Smoking and Covid

Hello dear members of the ATS

Today I want to share with you my personal experience of Covid-19 disease. I got sick with this infection in December 2020. Prior to this, in the spring in Russia there was a lockdown for 1.5 months. I almost never left my house, working remotely on my laptop. The first exit to the city after the lockdown was in May - I was looking for a working hairdresser for a long time to get my hair cut. Then the indulgence began to subside, and before winter I almost forgot that we had a pandemic. I remembered about her only during my trips to Moscow. There you had to wear a mask and gloves.

But still I got sick. In December 2020, I was in Moscow with my daughter and grandson, arrived at the office of the public anti-corruption organization for which I work, and sat in the boss's office for half the day. We discussed our work, plans and drank tea with real natural Bashkir honey. After that, I flew to Saratov, took part as a speaker at the annual All-Russian anti-corruption forum, taking place online, and wrote my next article in the federal media.

At that time, my supervisor called me from Moscow, with whom I drank tea with honey, and said that he was infected with Covid, he was taken to the Covid hospital and had a CT scan of his lungs. He warned me that, most likely, I also contracted it from him. I was so engrossed in my work that I ignored this warning. And in vain.

The fact is that I did not have one of the main signs of infection - a dry, long cough. I have been smoking since the age of 14, a pack of cigarettes a day. In Russia, cigarettes are still produced without chemicals, with natural tobacco, I smoke them. Naturally, over the long decades of smoking, I developed a daily cough with profuse sputum production, the so-called "smoker's cough". Every day, especially in the morning. I had this cough. But suddenly my temperature began to rise. Both night and day I began to sleep, and I dreamed of some kind of nonsense. But 2 times a day, an alarm went off in my head, and in the morning and in the evening I put on a mask and gloves and went for a walk with my dog. I have a very old dog, a Chinese crested, he is over 16 years old, he is sick, his hind legs are giving up, and he has very little left to live.

I walked with him, fed and bathed him, lay down on the sofa and again plunged into delirium. During the break, when I was conscious, I measured the temperature - 38.5 degrees. I don't know what the temperature was when I was delirious. But clearly higher. But I didn’t have a typical dry cough, I had the usual “smoker's cough”. When I realized that Covid was ill, I called the district doctor from the clinic by phone. A woman came, listened to my lungs for a long time, measured my temperature and immediately called a team of covid doctors to my house.

“Aliens” in insulating “covid clothes” came to my house, took express PCR tests from me, and left me medicines for a course of treatment (there were no such medicines in pharmacies). Naturally, it was all free. After that, people from various medical and municipal authorities called me every day and asked about my health. After 6 days, I myself went to the clinic (although I was offered to come home), and passed another PCR test. I just wanted to walk a little and get some fresh frosty air. The test was negative, so my covid backed down.

Then came various complications of chronic diseases. But, most importantly, the doctors told me that I saved my lungs and avoided hospitalization in covid resuscitation and a ventilator, as well as more serious consequences just because I was a smoker with many years of experience, my lungs were trained for decades , and the covid could not seriously damage them.

Soon a year has passed since I was ill. Since then, I have had a lot of pain, but I didn't even have a cold. For me, there is a beacon, as soon as I start to get sick with any respiratory infection, it means that my immunity is weakened, and it's time to get vaccinated. Of the five Russian vaccines, the CoviVax Chumakov Center in Novosibirsk suits me best. This is a classic vaccine. We were all vaccinated with such vaccines in childhood. Until that moment came.

As a result, I realized that smoking is not always harmful to health. Sometimes it can even save your life. But do not try)))) Take care of yourself, health to all of you!

Thanks.

a reply to: RussianTroll

I really like reading your posts, I feel it gives me an insight to a foreign culture.

Smoking is bad though, and your experience is anecdotal.

I went through covid and was over it in around 2-3 days, I quit smoking about 12 years ago.

Every experience is unique.

a reply to: RussianTroll

Good that you are feeling better.

I would have thought that in Russia, plenty of hot tea with honey and lemon juice would be part of the treatment of any respiratory illness.

Someone told me that a daily glass of water with quinine [tonic water] and a zinc tablet is also good to prevent respiratory illness.

Cheers

a reply to: F2d5thCavv2

When I was sick with covid, I drank 2 glasses of natural pomegranate juice every day. We say that pomegranate is blood. It is expensive, but very useful)))

a reply to: RussianTroll

I've been drinking shots of what you would call бузина. Not a bad juice, actually.

Cheers

a reply to: RussianTroll


You are the only RussianTroll so please stay safe and take care. I have also heard other stories about smokers doing better with C-19 than non-smokers....I have also heard smokers will die with C-19 ! The truth is somewhere between both ends of that book. Glad you made it through the ordeal.

originally posted by: F2d5thCavv2
a reply to: RussianTroll

I've been drinking shots of what you would call бузина. Not a bad juice, actually.

