Westchester Medical Center Starts Post-COVID Recovery Program For Patients Suffering Side Effects Months After Illness
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Recovering from coronavirus is proving much more complicated than many expected. Lingering health issues are affecting the body and mind.
So, a number of local hospitals are establishing aftercare programs to help guide patients through the post-COVID landscape, CBS2's Tony Aiello reported Monday.
"Two months after, I still had breathing difficulty. Two-and-a-half months later, I started to lose my hair," said Rosemarie Cmiel.
"It was a lot of depression, and I was having a lot of body aches and pain. Things happening to me that weren't happening prior," said Adell Davis.
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Davis and Cmiel are both still feeling the effects months after kicking COVID.
They're getting help from Westchester Medical Center's post-COVID-19 recovery program.
Dr. Carol Karmen says even people who had mild cases of COVID are reporting lasting side effects including:
- fatigue
- shortness of breath
- joint pain
- heart issues
- mental fogginess.
"It's a lingering effect of the virus. We're not sure if it has something to so with coagulation or, maybe, the immune response," Dr. Karmen said.
The recovery program gives patients a care coordinator who connects them to specialists, as needed.
Cmiel is in her ninth month of dealing with COVID and the after effects. She said her emotional wellbeing is also attended to.
"Knowing that I have people that are so supportive, and understanding, and compassionate, because it's so scary," Cmiel said.
"It's very beneficial to me and my family to have someone that you can speak with medically," said Davis.
The road to recovery from COVID-19 is proving to be longer and tougher than many expected.
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