Post-covid palpitations and vertigo

[ratussbaguss]

I've been having problems with vertigo and palpitations this year, for the first time. Possibly since having covid a year ago but definitely since having the two (moderna) vaccines. Hard to tell if one or the other, or neither, caused these symptoms - I'm not a panicker- but there does seem a correlation... wondered if anyone has experienced similar?

My DD had racing heart rate for 3 months post covid, it eventually settled.
From my experience looking after covid patients on ICU I would say the majority had rhythm issues, so the virus definitely attacks the heart during the acute phase.
it may also cause some inflammation even in less severe cases. any inflammation affecting the heart can cause rate and rhythm disturbances,
If you're worried it might be worth getting a check up from your GP

Thanks. I did actually go about the palpitations a few months ago and the blood tests and electro things seemed to show no problems... still there though. So you think it could be permanent heart damage from covid? Mental

I’ve had the same, it peaked in October when I had two huge spells of palpitations but I’d been having flutters since the spring. I had my two jabs in the spring and I’ve never had COVID as far as I know. I have just paid for a blood test to check for infection antibodies though to be sure.

My jabs were Pfizer. I’m seeing a cardiologist on Wednesday so I’m planning to ask about COVID and/ or vaccine links to heart issues. I’ve never had health concerns up until now.

@reesewithoutaspoon interesting what you say about rhythm changes, the cardiologist was querying SVT last time I saw him which I understand is a rhythm issue.

The covid virus causes general inflammatory changes. within many organs within the body. The heart is very sensitive and if there is any inflammation it can irritate the electrical system within the heart. Often it just settles with time as the inflammation recovers. Its not necessarily a permanent change, but its not unheard of with many types of virus.

Yes SVT is supra ventricular tachycardia and you can have episodes where your heart will flip into SVT and cause a racing heart rate, it can cause dizziness as if your heart is pumping so fast that it doesnt have a chance to fill properly then it can affect your blood pressure, leading to you feeling faint. If you get lots of attacks they can try meds or a procedure called an ablation, but most times it only occurs in short bursts and can correct itself.
One way of trying to stop an attack is holding your nose, close your mouth and try to blow out hard, with babies we used to dunk their faces in ice cold water, that worked too .

You might have had it post covid and then the vaccine has triggered a relapse.

I had some abnormal heart issues post covid that were investigated and diagnosed but now gone. I went to a long covid clinic last week because my relapses had started ramping up since the summer (when I had both jabs and also exposed to two of my children on separate occasions with covid). My symptoms have settled again now since maybe about 3 weeks ago but he did say that it is known that both vaccines and reexposure can cause some relapses in those with long covid. It is a small set back but it usually gradually gets better again.

Yeah I’ve had palpitations in phases for well over a year since having (untested but dx by doctor) covid in April 2020

Echo, 24hour ECG, bloods all done in autumn 2020 and this summer all normal.

Still there though.

No issues with my heart but after my first vaccine (Pfizer), I had a relapse of my vertigo / BPPV that had been cured for a few years.

Have a read about Postural tachycardia syndrome OP. It's quite common after covid and often a feature of long covid.

It's quite common to get PoTS after covid which this sounds like. Have a look on the POTS.uk website for how to get help. It's not life threatening but can be debilitating.

Thanks for the replies and sorry to hear others are suffering. I'm not sure what I have is POTS because position doesn't seem to affect it. But interesting to hear others have also been investigated for palpitations with nothing found but still ongoing, and same for the dizziness. 😒

I may go back to the doctor to see if there's anything that could help the vertigo

@VaguelyInteresting

Yeah I’ve had palpitations in phases for well over a year since having (untested but dx by doctor) covid in April 2020

Echo, 24hour ECG, bloods all done in autumn 2020 and this summer all normal.

Still there though.

Do your palpitations cause you to feel lightheaded/nauseous at the same time? Just interested, I'm still going to ask a doctor! Mine are more like my heart does beats that are less strong. It's weird. As I said I was checked out 6m ago and all seemed ok according to the doctor but obviously I didn't get any of them while I was wired up.

I had vertigo (BPPV) a few years ago which was 'fixed' after seeing a specialist and hadn't caused me any issues for ages...until I got covid last December then it returned with a vengeance. Luckily it seems to have resolved now but covid definitely kicked it odd again.

I had COVID in the summer & it took me two weeks to recover. A couple of weeks ago I had vertigo for the first time ever & I don’t think it’s a coincidence as I read it can be triggered by a virus. Either that or I’ve somehow been “weakened” by covid. It went away after a few days though.

Sorry I meant it took me two months to recover! I wish it had been two weeks …

@ratussbaguss

No not really. Mine is racing/strongly pounding heart. Makes me a bit breathless, but no nausea or dizziness. Does seem to come on when I’m due on my period or coming down with something, particularly.

Interesting.I had covid 6 weeks ago snd still have a racing heart and breathlessness. I had an ECG had which showed 115bpm resting heart rate, GP wasn't concerned....I had booster yesterday and feel shocking now.

Another GP said his daughter is still breathless 18 months on. They don't really know.

Interesting I don’t know that I’ve had Covid but I had a couple of months last summer where I just kept getting irregular heartbeat - 25-33% of my beats were ectopic and around the same time (just before) I had a blood test which showed high levels of inflammation. I’ve always wondered whether it was Covid related but I tested negative for Covid (in hospital) at the time.

DD (18) just diagnosed with POTS. She's convinced it came on after 'a virus' of some sort she had 6 months ago (some symptoms of covid, but tested negative)

How is everyone? Ive had covid 4imes now! 4 weeks ago being my last infection, my heart is beating even faster then before. Today it reached 157beats im out of breathe! Waiting ro hear back from my heart monitor results. Also just finished an awful heavy period x