Patients with brain fog linked to long Covid 'not getting attention they deserve'
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Long Covid patients suffering with brain fog and other cognitive problems have access to inadequate services compared to people experiencing other symptoms, an expert in the area has warned.
As the understanding of long Covid improves, symptoms are sometimes separated into those potentially linked to heart or lung, and to the brain.
However University College Dublin School of Medicine’s Professor Jack Lambert is critical of the emphasis on pulmonary symptoms here, saying eight of the State’s long Covid clinics focus on this compared to one at St James’ in Dublin for neurological problems.
He said he continues to see patients from around the country who struggle to get help locally.
In one example, he said a patient's "major problem was tinnitus and total exhaustion, her pulmonary specialist told her he hadn’t known tinnitus is a symptom of long Covid and told her to go on Youtube and google tinnitus".
Prof Lambert, a top infectious diseases expert, said he has discussed the shortfall in treatment with the HSE lead for long Covid Dr Siobhan Ni Bhriain.
“They put together a strategy that is really missing the target of long Covid damage, the services they are providing for these patients are really inadequate. It should be neuro-rehabilitation led,” he said.
“There are rehabilitation specialists at the National Rehabilitation Centre, they take care of patients with these conditions.
"People who post-head trauma have brain fog, concentration problems, sleep disturbances and a lot of the same things long Covid patients have.”
A HSE spokesman said: “the tone of the meeting was collaborative and constructive, with suggestions as to how Prof Lambert and his colleague could engage with colleagues already working on research in this area.”
He added: “There was a good discussion on the existing Neurocognitive Clinic and agreement that overall referrals to services will need to be monitored to help determine future needs of patients. It was emphasised that the model of care is an interim one.”
Prof Lambert said he has treated patients with low-dose naltrexone (LDN) to good effect.
A study he and a colleague published in July showed 38 patients had more energy, better concentration levels, and less pain after two months.
“It’s a licenced medication, anybody in the country can prescribe it,” he said. “We started using it for long Covid patients and it appears to be of benefit.”
A recent review by Reuters of long Covid treatment globally included this Irish study.
Meanwhile, uncertainty continues around how many people had or now have long Covid here.
A survey commissioned by the HSE from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre has not yet begun.
Phase 1 may start before Christmas but this depends on finishing preparatory work and levels of Covid-19 infections.
It will run in one area only initially, a HSE spokesman said. “Preliminary results are expected early in 2023 and further work will be planned based on these findings,” he said.
In Scotland one in 20 people who had the virus developed long Covid symptoms.
The most reported symptoms include breathlessness, chest pain, palpitations, and confusion or brain fog, the 'Covid in Scotland' study, published in the journal , found.