I thought it might be interesting to tell of my recent experience following my 6th covid booster. I have had a long history of experiencing ectopic beats...first diagnosed almost 40yrs ago when I was in my 20's.
The cardiologist at the time explained that they are simply extra beats that can feel quite alarming but are not actually dangerous or life threatening, and over the years they've appeared and then disappeared several times.
When I began taking steroids for PMR in 2019, I had another re-emergence of them. The palpitations were unpleasant and scary so I had them checked out again by a cardiologist just to ensure nothing more serious was happening. All was as predicted but I was prescribed a beta blocker which completely calmed them down again and very quickly they'd disappeared completely .
All was well until approximately 4wks ago when I started to experience a few 'flutterings'. Over the next two weeks these became much stronger, much more frequent and much more alarming!
My GP did various tests... the results of which all ruled out anaemia, diabetes and thyroid as being possible causes. Heart failure was also ruled out but still they kept happening. Unlike previous 'episodes' this time I was feeling much more fatigued than usual, I was becoming out of breath much quicker than usual and I was feeling really quite unwell.
The only thing that happened around the time of their re-occurrence was my 6th covid booster. I had the new Pfizer 'combo' vaccine but had not experienced any other noticeable reaction at the time of vaccination.
I since have discovered that in very rare instances, a few people may experience myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle).... a rare complication involving for the most part, shortness of breath during activity (and whilst resting too) heart arrhythmias, flu like symptoms, weakness, fatigue and chest tightness.
I was experiencing all of these symptoms and feeling pretty unwell too.
Having already ruled out a number of possible causes, my GP agreed that I might have myocarditis but didn't seem overly concerned. I was though, and so I decided to ask to be referred back to my cardiologist.
I have an appointment to see him next Thu but typically, after lots of rest, it's all settling down again now and I'm feeling much better.
I understand that in many instances, appropriate rest is all that's required to recover from myocarditis (unless symptoms continue to escalate of course) and it would seem this could have been the case for me.
I may never know for sure the exact cause of these most recent palpitations and I don't think it's necessarily always a good idea to try and self diagnose, but something triggered them off again and I guess until I speak to the cardiologist, I have no other realistic explanation than the one I've just described.
I would be interested to hear other people's thoughts on this though.
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Kendrew
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Thanks for this post - very worrying for you and those close to you - hope everything “settles” for you.
I’m not a cardiac expert by any means, but hubby did have issues for nearly 20 years, so am interested in subject.
Were any of your previous EB episodes attributed to anything in particular-stress is one cause apparently (but when isn’t it)… and IF it is myocarditis then that can be triggered by a virus (so why not the vaccine).
But just guessing, sure others with much more experienced will pitch in.
Fingers crossed you get some good news next Thursday… and continue to feel better. 🌸
To this day I've no conclusive explanation why they began in the first place.
When I was 18yrs old, my mum died very suddenly and unexpectedly in quite traumatic circumstances and understandably this was an extremely stressful time, but the palpitations didn't emerge till about 5yrs later.
I do think stress has definitely been a trigger though and I can pinpoint a few times when stress and palpitations have emerged hand in hand.
This hasn't always been the case though and there have certainly been a few times when it's been more difficult to figure out what the trigger may have been.
One's I do know would include
- caffeine
- too much chocolate (also has caffeine in it!)
- over intense exercise (haha!.. when that was an option!)
I am prone to ectopic heart beats when my body is not happy. I had them after every Covid vaccine with increasing duration alongside neuro type pains eg, shingles pain and ‘electric shocks’ in various places. I just assumed that the heart’s ‘electrics’ were also affected.
When reading your reply this sounds like the problem I am having.
I have had this experience twice and looking at the dates of my flu and covid vaccines that’s when the electric shock feelings started in my head, I don’t know if I am clutching at straws, but the doctor does not seem interested.
I didn't actually mention the little shock like pains I also experienced in my head at the time of post vaccination, as they only happened a few times and were very short-lived. I apportioned no real significance to them until just reading now that others had experienced similar.
So much we don't know and still have yet to learn around all things covid-related!
I had the same but I do find that no doctor I’ve seen will ever speak ill of any Covid vaccine, not even having a discussion, it’s quickly brushed aside. That’s bad science in my view. I think that any risk of causing people to avoid it is stamped out as a necessity as basically we have nothing else in our armoury, particularly in the UK where it has been swept under the carpet.
