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After COVID-19 recovery
For two weeks, a 45-year-old man has been wracked by a dry cough and shortness of breath. An RT-PCR done on him in early June had been positive for COVID-19 but he has been asymptomatic (without symptoms) during his stay in an intermediate care centre.
This is while a 73-year-old continues to complain of persistent shortness of breath since going back home from a COVID-19 treatment centre after being treated for COVID pneumonia. A CT (computerized tomography) scan of his chest shows fibrosis(thickening of tissue) in the lungs.
Dr. Chandimani Undugodage
These are just two people affected by COVID-19 who are glad to have survived and be back home but have lingering feelings of being unwell, causing much distress.
“Am I really out of the woods? Would I have to go back into hospital,” is what they keep asking the doctors, points out Consultant Respiratory Physician Dr. Chandimani Undugodage attached to the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the Sri Jayewardenepura University, focusing on challenges faced by those who have recovered from COVID-19.
She points out that they have recovered from COVID-19 but are not back to normal. This is called ‘Long COVID’ or ‘Post-COVID’.
What is Long COVID or Post-COVID?
Dr. Undugodage explains that it is a condition seen in people who have recovered from COVID but keep experiencing symptomseven after four weeks of the diagnosis of this viral infection.
The symptoms are:
Shortness of breath
Cough
Chest pain and palpitations
Backache, joint pains and muscle pain
Lethargy and feeling tired
Fever, malaise and headache
Loss of smell/taste
Dizziness and difficulty in concentrating or thinking
Feeling depressed and anxious, symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activities
Reiterating that it is not necessarily seen exclusively in those who have had severe disease, this Respiratory Physician points out that those who have only very mild or no symptoms during the first two weeks of diagnosis could feel like this after.
Looking at the long-term problems that may occur in those who have recovered from severe COVID-19, she says these could be “many” as a result of damage to the lungs, heart and other organs. The symptoms would depend on the organ affected.
What are the reasons for feeling breathless after a COVID infection?
Sometimes patients who have had COVID pneumonia develop what is known as ‘fibrosis’ of the lungs, says Dr. Undugodage, explaining that the lungs which are usually sponge-like become hard and wood-like. When this happens, the person feels breathless and needs further treatment.
She points out that even those who present with features of Long COVID may experience breathlessness despite their lungs being normal, while some who may have got blood clots in their lungs may feel the same.
What should you do if you think you have Post COVID problems?
Seek treatment, urges Dr. Undugodage.
The Sri Lanka College of Pulmonologists has set up Post-COVID Clinics across the country in state hospitals.
Dr. Undugodage explains that when a person comes to these clinics, he/she will undergo tests to assess heart and lung function. These tests include chest X-rays, a breathing test and a test to assess oxygen levels when walking.
Her earnest plea however is to prevent catching COVID-19 and thus avoid getting these complications.
“Wear a mask at all times, maintain social distancing, resort to hand sanitizing and get vaccinated,” adds Dr. Undugodage.
| Two conditions that may follow severe COVID-19 Dr. Chandimani Undugodage cautions that there are two conditions which are common to all those who have had a history of critical illness. These are: Post Intensive Care Syndrome – a condition in patients who have been critically ill and have had to spend a long period in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – a condition which follows a stressful situation. | |