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Palpitations and faster heart rate after AstraZeneca vaccine?

43 Replies

I have had strong palpitations and and a faster than usual heartbeat with some ectopics, since I received my first jab of the AZ vaccine. I asked the nurse about the vaccine and atrial fibrillation and she said there was no connection- I am not completely convinced however. Has anyone else had this sort of reaction to it? If so, how long did it last?

I’m not entirely sure the vaccine is responsible. I cycled several miles to the surgery in sub-zero temperatures because my car is at the garage, which might have caused the problem

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43 Replies
Clarrisa profile image
Clarrisa

I don’t have a history of AF (my father did). I had the Moderna vaccination & I feel like my heart has been on the irritated side since. I felt really great the day afterwards. I had been experiencing pain before the vaccination in my knees. I attributed it to the colder weather. I had the same thing occur last year. This knee pain completely went away but now I feel crummy in my chest (I have spoken to doctors about it). It has now been nearing the week mark. A COVID-19 test yesterday was negative. It does make you wonder a bit about the vaccination doesn’t it.

in reply to Clarrisa

It certainly does make you wonder about the vaccines! I don’t know whether the Modena vaccination uses RNA like the Pfizer or whether it is a “traditional” vaccine like the AZ. I managed to sleep for a couple of hours, but still find that the heart rate is elevated and that I am getting palpitations. I cannot believe that this effect wasn’t known to the manufacturer. Let’s hope the effects are of short duration.

Pita profile image
Pita

I had my vaccine yesterday and it was the AstraZeneca, I had blips with the heart yesterday afternoon through to the evening, luckily I did not go into AF, but my normal aches and pains are much worse this morning, hopefully will die down after some painkillers.

in reply to Pita

I have just had heart symptoms- I don’t feel particularly tired or fluish. Still getting ectopics however and a mild chest pain which feels like indigestion.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

That’s the difficulty isn’t it - what causes what. I think the cycle ride may have played a part and I also think anxiety. There are a lot of posts about palpitations after the jab and I rather think this will raise anxiety levels however there is no doubt that there is evidence coming through that the jabs may have an affect but according to the specialists this is because it’s tricking your immune system into believing you have an infection - you haven’t but this trick means the immune system is creating antibodies - so you produce symptoms as though you are.

That’s all that is happening. That’s what vaccines do.

Hope you feel better very soon.

PS - I had the Pfitzer and apart from some arm tenderness for a couple of days, nothing. The AZ does seem to have more reactions that the rNA vaccines.

in reply to CDreamer

Yes, no doubt the anxiety has made things worse. People who have had the Pfizer vaccine, anecdotally, seem to have had fewer problems.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply to

Not only anecdotal- Zoe app stats are showing more people who had AZ jab have more symptoms.

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575 in reply to

I had the Pfizer vaccine at 1pm yesterday . Felt ok until 9pm when suddenly felt very tired . Woken at 330am by brief tachycardia (110 bpm ) for couple of minutes slowed to 80 or so for a bit went back to usual 60bpm. Felt shivery and achy couldn’t get back to sleep. After I got up,heart pounding if I went upstairs . Have flu like symptoms and a couple of glands have become sore under my chin . Telling myself the immune system is trying to chew up the invader and spit it out

pottypete1 profile image
pottypete1

I had the Astra Zeneca vaccination with absolutely no side effects.

I think your cold bike ride might be to blame.

Having said that the vast majority of my episodes have just come out of the blue with no triggers I could identify

Pete

in reply to pottypete1

It’s probably impossible to say. I’m hoping the symptoms will improve soon.

rebecca70 profile image
rebecca70

I had rapid HR and high blood pressure two days after the Moderna vaccine. I think there is cause and effect here though I can not find any information online to confirm this.

Angie06 profile image
Angie06

I had the AZ vaccine on Saturday morning and have a high heart rate ever since. 97 on waking after a restless night and over 120 when walking to the bathroom, also feeling totally wiped out and slept for and hour and half yesterday afternoon (I never take a daytime nap). Could have something to do with being a full time carer for my disabled mum ( 92ys) who now lives with me. I was wondering if other people were getting a high HR too so probably does have something to do with the vaccine as I definitely didn't do a cycle ride and just drove myself a mile down the road! 🤣🤣

Karendeena profile image
Karendeena in reply to Angie06

Hi Annie, sorry to hear this, I have recently been diagnosed with afib and also look after my 92 year old mum who lives with me . How do you cope? I find my mum has become more difficult and can say some hurtful things that starts my afib episodes

Karendeena profile image
Karendeena in reply to Karendeena

Sorry Angie, predictive text again

reinaway profile image
reinaway

I had e ctopics and a full blown episode of AF after both Pfizer jabs but as usual the docs told me it was coincidence and nothing to do with the vaccine. I beg to differ!

