How does your body react to a cold or flu ?

[chevidaniels28]

Just wondering how other people find a infection, cold or flu affects you when you have an existing arrhythmia?

I recently had a cold that led into a sinus infection and I have SVT and inappropriate sinus Tachycardia. I found that for the duration my heart was racing and I had eptopic beats all the time despite my beta blocker. It's as if the infection completely takes over the body and the medicine has no effect.

Just wanted to know if other people with arrhythmias are sensitive to colds and flu ?

[SpritzerAce]

Hi there ! I have AF and yes body is very sensitive to cold and flu. Cold and flu would be the triggers for AF for me. As I cannot take any antihistamines (I am on Sotalol the anti arrhythmic drug) I will just let the flu go by itself with plenty of fluids and lots of rest. I also find that some essential oils like Young Living peppermint, lavender and lemon do help. To answer your question, yes with AF cold and flu will trigger it.

[BobD Volunteer]

Any infection makes the heart work harder and faster so AF becomes more likely. Cold and flu virii seem to affect the whole body ( fever aches and pains etc) giving it much more work to do. I've had a nasty bug for the last ten days or more which has pushed my HR up to high 80s on occasions. Add in how over sensitive we all are to our hearts and you think the end is nigh! Relax the virus isn't affecting your heart , your bodies reaction to it is and you will soon start to feel better. Just avoid ibuprofen based cold remedies and most cough mixtures such as Cavonia which can promote arrhythmias. Go natural. No put your clothes back on I meant natural cold remedies.

[kernow43 in reply to BobD]

Glad you added that last bit......I was down to my pants and socks. ( I know... not an image to take you through the day)

[Visitingcat]

Every single time I get a cold or flu it happens to me but in my case just as I’m getting over it. It can last for around a day or two to being stuck in it till cardioverted.

I had a cardioversion a month ago after 10 weeks of misery with very bad symptoms, chest pain and unable to walk slowly round more than a supermarket at a time. ( not caused by cold or flu this time though )

Feeling much better and wanting to try and get a little fitter again ( 10 weeks of doing virtually nothing really takes it out of you ) and I started with the scratchy throat last night, still bad this morning, I could scream honestly......

[CDreamer]

Very sensitive and as I am also immune suppressed I am also very susceptible. I find any virus tends to unsettle my heart and tends to take weeks to recover from.

I tend to use preventative measures now - avoid GP surgery as much as possible, wear gloves in public transport places, carry antiseptic wipes and gel, natural nasal spray as prophylactic when travelling, take the annual flu jab etc. If I see anyone with a cold in the same room, I remove myself.

If I do catch something - rest and plenty of warm, clear fluids, VitC, Paracetamol for fever and possibly Echinacae and herbal remedies - sage tea is a good one.

When I was a child there was no shame in resting, missing school or work if you had a cold - in fact you were encouraged to do so. Nowadays it seems that everyone believes you are a wus if you ‘give in to it’ and then wonder when it affects other organs or transmutes into pneumonia.

[Visitingcat in reply to CDreamer]

Agree with everything in your post, not immune suppressed but colds make me so ill and then the afib after....

I’ll pinch your idea of always wearing gloves I think. I hate using door handles and s/market trolley handles ( but need the trolley as a Zimmer frame when in afib)

And family when they ask you round and give you a big hug which is lovely but then they tell you all about their chest infection they are just getting over... sigh....

[irene75359 in reply to Visitingcat]

My two daughters both have very young children and I (very reluctantly) asked them to keep away from me if they are unwell and until they are completely better; having had pneumonia four times in the past two years I will do anything to avoid getting it again.

[Visitingcat in reply to irene75359]

One of the family has two young children, on one visit a couple of years ago the youngest was streaming with a cold, his mum gave him a mini fan to play with, all the better to waft it around the room, she’s a nurse : )

it really makes me want to avoid going to visit. It’s awful feeling like that but my last bout of afib was the worst ever, I felt twenty years older and really disabled by it. I’m dreading the episode I will get because of this cold I’m starting with...

Good luck avoiding the bugs out there, pneumonia sounds horrific : (

[Auriculaire in reply to CDreamer]

When I was a child I had a mother at home to look after me if I had to miss school. With both parents working one would have to take time off to do this. I suspect this is the main reason kids are sent to school when they should be at home. At the first sign of any lurgy I take oregano oil capsules. This is both antibacterial and antiviral. I also take N acetyl cysteine an immune system booster and keep my vit d level high. The latter has been shown to be more effective than flu jabs and helps the body ward off all respiratory infections and not just flu.

[chevidaniels28 in reply to CDreamer]

Thanks good advice will try the nasal spray as I often use the dreaded tubes 😱. I never minded much catching colds before, but now it leads to weeks of eptopic beats and a funny pulse I rather avoid it if possible 😂.

[dani777]

Hi. I've found that certain cold medicines trigger palps. And perhaps fever or something does too. who knows. i'd guess your body is under stress when you are fighting a virus so maybe that triggers it.

[booboo73]

Hi

My heart rate definitely increases. I've just got rid of a chest infection and my ticker was not amused. I felt like AF was about to start all the time but fortunately it behaved in the long run. xxx

[chevidaniels28 in reply to booboo73]

Funny enough before I know I have an infection, cold etc a few days before I get eptopic beats and tachycardia 😂 it is my little pre warning of what's to come 😭 though id rather it didn't come at all

[Hidden]

Colds haven’t been a problem. If you have AF you should be entitled to a flu jab.

[Tux18]

Absolutely very sensitive to cold and flu or any type of infections or extreme trauma to my body seem to cause afib and tachycardia for me. Most annoying when you already feel sick and your heart decides to dance to its on special rhythm and beat! When I relax, rest, drink plenty of water, and meditate it helps.

[chevidaniels28 in reply to Tux18]

I suppose people with arrhythmias are going to be extra sensitive when the heart is under stress 🤢. I just sleep it off as all that tachycardia really makes you so tired 😴

[Tapanac]

I was feeling good last Christmas after my ablation the previous March and my daughter in law’s father came to stay with dreadful flu. He kindly passed it on to all of us and by the day after Boxing Day I was taken into hospital with tachycardia Afib. On my discharge letter it said that it was caused through a flu virus. I now try to keep away from any bugs!

[chevidaniels28 in reply to Tapanac]

Absolutely agree, after this last sinus infection which has lasted over two weeks with terrible palpitations I am tempted to walk around with a mask when I am on the busy trains 😂

[ETFCfan]

I have permanent AF and don’t notice anything with my heart when I have a cold or virus. However I feel absolutely awful much worse than I used too. After two ablations I was in sinus rhythm for nearly two years with just two episodes of palpitations and got a nasty virus this time last year. It knocked me back to permanent AF again.