They are ready to talk here - when I said yesterday this a/f problem started the evening of the bivalent jab the Pain Lady anaesthetist said they see this sort of thing frequently in the ICU, any poke at the immune system seems to poke at existing arrythmias as well.
Snap! I had jab number 5 for me 3 weeks ago, also the Pfizer bivalent version. No adverse effects at all of the sort I would have expected. But that evening I had an afib episode. And Saturday and Sunday - which lasted far longer than usual. The pattern continued all week. Then I had what felt like a day off before it happened again. Normally they last at most a couple of hours maybe over a few days and then I notice nothing for weeks - these are noticeably longer and day after day.
I did see my cardiologist on Tuesday for the pacemaker check and I mentioned it. She looked - they'd been 8, 10 and more hours long. She wasn't in the least bothered, no, no need to tweak the medication. Wednesday I didn't notice much at all despite aquafit and Thursday was OK too I think. Yesterday was the worst so far, 16 hours and short bursts of very high rate, just seconds so I didn't go to the hospital but I was seriously thinking about it. The HR settled to 80s/90s when I went to bed - still well above my normal 60 regular sinus rhythm.
I have been down to 7mg pred, I tried 6mg, no! Not yet! Low cortisol can contribute to arrythmias so last night I took 10mg to see what happened. This morning - 60 bpm. It goes up when I get up to do something like fetch a cup of tea and takes a bit longer than usual to settle back. I have felt quite rubbish - especially yesterday and any day the arrythmia was bad and today I ache all over. nothing new there of course but today I'm feeling the effects of yesterday. Yesterday was the most noticeable so far - I even felt dizzy when I went to make my dinner which is a first. I often feel quite disinclined but on your own - needs must. And strangely - it did improve a bit after a small glass of wine with dinner!
It doesn't appear to be typical myocarditis - my ECG on Tuesday was fine. Whatever though - we oldies don't appear to be considered in the population who might be affected. I had nothing noticeable with the other 4 jabs, all mRNA, 2 Moderna, 2 Pfizer - only this new version. I shall however report it somehow - not sure how to do it here.
My arrhythmia is definitely PMR-related, it started about the same time and the cardiologist here originally blamed the a/i part of PMR damaging the sinus node cells. So anything that pokes the immune system is likely to contribute I suppose.
oh Kendrew And PMR Pro. I hope both of you find out what is going on. It does sound like the shot might have had something to do with it. But also good to know that you read it will settle down with rest if that is what it is. I am glad you are going back to doc. please keep us posted and I will send BIG ENGERY healing (after all I am a professional! ) 🤪 and be thinking of your beautiful hearts. I have my appt to get that shot in the end of Dec. as I had covid in Oct. will let you know how it goes! In the mean time. BREATHE. maybe poke in the past posts and do my relaxation. Or if you like, either of you I will repost! xo
I find your post interesting to me. After 7 months on pred and 3 months on Actemra I could feel my heart beating abnormally and I was getting chest pain. Went to cardiologist where many tests were done. I have too many heartbeats. After a CT scan they also found some blockage in artery leading to heart. Even though I have blockage they couldn’t do anything because my blood was still flowing thru at 99%. I started a beta blocker and low dose aspirin and i must get my cholesterol lower which is difficult because of the Actemra. Anyway, I was told the extra heartbeats were nothing to worry about.
My heart seems to have calmed down with the medication but it’s still very difficult not to get worried when you’re trying to sleep at night and you can feel your hearts extra beats. I don’t get out of breath too often but it still happens occasionally. I’d like to know when you go to the doctor what he or she has to say
Here is my yoga and relaxation for everyone. Hope it opens for you if not PM me your email and I will send that way. The last track is the big relaxation. sites.google.com/a/apps.hop...
Hi Kendrew have experienced exactly the same symptoms you have described following the Pfizer combo but also with a marked bradycardia and awful lightheadedness . I also was diagnosed with ectopic beats some time ago and have diastolic dysfunction and take a number of antihypertensives. After suffering for around 5 days I ended up in a&e ( via GP) and as always happens the 2 min ECG tracing they did after a 6 hour wait didn't show anything. They advised that I have a 72 hour tracing which I am now awaiting. I really can empathize with you as when they do start it is very unnerving and the exhaustion is overwhelming. Hope you get some answers next week when you see the cardiologist. Take care x
Yes...annoyingly, the surgery didn't do the sensible thing and do an ECG at the time I saw the GP when the palpitations were happening constantly. No!.... I had to make an appointment and go back 5dys later for the ECG! Typically, by then, the palpitations were beginning to ease in both frequency and duration so during the 2mins I was attached to the electrodes I wasn't actually experiencing an 'episode' and the reading was normal!
