Anyone else still getting a racing heart months after Covid?

[Christoncrutches]

Started just after moderately serious covid infection in March/April 2020 - first time got ambulance out n’ everything but as my heart rate was even, albeit high, I was referred to GP who eventually, after repeated bouts of tachycardia, prescribed beta blockers to be taken as needed.

Seems episodic, normally comes on for a fortnight or so, then fades away for a while. At first it came back every few weeks and now, almost 10 months later, there have been gaps of months. Back this morning with a vengeance though - as usual coming on after a shower. Night times and morning are worst and it often wakes me up from sleeping.

I’ve been referred to the cardiac clinic at the hospital for further testing but the appointment took ages to come through then was cancelled because of covid, so I still don’t know for sure if I have any actual damage to my heart, or if it’s just a post viral reaction which will take time to go away. That lack of clarity always adds to the stress when I get an episode as I worry it could be more serious. Hard to calm down when your heart is going bananas!

I also have chronic pain since covid, in my ribs, back and shoulder, but the doctor hasn’t connected it to the infection - I personally think its all long covid and is caused my inflammation-related. Hard to prove or disprove that without a referral though. Generally feeling fucked off and mightily frustrated that there’s no follow up care. Anyone else having similar experience?

@Athinginitself

I think my ecg was fine, but then symptoms come and go so it probably would be. Have been referred to post covid clinic though as fatigue and chest pain is awful and am struggling to function at all normally (even for me and I wasnt doing great pre covid!)

I know exactly what you mean about the follow up care its just not there really. You get covid and they just don't follow up with it all.

@amyj606

Another quick update I've rung the doctors about my results as its a while until my appointment. Something has shown up but is nothing to worry about. Hopefully its something thats can be treated and might help with the ongoing symptoms

Is that something on your ecg that has shown up? Are they following you up

Yeah its not been great and I've just left things hoping it would just resolve but it's been 11 months now.

It's mentioned in this TV interview:
mobile.twitter.com/TexasChildrens/status/1359581914106122240

Its the blood results. I wasn't fully clear! I just wanted to find out really as the doctors appointment is a couple of weeks off yet.

@amyj606

Its the blood results. I wasn't fully clear! I just wanted to find out really as the doctors appointment is a couple of weeks off yet.

So they've explained it to you and you're feeling more at ease? Fingers crossed that's the case and at least you can drop you shoulders a bit!

I've had my new appointment through for my heart monitor - not sure if they're doing the scan on the same day... I hope so. It's in 2.5 weeks so not too bad.

I'm jealous of folk with access to covid clinics - in Scotland, there's no such thing, which I feel really let down by. Surely they'll have to address this as more people are infected and develop long covid symptoms. @Athinginitself I hope your referral comes through quickly and you get some proper treatment...

Hi

Yes most definitely hopefully it'll be something that can be treated. Its just getting to the bottom of things really. I can bring up the last of the symptoms when I speak to the doctor too.

I hope it all goes well with the heart monitor and scan. Its so frustrating trying to push for things isn't it. I do think more could be done to look at people post covid if that makes sense

Hi, I have also had all of this but have had classic 'long covid'. I am still fatigued 11 months on but improving.

Heart wise I have had ECG (short one and 24hr) and an MRI scan which showed resolving myocarditis in September. I had Covid in March but that was the soonest I could get the MRI (not on the NHS, via a medical study). Anyway I just wanted to say that with rest (a lot of it) my heart has improved. Before it would be 120/30 walking slowly on the flat (I am 38 and previously very fit) now it's at 105, it's high for me as would normally be more like 90 but it is improving and it feels a lot more normal. The sharp stabbing pains are gone and the palpitations / strong beats are lessening.

My DH has also had this and NOT had classic long covid. He has had a weird myriad of symptoms but lots of heart aches and pains and palpitations etc post exertion. He was fine after 2 weeks of Covid and went back to running / cycling (previously super fit), only to have to stop it all again as his heart was behaving so oddly. He has also had an ECG and MRI, for him it showed nothing but a very slightly decreased heart pumping figure which perhaps was the cause. We don't know as it was just part of a study and he as yet hasn't had a cardiology appointment on the NHS. He too has rested a lot and done no cardio other than walking and it seems to be improving.

