Wakefield’s Becky Metcalfe first developed Covid-19 symptoms in April 2020, just weeks after the pandemic.
But while others recovered quickly from the illness, she was not so fortunate and continued to feel worse as the weeks passed.
After being initially diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs, she continued to get worse and developed a series of debilitating symptoms.
She said: “At this point I had been out of work for weeks. No one was talking about Long Covid. It got better for a couple of weeks, but then I started going downhill again. But completely different symptoms.
“It’s literally from head to toe. It’s chronic headaches, scalp pain, hair loss, muscle aches. There are times when my legs just stop and I struggle to walk because they hurt.”
“This went on for months and months and months. I tried to get back to work about four times, but couldn’t.
“The worst thing is breathing. It is not shortness of breath. All I can describe is hunger for air. I can’t fully breathe. “
Covid tests were not widely available at the time 29-year-old Becky developed the first symptoms, so she never received a positive result.
Although her symptoms left her unable to complete even simple tasks, such as going for a walk, she said uncertainty about the cause of her illness has had a detrimental effect on her mental health.
It wasn’t until October 2020, six months after becoming ill for the first time, that Becky was officially diagnosed with Long Covid.
And in the new year, she was one of the first to be referred to the Long Covid clinic in Wakefield, where she is receiving specialized support for her physical and mental health.
Now she has started taking the first steps towards normalcy and hopes to be back at work in a few weeks.
But she says she still has a long road to recovery and believes more must be done for those suffering from Long Covid.
Becky said, “People think fatigue is tiredness, but it’s headaches, blurred vision, not being able to concentrate, not taking in anything.
“Long Covid attacked my brain. I have difficulty remembering things. It has been the worst 16 months of my life. “
Although Long Covid is still a relatively new disease, early research suggests that it disproportionately affects women in their 40s to 60s.
Becky wants more to be done to help those who are coming to terms with chronic illness and a greater awareness of ongoing symptoms.
She says discussions about Long Covid have subsided in recent months, despite thousands of people still suffering from severe symptoms, with no end in sight.
Although she has nothing but praise for the doctors who supported her through 16 months of illness, she says others have not been so lucky.
She said, “It can happen to anyone. But it’s gotten to the point where no one talks about it.”
“I feel like people are too scared to speak up and say something is wrong.
“I think there is a kind of stigma around it. I know other people are having trouble getting people to believe them. “
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said the government had “provided specialized care quickly” to people with Long Covid and was continuing to expand its services.
Becky said that the Facebook group she joined early in her illness, Covid-19 UK and Ireland Sufferer and Survivor Support, had been invaluable in supporting her for the past 16 months.
And he urged anyone suffering from Long Covid symptoms to speak with their GP and seek a referral to a specialized clinic.
He wants to see public figures, including politicians, talk about the disease and encourage people to seek support.
She said: “I think this is something I will have to live with forever. For anyone who has Long Covid, I cannot recommend the Facebook support group highly enough.
“It has literally been my support throughout. Just knowing that you are not alone. All I want to do now is try to help, raise awareness and share my experience with other people so they know that one day you will feel better. Some hope there. “.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “The government quickly provided specialized care for seriously ill COVID-19 patients at the beginning of the pandemic and we have matched that speed and scale in our support of people with protracted COVID.
“To help people suffering from the long-term debilitating effects of this virus, we have opened more than 80 long-term COVID screening services in England, including specialist services for children and young people as part of a £ 100 million expansion. care for those with the condition.
“At the same time, we are supporting our exceptional scientists with over £ 50 million to help research better understand the long …
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Source: www.yorkshirepost.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-08-22 05:23:44