In the past, I've seen the cardiologist privately and had a tiny 'state-of-the- art' ECG monitor attached to my chest for TWO weeks. It recorded ALL heart activity and when I felt something going on I pressed a button on it which registered on the final read out so it could be checked to see what sort of heart rhythm was happening at the time.
Things are significantly improved now but I'm still going to see him to discuss the situation further.
oh for goodness sake. If we or our GP’s had a juicy episode going on we wheeled out the ECG there and then even if it put our list behind, such is the episodic nature of some heart issues. Well, the GP’s would tell us nurses to do one for them so their list didn’t overrun! Who can say it isn’t heralding a worse event? Does your GP not have a 24 hour machine? Ours was hardly state of the art but it worked. Like you back in the late 90’s my ectopic runs were quite outrageous but only caught on a 24 hour monitor. The wild readout explained to me why it felt like I was dying but the cardiologist was unexcited which was reassuring. I now use them as a barometer for my general state. In the run up to GCA it was bad.
My gp surgery does indeed have an ECG monitor available at all times in one of the nurses consultation rooms.
I did ask the GP if it might be more helpful to do it at the time but he said no, I'd have to make an appointment.
The only way I previously discovered my arrhythmias were harmless ectopic beats was by wearing a state of the art ecg monitor for two weeks that stuck to my chest.
So what's the point of having a ECG monitor available if it cannot be used when required - as your request... unless there's only one person in the surgery who's trained to use it, and if that's the case then need to train more..
The nurse who finally did the ecg at my appointment was on duty the day I saw gp so I'm wondering why she couldn't have spared 5mins to do it! The whole 'system' is dysfunctional.
Like GPs dialling 999 when a patient has an asthma attack and being asked by the paramedic if they've given the standard protocol magic potion (can't remember what it is called). Of course they hadn't. The GP replied, "Oh, I think there is some in the fridge but I don't know the dose .."
The ambulance driver (it was in the days of "stretcher monkeys", could drive and carry but not even technician qualifications) immediately replied with the correct dose! You couldn't make it up - and it wasn't, my paramedic daughter was the patient.
hello. I’ve just joined because I wanted to see if PMR causes cardiac problems. I’ve had PMR for about 7 years snd managed to taper off steroids for about 4 months but it returned. Im normally bradycardic with a heart rate around 48. I’m getting tachycardia episodes where it suddenly flips to 169. The worst lasted a couple of hours before dropping. Im awaiting a cardiac referral ( some months). The point of this post is to ask if you’ve considered an Apple Watch. It records O2 and HR 24/7. Very accurate. Also identifies A/F episodes snd you can take an ecg whenever you want. PDF files can be exported to GP if necessary. My watch readings were consistent with ecg machine etc at surgery. It’s an excellent way to monitor changes, with evidence.
I haven't actually got an Apple watch but I do have my own oximeter and a sphygmomanometer (blood pressure machine) that also alerts me to any abnormal heart rhythms. The info is saved on the sphyg should I require it but obviously I'm not wearing the 'cuff' 24/7 so I'm not collecting continuous evidence this way.
Unfortunately, at present, I couldn't justify the cost of an Apple watch but I do thankyou for what seems a very good suggestion.
I understand the cost issue; I was in a similar position. But I found a fully refurbished 6 series with 12 month warranty for just over £100. It’s still a lot but I truly hadn’t realised just what it does. It even monitors gait to identify imbalance and one of the main benefits is that if you fall it knows and calls emergency services. I fell alone on a hill walk and was grateful for that function. I believe a health authority is trialing issuing watches so people can monitor at home snd drs know the data is reliable. I now considered my watch essential to my well being. I’ve had it nearly two years and it’s never off my wrist apart from charging and I can listen to music or books from it too. I wish you all the best
I saw a different report which suggested >90% accuracy. I can only speak from personal experience. I have a pulse meter which measures HR and oxygen and the watch readings are consistent with that. I also checked the ecg recording with the one at the surgery, They were almost identical. I’m bradycardia and I’m finding my hr drops below 40 at night. If it stays there for >10 minutes, there’s quiet alarm and vibration, which wakes me. I’ve found that’s accurate too. My GP is now advocating use to monitor both cardiac and respiratory conditions and is supported by consultants. I certainly wouldn’t advocate something that was inaccurate and I undertook numerous comparators before I was content it’s correct.