I was really so worried about my heart as during the worst time for me it was really bad, hospital twice, sharp stabbing pains all the time, heavy ache in my heart. BUT it has improved hugely with rest and the cardiologist I spoke to (via the medical study) said he is hopeful i will fully recover. It's been 11 months now and I am only just staring to pick up my pace slightly walking . I was advised not to let my heart go over 110 which I have stuck to and went to 120-125 last month with no adverse affects. Slow and steady.... I will be re-scanned in March to see if the heart inflammation has fully resolved.

@longshot

Hi, I have also had all of this but have had classic 'long covid'. I am still fatigued 11 months on but improving.

Heart wise I have had ECG (short one and 24hr) and an MRI scan which showed resolving myocarditis in September. I had Covid in March but that was the soonest I could get the MRI (not on the NHS, via a medical study). Anyway I just wanted to say that with rest (a lot of it) my heart has improved. Before it would be 120/30 walking slowly on the flat (I am 38 and previously very fit) now it's at 105, it's high for me as would normally be more like 90 but it is improving and it feels a lot more normal. The sharp stabbing pains are gone and the palpitations / strong beats are lessening.

My DH has also had this and NOT had classic long covid. He has had a weird myriad of symptoms but lots of heart aches and pains and palpitations etc post exertion. He was fine after 2 weeks of Covid and went back to running / cycling (previously super fit), only to have to stop it all again as his heart was behaving so oddly. He has also had an ECG and MRI, for him it showed nothing but a very slightly decreased heart pumping figure which perhaps was the cause. We don't know as it was just part of a study and he as yet hasn't had a cardiology appointment on the NHS. He too has rested a lot and done no cardio other than walking and it seems to be improving.

I was really so worried about my heart as during the worst time for me it was really bad, hospital twice, sharp stabbing pains all the time, heavy ache in my heart. BUT it has improved hugely with rest and the cardiologist I spoke to (via the medical study) said he is hopeful i will fully recover. It's been 11 months now and I am only just staring to pick up my pace slightly walking . I was advised not to let my heart go over 110 which I have stuck to and went to 120-125 last month with no adverse affects. Slow and steady.... I will be re-scanned in March to see if the heart inflammation has fully resolved.

Thanks for this post. Sounds very similar to me, same age and same symptoms. I've had ecg which was abnormal and echo and bloods which were normal. Waiting for mri. Dr seems to think it's myocarditis and says he has seen a lot post covid similar age with this. It's just so scary.
Glad to hear yours is resolving.

@longshot

Hi, I have also had all of this but have had classic 'long covid'. I am still fatigued 11 months on but improving.

Heart wise I have had ECG (short one and 24hr) and an MRI scan which showed resolving myocarditis in September. I had Covid in March but that was the soonest I could get the MRI (not on the NHS, via a medical study). Anyway I just wanted to say that with rest (a lot of it) my heart has improved. Before it would be 120/30 walking slowly on the flat (I am 38 and previously very fit) now it's at 105, it's high for me as would normally be more like 90 but it is improving and it feels a lot more normal. The sharp stabbing pains are gone and the palpitations / strong beats are lessening.

My DH has also had this and NOT had classic long covid. He has had a weird myriad of symptoms but lots of heart aches and pains and palpitations etc post exertion. He was fine after 2 weeks of Covid and went back to running / cycling (previously super fit), only to have to stop it all again as his heart was behaving so oddly. He has also had an ECG and MRI, for him it showed nothing but a very slightly decreased heart pumping figure which perhaps was the cause. We don't know as it was just part of a study and he as yet hasn't had a cardiology appointment on the NHS. He too has rested a lot and done no cardio other than walking and it seems to be improving.

I was really so worried about my heart as during the worst time for me it was really bad, hospital twice, sharp stabbing pains all the time, heavy ache in my heart. BUT it has improved hugely with rest and the cardiologist I spoke to (via the medical study) said he is hopeful i will fully recover. It's been 11 months now and I am only just staring to pick up my pace slightly walking . I was advised not to let my heart go over 110 which I have stuck to and went to 120-125 last month with no adverse affects. Slow and steady.... I will be re-scanned in March to see if the heart inflammation has fully resolved.

Really interesting insight @longshot - so pleased its at least resolving and generally responding to rest and a gentle increase in exertion. I know i made the same mistake in trying to get back to running and hillwalking in the weeks after covid. We’re both at the same point - 11 months after, so I really do hope that if anything shows on my scan, it’ll be a similar story, and resolving. I’m curious if with the myocarditis, do your symptoms come and go? My heart rate will be normal for weeks and then I have episodes of the tachycardia... just wondering if that echos your or your husband’s experiences?

