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St. Augustine COVID long-hauler dealt with emotional, mental effects from the virus

Depression, anxiety, and brain fog were part of the symptoms.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Even though the CDC has relaxed guidelines for vaccinated people, some COVID patients are still dealing with the side effects of the virus, especially the long haulers.

'I am just starting to feel myself," and that’s six months after Barbara Golden tested positive for COVID.

"I was just terribly sick," she said. 

Golden of St. Augustine works from home. And, for her job she is often out and about, doing publicity.

The virus took a toll on her physically.

"I could barely talk. I was having really deep chest pain," she said. 

Then this go-getter was all of sudden dealing with depression and anxiety.

"I think that’s where most of the anxiety kicked in. It was that I couldn’t go, go, go," Golden noted.

And then, there was the brain fog that keeps many long haulers from fully being able to concentrate.

Golden admitted, "Honestly I was very embarrassed to be in conference calls with colleagues, because I would, half-way through a conversation, forget what we were talking about."

She still has brain fog every once in a while.

"I really thought I was developing dementia until I look in the COVID survivor page and found it is normal," she said. 

On top of that, she lost half of her hair, and she believes it to be COVID related.  It hasn’t grown back.

Golden ran her hand through her hair as an example when saying, "I'd go like this and my hand is full of hair!! It was very depressing."

Golden finally started feeling like her old self after the second Pfizer shot this spring. Still, she plans to carry a mask in her purse and will get vaccinated whenever she needs to again.

"I just can’t risk being sick. I want my life back!"

    

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