‘That’s the untold story’: Doctors concerned about unknowns of long-lasting COVID-19 symptoms

HAMRICK HAS THE STORY OF THE EMERGING PROBLEMS IN A GROUP KNOWN BY THE INSUFFICIENT TITLE OF LONG HAULERS. BRIAN: UNTIL NOW, A VERY DIM LIGHT HAS BEEN SHED ON A CIDOV ISSUE THAT DOCTORS ARE FINDING IS FAR MORE PREVALENT THAN ANYONE THOUGHT AT THE BEGINNING. ONE THAT HAS MANY SUFFERING BREATHING PROBLEMS, FATIGUE, AND THOUGHTS THAT GO DARK. MANY ARE NOW DISCOVERING A NEW KIND OF DARKNESS, WHERE FRAGILE IDEAS HAVE BEEN SHORT CIRCTEUID AFTER A BOUT WITH COVID. >> SOMETIMES THE THOUGHT GOES OUT LIKE A LIGHT, LIKE SOMEONE TURNING A SWITCH OFF, LIKE I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT. BRIAN: GAIL DONOVAN'S RECALL IS NOW ON CRUTCS.HE HER NOTES KEEP HER THOUGHTS FROM SCATTERING. >> IT'S TAKEN MY MEMORY, TO SOME DEGREE, MY SPEECH PATTERN, I CAN'T THINK OF WOR.DS BRIAN: SHE GOT COVID IN DECEMBER. NOW FIVE MONTHS LATER, STILL SUFFERING SOME OF THE MOST DRASTIC SIDE AFFECTS OF COVID,, FATIGUE, WEAKNESS, BREATHING PROBLEMS, LACK OF TASTE, SHE'S NOT ALONE. THOSE WITH THE PERSISTENT CONDITION ARE KNOWN AS LONG HAULS.ER AN INADEQUATE TERM TO DESCRIBE A COMPLEX SERIES OF DEVASTATING PROBLEMS. THE TRUE NATURE OF THE PHENOMENON PUZZLING EVEN TO LONG-TIME DOCTORS WHO HAVE SEEN JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING. BRIAN: YOU'VE DONE THIS FOR 40 YEARS, HOW DOES THIS COMREPA WITH ANYTHING YOU'VE SEEN? >> I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. IT IS THE MOST FRIGHTENING THING I'VE EVER SE.EN BRIAN: DR. DAVID WILTSE.IS A PULMONARY CRITICAL CARE SPECIALIST WITH GOOD SAM TRI-HE.THAL HE SAYS WHILE THE WAR ON THE VIRUS HAS KILLED ALMOST 600,000 PEOPLE LITTLE IS SAID ABOUT , SURVIVS.OR >> AND THAT'S THE UNTOLD STORY, THE UNTOLD PART OF THIS TRAGEDY, THE 50 TO 70% WHO ARE LIVING WITH A LOT OF DISABILITIES. BRIAN: DR. WILTSE SAYS THE LATEST INFORMATION SHOWS FOR PATIENTS FOR PATIENTS SIX HSNTMO AFTER COVID, 75% HAVE PROFOUND FATIGUE. 50% HAVE COGNITIVE ISSUE S 50% HAVE PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES LIKE DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. NEARLY 50% HAVE GENERAL MUSCLE WEAKNESS AND DIFFICULTY BREATHING. AND 10% HAVE SERIOUS LUNG DISEASE. RESEARCH IS FAR BEHIND THE GROWING PROBLEM. >> IF I HAD TO GUESS, THERE'S A PROFOUND DISTURBCEAN IN ENERGY METABOLISM IN THE BODY. BRIAN: TRI-HEALTH HAS SET UP A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY REHAB PROAMGR TO HELP, BUT THERE ARE FAR MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS. DOCTORS BELIEVE MANY MORE PEOPLE MAY BE SUFFERING SIDE AFFECTS AND NOT REALIZE IT'S RELATED TO COVID. >> I THINK THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY PROBABLY HASN'T DONE A GOOD ENOUGH JOB OF GETTING THIS PART OF THE TRAGEDY OUT TO THE PUBLIC. BRIAN: FOR NOW, IT'S THE LONG HAUL JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN, WITH CASES SO DEBILITATING FOR THOSE LIKE GAIL DONOVAN, IT'S NOT JUST CHANGED HER HEALTH BUT HER IDENTITY. >> I STILL ALMOST FEEL LIKE I HAVE COVID. ALTHOUGH, I DON'T HAVE COV.ID I FEEL LIKE IT'S STILL ALTERING WHO I AM PRIOR TO COVID. BRIAN: AS THE LIGHT IS YET TGOO OUT ON A RELENTLESS TWILIGHT ZONE BETWEEN HEALTH AND SICKNESS THAT HAS FAR TOO MANY LIVING IN A PANDEMIC PURGATORY. TRI-HEALTH IS SEEING DOZ

As restrictions are lifted and a light at the end of the tunnel begins to appear after an entire year of fighting COVID-19, doctors are concerned about complex and devastating issues emerging with those who have ongoing problems after fighting off the virus.People who have had COVID-19 and continue to have problems are known by what doctors are calling the inadequate title of “long-haulers.”At Tri-Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, they’ve set up a rehabilitation unit to help those suffering from lingering conditions like shortness of breath, fatigue and cognitive problems.Gail Donovan caught COVID-19 in December and said it not only affected her health but even her sense of identity.“I still almost feel like I have COVID, although I don’t have COVID. I feel like it’s still altering who I am prior to COVID,” Donovan said.Donovan said one of the most aggravating problems is trying to keep thoughts together.“Sometimes the thought goes out like a light, like someone turning a switch off, like I don’t even know what the conversation was about,” Donovan said.She’s not alone.“That’s the untold story, the untold part of this tragedy, the 50 to 70% who are living with a lot of disabilities,” said Tri-Health Dr. David Wiltse.Wiltse is a pulmonary critical care specialist. He said the latest information shows even 6 months after COVID-19, many are suffering.Wiltse said 75% have profound fatigue, 50% have cognitive issues, 50% have psychological issues, nearly 50% have general muscle issues and difficulty breathing and about 10% have serious lung damage.“I’ve been in this business 40 years. I’ve never seen anything more terrifying than this, anything more perplexing than this,” Wiltse said.

People who have had COVID-19 and continue to have problems are known by what doctors are calling the inadequate title of “long-haulers.”

At Tri-Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, they’ve set up a rehabilitation unit to help those suffering from lingering conditions like shortness of breath, fatigue and cognitive problems.

Gail Donovan caught COVID-19 in December and said it not only affected her health but even her sense of identity.

“I still almost feel like I have COVID, although I don’t have COVID. I feel like it’s still altering who I am prior to COVID,” Donovan said.

Donovan said one of the most aggravating problems is trying to keep thoughts together.

“Sometimes the thought goes out like a light, like someone turning a switch off, like I don’t even know what the conversation was about,” Donovan said.

She’s not alone.

“That’s the untold story, the untold part of this tragedy, the 50 to 70% who are living with a lot of disabilities,” said Tri-Health Dr. David Wiltse.

Wiltse is a pulmonary critical care specialist. He said the latest information shows even 6 months after COVID-19, many are suffering.

Wiltse said 75% have profound fatigue, 50% have cognitive issues, 50% have psychological issues, nearly 50% have general muscle issues and difficulty breathing and about 10% have serious lung damage.

“I’ve been in this business 40 years. I’ve never seen anything more terrifying than this, anything more perplexing than this,” Wiltse said.

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