@ShopTillYouDropp keep us posted about the mri!

Hi @longshot how are you doing? Thanks for your post, sounds very similar to mine. I'm currently waiting for an MRI, consultant thinks I may have myocarditis. I've had ecg which showed inverted t waves with a normal echo scan. Did you have an ecg and echo scan and did they show anything

Sorry to hear you've all been having such a rough time after covid.

I had it at end of January this year (took three PRC tests and all came back negative but I had every symptom under the sun including covid toes so I am POSITIVE I had it), and having a lot of heart problems now, which didn't appear until about four weeks after I think I was infected.

It's a mix of lots of eptopic beats, (especially after going from sitting to standing), racing heart, (whenever I change position in bed, when I yawn, when I go from sitting to standing, when I walk somewhere, the list goes on), fluttery heart, a 'tight' feeling in the left side of my chest, and occasional pains. I often feel like an eptopic beat is kind of 'bubbling up' in my throat and waiting to happen, even if it never fully arrives. That might sound a bit weird, not sure how else to describe it!

It's not every day, it seems to come and go - I will have it for a few days at a time then it will disappear for a few days. Also doesn't seem to be related to exercise, caffeine or sugar. I'm finding it hard to get my doctor to take anything seriously which I think might be related to covid because I never got a positive test.

@MostIneptThatEverStepped I found it interesting what you said about ADHD meds - I recently went back on escitalopram SSRIs' for anxiety (have taken them many times before and always been fine), and I too have felt like they may be exasperating a problem already there from the covid. My anxiety has got pretty bad so not sure what the alternative is, really need the meds right now....

I'm hoping from everyone else's posts that with time and rest things will resolve themselves! And in case it's helpful before covid I was a very normal fit and healthy 35 year old with no heart problems (but raging anxiety, ha).

Interesting thread. I'm pretty sure I had covid (my home test was lost) as my dc tested positive then I developed the classic symptoms. I was hospitalised a wk later with atrial fibrillation & high heartbeat. They gave me fluids & IVabs as I had an infection. It happened again after my infection was cleared & I needed stronger drugs & longer stay to settle it. Having a scan soon, just hope it's ok.

Will try reducing gluten & upping probiotics though.

Can I ask how you all are now please? I am 3 weeks in and feeling awful

I'd also really be interested in knowing how some of the earlier posters on this thread find things are panning out for them.

I had Covid (very mildly, except...) about 35 days ago. Got the palpitations/racing heart around about day 10, 12? They actually started in after I felt I'd recovered from the mild symptoms of fatigue, a slight cough, a fleeting headache or two... Like many others here, I will get this lying down in bed, they will be triggered by turning over, lying on my side (or at least it's more obvious on my side), yawning ... But when I stick my finger in my pulse oximeter they are rarely worse than 90 BPM, it just feels worse IYSWIM. My resting pulse rate is normally mid 60's...

I've had ectopic heartbeats before and have had an ECG and twice worn an event monitor for that and was told, this is within range of normal. I actually think I've been experiencing these related to fluctuating oestrogen levels (am 48 and have had peri symptoms on and off for a few years). But I think the after effects of Covid are exacerbating them.

What freaks me out are the pains. Nothing is 'OMG I'm having a heart attack' bad but little stabbing twinges, most days for the last week or two. And sometimes down my arms - mostly left, sometimes right. WTF? This thread has massively reassured me but I'm going to call the GP again this week and talk about the pains, which weren't really a thing two weeks ago when I had a phone consultation about the heartbeat.

Anyway, I'd love to know how some of the earlier posters are doing with this sodding after effect. It's SO hard to chill out about something when it's your heart!

I developed pvcs post Co if (Feb 2020). Saw GP and had ecg which was normal but they are going to do 34hr recording to be sure.
I then had echocardiogram, I have to have one every few yrs because of meds I take, they diagnosed pcvs which apparently are incredibly common in menopausal women.
Anyway this was all done in June, August I was diagnosed with breast cancer and put on anastrozole to block estrogen production. Two mnths on the pcvs have significantly reduced. I suspect the wildly fluctuating estrogen levels were to blame. Now I’m pretty much estrogen free they have almost gone.
Heart rhythm problems are a feature of peri menopause.

Just to add echo found nothing abnormal apart from pcvs which in themselves are not dangerous but do feel similar to atrial fibrillation which can be a problem and I believe is a post Covid complication.

