Hi all, I wanted to give an update on day 50!
So last week I was feeling incredibly fatigued, I put it down to post viral fatigue (had all the symptoms) and just assumed the lingering chest pain and palpitations was related. I went to hospital on day 44 because I had a scary moment where I had got stressed about something and had suffered sharp pains in my heart area going into shoulder. GP immediately sent me to be checked. At hospital I had various blood tests, ECG and X ray, all were normal. They sent me home with a diagnosis of 'probable angina' and a spray to use if the pain came back and didn't go quickly upon rest.
I am lucky I have a friend who is a GP, I mentioned this to her and she was not convinced by the angina diagnosis. She said although theoretically possible knowing my health, weight, age etc it was unlikely. She mentioned something called myocarditis and told me to rest rest rest. At this point I booked a consultation with a private cardiologist which I had last night (phone).
During my consultation last night I didn't mention myocarditis, the consultant thoroughly went through all of my (suspected) covid experience, all my previous health, all my current symptoms and then said he thought it likely based on what I am experiencing now that it is myocarditis. The covid infection for me is gone but I have developed something else and am still suffering the post viral aftermath of covid as well.
I want to share my symptoms really to flag up that this can happen and people need to be cautious. He told me he has someone in ICU now with severe myocarditis as a covid complication so it stands to reason there will be less severe cases coming up.
Symptoms now on day 50:
- fatigue (lessening but there still)
-intermittent sore throat
- general aches and pains
- headache in the morning
- pottering around fine, less requirement to sleep during the day
(all above i believe are post viral symptoms)
Myocarditis symptoms:
- Palpitations
- Heart racing, feeling of pounding heart with exertion or during sleep
- Pain in chest, around heart, left breast area mostly 'dull' but definitely there, for me worse (heavier) if i lie down or exert myself (by that i mean stroll or lift something not run!!)
- Pain worse at night
- Sharp pains from time to time but these are only really happening if i do to much now
- rib ache (this may be post viral, i still have it, not sure if it's myocarditis related or not)
I also:
sometimes get jaw ache and shoulder ache, i feel groggy in the morning like I have a hangover a bit. I am not sure if these are post viral or myocarditis.
I can now choose whether to rest and take ibuprofen and see if it decreases or go for an MRI or Ultrasound which will give a clearer picture on how severe it is, if I need treatment, if there's lasting damage. Because I have had all the tests last week at hospital the consultant was relatively confident it is probably reasonably mild. He cannot be sure without an MRI. That costs a lot of money privately obviously!
I just want to stress that myocarditis is aggravated by exertion. It relates to the heart muscles being inflamed and rubbing against one another. he very strongly advised me (and my DH) not to do anything cardio other than light strolls until all the symptoms have gone and build up very very slowly. My DH has really mild symptoms, he has definitely had covid symptoms around 5 weeks ago but has been much less unwell than me. However he found that when he went or a bike ride or run his heart felt 'odd and pounding' and so i believe he has a very mild case too.
I am sharing this because prior to this illness we were both very fit and well. We are 38, runners/cyclists with low BMI. Non smoking, healthy eaters etc. You would think we would bounce back but that is not the case, especially for me. Please be really cautious. A lot is unknown about the covid recovery and complications. The Drs are learning as they go.