Positive, antivirals and so so worried - please talk me down :(

[Senso21]

Firstly I have suffered with anxiety (especially health) for as long as I can remember

I have covid, day 5. Im CEV so was sent antivirals (Paxlovid) and and 2.5 days in on a 5 day course.

I just don’t feel right. Covid wise I feel fine, started the meds because I had full blown flu symptoms and wanted to stop in it’s tracks before it went to my chest. Well now I just have a blocked nose, and no sense of smell.

But getting progressively worse over the past couple of days is a dizzy/light headed feeling and thumping racing heart. If I’m sitting or laying down I feel great, perfectly normal. But the second I get up to do something basic (I.E. hang some washing out) I feel spaced out, feel like my heart is going crazy, shaky. I have a fit watch and can see that my heart rate is pretty much as it would usually be day to day, maybe very marginally raised. But I just feel horrendous whenever I try to do anything.

Im home alone with my children and I’ve just had a complete freak out. I’m scared that the Paxlovid is doing something dangerous to my heart. I spoke to the issuing pharmacist who said that it’s not listed on side effects but it’s a new drug so doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. On let advice she could give was to ring 111 if I’m worried something is not right. Which I don’t want to do as I find they always say go to a&e which I don’t want to do with my little ones in tow! And I can see my heart rate is ok.

im just in a terrible state. Feel like the cure might be worse than the cause and that I’m having some adverse reaction. I’m full of panic.

anyone had any similar experience with antivirals? Or with covid itself? Sorry that post must sound so hysterical. I feel like I’ve hit a wall!

Call your GP?

The racing heart, feeling of doom and being spaced out is also strongly associated with anxiety. I would imagine what you are experiencing is 90% anxiety, 10% covid. Not the antivirals. But I'm not a doctor, so speak to your GP.

Agree with above poster.

Please try not to worry. See my post above in response to another person with Covid/CEV.
Its rubbish, I have it at mo as does whole household (but not CEV, so appreciate there’s not the anxiety with that.).
Please take care and speak to GP if worried.

Thanks all. GP is closed over the weekend or else that would have been my first point of call.
it certainly does feel like anxiety but I wrote that off based on the fact that if I’m still and resting, I feel ok.
ive Cried an awful lot this morning, far more than necessary and do feel a bit of release to have let it out xxx

I'd say that's anxiety.

I had covid for the third time at 14 weeks pregnant now 28 weeks.

When I got up (this only happened the one time) I thought I was going to pass out. I went light headed and my hearing went for about 5 minutes. Midwife told me she thinks my blood pressure dropped. I felt absolutely fine afterwards and it didn't happen again.

If you can physically see your heart rate etc is fine then it won't be the meds playing with your heart. It is anxiety x

Hi @Senso21
What you’re describing, feeling fairly ok when sat down, but suddenly not ok at all when attempting a small task , heart racing, lightheaded etc, is EXACTLY what I’ve been experiencing for the last couple of weeks.
I have Covid.
I haven’t taken antivirals.

I have only had the odd half day of feeling ill, only a brief temperature.
So felt I had got away lightly, esp being CV.( not CEV)
It hasn’t been like a flu type illness pattern, although I do have quite the cough,but this feeling ok whilst lying bored on the sofa, but really quite off when I do something has now been going on for the last 10 days.

So, maybe, the antivirals have supressed your COVID infection, but not completely got rid of it?

Not having taken antivirals, I’ve just been thinking, well this Covid’s a rum sort of illness. I guess if I’d both taken antivirals and also had health anxiety, I’d probably be wondering if it was the effect of the antivirals.

(Suppression but not elimination is how antivirals work)

TLDR: don’t worry mate, what you’re describing is entirely consistent with how Covid runs for some of us.

@PinkButtercups that’s interesting as one of the antiviral side effects is raised blood pressure - wonder if that gives the same feeling?

@Evidencebased thank you so much - you’ve made me feel like im
not going mad!
How are you coping with this? I’m struggling to even do the basics for my children today! Is yours easing up a bit?

Well, it’s easy for me to cope physically, as DC are adults, so SO different from having young DC.
So I just do what I can, and try not to get worked up about the state of the house .
Adult DC living at home also had Covid, now recovered, but also experienced some similarities.
We went online and ordered a stack load of ready meals. Plus, unusually frivolous expense for me, a job lot of books from Amazon.
Today I’m feeling better, and actually enjoyed a dog walk this morning, but now feel the need to return to the sofa of boredom.
Definitely getting better ( and v grateful not to have been more ill)

Young DC? Different ballgame, I feel for you.
Tv? Videos ? Reading to them whilst lying down? I remember giving mine a long ‘playbath’ once -toys not normally allowed in bath, kept them entertained while I lay on bathroom floor.

