Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

nature.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 154 posts

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#41

Post by Podgajski »

dannyphantom wrote: post #23

Oooh yes yes - this is such wonderful news! Literally weeks before the world changed my boyfriends dad had begun to explore the world of cooking; he was so happy when we would bring him to niche little grocers to try things he had never known about before and trying all the food - but after his infection, and for the last 2 years - nothing. No taste. No smell. We try to make up for it by encouraging him to make stuff…

It might interest you that zinc, just like Ensitrelvir, is a 3c like Protease inhibitor. You might have a try at getting his serum and RBC zinc tested.

https://www.jbc.org/article/S0021-9258(20)32476-5/fulltext

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#42

Post by Podgajski »

Daviey wrote: post #2

I've now had Covid 3 x times. The first time I had incredible taste and smell loss, taking in excess of 4-5 months to recover, perhaps not even fully. The other times, I had no loss of taste or smell. I do wonder why it only impacted me the first time. Different Covid variant, or something biologically changed in me, causing it to impact me differently?

Did you take any supplements after your first infection?

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#43

Post by gnicholas »

saalweachter wrote: post #27
gnicholas wrote: post #22

What would be the process for getting this drug approved for use in the US? I wonder if it would qualify for the EUA pathway, on the grounds that it's possible there is a limited window during which it is effective. Has this drug been used for other purposes, which would help regulators know whether it is generally safe? Or would they be assessing it from square one?

According to the article (and Wikipedia), it's a novel antiviral developed to treat COVID-19, and has reached (or completed, by now?) Phase III trials in Japan, and is currently in use there under an EUA (although I assume the acronym may be different in Japan). If this works for people who have had smell & taste lost for years after recovery, that would imply that the ongoing symptoms were the result of a lingering…

Does anyone know if it's in trials in the US, or how long the process might take? Just from this thread it seems like there's a decent number of people who have lingering loss of smell, for weeks/months/years after infection.

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#44

Post by Traubenfuchs »

achrono wrote: post #38
Traubenfuchs wrote: post #36

I greatly enjoyed my loss of smell. People in general and especially IT nerds are rather bad at managing their hygiene. How many of you nasty hacker news readers and commenters go to work with the same T-shirt for more than a day and don‘t shower daily? I had colleagues where I knew whether they‘d be in the office or not by smelling them when I entered the building.

Now are you sure that wasn't hyperosmia ? https://www.webmd.com/brain/what-is-hyperosmia

Probably, but still, smelling if someone used an elevator half an hour after they did is less of a me-problem and more of a you-problem. It should not happen and if it does, you are either disgusting or ill.

I consider myself an isotretinoin (the famous and highly effective anti acne medication with loads of dangerous, permanent side effects) "victim", in the sense that I suffer from medium to strong dry eye, nose and throat. Isotretinoin is known to improve sense of smell in those that suffer from a lack of it.

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#46

Post by oweiler »

dannyphantom wrote: post #23

Oooh yes yes - this is such wonderful news! Literally weeks before the world changed my boyfriends dad had begun to explore the world of cooking; he was so happy when we would bring him to niche little grocers to try things he had never known about before and trying all the food - but after his infection, and for the last 2 years - nothing. No taste. No smell. We try to make up for it by encouraging him to make stuff…

When I caught Covid I had very high fever and was in constant pain, but nothing was as bad as losing my taste. Can totally relate.

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#47

Post by Ajay-p »

oweiler wrote: post #46
dannyphantom wrote: post #23

Oooh yes yes - this is such wonderful news! Literally weeks before the world changed my boyfriends dad had begun to explore the world of cooking; he was so happy when we would bring him to niche little grocers to try things he had never known about before and trying all the food - but after his infection, and for the last 2 years - nothing. No taste. No smell. We try to make up for it by encouraging him to make stuff…

When I caught Covid I had very high fever and was in constant pain, but nothing was as bad as losing my taste. Can totally relate.

The saddest burrito in my life was when I had COVID. My doctor said I should take Zinc but that did not make it come back any faster.

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#49

Post by orra »

Baeocystin wrote: post #26
Daviey wrote: post #2

I've now had Covid 3 x times. The first time I had incredible taste and smell loss, taking in excess of 4-5 months to recover, perhaps not even fully. The other times, I had no loss of taste or smell. I do wonder why it only impacted me the first time. Different Covid variant, or something biologically changed in me, causing it to impact me differently?

I am reasonably certain I had covid in January 2020; felt like I had been hit by a truck, and recovery took weeks. As far as I know, I haven't had it since, but did get the vaccinations. Do you (does anyone here) know if there is a test to see if you did have it, or does the vaccine response swamp that signal?

Some blood antibody tests can distinguish between viral induced antibodies versus infection induced antibodies.

However, antibodies decrease with time. (We have memory T-cells etc for long term immunity). Whilst I am not an expert, I would be very surprised if virtual induced antibodies were still detectable.

What you describe: it is very possible you had COVID, but it is also very possible you had a bad flu. There are other viruses too, like RSV, which used to be rarely mentioned, but at times can be nasty.

Post reply on HN