Hi there! I am new to the site. I had Covid 19 in January 2022. I started experiencing upper abdominal pain, gas, bloating, rapid heart rate about 2 weeks later. My heart rate had always been normal. I am a 57 year old female who just prior to Covid walked 18 miles per week and swam 4 -8 hours per week. My GP put me on Oomneprazole(sp?). No help. February 2022?heart rate still increases. GI problems continue. Gastroenterologist thought it was my gallbladder. I did have stones. March 2022 Gallbladder removed, heart rate increasing, still have GI issues. April 2022 kidney stones removed. No help with heart rate and GI. Have now been on Pantoprazole, rabiprazole(sp). Gastro says I am constipated(I am not) says I have IBS. Have been put on Linzess, Trulance, and others. No relief. Gastro finally calls me and says I have a pulled stomach muscle.(no I don’t). During these months I have had a Colonoscopy, Endoscopy, CT scans bloodwork, urinalysis, etc..Motegrity did not help nor did Nortriptyline. July I visited my cardiologist, she ran Nuclear Stress test, normal, I wore a 24 hr heart monitor and my heart rate was as high as 165 at one point! Beta Blockers were discussed but concern it would drop my blood pressure that was normal. Early July I started experiencing dizziness, wooziness when I got up to let the dog out. By midday I did not have these symptoms. End of July I have a torn labrum repaired. In bed for 5 weeks. End of August, went to ER with continuing upper GI problems. They said I have a UTI and discharged me with an antibiotic. I have now been in bed for about 8 months except for going to the Dr. 5 days latter I try to get to my car to drive to a dr appt and I pass out in the garage for 9 minutes. I have now lost 18 pounds since January. It hurts too bad to eat/drink. Latter that evening I try again to get out of bed and my heart went crazy! Called 911. The ER admitted me for severe dehydration and 24 hr observation. After 20 hours I was not able to go from lying, sitting, standing. HR 165 at peak. Cardiologist came in and looked me over. Came back the next day and said I might have POTS. Went to an electrophysiologist who confirmed I have POTS and said it is directly related to my GI problems which were definitely a result of the Covid 19 virus. He put me on 50 mg 2 times per day of Metoprolol and .1mg of fludrocortisone. My POTS is getting controllable. My GI issues continue. On my third ER visit for another severe POTS episode, the ER doctor did give me a prescription for Metoclopramide(GI drug..among other things). He prescribed 20 pills 4 x daily for 5 days. I took it and felt better GI wise than I had since January. Calked my Gastroenterologist for more and he does not like to use it long term. Can cause muscle twitching etc. permanently. So he has offered to write me a prescription for Domperidone - available out of Canada. He did suggest I speak with my cardiologist first(because of possible side effects). However, my internet research shows this is also a drug that should be used short term because of the same side effects, permanent muscle twitching, etc..
I apologize for the long post. I hope someone has some ideas/thoughts on my conditions. I tried to get into UTSW- SW Dallas. As of mid July, they cant see me till late August 2023. The Mayo clinic said they can’t see me. Who can help??