Hyderabad: Fifteen to 20 per cent of Covid-19 recovered patients are coming back to hospitals with complaints of lung fibrosis, clotting in blood vessels, low functioning of kidney and heart and paralytic attack.
Gandhi Hospital which has been the main centre in Telangana state for Covid-19 treatment is seeing many patients return with complaints. Many are not able to understand symptoms of breathlessness, pain below the knees, fatigue, low grade fever and obstruction in the throat.
Dr Raja Rao, superintendent at Gandhi Hospital, said, “Patients are coming too late as they think that they have recovered from Covid-19 and are safe. Due to this, most of them are coming back at advanced stages. They are scared no doubt but within 20 days if they again start to feel unwell, it is important to get evaluated. We are seeing a lot of advanced post-Covid-19 stages and we are trying our best to save them.”
The problem is that those who have been in home and institutional treatment and have recovered from Covid-19 believe they must now not go to hospitals as they will get re-infected again. But post-Covid 19 requires regular evaluation of the heart, lungs, kidneys and brain.
Oxygen levels in the body are low due to the post-viral syndrome and that leads to compromised functioning of the body. Those suffering from co-morbid conditions like diabetes, hypertension, kidney problems and other organ functional issues are further compromised.
Dr Sai Praveen Haranath, senior consultant pulmonary and critical care medicine specialist, says, “Lung fibrosis or scarring of lungs is also noted in influenza and other viral infections. It requires a proper treatment regime of six months. With so many people getting infected with Covid-19, post-Covid 19 numbers are also high.”
To enable health professionals, it is very important for patients who have tested positive and recovered to return regularly. It is important from the public health point of view say experts. Presently, there is a lot of uncertainty, confusion and denial of the problem in the community. It requires a proper approach wherein these patients can seek the right help and recover.
Experts state that post-recovery too, oxygen levels must be checked regularly. Discomfort, frequent irritation, inability to concentrate, difficulty in sensory functioning, persistent loss of smell and taste are some early symptoms. Experts state that it is important that people come in early as diagnosis and treatment will help only then.
With limited research on post-Covid-19 symptoms and trial and error basis of treatment, experts state that they are relying on steroids for treatment. It requires monitoring as there are side-effects.
It has also been noted that due to the fear of Covid-19, those suffering from standard diseases could not attend to them and those has aggravated. This is also one of the reasons for standard secondary illness to emerge more strongly once the infections from SARS Cov-2 reduce.
Symptoms to watch out for:
Shortness of breath
Fatigue and tiredness
Discomfort and constant irritation
Low grade fever
Sensory organs are compromised, with loss of smell and taste
