Post Covid increase in anxiety and palpitations

Posted by misska @misska, Apr 14, 2023

New to this board but after struggling for three months, I need some support. I tested positive for covid in December 2022 for the 1st time; I'll note that I am fully vaccinated and boosted. I experienced "mild" symptoms including the loss of taste and smell. I ran a fever for one day and generally felt tired. But just a couple days after I was no longer considered infectious, my issues began. My anxiety went through the roof; I began experiencing heart palpitations at an increased rate. My medication, that I had been on for well over 10 years, was not making a difference. I finally caved and visited my doctor after 3 weeks where she prescribed me some anxiety medication to add on to my current medicine before ordering me a holter monitor for a 2 week period. Over the monitoring period, my sleep was awful, my anxiety increased and I experienced some type of twitch or palpitations almost every day. It got to the point that my quality of life had decreased so much, my mom became very concerned with my behavior. When I finally submitted my monitor, my results came back normal. I had no afib and only a few instances of tachycardia which coincided with my mini panic attacks. My doctor discovered that I was experiencing PVCs or premature ventricular contractions that are most likely a result of stress and anxiety. I was put on a beta blocker to help with the symptoms. It's been about 2 months and while my symptoms have decreased significantly, I still experience pvc's which increase my anxiety which then increase my pvc's. It's a vicious cycle so I cling to the knowledge that my tests for my heart have been normal so that I can function. I would really like to know if others have experienced the same thing as me? Because I feel like I'm the only one who had such an experience with covid and it's impacting me. It doesn't help my anxiety or depression. At only 30 years only, it leaves me dreading the next few years fighting the symptoms and looking for solutions that may not be there.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

i never had a anxirlety attack in my life till after i got covid.
You are not alone...keep fighting.

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You are certainly not alone. I have had PVCs on and off for many years and am also your age. The sensation is unsettling, to say the least. Some cardiologists call them capricious - they tend to wax and wane. You will most probably "lose" them at some point and forget about them for months or years, before they pop back up for a bit with some stressful event, hormones, etc. There is a free 8 week MBSR course called Palouse mindfulness - you can Google it. I remember back in the day when those were happening, I found the course and completed it. By the end of the 8 weeks the PVCs disappeared, but I think more importantly I had picked a "tool" that helped me inhabit a body that isn't always behaving. Also, the deep relaxation you enter when you get habituated to the meditation practice is such a treat! If you have an hour to commit a day, that might be one of the best gifts you can give yourself, while waiting it out. Oh, and a few months of regular exercise fix them quite well (but I understand that can be hard so soon after covid).

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I have been seen by 3 PCP’s since getting COVID in Feb 2020 and June 2021. I recovered, except heart palpitations from the 1st bout. I wore the halter and had stress test and Echocardiogram…all normal but like you a few soppier beats…4X in one month so Doctor said it meant nothing, anxiety maybe and heart was okay. Got the vaccine in 2-21 and second 3-21. Heart flipped out. Was in ER did just an EKG and told heart was okay…relying on less than a year old testing. Got COVID again in June 2021 and laid in bed for3 months ad my Primary quit due to personal reasons. Finding a new one impossible. Truly. Takes months! Like I said all “think” I have the LHC (long haul) but can’t prove as was not tested due to no tests or no Doctor. I FINALLY have one since 12-22 who got me to a Cardiologist in 2-23. Did the monitor and echo again. Now have the Premature Vascular Ejection bit she says not severe and most people have but are not bothered. My heart is beating outside my body. I hope you get better results. I didn’t the anxiety meds as getting off them causing worse palpitations. I know as took them for an extended period before. 3 years. Let me know if you find out more. I have some okay days now but then BAM back to square one. I am doing this alone as my mom (a nurse) is gone and my husband has had a stroke. I curse our Government for not telling us about this disease soon enough. I can’t be seen in a COVID Clinic as I can not prove I had it. No tests bout 1 and bout 2 vaccinated but no Doctor as out of Town and no help on phone from Office of old one. I keep praying it goes away. No way could I work now as in “The Twilight Zone” fog a lot with heart now only occasionally off. Cardiologist says it tests okay but feels terrible.

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@ggsh

You are certainly not alone. I have had PVCs on and off for many years and am also your age. The sensation is unsettling, to say the least. Some cardiologists call them capricious - they tend to wax and wane. You will most probably "lose" them at some point and forget about them for months or years, before they pop back up for a bit with some stressful event, hormones, etc. There is a free 8 week MBSR course called Palouse mindfulness - you can Google it. I remember back in the day when those were happening, I found the course and completed it. By the end of the 8 weeks the PVCs disappeared, but I think more importantly I had picked a "tool" that helped me inhabit a body that isn't always behaving. Also, the deep relaxation you enter when you get habituated to the meditation practice is such a treat! If you have an hour to commit a day, that might be one of the best gifts you can give yourself, while waiting it out. Oh, and a few months of regular exercise fix them quite well (but I understand that can be hard so soon after covid).

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I looked up the Palouse Mindfulness course just now. It looks very good and is completely free, no strings attached! Thanks for the recommendation!!

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@ggsh

You are certainly not alone. I have had PVCs on and off for many years and am also your age. The sensation is unsettling, to say the least. Some cardiologists call them capricious - they tend to wax and wane. You will most probably "lose" them at some point and forget about them for months or years, before they pop back up for a bit with some stressful event, hormones, etc. There is a free 8 week MBSR course called Palouse mindfulness - you can Google it. I remember back in the day when those were happening, I found the course and completed it. By the end of the 8 weeks the PVCs disappeared, but I think more importantly I had picked a "tool" that helped me inhabit a body that isn't always behaving. Also, the deep relaxation you enter when you get habituated to the meditation practice is such a treat! If you have an hour to commit a day, that might be one of the best gifts you can give yourself, while waiting it out. Oh, and a few months of regular exercise fix them quite well (but I understand that can be hard so soon after covid).

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thank you for the suggestion! I definitely need some more relaxation techniques so I'll look into that course. I have noticed that when I am active, I do not experience them as much or at all so exercise seems to help. Because of my medication, I experience fatigue more often so I have little motivation but with my job slowing down soon, I'll have more time to dedicate to my wellness and work to reduce my stress level. I believe my current bout is directly related to some upheaval at my job and my anxiety over potentially losing my position so hearing from others that they too have had the same experience as me as most certainly helped.

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@lulu33

I have been seen by 3 PCP’s since getting COVID in Feb 2020 and June 2021. I recovered, except heart palpitations from the 1st bout. I wore the halter and had stress test and Echocardiogram…all normal but like you a few soppier beats…4X in one month so Doctor said it meant nothing, anxiety maybe and heart was okay. Got the vaccine in 2-21 and second 3-21. Heart flipped out. Was in ER did just an EKG and told heart was okay…relying on less than a year old testing. Got COVID again in June 2021 and laid in bed for3 months ad my Primary quit due to personal reasons. Finding a new one impossible. Truly. Takes months! Like I said all “think” I have the LHC (long haul) but can’t prove as was not tested due to no tests or no Doctor. I FINALLY have one since 12-22 who got me to a Cardiologist in 2-23. Did the monitor and echo again. Now have the Premature Vascular Ejection bit she says not severe and most people have but are not bothered. My heart is beating outside my body. I hope you get better results. I didn’t the anxiety meds as getting off them causing worse palpitations. I know as took them for an extended period before. 3 years. Let me know if you find out more. I have some okay days now but then BAM back to square one. I am doing this alone as my mom (a nurse) is gone and my husband has had a stroke. I curse our Government for not telling us about this disease soon enough. I can’t be seen in a COVID Clinic as I can not prove I had it. No tests bout 1 and bout 2 vaccinated but no Doctor as out of Town and no help on phone from Office of old one. I keep praying it goes away. No way could I work now as in “The Twilight Zone” fog a lot with heart now only occasionally off. Cardiologist says it tests okay but feels terrible.

Jump to this post

My heart goes out to you. Like others have said to me, you aren't alone in feeling this way and it's very frustrating when you feel like you are getting "better" and then you're back to square one of feeling awful. there are many people around me who had covid but seem to have no lingering symptoms so I was definitely floundering for a while trying to get answers. I have been lucky that my current pcp is not judgmental and listened to me when I expressed concerns but I am still working to find something that truly helps. I did increase my anxiety medication which has helped to an extent and the beta blocker is starting to work but it's still a struggle. It seems that there are many of us experiencing palpitations and pvc's directly caused by covid but as you said, it still feels terrible to experience those sensations. I think that the next few years will show that far too many of us have permanent effects of covid and more chronic conditions. I just hope that the research will yield some better treatments for those of use still struggling.

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@misska

My heart goes out to you. Like others have said to me, you aren't alone in feeling this way and it's very frustrating when you feel like you are getting "better" and then you're back to square one of feeling awful. there are many people around me who had covid but seem to have no lingering symptoms so I was definitely floundering for a while trying to get answers. I have been lucky that my current pcp is not judgmental and listened to me when I expressed concerns but I am still working to find something that truly helps. I did increase my anxiety medication which has helped to an extent and the beta blocker is starting to work but it's still a struggle. It seems that there are many of us experiencing palpitations and pvc's directly caused by covid but as you said, it still feels terrible to experience those sensations. I think that the next few years will show that far too many of us have permanent effects of covid and more chronic conditions. I just hope that the research will yield some better treatments for those of use still struggling.

Jump to this post

It is comforting to gave someone who believes you. One ENT told me I needed a psychiatrist. He wouldn’t let me take my mask off to show him a lesion on my tongue that is white, raised and rough line sandpaper??!! Another took a biopsy and it is not cancer but removal is all they can do. I have one I can feel in my throat but no one will take a CT scan. I hope to find my self again. I try very hard and have my whole life. This is so stressful and painful. Thank you for reaching outZ

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@misska

My heart goes out to you. Like others have said to me, you aren't alone in feeling this way and it's very frustrating when you feel like you are getting "better" and then you're back to square one of feeling awful. there are many people around me who had covid but seem to have no lingering symptoms so I was definitely floundering for a while trying to get answers. I have been lucky that my current pcp is not judgmental and listened to me when I expressed concerns but I am still working to find something that truly helps. I did increase my anxiety medication which has helped to an extent and the beta blocker is starting to work but it's still a struggle. It seems that there are many of us experiencing palpitations and pvc's directly caused by covid but as you said, it still feels terrible to experience those sensations. I think that the next few years will show that far too many of us have permanent effects of covid and more chronic conditions. I just hope that the research will yield some better treatments for those of use still struggling.

Jump to this post

I'm a retired Psych RN. One of the things that we found that worked for anxiety that was NOT habit-forming was Hydroxyzine. It was often prescribed instead of a benzodiazepine .

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@lulu33

I have been seen by 3 PCP’s since getting COVID in Feb 2020 and June 2021. I recovered, except heart palpitations from the 1st bout. I wore the halter and had stress test and Echocardiogram…all normal but like you a few soppier beats…4X in one month so Doctor said it meant nothing, anxiety maybe and heart was okay. Got the vaccine in 2-21 and second 3-21. Heart flipped out. Was in ER did just an EKG and told heart was okay…relying on less than a year old testing. Got COVID again in June 2021 and laid in bed for3 months ad my Primary quit due to personal reasons. Finding a new one impossible. Truly. Takes months! Like I said all “think” I have the LHC (long haul) but can’t prove as was not tested due to no tests or no Doctor. I FINALLY have one since 12-22 who got me to a Cardiologist in 2-23. Did the monitor and echo again. Now have the Premature Vascular Ejection bit she says not severe and most people have but are not bothered. My heart is beating outside my body. I hope you get better results. I didn’t the anxiety meds as getting off them causing worse palpitations. I know as took them for an extended period before. 3 years. Let me know if you find out more. I have some okay days now but then BAM back to square one. I am doing this alone as my mom (a nurse) is gone and my husband has had a stroke. I curse our Government for not telling us about this disease soon enough. I can’t be seen in a COVID Clinic as I can not prove I had it. No tests bout 1 and bout 2 vaccinated but no Doctor as out of Town and no help on phone from Office of old one. I keep praying it goes away. No way could I work now as in “The Twilight Zone” fog a lot with heart now only occasionally off. Cardiologist says it tests okay but feels terrible.

Jump to this post

Look into Medhelp, Dr. Jordan Vaughn in Alabama. I had the same stuff going on and he just found microclots and started treating me this week. I’ve already seen improvements!

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Again, COVID in March 2020, 68 yrs old, Raynaud's Diagnosis March 2021, Gluten Neuropathy March 2021, Stopped all Gluten and added L-proline (consult PCP before adding supplement but this is the AA found in Collagen supplements), Legs stronger, back on treadmill and Bike HOWEVER, unexplained variable anxiety, Itchy Skin, Temperature regulation issues, and facial flushing were happening. I now have histamine intolerance, Tomatoes (which I ate my whole life), Prune juice and Yogurt trigger this. IgG, IgE, IgM levels normal. All symptoms greatly reduced by avoiding histamine containing or releasing foods. Bottom Line: We don't know the long term and complex effects of COVID.

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