Breathlessness and blood clotting are major post-recovery worries

Bengaluru: With cases ebbing, doctors are now confronted with complications like breathlessness and clotting among recovered patients. Several experts TOI spoke with said patients, especially above 45 years and who have recovered from moderate to severe infection, face these complications.

Dr CN Manjunath, director, Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research and member of the state’s Covid task force, says 5-6% patients develop clots in arteries, brain and legs. People also complain of fatigue, stress and diabetes, he said.

Dr Satyanarayana Mysore, senior pulmonologist from Manipal Hospitals and member of state Covid task force, says lung fibrosis is another complication. “The lungs take a long time to recover from the damage. People who recover could suffer breathlessness,” he said.

Dr Sujay Prasad, medical director, Neuberg Diagnostics, says they too have seen patients with clotting issues. “In some cases, we found clotting in the brain, but these complications don’t immediately manifest which makes it a challenge to identify or prevent.”

Dr Ravindra M Mehta, senior consultant and HOD, pulmonology, Apollo Specialty Hospitals, says he has also seen a return of familiar symptoms such as fever, fatigue and breathlessness, as well as more severe sequelae including impairment of renal and cardiovascular function, ongoing hypercoagulability, myalgia, depression, and other persistent physical and psychological effects.