England has Long Covid clinics but there are none here
Community nurse Maria Timony, 45, from Airdrie, has suffered from Long Covid since contracting the virus in June.
The hospice nurse and mum-of-four says she has experienced splitting headaches, fatigue and chest pain so bad she was admitted to hospital where a test suggested blood clots.
“It was found to be negative in scans but left the question of why tests proved positive and what else could have driven that result,” she said. “I got a negative Covid test in hospital but was later told that it may have been taken at the wrong time. I have never been referred to a Long Covid clinic – there are none in Scotland. “England has these clinics and a lot of people here in Scotland are disappointed to see patients getting multidisciplinary team care when we are not. That’s the care you what you need when you are unwell.
“GPS don’t have a lot of guidance on long Covid. I have a mixture of very good and not so helpful treatment and consultations are held online.” Maria, returned to work on Thursday for the first time for four hours, looking at patient’s case notes from her home.
“My managers are very supportive but community nursing teams are extremely busy so I want to be back helping my colleagues.”
Another Long Covid sufferer, Lily Burns, from Fort William, says she has now been referred to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for rehabilitation when local treatment failed.
The talented hairstylist was only 21 when she became desperately ill with Covid last April and was transferred to ICU in Raigmore. Her vital organs were being attacked by the virus, particularly her heart.
She said: “In the weeks after leaving hospital I felt I was recovering but fatigue and Long Covid has set in. Local treatment has not helped and I am now being referred back to Raigmore.
“This is obviously something that needs specialist care. My dad will drive me to the hospital for appointments.”