DOTHAN, Ala. – Southeast Health is seeing a decline in new COVID-19 patients, but they have seen some patients return as they face issues the virus left behind.
“Certainly, it is too early to let their guard down, but it is good news we are coming down from the peaks from the post-holiday season,” Ravi Nallamothu, M.D., Southeast Health Medical Director for Hospital Medicine Department, said.
Lung damage is the main reason patients become ill. Dr. Nallamothu said most of the time those who have severe inflammation on their lungs are the patients who require intensive care.
“As the time goes by, most of those patients recover, the changes we see in the lungs could persist much longer,” Dr. Nallamothu said. “So far we have been dealing with this for 10 to 11 months now, we have seen a few patients who came back for other reasons with persistent changes in their lungs from their prior Covid infections.”
These changes can take time to heal, however for some they can last permanently. Dr. Nallamothu said the patients who have had prior lung disease are more likely to have permanent damage.
“The chest pain is one of the most common symptoms patients are having for a long period of time even after they have recovered from COVID-19,” Dr. Nallamothu said.
Dr. Nallamothu said they have seen a minor portion of patients have a higher risk of heart attack after COVID-19, along with other heart problems and lingering symptoms.
“People are having some palpitations, you know it’s like the fluttering of heart, which is persistent, again it is linked to the while infection earlier,” Dr. Nallamothu said. “Some people have what we call myocarditis, it’s the inflammation of the heart that happened due to the virus. Most people recover but some patients have persistent inflammation of the heart.”
“Covid fog” can also be several effects left behind, including fatigue, weakness and loss of taste and smell. When it comes to gaining smell and taste back, dr. Nallamothu said it just takes time.
He said for patients who had a more moderate case they are typically well by week two or three. However more severe cases can face symptoms up to six weeks.
