Hi,
I dont want to waffle on, so I will keep it short and sweet. I got Covid at the end of October, ended up in hospital with terrible chest pains and breathlessness. After tests etc I have been diagnosed with post covid pericarditis. Has anyone else had experience of this?
I am still very fatigued, if I do too much one day I have terrible pain the next and almost constant breathlessness.
Thank you for reading
I've just posted a bit of a long reply to another pericarditis discussion which I'm copying and pasting here for you - take from it what will help you. I've tried to edit it to fit your need, feel free to copy and paste to a word doc you can print out and post on the fridge-freezer for offline reference (middle of the night was when I needed a bit of a reminder).
Er, from your post on that discussion you sound as though you might be having a reaction to the Colchicine and should consult the prescribing medic (or your GP) with some urgency. I can't tolerate Colchicine, several of my reaction symptoms were similar to what you're describing (rash, hair loss, more) so they don't give it to me any longer.
(the original post)Hiya, sorry it's taken me two days to find this - I'm in the midst of a 'mild' acute flare of recurrent pericarditis and some days it is too much to boot up the laptop. Put the kettle on and feel free to copy-paste this to a word doc you can print out and post to the fridge for offline reference.
What you're feeling is fairly normal for pericarditis (I've had recurrent pericarditis since the late 1990s after having Dengue Fever) - tired, achy, strange sensations in chest including short bursts of stabbing pain when deep breathing in or out, chest ache starting in the centre of left breast and radiating 'north' to shoulder/neck/jaw and down left side, the 'fun' experience of good days and bad days with the added bonus of the good days being such a relief you try to overdo catch-up...which then leads to bad days where the thought of lifting your arm to use the telly remote is just too much effort to contemplate.
About the strong heartbeat, my cardiologist has me on Bisoprolol 1.25mg in large part to 'calm' my strong heartbeat and help with presumed microvascular angina. I was in the middle of the worst flare (Spring 2019) I'd had in over 14 years and by day 3 on the beta blocker the chest pain from the pericarditis was much improved - he thinks the calmer heartbeat might have helped keep the pericardial pain down at the same time it helped with the angina pain. You might want to ask about a low-dose beta blocker (Bisoprolol is cheap and cheerful, there are others).
***Important Note: Recovery/clearing the flare can take weeks and months. In 2019 I had a flare so acute it was nearly a year to recovery. And a month ago I started having symptoms again, sigh. Not as bad a flare as through 2019 but still not great.
***Another Important Note: When to worry - if you find the pain much worse reclining/lying down and/or you develop a cough when reclining/lying down that is relieved by sitting up and leaning forward. It is a sign the effusion is worsening and you need immediate professional attention to prevent/remedy a condition called cardiac tamponade. The short definition: the sac fills so full of fluid it squeezes the heart 'unacceptably' - I laughed when my cardiologist used the word 'unacceptably' as I knew what he meant was the squeezing is life-threatening - I've had it twice and the remedy is not pleasant but the alternative is far more unpleasant (pericardiocentisis and if it's an emergency one, the pain meds don't always have time to work their magic).
Coping without causing a relapse or developing recurrent pericarditis:
*No matter how good you feel on good days, do not try to do anything strenuous (like catching up on vacuuming or starting a major DIY project or walking an extra half-mile to start rebuilding fitness - a good day can make you think you're recovered when you're not and any strenuous activity can set you back for days.
*Sleep with your upper body elevated. A wedge pillow or two bed pillows tied to make one big pillow then laid lengthwise down the bed, either works well to elevate your body but if you're a side-sleeper, the two pillows work better than the wedge pillow.
*If you are a side sleeper, sleep on your right side, not your left. Sleeping on your right side relieves body weight pressure on your pericardial sac and bonus - eases the chest pain a bit.
*Avoid heat and humidity (no hot showers or baths, no sauna, no hot tubs).
*Avoid mould - if you have to do something around mould, wear a three-layer dust mask to avoid inhaling the spores.
*If you are not on Colchicine (some can't tolerate it, I can't) ask for a 15 day course of furosemide ('water pill' diuretic). It has been shown to help relieve effusion for some patients (like me). Everyone is different but the general consensus is the diuretic has efficacy. When I'm on it, the usual dosage is 40mg twice a day. If they put you on it you will A-need to stay close to the WC and B-feel near immediate relief which can lead you to think you can start knocking down walls to self-build that extension you've always wanted. Don't fall for it.
*Ask if you can get regular (Covid-safe) 'chest listens' for pericardial friction rub. It is a unique sound heard by a trained medic through the stethoscope and it tells her/him if you still have pericardial effusion sufficient to be heard - lack of the sound usually means you've cleared the effusion and can slowly and carefully begin regaining physical fitness.
Wishing you a happier 2021, please keep us updated on how you go on.
Hello Rhubarbaba am going through the same thing. I had Covid in October myself and since been having excruciating chest pains and bloody fatigued at the little things l do, even talking for too long will knock me down the next day and with shortness of breath. I have done Xray and CT scan but it was fine l was told. I have to do an Echo in 2 weeks time. I have taken 3 courses of Prednisolone but still haven't seen any improvement. My chest pains comes on exertion and then it will follow with fatigue and shortness of breath...it's crazy. I chew ginger which helps sometimes. I guess it's a long Covid symptom/infection. It is frustrating this bloody Covid.
Update? How are you getting on?
Pericarditis 
Pericarditis
Pericarditis 
Pericarditis
Recurrent Pericarditis 
