A MAN from Carlisle has shared his story of the 'living hell' he has suffered - and is still going through - as a result of Long Covid.

Mike Boustead was waiting for quadruple bypass surgery at Cumberland Infirmary when he contracted the virus. Mr Boustead said that the rest of the coronary care unit at the time also contracted it, due to the unit's proximity to the Covid ward.

Subsequently, the 67-year-old was blue-lighted to Newcastle Hospital where he spent a traumatic nine weeks in intensive care and three in a respiratory ward, suffering from bleeds to his brain.

"They had to ventilate me consciously," Mr Boustead said. "I couldn't be put to sleep due to my heart at the time, they didn't think they would be able to bring me back around.

"No one talks about the pain of Covid."

He would spend days on end awake, strapped up to machines, isolated, and in pain - a situation which his friend Clare Losty described as 'beyond human endurance'. 

"He wasn't expected to live through this," Clare said.

"Mike left that hospital as a registered disabled and vulnerable man and still is, with no care whatsoever lined up." 

READ MORE: ‘More than 750,000 people’ in UK have had long Covid at least two years

According to the NHS, Long Covid is an affliction which can last well beyond the typical 12-week Covid recovery period and features a wide array of symptoms. It is a new condition which is 'still being studied'.

Before he went into hospital, the former BT engineer was in the gym five days a week, fishing and camping regularly.

Now he said it's a continuous cycle of hospital visits, paperwork, pain and worry as the consequences for the retiree remain far-reaching.

Three years later and Mike still struggles with his memory, respiratory, stomach and his bladder and hasn't been able to 'keep down a meal in over a week'.

"I had no plan of care when I was discharged from that hospital, I couldn't walk, I'd lost three and a half stone, I literally had to be held up," he said.

"It's stolen my life, I don't have anything to look forward to now.

"I've spent around £20,000 of my pension on private healthcare to try and deal with this.

"It's a postcode lottery when it comes to Covid aftercare, and the services I've had just keep passing the problem between each other.

"Have you ever heard of a disabled person being discharged from intensive care hospital without aftercare?

"I've been to hell and back, there's nowhere for me to turn, going through this living hell I've been through, I wish I'd never survived."

He has still not had bypass surgery but has been fitted with 12 stents in the meantime, and he said he is currently waiting for a double-hip operation due to the impact of the virus on his joints. 

Mr Boustead said he feels the only way forward for him to some kind of recovery would be from an intense rehabilitation programme. He is now seeking a referral to the Walkergate Park in Newcastle, a rehab centre that deals with people with disabilities caused by disease.

In a statement released by the North Cumbria Integrated Care, they said: "We are sorry that Mr Boustead feels he has not received the support he needs. 

"We can confirm he has been supported by our cardiac services and our Long Covid service. 

"We are more than happy to discuss Mr Boustead’s concerns further.

"Our Trust offers significant support for those with Long Covid.

"Long Covid affects people in many different ways and our service draws on the expertise of a variety of specialisms including respiratory, speech and language, persistent pain services and mental health.

"That way we are able to offer the most appropriate support for a person’s needs. You can be referred to our Long Covid service through your GP.

"Covid-19 is exceptionally infectious. Hospital outbreaks, particularly at the beginning of the pandemic, was something that the NHS across the UK – and health services across the world – had to manage.

"Our Trust follows national guidance in relation to the management of the virus and outbreaks," they said. 

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were approached for comment. 

 

NCIC: Long Covid support in north Cumbria

Covid-19 can affect each person differently with a wide range of symptoms. Recovery can take time and this will vary from person to person. Evidence highlights that ongoing symptoms could last for several weeks to many months after you contract Covid-19. 

Long Covid usually presents with clusters of symptoms, often overlapping which can vary or change over time and can affect any system within the body.

Some of these symptoms may include: 

  • Breathlessness
  • Chest heaviness or palpitations 
  • Ongoing cough 
  • Problems with speech or swallowing 
  • Fatigue or lack of energy
  • Memory, concentration problems and “brain fog”

The North Cumbria Long Covid Service is a multidisciplinary team of professionals who assess the individual needs of patients with ongoing symptoms 12 weeks following Covid-19.  

The service strives to ensure patients have access to the right healthcare professionals at the right point in their recovery.

Patients are referred to us via their GP practice and then complete an initial holistic assessment followed by input from other team members as required. 

Appointments may be via telephone, video call or face to face sessions and this may include group sessions.

This allows us to tailor the service to the wide-ranging needs of patients with Long Covid. If patient's needs fall outside the scope of our service patients will be referred onto other services as required including third sector organisations for ongoing support.

If you feel that you still have ongoing symptoms following a Covid infection it is important that you talk to your GP or healthcare practitioner. Your GP may carry out further assessment prior to completing a referral to the clinic.

They may also want to rule out any other potential causes for your symptoms.