HomeAnswersInternal Medicinesore throatCan mild sore throat and diarrhea alone signify COVID-19 infection?

I got mild sore throat and diarrhea with chills after my husband's outside visit. Is this COVID-19 infection?

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The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Answered by

Dr. R. Rahul

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Vinodhini J.

Published At September 6, 2020
Reviewed AtSeptember 6, 2020

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I am living abroad and we are under lockdown. We do not go out anywhere and under quarantine at home with stay at home orders in place for area I live in. Groceries are delivered, washed at door, no bags even brought in. House is constantly being cleaned. I have not been out for over two months.

My husband does not go out except two times this month (only this month). Each time he wears a double mask, n95 and a surgical mask over that. We have a wash station infront of our home door. He washes down before entering, each time we even wash our door knobs with a spray of alcohol and bleach. He even sprayed down and showered. Those two times were limited to the pool.

Last week the day after his second pool supply visit, he started clearing his throat and had sniffles, then runny nose. He never ever gets sick in fact, I think he only has one bad cold a year and hardly ever caught flu. We do not have allergies here because we do not have the plants near us that caused him any issues it is not cold and flu season. By day two sniffles, runny nose all day, and I made him to stay in a separate room with a mask. I then developed a mild sore throat. On the day two I woke up having body chills. I am now on day 8, with mild sore throat, mostly in the evening with diarrhea started on day two. I drank water, ate yogurt, doable and took a nap. I have slight nausea but appetite is still normal. But I have some chills. I got better on day three. No more diarrhea since then.

We have kept a calendar, each of us wears a mask and we are pretty much in separate rooms. We are cleaning with disinfectant anything we touch. Today being day 8, I seem better. I still have a lot of mucus drainage in the back of my throat, but I do not have a fever, probably the reason my throat is irritated. However, I am taking Mucinex. I never had a fever, the diarrhea has stopped it feels like it is primarily in my head now with buzzing in my ears that almost sounds like noise. Even the tracks near my temples are sore, I have pressure in my ears. Twice it gave me radiating pain to tooth on each side at different times then went away, ear pressure is constant. On day 7, right before the dinner I got cold, like turn off the air body chills wrap in a blanket cold. I still ate dinner, and drank tea. Ears are back to that dull buzzing state. Chills left after an hour.

Friend of mine got a hold of her doctor the other day and he put her on a regimen of daily vitamin C, vitamin B, Z pack, Zinc, and heavy turmeric tea. I am on the same.

The first three days, I was on the Zpack 500 mg per day then 250 mg a day for three days. Now, My sore throat now is not as bad at all, just noticeable more so in the evening. I am NOT as exhausted to where all I wanna do is lay in bed. I am up moving, cleaning, and feel pretty good. In fact normal during the day, it is mid day to evening time it seems it hits again. But the pressure in the temples and the constant buzzing and noise is driving me crazy. I woke today with it and slight nausea, and cramping in stomach muscles, had chills in bed. We cannot get tested for COVID-19 here. I cannot see my doctor but he mentioned taking a regimen of Hydroxychloroquine 200 mg per day for five days to kick this. He said he had treated two patients with it and it worked. Yesterday, I started on that.

I am on Coumadin for blood clot 15 years ago from an elective surgery that was done with no preventive clot measures. In the past, I had fibromyalgia but under control medicine-free with healthy diet and swimming. I have minimal pain and flare ups. No medicines are taken for it. I am active except this lockdown.

My medicines as of today are Levothyroxine in the morning .75 mcg, Vitamins C, B, and D, Coumadin 5 mg, Hydroxychloroquine at 7 PM, and at11PM Lipitor 20 mg although perfect levels for past five years. Any help is appreciated.

Answered by Dr. R. Rahul

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

You have mentioned a very detailed health history and i have gone through it. Basically, you need to know the ways to tackle COVID-19 when things are not available at your location.

First keep it simple and eat healthy foods with fruits. Take vitamin C tablets. If you get runny nose or mild sore throat then gargle it or drink warm coffee.

Avoid HCQ unless required since you are on anti-cloting medications. Avoid groups and maintain distance from people. Other medicines can be continued no problem in that. Test is required if you get a fever with cough and difficulty in breathing.

Patient's Query

Thank you doctor,

Could it be something else besides COVID-19?

Answered by Dr. R. Rahul

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

As per the history given by you, it does not fit into a classical case of COVID-19. However, when there is a pandemic going on one must rule out the ongoing disease because if you get flu chances of COVID-19 might be greatly increased. Loose motions are also a symptom of COVID-19 now.

Since you have this mild sore throat for around a week now and your health is fine it is unlikely to be COVID-19. Good that you started on vitamin Cand turmeric tea. Now many times what happens is that when we use a mask for a long period of time, we tend to get a throat discomfort either because of blockage of free air or due to the mask itself.

Apart from all the treatment you did, you can also do gargles for three to five times a day and steam inhalation two times a day will also help in clearing your throat.

To say, what it could be other than COVID-19, we need to run some blood tests, chest CT scan, urine test, and also thyroid status to come to a diagnosis. Otherwise, nothing to worry about.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. R. Rahul
Dr. R. Rahul

General Practitioner

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