From symptoms, to treatment, to recovery, Iza Calzado talks about her coronavirus battle

MANILA, Philippines – Actress Iza Calzado has detailed her experience of battling COVID-19 over a week after being discharged from the hospital where she was treated for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

During the administration’s public briefing on April 8, Iza talked about the symptoms she experienced, the treatment she received, how long it took for her to receive test results. and how she continues to recover from the illness that affected her lungs.

Timeline

She said started feeling symptoms on March 13, experiencing tightening and dryness of her throat, followed by a cough, fever, and loss of appetite. As Iza shared, she felt like she could treat her symptoms naturally as if it were the flu, and that she was apprehensive to go to the hospital for a test because at the time, she heard that test kits were “few and far between.”

“Nahiya po ako pumunta ng hospital agad kasi inisip ko mas marami tayong kababayan na mas nangangailangan na magpatest. Yun pala lumalalala na yung sitwasyon ko. Di ko napapansin na I was already out of breath,” she shared.

(I hesitated to go to the hospital because I thought there were other people who were more in need of testing. But as it turned out, my situation was getting worse. I didn’t notice that I was already out of breath).

Her symptoms worsened, and she went to a clinic on March 20, where they found that her white blood cell count was low, and that she already had pneumonia. On the same day, she went to the hospital, and got swabbed for the coronavirus.

Iza received her results on March 27, while in confinement. At the time, her manager said she was “recovering well” and could already breathe without oxygen assistance.

Iza said she was tested for the virus again on the same day, and it turned out negative. On March 31, she was given a third test, and she got her second negative. She was discharged on the same day.

Treatment

She said that once she was confined to the hospital, she was treated as a COVID case, even if she didn’t have her test results yet.

She shared she first took hydroxychloriquine – which she heard of in a tweet by Elon Musk – and azithromycin. Eventually, she was given lopinavir, a medication used for HIV treatment. Later on, she developed a bacterial infection on top of the viral infection, so she was given a separate set of antibiotics.

She then urged viewers to avoid self-medicating.

“Pagka may naramdaman po kayo hayaan niyo po yung doctor ninyo na magbigay ng gamot kasi hindi po lahat hiyang sa katulad nung HCQ or hydroxychloriquine. If you have a pre-existing heart condition, hindi po ito ang ibibigay sa inyo. So marami pong pinagpipilian ang mga doctor, yun po ay ang aking personal experience,” she said.

(If you feel anything, let your doctor give you your medicine, because not everyone will take to HCQ for example. If you have a pre-exisiting heart condition, they will not give you this. The doctors choose from many different treatment plans. This was just my personal experience.)

Recovery

Iza said that she has been recovering well, but is also taking her time. She said that after coming home from the hospital she still felt weak and that her speech was affected, but she started feeling better over the weekend.

“I’m still respecting my body, alam ko pong na nasa proseso pa siya ng healing…so kahit na feeling ko na marami akong energy, kailangan ko i-remind yung sarili ko na ako, I just came from a very serious battle na kung baga kailangan ko pa din magpahinga,” she said.

(I’m still respecting my body, I know it’s still in the process of healing…so even if I feel like I have a lot of energy, I need to remind myself that I just came from a serious battle and I still need to rest.)

She said that her doctors also reminded her to take it easy even if she feels energetic, because her lungs are still in the process of healing.

The actress also said that doctors stressed the importance of staying home at this time.

“Ang pilit po nila na igniigiit ay respetuhin po natin yung quarantine, that we stay home because it’s really the best way for us to prevent further infection. Kung baga yun yung way natin na matulungan natin yung mga kabayaan natin,” she said.

(What they really wanted to stress was for people to respect the quarantine, that we stay home because it’s really the best way for us to prevent further infection. That’s our way of helping people out.)

Iza also shared that the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and Makati Medical Center both reached out to her when she was discharged, to let her know of a blood and plasma donation drive for COVID-19 survivors. She said that those who have fully recovered can donate their plasma to help those in critical condition. She hopes to be able to donate by next week.

Thanking frontliners

Iza gave her thanks to medical workers and frontliners, especially the doctors and nurses who took care of her at Asian Hospital, where she was confined.

“I’ve witnessed firsthand po kung ano yung dedikasyon, yung pagmamahal at pagaaruga na ibinibigay nila kahit na pagod na pagod na sila, and I can just imagine what it is like for all the other frontliners all around the world, especially yung mga kababayan nating Filipino, so maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat” she said.

(I’ve witnessed firsthand the dedication, the love and care that they give even if they’re already exhausted, and I can just imagine what it’s like for all the other frontliners all around the world, especially our fellow Filipinos. Many thanks to all of you.)

Iza is one among the handful of local celebrities who have tested positive for the coronavirus, which, as of April 7, has infected 3,764 people and claimed the lives of 177 in the Philippines alone. – Rappler.com