A year after contracting Covid-19, a Workington woman is still battling the effects of what has become known as Long Covid.

The worst thing for Lisa Rowe, 44, aside from the debilitating fatigue, is that she has developed voice problems meaning she can’t speak except with a whisper.

She also still gets regular migraines due to the Long Covid and remains extremely breathless and struggles to do even small tasks without becoming exhausted.

Voice problems are common with Long Covid but hers is so rare that she will have to travel to London or Manchester every three months for treatment.

Lisa, a social worker, thought she just had a heavy cold and had none of the persistent coughing thought to be the main symptom of Covid at the time. When her breathing became really bad and use of her asthma inhaler was ineffective, she went to Workington hospital and was tested positive for Covid-19.

“I was stunned. I had been so careful. I hadn’t gone into shops or anything.”

She said her oxygen levels were dangerously low and suddenly she was in intensive care, fighting for her life.

Dr Matthew Lane, a respiratory consultant who has been monitoring Lisa’s case closely, said: “While Lisa’s ongoing symptoms regarding her voice are rare, the fatigue and exhaustion she feels are not.

“This virus is something that we have never seen before and a year down the line Long Covid is now recognised as a very debilitating condition. As professionals we are learning all the time about the effect of and the possible treatments for this new virus.”

Lisa has been full of praise for North Cumbria Integrated Care for the support she has from several different services.

“The team have been incredible and the best thing is, they are all talking to each other and making sure for instance that I don’t have three appointments in the same day,” said Lisa.

“Workington hospital was brilliant and explained they would take a Covid test in case. The next day they told me I had tested positive.

"I was stunned, I couldn’t have been more careful and hadn’t been in shops or anything.They told me that I should go in and even though I explained that I was feeling better they insisted.

"My oxygen levels were really low and a few hours later I was in intensive care fighting for my life.”

Lisa spent a weekend in intensive care before she stabilised enough to be moved to a ward where she stayed for another two weeks until she could be discharged home. She was still very weak from the effects of the virus but she had no idea then that her next battle was about to begin.

“Being in hospital was really hard, obviously restrictions meant I could have no visitors but I was able to keep in touch virtually which helped. The staff in A&E, Intensive Care and Ward 2 at West Cumberland Hospital were amazing

“It was early June before I was discharged and three or four days before I came home was when my voice went really weak. I haven’t been able to speak clearly since.

“Very quickly I was referred by Barbara in the respiratory physiotherapy team to the speech and language therapy team to try and get my voice back.

"Barbara has continued to help with my breathlessness and breathing techniques. I am also being supported by the psychology team. I have still not been able to return to work.

"This has been such a blow to my confidence and it has been so hard, losing my voice has been only one small part of the Long Covid.

"Initially I did find it weird that three different services were talking about me but I honestly can’t thank them enough, it is fantastic that all the services are working together rather than on their own. They are all aware of where I am in my recovery.”

Barbara McCready, Lorna Gamberini and Dr Angela Waind have been incredible through the past year.

“I physically can’t do the things that I could before, I can’t go for a walk with my three beautiful Labradors and some days even just making a cup of tea exhausts me.

"I really can’t thank everyone who is helping me enough, hats off to the team in North Cumbria having a team that works together like this is amazing and I can’t thank them enough. Special thanks to Barbara McCready who coordinated the support I needed from the other services, I am so grateful.”

Anyone diagnosed with Covid who experiences symptoms for 12 weeks should see their GP about accessing Long Covid support.