Covid and AFib Connection?

Posted by cece55 @cece55, Oct 8, 2021

Hello Everyone,

I am curious and would like to ask this group a question. I have AFib but had not had an event for over a year except for last November. In early February of this year I took the Phizer Vaccine for Covid and had several Afib events with one lasting over a month even with cardioversion. I ended up having an ablation in May and the electrophysiologist found an enlarged and scarred atrium.

I have been doing well and am still on Flecainade, Metoporal and Eliquis. He is about to take the Flecainade away. It is time for my booster shot and I am scared that it will put me into Afib again. My Electrophysiologist and Cardiologist at Mayo said they don't feel that the vaccine had anything to do with my Afib events starting up again.

Has anyone here experienced this? I am debating whether or not to cancel my appointment next week or just take the shot. My doctors said it is better to take the booster than to get Covid.

Thoughts?

Thank You...Blessings to all of you during this trying time. CeCe55

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart Rhythm Conditions Support Group.

@nenek

I developed Afib after my booster shot. Never had it before. Coincidence?
As time has gone by (months) Afib seems to be waning.
Not planning on getting another booster.

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I developed afib 1 month after the 2 covid shots. I believe it is connected. My life has forever changed for the worse.

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@auntcarol

I developed afib 1 month after the 2 covid shots. I believe it is connected. My life has forever changed for the worse.

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I’m sorry to hear this. I know of several people that now have Afib after the booster.

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@nenek

I’m sorry to hear this. I know of several people that now have Afib after the booster.

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There is an even better place to report adverse reactions to the Covid vaccines.
https://wonder.cdc.gov/vaers.html
Some people have complained that, "It doesn't do any good to report." Let's begin with this premise - The CDC and vaccine manufacturers cannot fix what they don't know. They do not monitor the newspapers, Connect, or any social media for their reports - they use VAERS.

Maybe I can explain a little about how it works. All adverse reports are tabulated, those that are life-threatening are followed up quickly - IF the reporter includes complete contact information. The remainder go into a "matrix" that rates them by severity & frequency (how often per 100 or 1000 doses of a vaccine.) The most serious and common are then studied, and the manufacturers may be asked to do further testing, then either modify and/or remove the drug temporarily or permanently.

As for the quality of reporting - that is up to the reporter. I submitted a VAERS report after an adverse reaction to a different vaccine, not Covid, complete with my contact info. It happened to be an issue they were studying, so I got a phone call to follow up and did a phone interview. It turned out this was a common problem due to an error in administration of the injection, and the instructions were to health providers were revised.

If you have A-fib that you believe is due to the Covid vaccine, it is not too late to report it.

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@colleenyoung

Hi @nenek, you'll note that I move the new discussion that you started to this already existing discussion about the possible link between the Covid vaccine and inducing or re-activating a-Fib.
- Covid and AFib Connection? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/covid-phizer-vaccine-and-afib-connection/

This article on MedicalNewToday published in June 2022 helps unpack the most recent research.
- Is there a link between COVID-19 vaccines and arrhythmias? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/arrhythmia-and-covid-vaccine

Excerpt:
***
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not list cardiac arrhythmias as a possible side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine. But as with any vaccine, some people may experience uncommon side effects. Additionally, it is not always clear if an adverse condition is directly due to the vaccine.

Still, some research indicates that the COVID-19 vaccine may cause arrhythmia as a side effect. For example, a 2022 analysis (https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/S0735-1097%2822%2902829-7) reviewed information from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) (https://www.fda.gov/drugs/questions-and-answers-fdas-adverse-event-reporting-system-faers/fda-adverse-event-reporting-system-faers-public-dashboard) to search for incidents of atrial fibrillation, which is a type of arrhythmia. Researchers reviewed the reports of atrial fibrillation after the use of the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson vaccines, along with the influenza vaccine.

The researchers found the percentage of all adverse events reported attributed to atrial fibrillation were as follows:
- Pfizer: 2.6%
- Moderna: 1.8%
- AstraZeneca: 0.6%
- Influenza: 0.4%
- Johnson & Johnson: 0%

The data indicates that there could be a possible association between the vaccines and atrial fibrillation, although the potential risk is still relatively low. Further research is necessary to understand the correlation and why atrial fibrillation may occur in a small percentage of people after vaccination.”
***

I hope everyone on this discussion reports their experience to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) https://www.fda.gov/drugs/questions-and-answers-fdas-adverse-event-reporting-system-faers/fda-adverse-event-reporting-system-faers-electronic-submissions That way researchers will have access to accurate numbers of incidence.