Hi there,

This is really interesting. I have been experiencing something very similar. I haven't had covid ( I don't think anyway). I would class myself as fairly fit but following a trip to my GP for something unrelated March , he took my pulse and mentioned a high heart rate. I think it was 125 and I had been sitting down. I then began to monitor it on my smart watch. It reaches 155 most days with very little exertion. If I go for a leisurely walk at lunchtime it can reach 170. I climbed quite a few hills in the summer and it was often often reaching 198. My friend who is less active than me and had the same watch checked hers and it was around 85.

I had an ECG done and blood test to rule out POTs and they said I was fine. GP said some people just have a higher heart rate. It does still concern me as I feel they thought I was being paranoid as I was being investigated for other issues.

I can sometimes feel my racing pulse if I am lying down but most of the time I am not aware it is happening.

Thanks for updating the thread

I'm really worried about this - my mum had problems with an irregular heart beat and anything heart is a bit concerning

Bloody hate covid

@Lifebegins21

Hi there,

This is really interesting. I have been experiencing something very similar. I haven't had covid ( I don't think anyway). I would class myself as fairly fit but following a trip to my GP for something unrelated March , he took my pulse and mentioned a high heart rate. I think it was 125 and I had been sitting down. I then began to monitor it on my smart watch. It reaches 155 most days with very little exertion. If I go for a leisurely walk at lunchtime it can reach 170. I climbed quite a few hills in the summer and it was often often reaching 198. My friend who is less active than me and had the same watch checked hers and it was around 85.

I had an ECG done and blood test to rule out POTs and they said I was fine. GP said some people just have a higher heart rate. It does still concern me as I feel they thought I was being paranoid as I was being investigated for other issues.

I can sometimes feel my racing pulse if I am lying down but most of the time I am not aware it is happening.

You can't rule out PoTS with a blood test and ECG. Best thing to do is Google the NASA standing test and measure your HR and BP for 10 mins and see what that shows you. Then find a dysautonomia specialist via the POTS UK website and get your purse out as unfortunately the NHS do not treat PoTS very well and unless you're very lucky, they don't give you medication either.

Here is the NASA 10 minute lean test for PoTS. batemanhornecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/NASA-Lean-Test-Instructions.pdf

Anyone suffering from palpitations, dizziness, chest pains, high HR following Covid should take it and look at the results.

And if you're bendy too, ie hypermobile, check out Mast Cell Activation disorder because Covid seems to be sending people's mast cells haywire which in turn causes PoTS/ dysautonomia. And if you're bendy you have a higher chance of having MCAS. You only need to experience symptoms in two areas, not all of them. Post Covid, mainly seems to be affecting people in the gut and causing gastro/ IBS type issues.

[quote Christoncrutches]@FatPatty - oops forgot to reply to you - I did check out POTS but ruled it out (maybe wrongly!) because I often get the heart racing symptoms lying down at night. I have heard of it being mentioned with long covid though![/quote]
PoTS is a specific form of dysautonomia which causes issues when standing. There are other forms of dysautonomia including where you can get palpitations lying down. Ironically PoTS seems to be the go-to umbrella term for all forms of dysautonomia, when in fact it's the other way around.

DD has had it for 18m following Covid. She had ME prior to that. I'd also discounted PoTS because she didn't seem like she had it and I thought I knew what it was. After 2 trips to A&E with chest pains, we saw a private cardiologist who diagnosed dysautonomia. She gets palpitations and her HR goes through the roof just watching Dr Who in bed. She's on heart medication now, but is still struggling with fatigue and other issues. Her HR is generally much better though, apart from when triggered by stress when it shoots right up.

I'm hypermobile, with cfs & fm

Mast cell has been a query for a while! As has POTS

Plus I have low blood pressure 93/64 was a recent one which is top of my range I can get the bottom number down to 55 quite often & the GP refuses to accept when it's 100/70 that's pretty high for me

Am the OP - 9 months on the high heart rate symptoms have mostly subsided…. Very occasionally notice it but its rare now that I need to take a beta-blocker. Was diagnosed with super ventricular tachycardia most likely caused by covid. Heart scan was fine and very reassuring. Seems its an electrical issue imo, caused by virus. Still have foul chronic pain issues which have become quite disabling and yet to receive specific care for this that makes any positive difference. I think i have covid-related muscle/nerve damage.