Hi ladies,
I just wanted to share my experience in case it helps anyone going through something similar.
Over the last few years, even if I had a mild cold/covid where I wasn’t really sick, a few weeks later I would get hit with huge anxiety spikes. I was getting etopic beats, I’d get palpitations, and at one point I even had dizziness for about a week.
The latest time I also had a bit of shortness of breath and noticed I was breathing shallowly, especially while driving. Walking or running felt harder than normal, and I got out of breath way faster than usual.
I ended up going back to my doctor and was a little embarrassed because I felt like I was coming in a lot with these complaints. I’d had tests before — even an MRI for dizziness — and worried I might seem like a hypochondriac.
This time, my doctor sent me to a consultant just to be certain everything was okay. Meeting someone who’s seen this before and hearing their explanation was such a relief — it made me feel validated that what I’m experiencing is real and not just in my head.
The consultant explained that what’s happening is actually pretty common in younger women. While it can happen after any viral infection, it’s much more common after covid and she said they are seeing it more and more. The virus can affect the vagus nerve and dysregulate the nervous system, causing dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, brain fog, fatigue, and heightened stress sensitivity.
This explained exactly what I’ve been noticing the past few months — even small stress triggers can make my heart rate and blood pressure spike, and I sometimes have mini panic attacks. Hearing that this is a recognized post-COVID effect, and that it’s not uncommon, it made me feel like a weight had been lifted. The anxiety is real amd horrible and part of the process, but it doesn’t mean you’re going crazy.
I wanted to share this so anyone going through the same thing knows they’re not alone, and if you're in the thick of it I really hope this helps you x