Palpitations, dizzy and exhausted - please help

[anna114young]

Since March I have been exhausted. The type of tired that sleep doesn't resolve. I have slept 12 hours + some days with no improvement.

I went to the GP, had all the usual blood tests and everything came back normal but by chance they noticed my pulse is really fast at rest. Recommended I wore my smart watch and kept an eye on it.

I have now realised that at rest my heart rate at rest can be anything from 55bpm to 141bpm. Walking slowly round a supermarket it can be 165bpm!

Due to this I have had an ECG (normal but heart rate was 115bpm) and echocardiogram (normal too.)

Day to day I am dizzy, tired and feel palpitations and chest pains on and off.

I have been told it could be POTS (although my heart rate doesn't seem to change from sitting to standing), Chronic Fatigue or Long Covid (I had Covid in November).

Nothing seems to fit and NHS waitlists are long. I just want to get better - FAST. Does anyone have any ideas of what to do next? I am on a waitlist for a 48hr heart monitor but apart from that it feels like I have hit a brickwall....

I have had my results and from what I can see all well within normal ranges. I already take B12 as that used to be low, also on high dose folic acid.

Have they checked vitamin D? That’s not a routine test, what about ferritin, how is that level? It needs to be 70+ to support hair growth. I get short of breath, dizzy & exhausted with palpitations when mine is below 40 but that is still ‘normal’ range.
I’ve known a few people that have been low in Vitamin D, Ferritin & B12 following covid.

Interesting. I also had several weeks of horrendous light headedness alongside the cardiac issues, bad enough to make me vomit and unable to drive. ENT diagnosed bilateral vestibular hypofunction which has gradually subsided but have been left with 24/7 pulsatile tinnitus.
Never a days illness before any of this.

Have they checked your ferritin? Most doctors don't consider low ferritin a problem. Best to be at the optimal level.

@Crikeyalmighty exactly the same as me! Did you happen to get the Moderna booster? Those symptoms came on the same night for me! Ectopic beats are awful. Getting my first iron infusion tomorrow as levels are awful and hoping it improves them.

Same after Covid x 2 then moderna booster. Horrible neuropathy & tachycardia. I have an autoimmune condition which was being quite well controlled but it's gone crazy now.

@ItsAllGoneToHellAgain @BobaTea Thank you for your message. I have just checked my ferritin result - it was 27.8! On my record it says that normal is 10-200 - is this not right?

B12 is 530, but when I next speak to my GP I will query the injection vs tablets. I believe the guidance changed on this and tablets were thought to be okay as long as it wasn't a malabsorption issue.

Folate is 17.6, I take high dose folate as I want to start a family....need to sort this health issue out first!

Serum iron is 28.7.

Hope this is useful info! Thank you SO much to everyone who has contributed on this post! Every idea is useful and has given me lots to consider today. I am determined to get better, even if I have to lead the way!

@anna114young no, under 30 is iron deficiency. Over 100 (if I remember correctly) is the optimal normal. That might explain some of your symptoms.

Mine is 27 and GP said it's iron deficiency.

@BobaTea Wow! My doctor has signed all my tests off as normal! I wonder why! Can I just take an iron tablet from Holland and Barrett to boost this or is it more complicated?

@Mumma02 no- had Pfizer for all 4. I did have a few odd neuro things after vaccine 3 but didn't mentally connect it. After 4 it went nuts- particularly the disconnected dizziness and neuropathy in legs, buzzing in a finger etc

Check your B12 and iron levels

It sounds like you’re anaemic

@Crikeyalmighty @CherryRipe1 have you been advised what to do about this? I am the same with the neuropathy.

@anna114young check out the iron protocol group on FB. Lots of info there.

@anna114young The chart tells you what possible symptoms you get if low ferritin.

Not really no. Been given pregabalin for the neuropathy which occasionally takes the edge off. The other drug advocated is amitriptyline & sometimes gabapentin. I've had all vitamin and mineral levels checked & no issues apart from elevated ferritin due to inflammation. I'm seeing a naturopath/functional medicine practitioner to try to calm the autoimmune down with diet, supplements & avoiding allergies/intolerances.

@CherryRipe1 I have slightly elevated ferretin too- I've got the neuropathy down after 8 months but not totally gone away- magnesium spray on legs, vit b12 spray and vit d spray under tongue

I'm here to say that this sounds just like my long COVID. Fatigue, palpatations, feeling sick and dizzy standing up (POTS), brain fog. It has triggered an ME/CFS type illness in me. Exertion makes it worse. If it is a post viral fatigue then there is no magic fix I'm afraid. Beta-blockers did help and still do. On them I get fewer palpations and am less dizzy. Try to get a referral to a long COVID clinic and cardiology. COVID has caused lots of cardiac issues in people though so the waiting times can be quite long. Btw, my bloods and ECG all came back normal, that is what happens in long COVID apparently.
For now, rest as much as possible, try to relax your body and it will use less energy. Right now you have a lot less energy than usual so you have to budget carefully. Ask about beta blockers and try to get a referral. Hope you start to improve soon.

@anna114young I'm sorry you're feeling so unwell, but I'm glad to have found this thread. Have been struggling with palpitations, dizziness, fatigue etc since a bout of Covid earlier this spring and am now waiting for ECG results. Hearing what you've all gone through has given me a lot more information to work with. I hope some of the suggestions from PPs help put you on the path to healing.

Addison's disease

Look up signs & symptoms of Addison's disease.
My daughter was diagnosed with this but was originally told that she had post viral fatigue syndrome & anxiety.

Thanks for the info & glad it helped you. I take magnesium & D3 although my vit d levels are optimal now. I'll look into the sprays. R-alpha lipoic acid is supposed to be good for nerves

@CherryRipe1 yes I take that too- gives you 'asparagus wee'

Hahaha! Really? Lol. I take that as whiffy rather than green? I'm going to ask the naturopath if it's ok to take as I'm rattling on loads of other stuff!

@CherryRipe1 yes very whiffy!!