A Covid-19 survivor has been so traumatised by her battle with the illness she has developed a mental illness.
Louise Morrison almost died after developing pneumonia when she contracted the virus and endured a terrifying month-long battle for survival, Daily Record reports.
She was left with ongoing symptoms even after recovery and still uses oxygen to breathe at home.
The survivor has also developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of the stress caused by her illness.
“I need help now. There must be so many people out there struggling and not able to access the specialist help they need,” said the 48-year-old from Tullibody, Clackmannanshire, in Scotland.
"All they can really do is speak to other sufferers in online support groups or go to their GP – and they can only do so much. It’s like there’s this huge void.”
The mother-of-three, who has asthma, spent four days in a Covid ward after testing positive in December.
But her condition deteriorated and she was transferred to intensive care.
Her condition got so bad she almost had to be put into a coma to save her life.
“At that time things started to get really frightening. I could hardly breathe, my temperature was sky high, then the ICU doctor spoke to me about how serious things were, what measures might have to be put in place and when my family would be contacted if I got more sick,” she recalled.
Louise developed Covid pneumonia and her breathing got so difficult on three occasions she was told she might have to be “rested” by doctors, which terrified her.
“That basically meant they wanted to anaesthetise and fully ventilate me. I saw this happen to many patients, but I always resisted as I knew if I lost consciousness, I’d no longer be in control,” she said.
Finally, after spending Christmas and New Year in intensive care, Louise was discharged on January 7 but developed Long Covid - a range of symptoms that can last weeks or months after first being infected with the virus.
She suffered breathing difficulties once more and had to have an oxygen tank installed in her home, which she now uses every day.
She also has panic attacks, flashbacks, headaches, and nightmares and has been diagnosed with PTSD, caused by her Covid experience.
The mental health problem develops after someone experiences a traumatic event and was first recognised in war veterans who referred to it as ‘shell shock’.
Louise was told she may have to wait 24 months for treatment for the condition and is now calling for Long Covid clinics to be set up to help people with ongoing physical and mental health problems linked to the virus.
“The only advice I was given leaving hospital was to go on a patient support website called ICU Steps,” she said.
“If we had proper, specialist Long Covid clinics, things would be different."
