'It's like I'm dying': Since getting COVID seven months ago, Jody can't sleep

The Advertiser

12-07-2025

Jody Croft says she has been suffering from insomnia since she contracted COVID seven months ago.
"I can't sleep at all. I'm scared," said Miss Croft, a mother of three.
"Sleeping tablets don't work. I've tried medicinal cannabis. I'm weak. It's like I'm dying," the mother of three said.
Miss Croft, of Cameron Park, said her COVID was not initially bad.
"I had body shakes, but because I wasn't sleeping I went to the doctor and did a blood test. That showed I had neutrophilia.
"I then went to the hospital and they said I had COVID."
Miss Croft, 42, said it felt like "my brain is deteriorating".
"I can't think straight. I'm confused and having hallucinations. Every day it's getting worse. I can't clean my house. I can't be a mother.
"I can't drive and haven't been to the shops for five months. I can't play with my kids. It's completely disabled me."
She had been to various hospitals repeatedly, including John Hunter, Belmont, Maitland and Calvary Mater.
The NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation states that long COVID can cause sleep disorders, neurological symptoms, cognitive impairment, memory loss, concentration difficulties and brain fog.
Dr Gemma Paech, a sleep specialist with University of Newcastle, wrote in 2022 of a condition known as "coronasomnia or COVID insomnia".
Professor Peter Wark, who has researched long COVID, said "there are many reasons for someone to have insomnia".
"It has been described in people who have long COVID, but we're seeing much less long COVID now. There's no doubt about that," Professor Wark said.
"Perhaps that's because the severity of the COVID illness is not particularly bad. The virus has certainly changed. Earlier types of the virus caused more problems."
When Miss Croft saw a doctor at John Hunter Hospital on Wednesday, her medical history since having COVID - which she shared with the Newcastle Herald - was noted as "insomnia and factitious disorder".
Factitious disorder is a mental health condition in which a person exaggerates symptoms, inducing illness. It is also known as Munchausen syndrome.
The notes also said the hospital had done "extensive investigations", with "unremarkable" results.
Miss Croft says she is not faking her illness.
"I'm sick. I think it's my brain. Every time I go to hospital, they say it's mental health," Miss Croft said.
Nonetheless, after months of asking she has been given appointments through John Hunter to see a neurologist and sleep specialist in two weeks.
"I can't wait that long. They're telling me I'm fixated because I'm at the hospital every day, but I want to know what's going on with me.
"I want to be admitted into the hospital, so they can monitor me."
A Hunter New England Health spokesperson said "the decision to admit a patient is based on the patient's condition and clinical needs".
"In most cases, people experiencing lingering after-effects of COVID-19 are managed in primary and community care settings," the spokesperson said.
"Symptom management is provided in primary care or referral to a specialist as required.
"We continue to remind the community to keep emergency departments and ambulances for saving lives and consider alternative options for non-emergency conditions."
Jody Croft says she has been suffering from insomnia since she contracted COVID seven months ago.
"I can't sleep at all. I'm scared," said Miss Croft, a mother of three.
"Sleeping tablets don't work. I've tried medicinal cannabis. I'm weak. It's like I'm dying," the mother of three said.
Miss Croft, of Cameron Park, said her COVID was not initially bad.
"I had body shakes, but because I wasn't sleeping I went to the doctor and did a blood test. That showed I had neutrophilia.
"I then went to the hospital and they said I had COVID."
Miss Croft, 42, said it felt like "my brain is deteriorating".
"I can't think straight. I'm confused and having hallucinations. Every day it's getting worse. I can't clean my house. I can't be a mother.
"I can't drive and haven't been to the shops for five months. I can't play with my kids. It's completely disabled me."
She had been to various hospitals repeatedly, including John Hunter, Belmont, Maitland and Calvary Mater.
The NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation states that long COVID can cause sleep disorders, neurological symptoms, cognitive impairment, memory loss, concentration difficulties and brain fog.
Dr Gemma Paech, a sleep specialist with University of Newcastle, wrote in 2022 of a condition known as "coronasomnia or COVID insomnia".
Professor Peter Wark, who has researched long COVID, said "there are many reasons for someone to have insomnia".
"It has been described in people who have long COVID, but we're seeing much less long COVID now. There's no doubt about that," Professor Wark said.
"Perhaps that's because the severity of the COVID illness is not particularly bad. The virus has certainly changed. Earlier types of the virus caused more problems."
When Miss Croft saw a doctor at John Hunter Hospital on Wednesday, her medical history since having COVID - which she shared with the Newcastle Herald - was noted as "insomnia and factitious disorder".
Factitious disorder is a mental health condition in which a person exaggerates symptoms, inducing illness. It is also known as Munchausen syndrome.
The notes also said the hospital had done "extensive investigations", with "unremarkable" results.
Miss Croft says she is not faking her illness.
"I'm sick. I think it's my brain. Every time I go to hospital, they say it's mental health," Miss Croft said.
Nonetheless, after months of asking she has been given appointments through John Hunter to see a neurologist and sleep specialist in two weeks.
"I can't wait that long. They're telling me I'm fixated because I'm at the hospital every day, but I want to know what's going on with me.
"I want to be admitted into the hospital, so they can monitor me."
A Hunter New England Health spokesperson said "the decision to admit a patient is based on the patient's condition and clinical needs".
"In most cases, people experiencing lingering after-effects of COVID-19 are managed in primary and community care settings," the spokesperson said.
"Symptom management is provided in primary care or referral to a specialist as required.
"We continue to remind the community to keep emergency departments and ambulances for saving lives and consider alternative options for non-emergency conditions."
