Post COVID Heart block
- by Libbyr
- 2024-07-23 11:28:44
- Exercise & Sports
- 317 views
- 12 comments
Hi all...I have 2 questions. How many here were diagnosed with a heart block (left branch bundle block for me) following COVID and vaccines? Seems a bit more info has come out more recently concerning heart issues following COVID.
Secondly, I have always been a fitness nut and have done years of moderate weightlifting. Do others here have limitations or soreness at the implantation site because of lifting? I've recently started a bit more rigorous lifting program and am having some soreness. I know that heavy.lifting, especially overhead can cause lead damage so hoping to avoid any of that.
12 Comments
Covid
by piglet22 - 2024-07-23 13:19:40
Not aware of any problems.
I had CHB before Covid, one confirmed infection during Covid, and a full set of vaccinations, two per year, i.e 6 to 8 jabs.
No known problems as a resul.
Physically Active Issues
by Stache - 2024-07-23 16:57:33
I have 3rd degree heart block and paced 100% of the time. I have always been very active and shattered my left shoulder (bicycle accident). Japanese put me back together with titanium plates then removed them a year later. My pacer was inserted just below my clavicle bone and it has caused some issues. I ride a bicycle a lot and on long rides my pacer pocket will hurt as I am putting constant pressure on it through my arm. Even when not riding it will sometimes ache, I have learned to live with it as I am sure it is due to all the trauma I have been through. Doctors say it should go away 3.5 years later it still has pain, don't think it will go away.
post Covid and heart block
by Lillian S. - 2024-07-23 21:29:41
Count me in, found out I had a second bout of covid at the time I landed in the ER in summer 2021 with heart block. I had no covid symptoms that second time and was astounded when they told me that when test in ER came back positive. At the time I'd had all the vaccines that were available at that point. Got flown via helicopter to a larger city hospital to receive pacemaker the same day. (And had a fine old time afterwards trying to convince insurance that the 'copter was "medically necessary.")
Anyway, at follow-up visit with cardiologist a month later, I asked if covid could have caused the heart block, and he said no, covid was thought (at that time) to cause myocarditis, not heart block.
But in the years since I have been googling "covid and heart block" or "covid and bradycardia" often, to see if there were any new studies on the connection. So far I haven't found anything except studies saying more studies are needed.
Later was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I asked the sleep nurse practitioner if apnea could have caused heart block. She said they don't know, they would have had to have done the sleep study before the block happened to know whether it was causing arrythmias.
People on this list have said that it's best if you stop worrying about why you end up needing a pacemaker, that some will never know why and you just need to accept it. But I keep thinking Covid had to have something to do with it, and eventually studies will come up with a link.
Covid and Heart block
by Rch - 2024-07-24 01:40:36
I had Covid about the same time as Trump did in 2020!! Trump could pull strings to secure for himself experimental antiseum cocktail directly from the CEO of Regeneron while I, like million others, just suffered it's course. Unfortunately I then continued into post acute sequelae for at least 2-3 years( long covid) . About a year after the initial attack, I also developed exercised induced Mobitz Type 2 , 2:1 block. I am not sure however if the Covid, vaccines and heart blocks are causally related. There are no definitive studies showing a causal a relationship but anything is possible with viruses!!
the lifting part
by Prof P - 2024-07-24 13:39:13
Not commenting on COVID other than the six vaccinations.
I have run for about 50 years (racing, marathons) and done regular weight training for much of that time including the 3 years since my PM implant. I was told to avoid certain things (bench press) although I suppose that was mostly during the healing process. Drs have been clear about doing "what you want" which would mean "what you can." At my age, I can maintain muscle pass by weight training but don't have the hormones to do a lot of muscle building. Pushing a little makes me sore the next day but have no effect on my PM. Things do sometimes bother me - sleeping in certain positions and, on occasion, yard work (motions not replicated in the gym, for me).
COVID & LBBB
by Meemaw - 2024-07-25 00:48:58
I had chemotherapy several years ago and one of the chemicals was known to negatively affect hearts. I also got covid just five months before learning of my left bundle branch block. The cardiologist say it's more likely LBBB was result of my chemo.
Covid and heart problems
by Amara - 2024-07-25 01:51:50
I had covid in 2020 and heart problems from it. First multiple uncontrollable arrhythmias, then Inappropriate sinus tachycardia, then sinus node disfunction, and just recently 2-1 AV block. Now I'm 98% atrial paced and 13% LBB paced.
I had other long-covid problems for about 2 years, but thankfully the other issues have resolved with the help of a great integrative medicine doc.
Post COVID 3rd Degree AV Block
by Baloney Stark - 2024-07-25 03:20:14
I am in this club. 33 years old and 3rd degree heart block out of nowhere.
post covid - 2nd degree block.
by LA - 2024-07-27 08:56:37
i too was diagnosed after Covid ( I had all shots) and 3 weeks after had PM put in. I too question any correlation? however whats done is done and i am alive and feeling so much better. Very active. Just turned 60.
re: lift/moving vs device area soreness
by PaceCahr - 2024-07-27 14:39:26
I pretty much did absolutely nothing with my left arm for the required 6 weeks, and kept a sling over the elbow to make sure I didn't actually raise it. After that limitation was lifted, I started doing some things with it, and was happily suprised how much I could restart doing, depite it's obvious weakness. I was lifting boxes that were as heavy as I would have lifted before surgery just fine without pain during or later.
The other night however, after spending an unusual few hours reading/writing on a tablet and phone, I straightened up, and dang. The device decided it wanted to shift in the pocket.
Not after physical activity - after being hunched over. :(
That caused (referred) pain in the front of the shoulder, down the bicep, and across the clavical. It was painful enough that I took tylenol to sleep.
The next morning, there was a tiny bump near my throat along the ridge, that disappeared a day later, but everything that hurt the night before, ached the next day. Another day later, the shoulder/clavical aches/pains were mostly gone.
If I sleep in a way that allows my left shoulder to droop forward, when I wake up and shift my arm back to "less hunched" position does make the incision irritated, I think it's still re-growing the nerves in hte area. Making rowing motions does not incur any kind of sensation (pain or movement) related to the device. The incision irritation only happens when when relaxed/hunched and then I straighten up. (go figure).
Good luck with returning to weight lifting, and hope your muscle/tissue adapt to it's new neighbor soon!
Not sure
by Tex61 - 2024-08-11 13:51:22
Was diagnosed with LBBB about 4 years prior to getting Covid after two jabs. At the time doc said you might be a pacer some day, well that day was about 5 mo ago.
I am 63. All my docs said "you're kinda young to need a pm" maybe Covid or jab accelerated it.
dunno. EP said it was probably just genetics. Can't worry about it now.
I lift light weights. Dumbbells 50lb max. First pacer was just under the skin. 2nd one just placed two weeks ago and down under the pec. Advised to wait 6 weeks on weights was lifting after 4 weeks on the first one.
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Member Quotes
I am just now 40 but have had these blackouts all my life. I am thrilled with the pacer and would do it all over again.
Heart block
by Laurette - 2024-07-23 12:55:43
I was diagnosed with left bundle branch block. No prior health issues. Had covid at beginning of pandemic treated at home since it was just before they announced Covid was going around. I did several vaccinations.