Ederlezi profile image
Ederlezi

I had my first dose of AZ vaccine yesterday and thankfully, am just fine, except for my usual level of AF, which blights my life anyway. If I had been in the least stressed over having the vaccine, the stress would have made my AF worse for sure. I hope yours is a temporary blip and will settle down soon. I admire your fitness levels. Must confess I wouldn't think of attempting an exercise regime as stiff as yours, even the thought of those temperatures would sress me out!

in reply to Ederlezi

My pulse has now slowed down and I have had fewer ectopics- they haven’t fully settled however. When I took up cycling last year, I found that I was ok with it as an exercise-the problem was the very cold weather on Saturday on top of the cycling.

Ederlezi profile image
Ederlezi in reply to

Glad everything has settled down and you're feeling a bit better. I'm still OK after the vaccine. I think you're right about the cold. I dare not risk swimming in cold water and have to be very cautious around icecream (sadly)!

in reply to Ederlezi

It hasn’t fully settled down unfortunately-I’ve just had a lot of ectopics when sitting calmly. Not sure if this is the vaccine or not. Also arm very sore after being painless yesterday.

dunestar profile image
dunestar

I had palpitations in the night after taking the Pfizer vaccine. OK since. No idea whether it was the vaccine which caused it. Could have been general anxiety around the situation or the fact that I rather stupidly watched a Youtube video right before bed. I know I shouldn't do that as it stimulates my nervous system.

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575 in reply to dunestar

Second night of palpitations post Pfizer jab and HR running higher . Feel like I have flu. Not the severe can’t get out of bed kind but bad enough

dunestar profile image
dunestar in reply to Peony4575

Hope you feel better quickly.😀

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575 in reply to dunestar

Thanks x

Baseball40 profile image
Baseball40 in reply to Peony4575

I got my second shot of Pfizer two day ago and have felt the same way. How long did you feel like this?

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575 in reply to Baseball40

Sorry you feel rough . The palpitations a couple of nights . The flu feeling was worst the first three days then started to lift . Still felt rubbish like you do when you are getting over flu , weak, drained by about 10 days but back to normal by 2 weeks. Everyone is different though

LaceyLady profile image
LaceyLady

Well, I’m wondering if it’ll trigger AF. When I’d caught something that might have been Covid last February, I had an episode, went to a&e and they took bloods, X-ray and dr said they can see a raise figure that could be virus and said it might have triggered AF.

Yes I know it’s not a ‘live’ vaccine but

in reply to LaceyLady

Its difficult to know. I suspect that even if it was known to encourage AF in some they would be reluctant to publicise this widely, for fear of putting people off.

LaceyLady profile image
LaceyLady

Mouth breathing with the cycle ride? Freezing cold air straight into the lungs too 🤷🏼‍♀️ Difficult to say if vaccination caused the symptoms.

in reply to LaceyLady

I tried to breath through the nose, but this is difficult when you are cycling uphill as you need to get plenty of air into the lungs. At that point I got ectopics.

LaceyLady profile image
LaceyLady in reply to

Mouth breathing in cold weather is really bad for asthmatics, so I don’t think it can be good if you have AF and cycling, of course depending on how severe the AF too.

Anna_Har profile image
Anna_Har

I experienced the same symptom right after my first AZ vaccination two weeks ago. The heart palpitations reduced somehow since then but are still present. I definitely did not have them before therefore I am convinced it's been brought on by the jab.

Ronnieboy profile image
Ronnieboy

I had the az jab Feb 1st,ever since when I've had persistent palpitations,getting worst through the day they are really annoying actually ,whether it's the jab or something else who knows I've had these episodes before covid.

tinkytaylor profile image
tinkytaylor

Me too! Day after my AZ vac I felt few symptoms, just a little groggy the next morning so, spent the day with my feet up. That night (last night) I couldn't sleep, got up at 3.30am very restless and tested blood oxygen. My heart rate was 156bpm !! Blood oxygen wasn't too good either. But no fever or temperature or even headache? I did some deep slow breathing for about 15mins which helped. Today I've had one episode of rapid heart rate. If it happens again tomorrow I will ring my doctor. Never, never had anything like that happen before.

Davey_Dee profile image
Davey_Dee in reply to tinkytaylor

Had my AstraZeneca on Monday 24th March, and I was fine. Come Wednesday evening, my heart rate shot up to 136+ BPM, went to A&E .. They kept me in, my heart rate was hovering between 80 to 100 BPM the following day, had tests on the heart which came back Clear. But I do suffer with Anxiety attacks .. But nothing on this Scale.

