This MD says he prescribes the Bangladesh formula (ivermectin + doxycycline) to more than 200 patients for five days (he dosed them for 5 days). Says nothing about IVMDX efficacy for those patients. When he caught the virus, he treated himself with the same regimen, at home, but went to the hospital when shortness of breath got bad, was put in the ICU. He attributes his life being saved to immuno-suppressor tocilizumab and the anti-Ebola drug remdesivir.
MUMBAI: He treated over 200 Covid patients before the coronavirus affected his lungs. Dr Jalil Parkar, who, among other things, has been known as the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's doctor, spent five days in intensive care and had to be given potent drugs emerging as anti-Covid treatment before he could return home on Thursday.
"I have now seen the disease as a doctor, a patient and as a spouse," he told TOI. The 62-year-old doctor - who has diabetes that is considered one of Covid's worst risk factors-and his wife were on neighbouring ICU beds at Lilavati Hospital, Bandra, where the doctor consults.
It started on June 8 with a severe backache. "There was no fever, no breathlessness, it was just malaise," said Dr Parkar. The effect on appetite, taste buds and sense of smell were next. The doctor started taking medicines that he prescribed to over 200 patients: antiparasitic medicine ivermectin and antibiotic doxycycline for five days. The breathlessness started thereafter. "My colleagues and administrators of Lilavati Hospital sent an ambulance, immediately got a CT scan and I was sent to the ICU," says the doctor to several celebrities.
To worsen things emotionally, his 57-year-old wife too developed breathlessness and was admitted to the ICU bed next to him. "It was terrifying to see my wife lying there in a serious condition. I kept wondering how I would explain things to our son who we haven't seen since the lockdown," he said. Their son who works in the hospitality industry hasn't been able to travel home and video calls are the only means of communication.
The coronavirus infection has, he said, changed him. The sixth floor ICU is considered one of Lilavati Hospital's strengths. "It has a beautiful soothing view and it was always a pleasure to work there with the medical team, but Covid has changed all that," he said.
"We underestimated its ability to affect our health," said Dr Parkar. Usually, a doctor knows which organ is vulnerable when a particular microbe or virus attacks a person. "But the coronavirus not only affects the lungs, it affects the patient's kidneys, liver, pancreas, the nervous system."
He believes he would "not have made it" if not for his colleagues providing care and medicines such as immuno-suppressor tocilizumab and the anti-Ebola drug remdesivir.
What has affected him a lot is that doctors and private hospitals are being seen in negative light. "I am still treating patients over the phone though I may need another week to get well," said Dr Parkar. "Doctors have a conscience," he said. "I have lost a lot of weight due to the illness. But no sooner do I get my back my energy, I want to go back to the Covid room.''
[-] TrumpLyftAlles | 3 points | Jun 22 2020 18:00:56
This MD says he prescribes the Bangladesh formula (ivermectin + doxycycline) to more than 200 patients for five days (he dosed them for 5 days). Says nothing about IVMDX efficacy for those patients. When he caught the virus, he treated himself with the same regimen, at home, but went to the hospital when shortness of breath got bad, was put in the ICU. He attributes his life being saved to immuno-suppressor tocilizumab and the anti-Ebola drug remdesivir.
MUMBAI: He treated over 200 Covid patients before the coronavirus affected his lungs. Dr Jalil Parkar, who, among other things, has been known as the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's doctor, spent five days in intensive care and had to be given potent drugs emerging as anti-Covid treatment before he could return home on Thursday.
"I have now seen the disease as a doctor, a patient and as a spouse," he told TOI. The 62-year-old doctor - who has diabetes that is considered one of Covid's worst risk factors-and his wife were on neighbouring ICU beds at Lilavati Hospital, Bandra, where the doctor consults.
It started on June 8 with a severe backache. "There was no fever, no breathlessness, it was just malaise," said Dr Parkar. The effect on appetite, taste buds and sense of smell were next. The doctor started taking medicines that he prescribed to over 200 patients: antiparasitic medicine ivermectin and antibiotic doxycycline for five days. The breathlessness started thereafter. "My colleagues and administrators of Lilavati Hospital sent an ambulance, immediately got a CT scan and I was sent to the ICU," says the doctor to several celebrities.
To worsen things emotionally, his 57-year-old wife too developed breathlessness and was admitted to the ICU bed next to him. "It was terrifying to see my wife lying there in a serious condition. I kept wondering how I would explain things to our son who we haven't seen since the lockdown," he said. Their son who works in the hospitality industry hasn't been able to travel home and video calls are the only means of communication.
The coronavirus infection has, he said, changed him. The sixth floor ICU is considered one of Lilavati Hospital's strengths. "It has a beautiful soothing view and it was always a pleasure to work there with the medical team, but Covid has changed all that," he said.
"We underestimated its ability to affect our health," said Dr Parkar. Usually, a doctor knows which organ is vulnerable when a particular microbe or virus attacks a person. "But the coronavirus not only affects the lungs, it affects the patient's kidneys, liver, pancreas, the nervous system."
He believes he would "not have made it" if not for his colleagues providing care and medicines such as immuno-suppressor tocilizumab and the anti-Ebola drug remdesivir.
What has affected him a lot is that doctors and private hospitals are being seen in negative light. "I am still treating patients over the phone though I may need another week to get well," said Dr Parkar. "Doctors have a conscience," he said. "I have lost a lot of weight due to the illness. But no sooner do I get my back my energy, I want to go back to the Covid room.''
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