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Thanks for this good information. I have definitely developed afib as a result of the Moderna vaccine and am currently scheduled for an ablation next month after more than a year of trying medications, etc. I have not reported my experience to the FDA, and after clicking on the link to attempt to report my experience, Im convinced many people probably do not report. It’s so complicated it seems FDA doesn’t want people to report. Because of the difficulty, I’m convinced we will never know just how many people have developed arrhythmias due to the vaccines, thus not prompting adequate and necessary research to understand the cause. At least we have this forum, which should be titled COVID-19 “Vaccine” and Afib Connection as it originally was a several months ago. Very different than discussing the side effects from COVID-19 itself. So, thanks for providing this forum. It’s been helpful for me to hear from others with the same issue.

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@nenek

I developed Afib after my booster shot. Never had it before. Coincidence?
As time has gone by (months) Afib seems to be waning.
Not planning on getting another booster.

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I’ve had heart issues for many years. Never had afib until I got vaccinated. I had to get a Loop Recorder put I’m my chest. Haven’t had any episodes recently but my Electrophysiologist told me to not get the second booster.

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@ajnewyork

I had my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine in early February, 2021 and 6 weeks later, through a routine medical exam, learned that my resting heart rate had jumped to 120 bpm and was arrhythmic. I'd had no prior history of arrhythmia and none in family, but I had been diagnosed several years earlier with Sinus Bradycardia. Since March, when the arrhythmia/tachycardia was found, Ive had two ablations, the most recent in September. I am experiencing post-ablation symptoms of tachycardia and arrhythmia which have so far resolved. In the course of treating my atrial flutter, I spoke to two separate nurses on two separate occasions who asked me (perhaps out of general interest) if my arrhythmia had started after receiving the vaccine. When I told them it had and asked if they knew of a connection, both replied, "They just don't know". This has not been reassuring in helping me to move forward with the booster shot! I am sure that my cardiologist and GP will tell me that the risks of Covid 19 are far greater than the risks of arrhythmia from the vaccine and I think they would be right, but I wish I felt more sanguine about it. My sister at age 63 had one of the rare side effects of pericarditis from her second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, but it resolved within a few days.

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Good Documentary called Under the Skin
https://www.theepochtimes.com/under-the-skin-documentary_4736070.html
about vaccines going back years.
I've had 2 Pfizer and one booster, and that's all forever for me.

I was so reluctant to ever have it, but my daughter was insistent.
I am now in Cardio ICU at hospital, with clots and big Afib, (it never stops, since Covid,
I am always in Afib, but the meds are worse, to me.

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@aquamarine4220

Good Documentary called Under the Skin
https://www.theepochtimes.com/under-the-skin-documentary_4736070.html
about vaccines going back years.
I've had 2 Pfizer and one booster, and that's all forever for me.

I was so reluctant to ever have it, but my daughter was insistent.
I am now in Cardio ICU at hospital, with clots and big Afib, (it never stops, since Covid,
I am always in Afib, but the meds are worse, to me.

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Wow! What an eye opener. Thank you

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@normalou35

I had the Moderna vaccine in February and woke up with A-F that night about 1:00 am. Plus had other side effects. I don't know if the vaccine triggered the episode or if it didn't. I have been having episodes of A-F every 3-4 weeks.

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I think it triggered it, I also think the vac pushes ederly into dementia or early dementia and death, but those are things we will never hear about or anyone will admit to. I have long covid even with vaccine and I can tell you not only did i get afib but have lung issues and memorable issues as well. I have always been able to remember numbers after looking at them one time. Now it takes me weeks to remember phone and credit card numbers.

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@auntcarol

I developed afib 1 month after the 2 covid shots. I believe it is connected. My life has forever changed for the worse.

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yes I think your right, no one will ever admit to that. but thats not the only downside to it. I have vaccines as well and it really has ruined my life and I still got long covid.

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@nenek

I developed AFIB after my Moderna booster. I’ve had SVT for years and well under control but this was very different. Not getting another booster shot.

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I’ve had SVT for years as well. Also, well under control. This was much different. No more boosters!

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