I haven't tried the Apple brand, but had something similar, which I gave up wearing because of a skin reaction. Decided I didn't like the idea of constantly being scanned by the flashing green light. I also found the readings and functions in other areas fluctuated in their reliability and operation.
I opted for the ALCOR monitor, which both my GP and cardiologist approve of. I can actually email results to either if warranted, but likely haven't felt the need to do so.
I find all this very interesting. I had PMR and GCA for nearly 4 months before diagnosis and starting steroids. 2months after that I had alarming heart rhythms which were diagnosed as ectopic beats by a cardiologist. So in my mind it was the steroids rather than the PMRGCA which triggered those. I got used to them. Then two weeks after the first AstraZeneca jab I had a major flare of PMR. Up the steroids and I had the first Afib with heart rate of 180. It settled and was a normal ectopic during a two day ECK monitor. When I visited the cardiologist he told me to get a Kardia device and to take readings when I felt abnormal rhythms. I was able to record the next Afib episode with a three hour episode of 155 beats. This happened after another hike in steroids due to a flare after the fifth jab, Pfizer. I am now on blood thinners and have a beta blocker for when it happens again. I do hope NOT! I have given up alcohol - 3 months but had a Xmas drink (lovely) recently. Just do not want to go to A&E which is desperate at the local hospital.
I am convinced it is the steroids interfering with the electrical signals but GP and Cardiologist will not commit to that. It could be my age the PMR etc!!
Or even the autoimmune part of the PMR which is what caused my a/fib. Part of the reason for the high dose of pred I needed was managing the a/fib.
On Friday the a/fib was bad and lasted all day although never 155 - that would trigger a visit to the ED for me, agreed with the cardiologist. Mine is mostly under 125 but that is bad enough when it goes on and on. Friday night I took 10mg pred - a steady 60 bpm all day Saturday. Last night back to 7mg - and a/fib this morning.
I am not sure I completely understand Afib. The two episodes I have experienced were completely obvious as my heart was flutter beating and was totally visible. It looked like a caged bird trying to escape. New private GP saw me that morning and explained about the blood pooling and put me on blood thinner with ‘pill (beta blocker) in the pocket’. He also said I could have Afib without the visible signs which I can understand as when I thought the Afib over as the fluttering had ceased my HR was even higher at 155! So that must mean Afib is a fast HR, not always with a flutter/banging?
I do test HR with the little Kardia device and occasionally I have very short episodes of ‘possible Afib’ though HR is normal which new GP looked at and said they were ectopic.
What happens to you ? How do you know you have Afib episode? And have you been given beta blockers? What sort of effect does a beta blocker have? GP says slows heart rate but someone mentioned not being able to get out of a chair!
I'm on a betablocker (bisoprolol) on a permanent basis, not pill in the pocket. It's fine. my HR is 60 usually and my BP now 100-110/60-70.
I can feel it starting mostly now - the change is so great it makes it more obvious I think, I certainly am able to function on it but I'm on a pretty low dose. I should have been put on an ACE inhibitor but I am allergic so they would be a big no-no. Instead I was put on bisoprolol and losartan. At some point the losartan was stopped - after I got a pacemaker I think - and I was fine. I'm also on Pradaxa as the anticoagulant, it was a warfarin clone at first but that went all difficult so I got the expensive stuff.
Thank you. The link is very informative. I am still not sure how I fit the picture. As far as I know I have just had the two episodes. At the end of the second one I was able to record a HR of 155 with the Kardia. That was a surprise as the sensation and visible flutter had ceased and I thought my heart had returned to normal. The doctor said it was Afib but I can’t understand why it was so different. Maybe Atrial Flutter?
I am so sorry that you have had so many problems. I am full of admiration that you have turned your experiences into helping all of us. You give me much comfort and security. I am so glad you are there.
