the pandemic. Lockdown should cut the number of new infections, but the curve in Wuhan showed a two-three-week delay before the visible cases and caseload declined. That interval will be the period of maximum spread and danger.

    Yes, this is no time for officials to get soft on mitigation or for citizens to get complacent about social distancing and hygiene. Don’t get in a hurry folks!

  101. Remember that older Arizona couple who poisoned themselves with Chloroquine-based fish tank cleaner?

    In a real bonehead reaction, the Governor of neighboring Nevada issued a total ban on all Chloroquine and Hydroxycholorquine prescriptions.