Cheers

I have not tried elderberry juice. As a lover of antiques, I know that a mixture of broken red brick and elderberry perfectly and very carefully cleans old products from bronze, copper and other alloys based on them from green corrosive oxidative plaque)))

originally posted by: 727Sky
a reply to: RussianTroll


You are I only RussianTroll so please stay safe and take care. I have also heard other stories about smokers doing better with C-19 than non-smokers....I have also heard smokers will die with C-19 ! The truth is somewhere between both ends of that book. Glad you made it through the ordeal.

Thanks. a friend of mine)))
They say the Russians are paradoxical. But I'm probably the most paradoxical among Russians))))

a reply to: RussianTroll

My regiment was high doses of vitamin c - 3000mg/day, vitamin d3 - 200mg/day, zinc - 150mg/day.

I made sure to also get myself outside for sunlight, the natural way to get more D vitamin in the body.

a reply to: RussianTroll

Had the vid in winter 2020. Longtime smoker, barely any symptoms, most annoying was the complete loss of scent and taste. Longest time without a shower, first thing I wondered about, why do I not get smelly?

At some point I read that smoking affects the ACE receptors, which are the same covid likes, so there might be something to smoking...

originally posted by: Terpene
a reply to: RussianTroll

Had the vid in winter 2020. Longtime smoker, barely any symptoms, most annoying was the complete loss of scent and taste. Longest time without a shower, first thing I wondered about, why do I not get smelly?

At some point I read that smoking affects the ACE receptors, which are the same covid likes, so there might be something to smoking...

Yes, I also had no smells and tastes. The taste recovered soon, but the sense of smell is very weak, so I am experiencing an imbalance. And all the time a nasty smell haunts me, I can't write it. But it’s as if onions are fried in sunflower oil, only worse ((((This smell is everywhere and always.

a reply to: RussianTroll

Thanks for your input, I keep wondering how they are doing in Russia with this thing.I am a smoker but like you only tobacco rollups without the massive additives. We mixed with a large Chinese community, that had been coming and going from Wuhan, and I know many people with that cough you had been talking about before they even decided to call it a pandemic. I immediately went onto 2000iu of Vitamin D a day and 14mg zinc. and have only improved my general health. I would have your Vitam D levels checked as you are subject to just about zero sunlight in the winter. If you don't eat a lot of oily fish you can bet your levels are a bit too low. My dog is getting elderly and developed a limp, so I put her on about a cubic centimeter of root ginger I shred it every day, and after a week she stopped limping and is looking great.I hope this helps. Always enjoy your posts, so good luck over there.

one thing i do find interesting vis a vis this thread is that the official recommendations with taking the vaccines is to not drink alcohol, or smoke cigarettes. also there are rumors the say not to drink as much coffee, as in caffeine, but haven't found anything to support that one.

What you can safely do after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine What you need to know: COVID-19 vaccine helps to protect you from symptomatic, and moderate and severe forms of COVID-19. Even if you’ve already received your first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, you can prevent the spread of the virus to your family and community through the following: • Stay at home unless travel is essential • Open windows and ensure proper ventilation and air circulation at home or your place of work • Maintain a balanced and healthy diet, exercise, and avoid smoking and alcohol • Monitor your health and call your Barangay Health Emergency Response Team if you have symptoms AND POSSIBLE EXPOSURE TO THE VIRUS.

doh.gov.ph...

one issue other than what does smoking have to do with a vaccine shot in the first place. is how does someone addicted to smoking, supposed to suddenly stop smoking, just because they got a vaccine?

you will also note that it specifically tells those vaccinated that they still need to stay home, ie still quarantine, unless you actually need to go out. TO PREVENT SPREADING THE VIRUS TO OTHERS. now you might note that it says nothing about wearing masks at all. but that is because it is still legally mandated, as in law, that you must always wear a mask outside of your home. and when in stores, businesses, or workplaces, or in crowds outside (while maintaining social distancing), or while on public transit, you must wear a mask AND face shield. with absolutely NO EXCEPTIONS to wearing them whatsoever. it is "suggested" people wear masks in homes. but that is really due to so many "homes", being smaller than a smallest bedroom, we are familiar with in places like the US. and so no social distancing is even possible in those small homes. heck you might not even be able to be six feet away from your next door neighbor in their house, and poor ventilation in and possibly shared air between houses. which goes against pretty much everything we are being told in countries like the US. which keeps on saying once vaccinated there is no need for things like masks and social distancing. as well as the whole idea of mandatory vaccinations or you can't go to certain places, or work.