I have become pretty sensitive to the changes - whereas my husband had almost permanent a/f and barely noticed. I think you need longer term monitoring to see how much you have but if it is there - you need at least an anticoagulant because it is impossible to predict when it will happen and the risk of stroke is very real.
Nice new private doctor put me straight on Lixiana edoxaban explaining 3hrs was a long episode and could allow a clot to form. He didn’t fuss. What I can’t quite get my head around are friends saying they have episodes and don’t even know it (like your husband) apart from a little breathlessness if they climb the stairs? Mine is visible from across a room and certainly absolutely obvious to me! Do you think it could be something different and not Afib at all??
No, not necessarily at all, everyone is a bit different. I notice now because my usual heart rate is 60 - over 100 is almost double so feels very different. If you've had the tests, even an ECG is enough to decide which sort of arrhythmia it is. A/F isn't inherently dangerous, just unpleasant for us delicate flowers. There are a lot worse options!
Haha - I have just been to the GP and been told it is fine to up the pred to 10mg again - which appears to manage it. But this is too coincidental not to be the vaccine.
Yes. I am so sure the current Covid requirements are making PMRGCA more problematical! I’ve had to up to 6mg this morning and 🤞that that is enough. I was tapering nicely until the vaccine program started. In hindsight every vaccine except the first Pfizer (no 3) has had an effect. Actually getting Covid has had a worse effect. Oh well 🤷♂️
I had a minor flare with the second Moderna but given what else was going on here with my husband at the time it is difficult to pin it on "just" the jab and I still feel it was worth it in terms of Covid. Not sure I want another bivalent jab - but there is 6 months to consider that ...
humm ! A lot can happen in 6 months. Without doubt there is no contest re Covid vaccines and getting an unvaccinated version of Covid. It seems there is no prediction of how it will effect you. I just wish it was clearer as to whether the discomfort is a flare, ai, or not enough!
This a/fib thing has been a real curve ball! Probably wouldn't have bothered me as much if I didn't live alone. At least it didn't happen with the earlier jabs though. I have said all along, part of the pred dose I needed was to keep the a/fib down. And Actemra obviously isn't managing whatever is causing that so I do wonder if it will get me much lower on pred. I need a True Detective Doc!
Gosh! A true detective needing a true detective Doc. That really pretty much explains this PMRGCA! On thinking back on my two alarming Afib episodes one could also suspect the inflammatory situation needing a hike in preds. Never having had any heart issues as far as I know they began after 6weeks on pred with the palpitations dismissingly acknowledged as side effect of steroids along with high BP by the GP. The better GP. So I have always blamed pred. But I suppose the high BP and ectopics could be as a result of 4 months of undiagnosed PRMGCA?🤷♂️. In fact that sounds very likely. I will discuss when I next see Rheumy after Christmas.
Just an add on. Yes being on your own is a whole different thing and an added stress. But I have to say that during the first episode I felt I was better off on my own, remaining calm and not alerting my husband as he does worry! During the second episode he was amazingly calm and helpful!!!! Well well well!!
That was what happened to me - but I did have occasional symptoms right from the start of PMR symptoms. The a/f was found by accident in the end, a drug adverse response, and it was only after it was controlled I realised the minor episodes had gone! My cardiologist has always said it is closely linked to the vasculitis.
Whoops! I got that wrong! I was racing to the bottom on 2mg prednisolone when I realised I probably had ai - muscles seizing etc. so went to 10mg. Then had the Afib episode after a week of 10mg and dropping to 5mg. After the fifth jab I had a flare but this time I upped by 1mg to 6mg. This seems to be best. So far no Afib. I just feel that steroids play a big part and that for me going up and down in jumps is not soo good. I have now managed to reduce to 5mg using a prolonged DL method. 🤞
I find this thread interesting as I've had ectopic heartbeats on and off for years. When I went to the GP about it he told me it could be triggered by stress. At the time I was doing a very physically and mentally stressful job, so it was hardly surprising. Anyway, after around a month or so things slowly returned to normal.
A decade or so later, I was unemployed and the ectopics returned. This time it occurred to me that my unemployment was a stressful situation that triggered the ectopics, and after I started working again they went away. However, I have noticed that during any times of particularly stressful situations, the ectopics return.
