Rapid heartbeat, palpitations and dizziness

[mudlarks]

So fed up and scared right now. It's always worse at night, maybe because my body is quiet and I'm trying to focus on sleep and not on lots of other things. Sorry if typos, on phone in bed

Had mild Covid. Finished isolation period on Friday just gone by. I didn't have fever, loss of smell, much in way of headache, but a slight cough and sneezing a bit. Quite tired, particularly at the start of it. Spent a lot of time resting. Now I'm 'through' it with just a slight cough and a bit tired Have been out and about twice, just to the shops. I was a bit tired after, nothing too bad.

But. During the latter part of my Covid bout and even more so since, I'm having horrible palpitations and racing heart. I did actually have a bit of this before Covid, and have even been seen by GP about it - wore a heart event monitor twice (you press a button if you think you're having an 'event') and it was thought to be normal irregular ectopic beats. I think I've had palpitations because of fluctuations in oestrogen (48, perimenopausal). But from onset of Covid it's been different and worse. I feel a horrible swooping sensation just before i get a run of rapid beats. A wave of dizziness sweeps over me after. In many ways it's like a panic attack and I've been telling myself that this is what it is, that my usual health anxiety is kicking in and exacerbating whatever is going on.

I do have an oximeter and my sats are fine - 99. (Fresh batteries too!) I'm not using it habitually but I just had a horrible run of rapid heartbeat which roused me out of my drowsy state and the oximeter says pulse was 91 FFS. (My normal resting pulse is 60- something and all I'm doing is lying in bed.) I notice it/it's worse when I lie on my side.

I don't think I get pain but maybe the odd twinge.

I know this long long post is going to read like a hypochondriac ramble and I know I'm anxious about my health. But this heartbeat thing is terrifying me and also, I'd just like to get some sleep! I have started to dread bedtime as I know it'll be like this. Please tell me this gets better. And that I'm not going to have a fucking heart attack.

You are not having a heart attack, Check out POTS. There are a lot of people suffering this as a symptom of long covid but it's all new.
I suffer similar (hence awake at this time) I've found drinking a couple of glasses of water helps as does breathing exercises to slow down heart rate.

Posted too soon, the above calms the attack but they can re occur. I've not found a fool proof way but if you can sleep propped up, it's supposed to help.

I know what you are going through as I have had the same but nothing to do with covid. You are merely assuming they are related.

If your heart rate goes over 120 get to A&E and they will give you medication to slow it to normal. This is what I did. It worked fine.

Is there any chance this could be caused by drinking caffeine?

I know it sounds a bit daft but worth a try - stop drinking any tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, also don't eat any chocolate, and see if things change.

Lastly, could it be low blood sugar? That's why I had same attacks in middle of night.

Next time neck a load of fruit juice. If you have none, dissolve sugar in hot water and knock it back.

Its horrid isnt it, I also am still recovering from covid. I agree, it is worse at night. I had to call out of hours tonight from symptoms. I agree with taking deep breaths but it is hard when everyone is still learning about covid and its hard to know what to expect.

Just thinking that is not very helpful but just know you are not alone. As long as your sats are ok that is the most important thing (according to my gp).

How is your thyroid? I ask because your heart rate is pretty low (unless you're very fit, of course).

I do get palps, dizziness and racing heart (often during the night) due to histamine intolerance. This is caused by not being able to handle histamine in foods due to vitamin deficiency. I'm wondering whether Covid might have triggered this in you - people with long Covid do seem to get it. It's not easy to sort out which foods are causing the issues, it could be any that have high histamine. You could try taking an anti-histamine and see if that helps at all. I take a good B-complex to help replace what I've lost. I also avoid high histamine foods and try to eat fresh food at all times to reduce histamine intake.

Of course I'm not a doctor so do get it checked out. Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks everyone. It's so hard to tell if this is something of what was already going on, exacerbated by current anxiety and Covid maybe - or if I'm just having one long panic attack. We all know that tingling in feet, dizziness etc can be caused by anxiety. This just feels .... more.

I'll ring the GP surgery tomorrow and see what they say.

WRT to my pulse rate, I don't measure it often (no reason to) but have been aware it's usually 60-something as a resting rate, but I didn't think that was particularly low. No, sadly I'm really not fit! (48, 14-16, my only exercise is everyday walking, probably a fairly high percentage of body fat, and I just made fudge.)

I just had a lot of bloods done to rule out why I was sometimes feeling faint before Covid (yes, I'm a mess) and I think thyroid was one of the things they were checking.

Will try breathing/relaxation exercises, and drinking a glass of water (problem with that is that it goes straight to my bladder and then I need to get out of bed).

If I hear anything interesting/useful to other people from my GP I'll report back.

Just an update after having talked to a GP on the phone today: he thinks this is not uncommon after Covid (and other viruses) and while unpleasant, not dangerous. He emphasised that a racing heartbeat might feel horrible but isn't dangerous. He did mention breathing exercises too! (very slow deep breath in, hold for a few seconds, let it out again as slowly, repeat) and that I should practice them at times when my heart rate isn't very fast, so I can bring them in when it does do that.

My blood test results had come back today, in fact - all clear and no thyroid issues.

I'm having left shoulder aches now but I've experienced this before with anxiety... Just trying to calm the fuck down (not my GP's actual words) and repeat 'it's normal, it's temporary'. God I feel so OLD with this though.

Hi Mudlarks,
Just wondering how you are getting on? I hope you managed to get to the bottom of it and things improved. I have similar symptoms and would be interested to hear how you're doing.
Fingers crossed for you x

I’ve been having the same, clear bloods and normal ECG. GP thinks it’s SVT and I’m being referred to a cardiologist. I was told to hold nose, close mouth and blow when it happens which often works but go to A&E if it doesn’t stop after 45 mins.

Also had covid in Jan.

Shade, thanks for that. I'm sure it will come in handy. Yes, my bloods/ecg were clear as well. I also have a gastric problem, started the same time as the palpitations. Someone mentioned 'buzzing legs' as being common which eases eventually. Am just trying to keep calm and do normal things which seems to help and which helps with the palpitations though not easy with lack of sleep. Good luck with it all anyway, hope it eases for you.