Do take care of yourself. If your body tells you to rest, please listen to it- it’s the quickest route back to full health.

Best of luck.

I'm on blood pressure meds (following organ failure last year which has left me with high blood pressure issues) and one of them can also be prescribed for anxiety. I have to say if I miss a day I do feel more anxious than I usually would. So it could be blood pressure, but a few days of high bp will do you no harm.

It sounds like a mix of Covid and your health anxiety. When I was gravely ill I actually didn't think I was ill, get the kids a McDs/KFC/Pizza on Just Eat, one less thing to worry about, they'll be fine with that for a few days!

Are you saying you feel as though your heart is racing but it actually isn't? If so, I'm the same. Tested positive 5 days ago. The fever and sore throat are gone now, just a bit snotty and can't taste or smell anything.

But the fatigue, dizziness and jitters are something else. I feel as though I've been on a night flight half way round the world and had loads of coffee, despite having slept fairly well and having had no caffeine at all. I'm also feeling very emotional and sorry for myself. I have no idea how it would be possible to look after small children feeling like this - I had to have a lie down after getting dressed. Do you have any backup? Hope you feel better very soon.

Extreme fatigue and dizziness is how I experienced Covid, and it went on longer than 5 days, sorry to say. No anti-virals. I can't say for sure and perhaps you should phone dr, but covid does make you feel really sick, some people anyway, and headache, fatigue and dizziness is standard stuff. I had to lie down for approx two weeks. It is a nightmare with kids, so I totally feel for you on that score.

@Evidencebased some good advice, you’re so very right!
hope you enjoyed you’re walk, fresh air is always a good idea. Feel better soon x

I also think it's covid. I had similar symptoms when I had it both times.

Anxiety doesn't cause symptoms just on exertion.

@WiseUpJanetWeiss exactly this. I pretty much feel like I’m having a heart attack although I’m laying down and I can see from my watch that it’s 75bpm (v average for me)

I feel panic attack like. Heart racing, weak, light headed and nervous. It’s how you’d feel when you’ve just been told some awful news or seen something terrible, but I feel like that every time I get up to do something

And the more I’m aware of it the worse the sensation is getting and the more worried I’m getting 😫

I have Covid right now, I’m on day 13 tested negative yesterday….means nothing to me!
I still feel horrendous, like I’ve been hit with a train along with all the symptoms you describe, that is me and I’m not on anti virals.
I can’t imagine ever feeling well again. Maybe it’s Covid that’s making you feel so bad not the anti virals?

@Furcoatandnoknickerz 13 days?!! You have all my sympathy. 5 in and I’m totally done.
fed up of worrying about each thing I feel 😥hoping you’re better asap x

@Senso21 thankyou! I never imagined I would feel this bad after hearing all the “ it’s just a cold brigade” !
I hope you recover quicker than I am !

I’m so sorry you are feeling this bad, but I am so glad you posted and enabled us to compare notes. My heart rate is currently at its normal resting 60bpm too (always has been quite low) but you’re right, it feels like a panic attack and I am easily startled by the slightest noise.

I have been listening to podcasts which has been providing some welcome distraction and the boring ones help soothe me to sleep.

I also thought it would be like a cold but was much sicker than even when I had flu.

Take your watch off would be my advice and just focus on resting , sounds like covid symptoms being exacerbated by your anxiety

I’m at the tail end of covid and have a diagnosis of GAD though I cope well with my anxiety. Your symptoms sound v similar to how I was a few days ago - thumping heart, slightly breathless, lightheaded and a little dizzy. It did worry me a little and I’m usually v robust about
my physical health. I’m almost completely fine now. Please don’t worry, just rest as much as you can.

I had a racing heart with my first bout of Covid. Rest rest rest ( no hanging out washing).

I really do feel SO much better just from reading all the similar responses. I’ve calmed right down. Had a lay down for an hour, albeit with the kids running around me screaming😂and I’ve even managed the energy to put a bit of dinner on now (for them, not me, I also have no appetite whatsoever which feels so strange)
I can get some respite from mum duty tomorrow so will rest (again!) and hope that these horrible new symptoms are short lived.
I shall go to bed tonight feeling happy that I’m not going insane or about to die and that all this is in fact normal 😘