As such I would say that our current world situation, with the ongoing war in the East, combined with the cost of living crisis, along with our existing health problems, is enough to trigger stress in anyone. So it's no surprise that for all of us who are already suffering from PMR/Pred/GCA/Covid, and/or Covid vaccines, stress is an expanding situation in our lives, and I'm sure it's what is causing such a widespread resurgence of ectopics at the moment.
As one of the previous posters on here has already said, a small glass of wine, along with just sitting back and relaxing, is probably the best medicine. After all, doesn't it say in the Bible to, "take a little wine for thine oft infirmities"?
My arrhythmia only started with the onset of PMR but they can't make their minds up whether I have AFib or SVT, the treatment regimes are quite different. They're not over concerned as I feel absolutely fine during these episodes. I've had 4 of them beginning when I first developed PMR in October 2019. They don't seem irregular just very fast, up to 180bpm.
The first one subsided at home without treatment, the second episode, September 2021, lasted much longer and I was treated at my local ED with beta blockers and magnesium. They took ECG readings but lost them but gave a diagnosis of AFib and prescribed beta blockers and Apixaban which is an anti-coagulant. My GP told me to stop the beta blockers as my RHR is about 50bpm and my BP is well controlled, he said I would be unable to get out of the chair if I took the beta blockers.
I had a second one last June while under the channel in the train while in our motorhome! Once again I felt fine but took myself to the William Harvey Hospital near the Tunnel exit, I had no treatment and it subsided after 2 hours. I had a mini episode recently which lasted about 30 minutes.
I saw a cardiologist privately a few months back and he said my episode under the channel looked like SVT and not AFib so I shouldn't need to take and anti-coagulant but to have an ECG when I next have an episode, this could be sometime next year! I had an echocardiogram which is normal. The cardiologist suggested that I keep a few beta blocker tablets in my wallet and to take one if I get an attack, a tactic known as "a pill in the pocket".
I did that with my recent mini episode and it subsided quickly.
The point of all this is that I mentioned to the cardiologist that there was a consensus (amongst us anyway!) of a causative link between arrhythmia and PMR. Essentially he absolutely rubbished it, said that it wasn't supported by any research.
However I am convinced that my episodes are related to alcohol intake. I only drink moderately, glass of wine with my dinner with the occasional beer but my intake rockets occasionally such as on holiday in France with friends just prior to my Channel Tunnel episode and the mini episode recently after dinner with my son-in-law who can't stand the sight of an empty glass and I'm weak willed!
"Essentially he absolutely rubbished it, said that it wasn't supported by any research"
Possibly because they haven't thought about it! And here there is no such reaction - he was quite confident there is a link. My regular cardiologist also accepts there is a direct link with inflammation - always worse with a PMR flare and it is
I did ask Sarah Mackie if there was an increase in such events in PMR/GCA patients and her response was "it's common in the age group anyway". Which wasn't what I asked!
"A highest association of AF was found with gout followed by vasculitis, and polymyalgia rheumatica when compared to other RD. Mortality was two-fold higher in patients with RD with AF."
how did the cardiologist diagnose the episode under the tunnel? From your report or had you recorded it with something like a Kardia device? So what is the difference between Afib and a SVT? I have been off all Alcohol since the last episode as shortly afterwards an article appeared in one of the Sunday broadsheets saying that even a small 200ml of Alcohol could trigger Afib!!! I do sleep better! I have gingerly tried a small amount as it would be sad not to have an occasional drink at Christmas……….but not a good time of year to go to A&E!!!
Hi Kendrew, hubby had the Pfizer combination booster too, though he's not on pred and has suspected connective tissue disorder. He was really ill and had to have a week off work. Feverish, chest pains, throat felt like he'd been punched in it, no appetite, dreadful fatigue. GP wasn't bothered, but signed him off work and said to take paracetamol. He's back at work now but still recovering. I'm just glad I had the Moderna jab, with no after effects whatsoever; and I do have a history of palpitations and Afib.
OTOH - nothing else at all, not even a sore arm. And it is the first time I have had a problem really.
But I was also down to 7mg pred, had tried 6mg but wasn't happy so went back up. Increasing the dose to 10mg on Friday evening meant Saturday was fine, last night 7mg again wasn't. So I took a bit more this morning and it had worked by lunchtime. Not just the jab I suspect ...
