LAKELAND, Fla. — More than 3.5 million Floridians have been infected with COVID-19 at some point since the pandemic began about 18 months ago, and some are still experiencing symptoms months later.

An internal medicine specialist in Lakeland wanted to find a way to help people feel better, and is one of just a few doctors nationwide offering a specialized clinic for long-haul COVID-19 patients. 

Inside Watson Clinic in Lakeland, Dr. Kathleen Haggerty runs through exercises with Port Richey resident and COVID-19 long hauler Jolyn Vanek. After dealing with long-lasting COVID-19 symptoms since September 2020, the exercises they run through are far from easy. 

“OK, squeeze my fingers," Haggerty said. "OK, pull, push, make chicken wings."

After just one visit, Vanek said she noticed improvements, and started to feel a little more like herself.

“I knew it was bad,” she said. “I haven’t been able to work, but when you feel that weight lifted from your shoulders, it’s amazing. And it gives you that second burst of energy you need to heal yourself, to get better.” 

For the past 12 months, Vanek has been dealing with long-lasting symptoms from COVID-19 — things like brain fog, gastroparesis, even losing teeth. 

Vanek said she’s grateful she finally found help and is relieved to find someone who believes her. 

“It’s very frustrating," she said. "I would say the most frustrating part is not having people believe you, because I don’t necessarily look sick. Especially now, a year later, I should be better right? But I still have lingering symptoms.” 

Haggerty has spent a full year working with long haulers like Vanek, trying to figure out why they’re still struggling with symptoms.

“So, we are the medical detectives,” Haggerty said. 

She’s worked with more than 300 long-haulers so far.

“I’ve found a great deal of new things, like the dysautonomia that people are experiencing, the changes in heart rate, blood pressure,” Haggerty said. 

And she says the treatments she provides at her clinic are working.

“I’m thrilled," Haggerty said. "It’s wonderful to take a book, fold over the page and see another person that has gone off in better health. That is the best."

But with very few long-hauler clinics like it nationwide, her own schedule is constantly booked, with patients coming from as far away as Virginia for help.

“We have an overwhelming need for other physicians to do this service because I can’t do it all,” Haggerty said. 

Vanek said she’s grateful to have found Haggerty’s help and was reassured that someday soon her time as a COVID-19 long-hauler may finally come to an end.

“There’s hope," Vanek said.  "There is someone looking at it. There is someone collecting data and trying to figure it out."