Palpitations and Covid , Betablocker Update

[celticlady]

I just wanted to update my experiences from earlier this year-please see previous posts. I started with a virus-possibly Covid-then followed worrying palpitations/SOB/light headedness.

Lat flow taken 10 days after the virus started showed negative, but could have been too late to be accurate. The virus had no typical symptoms-cough, loss of taste, smell etc-just feeling very tired. head pressure, hot sweats then followed with the palps etc. My GP insisted it was my thyroid and to cut down the dose: 'couldn't possibly be Covid'. Also said it could be anxiety, another GP said it was my autonomic nervous system.

I was put on Betablockers, 1.5mg, and had debilitating side effects-all detailed in my previous posts-took them for 3 months and after they affected my bowel, I ditched them. I had some withdrawal which included head and throat 'surges' but fortunately these didn't last long. They stopped the palps but the side effects were too difficult to continue. After a couple of months they were gone and the palps didn't return. I have 2 medic contacts-I tutor their son-and the registrar said they had colleagues presenting with my symptoms exactly after a Covid infection. The senior GP also said the same with his patients. The cardiac nurse I saw who dealt with my ECG and Holter Monitor also said the same-lots of people presenting with heart related issues post Covid.

I'm well now, although at 66 I'm not sure if fatigue is age related or something else but the severe symptoms have gone. I have to say that since I stopped drinking alcohol-and I was a low user-my BP has plummeted-from 140s/90s to 118/78 varying but much lower. Before the strange virus and palps I was experiencing Afib incidents, heart flutters/fast rate/palpitations randomly. Since stopping alcohol, these have gone. ECG/Holter monitor all showed no problems, and I continue to be alcohol free-it's not will power-I just feel really light headed and off balance with booze and this brings back all the dreadful symptoms from before, I found out that even very moderate alcohol intake can bring on Afib-something I really wish I'd known earlier in life.

Sorry this has been a long one but I found this forum such a comfort during my illness that I felt I should share my experience. Hopefully this may help someone else. If anyone has a similar update I would love to hear from you-GPs are still grappling with Covid and its complexities but as my Registrar contact told me : 'Covid isn't done with us yet'.