ODESSA, Texas — Ivermectin is a drug that's widely available, over the counter and online.
"This is going to sound crazy, but people have been taking it in the form of horse paste, which is like an over the counter de-wormer for horses," Alexandra Bibby, ivermectin user said.
Yep, you heard right. Horse paste.
It doesn't sound appetizing but that wasn't enough to stop Alexandra Bibby from trying ivermectin after reading about it online.
"Doesn't taste very good. It's like a bitter apple flavor paste or gel," Bibby said.
She started taking the drug back in October after getting worried about catching COVID 19.
She took it hoping for protection for herself and her family.
"I would take it anywhere between once a week depending on if I felt like I was going to be in risky situations to like once a month," Bibby said. "I'm not normally somebody that's into alternative medicines. That's not really my thing, but I was a little desperate. I don't want to get COVID. I was visiting my parents and they're kind of elderly."
Alexandra read various articles from web sites that sited studies mostly in other countries. None of those articles were backed by science or methodology typically used by health organizations in the U.S.
The National Institute of Health said most of those studies had incomplete information or limitations. Some of those things included small sample sizes, varying doses and outcomes that were not clearly defined.
But that didn't stop her taking the risk. She bought her first 3 packs off the internet.
"Pretty early on there was this retrospective study where people in Australia had just happened to be taking it for parasites. They seemed to be having better outcomes with COVID, so I just started keeping an eye out for it, seeing if any other studies popped up about it," Bibby said.
Thankfully for Alexandra, the COVID vaccine is now available.
"I actually just got my first vaccine shot a few days ago, so no more horse paste," Bibby said.
And so far, no side effects from the awful paste she so desperately wanted to try.
Alexandra said she has recommended friends with COVID-19 to take ivermectin.
The last dose Alexandra took of this drug was about a week ago right after she got her first COVID-19 vaccine shot.