Jody Croft says she has been suffering from insomnia since she contracted COVID seven months ago.
"I can't sleep at all. I'm scared," said Miss Croft, a mother of three.
"Sleeping tablets don't work. I've tried medicinal cannabis. I'm weak. It's like I'm dying," the mother of three said.
Miss Croft, of Cameron Park, said her COVID was not initially bad.
"I had body shakes, but because I wasn't sleeping I went to the doctor and did a blood test. That showed I had neutrophilia.
"I then went to the hospital and they said I had COVID."
Miss Croft, 42, said it felt like "my brain is deteriorating".
"I can't think straight. I'm confused and having hallucinations. Every day it's getting worse. I can't clean my house. I can't be a mother.
"I can't drive and haven't been to the shops for five months. I can't play with my kids. It's completely disabled me."
She had been to various hospitals repeatedly, including John Hunter, Belmont, Maitland and Calvary Mater.
The NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation states that long COVID can cause sleep disorders, neurological symptoms, cognitive impairment, memory loss, concentration difficulties and brain fog.
Dr Gemma Paech, a sleep specialist with University of Newcastle, wrote in 2022 of a condition known as "coronasomnia or COVID insomnia".
Professor Peter Wark, who has researched long COVID, said "there are many reasons for someone to have insomnia".
"It has been described in people who have long COVID, but we're seeing much less long COVID now. There's no doubt about that," Professor Wark said.
"Perhaps that's because the severity of the COVID illness is not particularly bad. The virus has certainly changed. Earlier types of the virus caused more problems."
When Miss Croft saw a doctor at John Hunter Hospital on Wednesday, her medical history since having COVID - which she shared with the Newcastle Herald - was noted as "insomnia and factitious disorder".
Factitious disorder is a mental health condition in which a person exaggerates symptoms, inducing illness. It is also known as Munchausen syndrome.
The notes also said the hospital had done "extensive investigations", with "unremarkable" results.
Miss Croft says she is not faking her illness.
"I'm sick. I think it's my brain. Every time I go to hospital, they say it's mental health," Miss Croft said.
Nonetheless, after months of asking she has been given appointments through John Hunter to see a neurologist and sleep specialist in two weeks.
"I can't wait that long. They're telling me I'm fixated because I'm at the hospital every day, but I want to know what's going on with me.
"I want to be admitted into the hospital, so they can monitor me."
A Hunter New England Health spokesperson said "the decision to admit a patient is based on the patient's condition and clinical needs".
"In most cases, people experiencing lingering after-effects of COVID-19 are managed in primary and community care settings," the spokesperson said.
"Symptom management is provided in primary care or referral to a specialist as required.
"We continue to remind the community to keep emergency departments and ambulances for saving lives and consider alternative options for non-emergency conditions."
Jody Croft says she has been suffering from insomnia since she contracted COVID seven months ago.
"I can't sleep at all. I'm scared," said Miss Croft, a mother of three.
"Sleeping tablets don't work. I've tried medicinal cannabis. I'm weak. It's like I'm dying," the mother of three said.
Miss Croft, of Cameron Park, said her COVID was not initially bad.
"I had body shakes, but because I wasn't sleeping I went to the doctor and did a blood test. That showed I had neutrophilia.
"I then went to the hospital and they said I had COVID."
Miss Croft, 42, said it felt like "my brain is deteriorating".
"I can't think straight. I'm confused and having hallucinations. Every day it's getting worse. I can't clean my house. I can't be a mother.
"I can't drive and haven't been to the shops for five months. I can't play with my kids. It's completely disabled me."
She had been to various hospitals repeatedly, including John Hunter, Belmont, Maitland and Calvary Mater.
The NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation states that long COVID can cause sleep disorders, neurological symptoms, cognitive impairment, memory loss, concentration difficulties and brain fog.
Dr Gemma Paech, a sleep specialist with University of Newcastle, wrote in 2022 of a condition known as "coronasomnia or COVID insomnia".
Professor Peter Wark, who has researched long COVID, said "there are many reasons for someone to have insomnia".
"It has been described in people who have long COVID, but we're seeing much less long COVID now. There's no doubt about that," Professor Wark said.
"Perhaps that's because the severity of the COVID illness is not particularly bad. The virus has certainly changed. Earlier types of the virus caused more problems."
When Miss Croft saw a doctor at John Hunter Hospital on Wednesday, her medical history since having COVID - which she shared with the Newcastle Herald - was noted as "insomnia and factitious disorder".
Factitious disorder is a mental health condition in which a person exaggerates symptoms, inducing illness. It is also known as Munchausen syndrome.
The notes also said the hospital had done "extensive investigations", with "unremarkable" results.
Miss Croft says she is not faking her illness.
"I'm sick. I think it's my brain. Every time I go to hospital, they say it's mental health," Miss Croft said.
Nonetheless, after months of asking she has been given appointments through John Hunter to see a neurologist and sleep specialist in two weeks.
"I can't wait that long. They're telling me I'm fixated because I'm at the hospital every day, but I want to know what's going on with me.
"I want to be admitted into the hospital, so they can monitor me."
A Hunter New England Health spokesperson said "the decision to admit a patient is based on the patient's condition and clinical needs".
"In most cases, people experiencing lingering after-effects of COVID-19 are managed in primary and community care settings," the spokesperson said.
"Symptom management is provided in primary care or referral to a specialist as required.
"We continue to remind the community to keep emergency departments and ambulances for saving lives and consider alternative options for non-emergency conditions."