'A nightmare': Granville County woman describes long-haul neurological symptoms from COVID-19

GRANVILLE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Among the more common symptoms of COVID-19 is the loss of taste and smell, which is indicative of a neurological problem.

But that's the least of the neurological symptoms for some COVID-19 long haulers who are experiencing things like hallucinations.

A recent blog from the National Institutes of Health cites ongoing studies of the human brain to unravel what may be the least understood of COVID's effects, neurological disorders.

"It's just been a nightmare. And I wouldn't wish this on anybody," said Lanette Remery of Granville County.

Remery got COVID-19 back in November.

8 months since testing positive, COVID-19 'long-hauler' describes the daily struggle

Her physical symptoms were relatively mild. But early on she developed other bizarre symptoms she had never heard of.

That including remembering and actually reliving and visualizing dreams she hadn't previously recalled.

The visions then transform into physical symptoms, according to Remery. "Then it would go all down my body. It would start with my heart. My heart would instantly go up 250, 160 beats a minute," said Remery. "My blood pressure would go up, my teeth would chatter, I would shake. I couldn't talk."

The Granville County woman was able to track her vitals with her smart watch.

She went to the emergency room a couple of times, to her family doctor, to a heart specialist and finally to a neurologist.

She's had a bunch of tests including brain monitoring but so far no specific diagnosis. The only thing that has provided any relief was an antihistamine she was prescribed.

"It's an anti-inflammatory as well," she said. "And so now I'm sleeping. So that that has helped."

Remery's husband says inflammation is why the neurologist sent his wife to a vascular specialist who has scheduled a brain scan for a closer look at the blood vessels in her head to see if her symptoms can be connected to the coronavirus.

"To make sure that there's enough blood flow and oxygen actually getting to her brain," said Mark Remery.

A study by the National Institutes of Health shows that while there's no evidence of the coronavirus infecting the brain, there is evidence of blood vessel damage and inflammation.

Mark Remery believes this may be the root of his wife's symptoms, frightening symptoms he watched play out right in front of him.

"And that really concerned me," he said.

After 35 years of marriage it's painful for him to watch.

And while Lanette Remery desperately wants to get over her long-haul COVID symptoms, one of the main reasons she's telling her story is to encourage others to take the only real route to avoiding what she's dealing with and get vaccinated.

"I don't want anybody else to go through this. Get your shot. It's not going to hurt you and it'll save you and possibly the ones that you love."