Therapistmum profile image
Therapistmum

Hi. I also experienced heart palpitations and faster than normal heartrate fo 5 hrs after the vaccine. I reported it to the Yellow Card.

Riadee profile image
Riadee

I have permanent AFib, no symptoms other than irregular heartbeat. Two weeks after AZ I had an episode of extremely fast heart rate at it's highest was 202 bpm, this went on for about 8 hours, My blood pressure also escalated to 173/135?

I was hospitalised and given medication to slow the rate back down Coincidence maybe. I have never had this happen before, I have had Afib for about 12 year.

in reply to Riadee

It’s very difficult to know. It could be coincidence or not. Did the hospital doctors express a view on whether the AZ vaccine was responsible?

TCW1 profile image
TCW1

I have a history of the odd missed and ectopic heartbeat. I had my Astra Zeneca vaccine three weeks ago. The same evening I went to bed and awoke an hour later with my heart pounding. I felt very weak and my pulse was 150 BPM. I ended up in hospital on an ECG all night. My heart was also missing beats, so it was all very frightening. My pulse stayed like this for six hours or so and I was allowed home when it was around 100 BPM. Now, three weeks later I am getting loads of ectopic beats daily, far more than I ever have had in a day previously. I don't regularly take medication but I have some propranolol I've been taking but as soon as I go without it the ectopics are returning. This whole thing has set anxiety off for me which of course is a vicious circle. I genuinely wish I hadn't had the vaccine and I won't be having the second. It was definitely the vaccine but I have noticed a lack of acknowledgement of this from the medical profession. I filled in a yellow card report. I have found it helpful to read others comments here.

doodle68 profile image
doodle68

I had my second dose of AZ on Thursday afternoon. I felt fine.6 hours later I stared to shake so went to bed.

I woke up at 1am with a headache/every inch of my body aching/a feeling like electric shocks going through my body. I couldn't get out of bed and down the stairs to get any Paracetamol. Then my heart rate went crazy and I went into AF. I lay there for the rest of the night surprised I didn't want to pee every 5 mins with AF for once.

I managed to crawl down the stairs to take my dog out at 6am on Friday morning and took some paracetamol.

The AF and symptom's continued all day Friday till the AF stopped at 6pm when I just felt achy.

I read the literature about side effects so was prepared that I might experience some.

My experience didn't put me off having any vaccination at any time , lets get things in perspective, catching C19 might cost me my life, a couple of days of misery is a small price to pay in comparison.

Having been told there may be side effects from the vaccine I was not at all surprised considering the dreadful virus it is intended to combat but I am surprised at the amount of fuss some people are making about a few side effects .

I also had P-AF all day yesterday and half the night, the episode was 'due' I get them every 10 days so I am not attributing that to the vaccination.

I feel a bit washed out this morning but on this lovely spring day I am heading out to mow the lawns making the best of being well enough to do so :-)

bantam12 profile image
bantam12 in reply to doodle68

"Surprised at the amount of fuss some people are making about a few side effects"

Hmm some people have been extremely ill with the side effects, far worse than any information warns about.

One of my daughters is a very fit person, no health issues at all and never "makes a fuss" yet she was absolutely floored for several days by side effects from 1st dose, she hasn't ever felt so ill before !

doodle68 profile image
doodle68 in reply to bantam12

... I didn't say some people did have not had a bad reaction and felt pretty ill , I have seen some people complaining about a sore arm and a flu like symptoms to be expected if they did their research.

I didn't exactly feel great myself as described above but anything is better that dying of C19.

EctopicAnnie profile image
EctopicAnnie

Right here lam making a fuss about a few side effects.l had a normal life before my vaccine now l have disabling palpitations and have been told by my cardiologist to treat myself as if l have long covid.l have been given flecanide which l have never had to take before.

AGCG2 profile image
AGCG2

First AZ Feb 21 - 2nd AZ May 21

I was rushed to A&E one week after 2nd dose, thought was having a heart attack, out nowhere heart started beating 175bpm, one of the most frightening experiences I’ve had.

My Apple Watch had said I’d Afib previous morning, thumping heart, racing heart and fast since 1st injection.

It turns out I have Atrial Tachycardia and all this stated after 1st dose, now on Bisoporol and I’m waiting to see if it settles if not seeing a cardiologist.

I have read that many people are having SE and this scares me, I was worried taking it from the beginning and wish I’d went with my gut.

Something isn’t right with this.

Take care everyone!

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