Doctors address a laundry list of long COVID symptoms

“We have had patients who cannot return to work. We have people from 2020 still struggling. It is quite disabling, and it is very real,” said Dr. Abby Pandula, a primary care physician with Kaiser Permanente in Hawai‘i.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization differ somewhat on their definition of long COVID but agree in general that long COVID involves a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems that continue for months, sometimes years, after initial infection.

“It is a whole laundry list of conditions such as fatigue, shortness of breath, difficulty concentrating, brain fog, chest pain, and heart racing. It could also include anxiety, depression, trouble falling asleep, joint pains, muscle pains, loss of taste or smell, even menstrual irregularities, and many more,” Pandula said.

Like COVID itself, long COVID is relatively new. There is a lot we do not yet understand about long COVID. It appears anyone who is infected with COVID may experience long-term symptoms, but some people have a greater risk of long COVID than others.

“Studies are ongoing, but right now, it appears that people who have had a very severe illness with COVID are much more likely to get it, although even some with mild symptoms have reported long COVID symptoms. People who are not vaccinated are more likely to get it as well as people with underlying conditions like diabetes or obesity,” said Kaua‘i Medical Center pediatrician Dr. Bob Wotring, who is also chief of Community Pediatrics for Hawai‘i Pacific Health. “Initial data shows that up to a third of people who had a severe case of COVID infection that required hospitalization will present with long COVID symptoms that can last for months if not longer.”

Dr. Fritzie Igno, who works at the Post COVID Recovery and Care Clinic at The Queen’s Medical Center, said there is no one way, no magic bullet, to treat patients for long COVID. Igno said all patients are different and are treated for their specific symptoms.

“We listen to their complaints. We find out what they are experiencing and from there we come up with a treatment plan catered toward their specific situation. So, for brain fog we do brain exercises. For shortness of breath we do deep breathing exercises. If there is a need for pharmacological intervention, a visit with a specialist, we can do that too,” Igno said.

Igno said the sure way to avoid long COVID is to avoid infection, and says staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines reduces the risk of long COVID.

“Get yourself vaccinated. It does not mean you will not have COVID, but vaccines can help prevent you from having the serious complications from COVID including long COVID,” Igno added.

“In general, our state is highly vaccinated,” Pandula said. “There is less severe long COVID (now) than we were seeing in the early part of 2021 and even 2020. So, I do believe the vaccines and the boosters are helping our patients,” Pandula said.

These doctors encourage anyone experiencing symptoms consistent with long COVID to seek help from their healthcare provider. They ask for patience and compassion for those dealing with long COVID.

“It is very important for people around these individuals to realize how debilitating this can be,” Wotring added.