The medication Viagra saved the life of a nursing assistant who was in Covid for 28 days fighting for her survival.
Mother-of-two Monica Almeida, 37, from Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, was just three days away from having her ventilator turned off.
Mrs Almeida was given the erectile dysfunction drug by her colleagues at Lincoln County Hospital.
The ‘miracle’ drug caused her condition to improve in just a week and the level of oxygen she needed to drop by half as it opened up her airwaves.
Monica Almeida, 37-year-old mother of two, Gainsborough (Lincolnshire), was only three days from turning off her ventilator
Above, Mrs Almeida was administered the drug to treat erectile dysfunction by Lincoln County Hospital colleagues
“I joked with the consultant because I knew him after I came around.
“He said it was Viagra. I thought he was kidding, but he replied, “no, not really. You’ve taken a lot of Viagra.”
‘It was my little Christmas miracle,’ she told the Sun.
The specialist respiratory nurse, who works for NHS Lincolnshire and was born in Portugal, first tested positive for the virus in October.
Even though she was twice-jabbed, her taste and smell were gone and she began to cough up blood the fourth and fifth days.
When her oxygen level dropped to the hospital, she was released. But she was quickly rushed to Lincoln County Hospital because she couldn’t breathe.
She began to deteriorate and was eventually taken to ICU. On the 16th of November, she was in a medically-induced coma.
Because the nurse was in such serious condition, her parents advised that they fly from Portugal to bid their farewells.
Doctors decided in the last minute to try the new treatment that had been proposed to Covid patients. It dilates blood vessels, opens the airways and is a novel way of treating the condition.
On the 14th of December, she awoke from her coma and returned to her family.
To determine if Viagra can be used to increase oxygen levels, tests are currently being done.
Covid patients who have consented to take part in an experimental drug study can currently receive the drug.
Specialist respiratory nurse who works in NHS Lincolnshire, was born in Portugal and tested positive for Covid on October
She suffered from severe complications and her condition worsened.
“It was certainly the Viagra that saved mine. It opened my airwaves within 48 hours and my lungs began to respond.
Mirror: “If you look at how it works, it expands blood vessels,” she said.
After a long recovery with Artur, her husband and their sons (9 and 14 years old), Mrs Almeida now urges people to get the vaccine.
She told the Lincolnite: ‘There are people out there saying the vaccine has killed people. I’m not denying there are people who react and get poorly with the vaccine, but when we look at the amount of deaths we have in unvaccinated people there is a big message there to have your jab.
“It is concerning that many people oppose the vaccine, especially in Lincolnshire.”
“I didn’t expect to become as sick at the age of 37.” This happened to me, and it is something I hope people take more seriously.
On December 14, Mrs Almeida was able to wake up from her coma. After her oxygen levels stabilized, Mrs Almeida was able return to home for Christmas Eve. Pictured with her husband Artur (right)