FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WFFT) — Jodi Click is still on oxygen. She still gets a 103-degree fever when she tries to be active.
Click has been experiencing COVID-19 symptoms since March 19, 2020.
"I was feeling pretty crazy for the first month or so when it’s like, I’m not getting better. I’m not getting better. And everybody says I should be better by now, and so that was kind of frustrating to think you’re the only person not getting better at first," Click said.
But Click isn’t alone, Parkview Health opened a clinic Thursday morning to help research and treat what Dr. Fen Lei Chang calls Post-COVID patients, or 'long-haulers.'
"This is not crazy at all. It’s absolutely real, and this is what the options perhaps we can do," Dr. Chang said.
Some symptoms last weeks or even months after contracting COVID-19.
Chang says every person is different, so his clinic is looking for patterns in those who still aren’t fully recovered.
"We need to put it in the domain of science. And the science says we need to objectify the symptoms. We need to be able to quantify the symptoms, so when we have treatment options, we can look at effect objectively," Chang said.
Chang doesn’t have all of the answers yet, but with a team of doctors across multiple practices, he’s optimistic about being able to help.
"If each individual we can help to improve their function even recover a week earlier, it’s worth it," Chang said.
Parkview isn’t taking walk-in meetings, so they say people concerned about lasting symptoms should seek a doctor’s referral.
The clinic is starting small, with only about ten patients per week. But Parkview says it hopes to expand in the future.
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