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Weymouth teen to travel 300 miles for long Covid treatment Weymouth teen to travel 300 miles for long Covid treatment
(about 1 hour later)
Molly is preparing to travel to Liverpool for help at a pivate clinic to treat her long covid symptomsMolly is preparing to travel to Liverpool for help at a pivate clinic to treat her long covid symptoms
A Dorset teenager has described how "horrible" it has been living with long Covid for four years. Living with long Covid for four years has been "horrible", a teenager has said.
Molly, who lives in Weymouth, is now 16 and said she rarely goes out. When she does she needs the help of a wheelchair as she gets tired easily.Molly, who lives in Weymouth, is now 16 and said she rarely goes out. When she does she needs the help of a wheelchair as she gets tired easily.
Without dedicated NHS support in Dorset, she is planning to travel to Liverpool to attend a private clinic.Without dedicated NHS support in Dorset, she is planning to travel to Liverpool to attend a private clinic.
She said she has "two good days a week, maybe three, and the rest she is shut away". She said she has "two good days a week, maybe three, and the rest I am shut away".
She said the condition had made her feel "closed off from friends, from school, from anything". Molly said the condition had made her feel "closed off from friends, from school, from anything".
"It affects me every day, anything I do. It's symptoms from really severe fatigue to heart palpitations, fainting, I've had seizures and allergic reactions," she said. "It affects me every day, anything I do," she continued.
"It's just communications from the brain to through the nervous system not functioning properly, sending the wrong signals, which makes it really uncomfortable for people like us to live with it." "It's symptoms from really severe fatigue to heart palpitations, fainting, I've had seizures and allergic reactions.
"It's just communications from the brain through the nervous system not functioning properly, sending the wrong signals, which makes it really uncomfortable for people like us to live with it."
Molly gets tired easily and uses a wheelchair to get aroundMolly gets tired easily and uses a wheelchair to get around
Until 18 months ago Molly was receiving care at a local long Covid clinic until it closed for children. In November 2023, the Dorset Post Covid Syndrome Service - a long Covid clinic where Molly was receiving care - stopped its service for paediatric patients, only taking adults.
In November 2023, the Dorset Post Covid Syndrome Service stopped caring for paediatric patients, only taking adults. Children and young people were instead passed to a service for chronic fatigue.
Children and young people were passed to a service for chronic fatigue. But Molly said it was not equipped to deal with the complexities of long Covid and left her without specialist care.
But she said it was not equipped to deal with the complexities of long Covid and left her without specialist care. "I really struggled with that because everyone is still suffering, why have they shut it down?" Molly asked.
Molly said: "I really struggled with that because everyone is still suffering, why have they shut it down?
"Just because the pandemic was over it didn't mean that the people with long Covid, all their symptoms, didn't just disappear, and that was really hard.""Just because the pandemic was over it didn't mean that the people with long Covid, all their symptoms, didn't just disappear, and that was really hard."
The Dorset Post Covid Syndrome Service is now also closing for adults from 30 June.The Dorset Post Covid Syndrome Service is now also closing for adults from 30 June.
Molly now has an assistance dog called Woody who helps her around the houseMolly now has an assistance dog called Woody who helps her around the house
NHS Dorset has said: "We are leading a piece of work to ensure people who are currently supported by the service have access to the help they need, possibly through alternative routes or a different service model.NHS Dorset has said: "We are leading a piece of work to ensure people who are currently supported by the service have access to the help they need, possibly through alternative routes or a different service model.
"At this stage of the process, it would be inappropriate to share these details. When we have a confirmed solution, we will inform patients.""At this stage of the process, it would be inappropriate to share these details. When we have a confirmed solution, we will inform patients."
In the absence of specialist support, Molly and her family have been doing what they can.In the absence of specialist support, Molly and her family have been doing what they can.
A support dog called Woody now helps around the house. In July Molly will travel 300 miles to Liverpool to a private clinic, because they cannot find help nearby. A support dog called Woody now helps around the house.
Molly said she hoped a treatment for long Covid would be found, but in the meantime she wanted "doctors and hospitals to be actually educated on it, and for us not to be judged". But in July, Molly will travel 300 miles (480km) to Liverpool to a private clinic, because the family cannot find help nearby.
Molly said she hoped a treatment for long Covid would be found but in the meantime she wanted "doctors and hospitals to be actually educated on it, and for us not to be judged".
You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram.You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram.