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.

lulu33 | @lulu33 | Apr 16, 2023

In reply to @kdfuhrer1 "Look into Medhelp, Dr. Jordan Vaughn in Alabama. I had the same stuff going on and..." + (show)

I am in California but maybe they will do a teleMed. Thank you for understanding my fear. I am alone in this and it is very scary.

covidstinks2023 | @covidstinks2023 | Apr 16, 2023

Just a thought: I also have PVCs and palpitations. If you not have a complete thyroid panel done, please go to an endocrinologist. Palpitations can be caused by Thyroid Disease. Primary physicians tend to not do a complete thyroid panel. My palpitations increased after Covid and finally stopped about 3 months later. Palipatations and PVCs alone can make you feel anxious. I was diagnosed after wearing a heart monitor by a cardiologist, I pay them no mind now. When I get the palpitations, I know that my thyroid is "out of whack" again. I have Graves Disease as well....so I alternate between Hypothyroidsime and Hyperthyroidism. I take methamazole for Graves Disease and get bloodwork every 3 months as well as an ultrasound of my thyroid with my endocrinologist.

kdfuhrer1 | @kdfuhrer1 | Apr 16, 2023

In reply to @lulu33 "I am in California but maybe they will do a teleMed. Thank you for understanding my..." + (show)

I’m in Pennsylvania and do everything telemed! Good luck to you!!

kayabbott | @kayabbott | Apr 17, 2023

I've been covid negative for a month. I was on a 7-day bike tour and got glutened (celiac disease) at the same time a fellow cyclist infected us with covid. It was a cytokine perfect storm. Three weeks after testing negative I went on a 12 mile easy bike ride (still fatigued), with subsequent heart-trying-to-beat-its-way out of my chest and pain. Doctor thinks I have myocarditis, so I manage exercise by taking a lot of rest breaks, until the day the inflamation is gone. I have noticed that the pain and blood pressure is worsened by anxiety (including bad dreams), poor sleep, and too much exercise. I try to escape in hobbies and upbeat books/movies. It is tough finding friends/doctors to talk to, so support groups are important. If you can read peer-reviewed medical papers, another source is ResearchGate, which is mostly scientists uploading our published papers. It wasn't many years ago that doctors thought celiac hit one in 5000 people, instead it is about 1% of the population. It is likely that "rare" myocardia and other covid symptoms will follow the same track as more is learned.

misska | @misska | Apr 17, 2023

In reply to @covidstinks2023 "Just a thought: I also have PVCs and palpitations. If you not have a complete thyroid..." + (show)

thank you for the suggestion! I actually do need to consult an endocrinologist as I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome years ago, which we now know is an endocrine disorder. I had a thyroid panel done a few years ago that showed no issues but my recent bloodwork had my thyroid on the low end of the spectrum so I was a bit considered though my pcp wasn't. There aren't many doctors where I live that have the extended knowledge of pcos so I think it's time for a visit to an endo to see if I can get any answers.

misska | @misska | Apr 17, 2023

In reply to @kayabbott "I've been covid negative for a month. I was on a 7-day bike tour and got..." + (show)

I have read some research that talks about myocarditis and how it has affected many individuals post covid so I'm glad your doctor listened and gave you a diagnosis. I was worried about inflammation myself as I am already prone to it in general so I've too been making small lifestyle changes to help manage my symptoms.

covidstinks2023 | @covidstinks2023 | Apr 17, 2023

In reply to @misska "I have read some research that talks about myocarditis and how it has affected many individuals..." + (show)

I went to a cardiologist after Covid and had an echo/stress test done to check for heart damage as my heart rate stayed in the 130's for a couple months after Covid. It finally came back down. She recommended me to take 200 mg of Magnesium daily, which I did anyway. I hope this helps. God Bless!

lisadunlap | @lisadunlap | Apr 17, 2023

In reply to @lulu33 "It is comforting to gave someone who believes you. One ENT told me I needed a..." + (show)

I feel for you. I went to a neurologist who also suggested I see a psychiatrist. If they can’t fit the problems into their boxes that seems a go-to.

lulu33 | @lulu33 | Apr 17, 2023

In reply to @lisadunlap "I feel for you. I went to a neurologist who also suggested I see a psychiatrist...." + (show)

Sad statement about today’s Doctors. My dad was a Doctor and my mom a Nurse but they CARED about people. I feel like a failed experiment. The vaccine was not good for me. I take an immune suppressive Med for an organ transplant and they are at War … now told NOT to get them. I am totally messed up for hours after I take the mandatory suppressive drug 2X a day. Failed experiment…just want me to go away. Before they were protective of me as a HUGE success story, Sad.

lisadunlap | @lisadunlap | Apr 17, 2023

In reply to @lulu33 "Sad statement about today’s Doctors. My dad was a Doctor and my mom a Nurse but..." + (show)

I’m so sorry. My mom was an organ transplant patient too. Medicine is so complicated these days and doctors simply don’t know all the ramifications. I think they are also so overworked that they are beyond their limits, so care is just not what it used to be. It’s a sorry state of affairs. Sending love.

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