Double Surprise: Doctor Contracts COVID-19 and Requires Stitches
Dr. Robert Wachter, Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, known for advising people about the risks of COVID-19, recently experienced a double surprise. Despite being fully vaccinated and receiving his second vaccine dose in April, he tested positive for COVID-19 last week. This unexpected turn of events led to another shocking incident – he ended up needing stitches due to his illness.
Unexpected Symptoms and Shower Mishap
Dr. Wachter’s symptoms initially started with a dry cough on July 9. That night, he developed a fever, chills, and a sore throat. The next day, while still feeling unwell, he made an unfortunate mistake. Dr. Wachter took a shower, not realizing the potential danger he was putting himself in. In a tweet, he described the aftermath, saying, “I woke up (sic) in a fucking pool on my bathroom floor… There was a dent in the lid of a garbage can, probably where my head had been hit. I didn’t remember anything. By the time I got up, it was clear my face was going to need stitches, and more than a couple.”
As a result, Dr. Wachter required stitches on the back of his head and forehead. He shared a photo of himself with a black eye, displaying the visible injuries he sustained.
A Highly-Followed Doctor’s Warning
Dr. Wachter, someone who has gained a significant following on Twitter for sharing his own risk assessments and COVID-19 advice, now considers his own case as a warning to others. He urges people to avoid the same shower mistake he made while experiencing flu-like symptoms. He explains how stepping into hot water when dehydrated and with the flu can cause blood vessels to dilate, leading to a dangerous drop in blood pressure similar to what he experienced. In his own words, “While the instinct to shower when sweaty and gross is understandable…that was exactly what happened to me earlier this week.”
An Unforeseen Hospitalization
Fortunately, Dr. Wachter was able to reach the UCSF ER with the help of his future son-in-law. At the hospital, doctors conducted two CT scans and an MRI due to the severity of the injuries to the front and back of his head. The scans revealed a subdural hematoma, which occurs when blood pools between the brain and the skull, and a neck fracture in one of his vertebrae. However, the MRI showed no further damage.
Grateful for the care he received, Dr. Wachter expressed his thanks to his colleagues who helped him recover. Reflecting on the scars that resulted from the incident, he humorously mentioned, “Fortunately, at my age, some scars don’t bother me much, and I think my wife likes me for reasons other than my seamless forehead.”
Antiviral Treatment and Future Behavior
Following his hospitalization, Dr. Wachter is now back home and in isolation. He is taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid to alleviate the severity and duration of his illness and reduce the chances of developing long COVID. Despite his personal experience, Wachter doesn’t anticipate changing his behavior drastically unless COVID-19 cases surge again. He will continue to be relatively careful, though, especially in clinical settings where he wears a KN95 mask. However, he acknowledges the need for extra caution when showering or taking a hot bath while dehydrated.
Key Takeaways
- Dr. Robert Wachter, a renowned doctor at the University of California, San Francisco, contracted COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated.
- While experiencing flu-like symptoms, he mistakenly took a shower, which resulted in a fall and the need for stitches on his head.
- Dr. Wachter warns people against taking hot showers or baths while dehydrated and unwell, as it can lead to a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
- He highlights the importance of continuing to follow COVID-19 precautions, such as wearing masks in clinical settings.
- Dr. Wachter’s experience serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of COVID-19 and the need to stay vigilant.
Summary
Dr. Robert Wachter, a widely followed doctor known for advising people about COVID-19 risks, recently tested positive for the virus himself. Despite being fully vaccinated, he experienced symptoms such as a dry cough, fever, and chills. In a surprising turn of events, Dr. Wachter inadvertently injured himself by taking a shower while feeling unwell, resulting in the need for stitches on his head. He is now warning others about the potential dangers of showering or taking hot baths when dehydrated and experiencing flu-like symptoms. After being hospitalized, Dr. Wachter is now recovering at home and taking antiviral medication. While he believes his behavior won’t change much, he emphasizes the importance of caution and adherence to COVID-19 precautions, particularly in clinical settings.
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CNN
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A doctor known for advising people about the risks of COVID-19 she got a double surprise: she contracted Covid and ended up needing stitches because of it.
Dr Robert Watcherwho chairs the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, said he had not tested positive for covid until last week, according to publications from his Twitter account. He said that he was fully vaccinated and that he had received his second bivalent reinforcement in April.
He said his symptoms began with a dry cough on July 9 and that night he had a fever, chills and a sore throat. Wachter said he made a mistake the next day when he showered while he felt these flu-like symptoms.
“I work (sic) in a fucking pool on my bathroom floor,” he wrote on Twitter. “There was a dent in the lid of a garbage can, probably where my head had been hit. I didn’t remember anything. By the time I got up, it was clear my face was going to need stitches, and more than a couple.”
Wachter said he required stitches on the back of his head and on his forehead, which he shared in a photo of himself with a black eye. He declined an interview to go into more detail about his illness and recovery.
Watchter became a highly-followed doctor on Twitter for sharing your own risk measurement and Covid advice during the pandemic, and has urged people to get vaccinated. He said his “Covid case is a warning” and warned people to avoid the shower mistake he made.
“While the instinct to shower when sweaty and gross is understandable, stepping into hot water when dehydrated and with the flu can cause blood vessels to dilate, causing a dangerous drop in blood pressure,” Wachter wrote, adding that that was exactly what happened to him earlier this week.
He said he was lucky to have his future son-in-law available to take him to the UCSF ER. He was admitted to the hospital.
Doctors sent him for two CT scans and then an MRI, due to the extent of his injuries to the front and back of his head, he said.
He said a head CT scan showed a subdural hematoma, which happens when blood pools between the brain and the skull. A neck fracture showed up in one of her vertebrae on another CT scan.
Wachter’s MRI showed no further damage, he said. He added a message of thanks to his colleagues who brought him back together.
“Fortunately, at my age, some scars don’t bother me much, and I think my wife likes me for reasons other than my seamless forehead,” he said.
After 24 hours in the emergency department, Wachter tweeted that he is home and in isolation. He said he is taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid to help lessen the severity and duration of the illness, as well as the chance of long covid.
As for future brushes with Covid, Wachter said he doesn’t think his behavior will change, as long as cases remain low. “I will continue to be relatively careful, but no more than I have been,” he said.
While he hasn’t treated any covid patients, Wachter said he wears a KN95 mask in clinical settings. He sometimes removes his mask in unattended meetings, she added.
“However, I will be more careful when showering or taking a hot bath or jacuzzi when I am dehydrated. That is an important takeaway from this mess,” she said.
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