That's interesting as my previous booster was Moderna and although I experienced no palpitations, I was really unwell for 24hrs, but the onset of my reaction didn't start till 18hrs after the vaccination.
I ended up in A&E with a very scary episode diagnosed as AFib. Never had it before but this was within 48bhrs of Moderna Spike vaccine. My previous Spike made me feel weak & dizzy for a few days too though I had been fine with previous AZ & Pfizer doses. Am now on beta blockers and blood thinners & wondering whether I need to stay on them for life or if that was a temporary reaction to the vaccine.
I guess the only way to tell is to ask for a Holter monitor. If it's paroxysmal Afib you need it for a week. I have never had an episode of Afib but because they suspected it, even after wearing a Holter for a week with nothing showing, they still diagnosed it and I was told to stay on blood thinners and beta blockers. I guess they're just hedging their bets. Problem is, I can't take NSAIDS now which were my mainstay for neuralgia and migraines. Also your travel insurance will cost more! There's nothing on the form to say "suspected Afib"!
My experience mirrors yours exactly. Began PVCs in my early 20s and they continued off and on since then. No rhyme or reason but very annoying and sometimes frightening. I saw a cardiologist at one point who wrote me a letter to tell me he had the same thing and knew how it felt but not to worry. What a wonderful guy he was to do that!Several months ago, it began again but add to that exhaustion and not feeling right, sometimes feeling like I was going to faint. And it just won't go away. Wore a holter monitor for 2 weeks and I had a new problem... proximal ventricular tachycardia.. beats as high as 220 per minute. There were a few one off odd other things.
I saw a cardiologist at that point.
I put the exhaustion to the end of tapering but I was the heart stuff evidently. I personally blame the prednisone but who knows?
I'm going to have a cardiac ultrasound in a few weeks.
Hopefully it will be fine. In the meantime, my BP meds were changed so now we wait.
Kendrew, I’m so glad you’re listening to and advocating for yourself and seeing your cardiologist. My husband, who’s had GCA for 4 years, was hospitalized with suspected myocarditis 2 weeks ago. He had covid over 2 months ago. No family or personal history of heart issues. Multiple cardiologists said the vaccine, covid or a combination is likely cause. He had an echo and angiogram. Doc was surprised to find no blockage, just weak apex and inferior walls revealed by echo. An MRI is the only way to detect damage but that’s complicated for my husband (he has a spinal cord stimulator implant for PHN). His primary cardiologist prescribed blood pressure meds, diuretics and rest on top of 12.5 prednisone he's already on. After six weeks he gets another echo, which will determine next steps. Side note, although the docs mentioned the vaccine as a possible cause they wouldn’t discuss it due to the sensitive political nature. Sad but true. All the best with your appointment next week.
I think mine are sometimes a stress response. I’ve had episodes of premature ventricular and atrial contractions on and off for decades. (Caffeine and chocolate definitely set them off. Sleeping on my side sometimes does it. I have episodes after eating as well, and if I get dehydrated.) I wore a monitor and they were recorded but I was told they were no problem.
On the last day of November I went to urgent care for what I assumed was a sinus infection that was already at 3 weeks. The waiting area was terrifying to me — all were masked but a number of people sounded like they were coughing up a lung.
Nurse Practitioner (checking my vitals): Do you have a cardiologist?
Me: No, why?
Nurse Practitioner: Because your blood pressure is 186/95 and you’re in AFib right now.
I was able to snag a cardiology consult about 5 days later. My BP was normal. ECG showed normal sinus rhythm. Cardiologist set up an echocardiogram for end of month and put a 2-week heart monitor on me. She thinks the urgent care NP might have heard the little carnival ride in my chest from premature contractions and interpreted it as AFib. But she wants to be sure nothing is going on given my long history of premature contractions.
Not wishing to jump on the bandwagon but I too have recently had the new Pfizer 'combo'. I felt fine at first but then about a week later my BP went to 206/98, blurred vision and I had a headache all through the night like never before. It lasted through most of the following day until I took an extra strong anti inflammatory tablet that started to calm things down. I almost went to A & E but felt in too much pain so decided to sit it out. Since then my BP has dropped to nearly normal and I'm able to function again but it has left me feeling weak and achy. Maybe a flare?
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Four weeks at club zero and no more Afib issues
PMR and fast heart beats
More time on initial 15mg dose of prednisone 
PMR or something else
