2022 COVID + Heart Racing

Back Story

I got COVID on 2022. Then my symptoms started like 6 months after the infection.

Pain at the base of the skull and nausea (I went to a neurologist who ordered an MRI and everything was normal).
One day, I was sitting at work when my heart started to race for no apparent reason, about 180 bpm, lasting for 5 hours. Since I thought I was having a heart attack, I went to the emergency room, where they performed an ECG and enzyme tests, all of which came back normal. I was prescribed medication for colitis.
Tingling in my arms and hands.
Metallic taste in my mouth during moments of alertness or high stress (e.g., when about to crash in a car).
Exaggerated reaction to situations that were previously normal, such as involuntary hand muscle shaking when I was about to start an F1 race. Feeling like I was going to faint after a huge emotion, like after my team scored a goal while I was in the stadium. Rapid heartbeats, shortness of breath, and rigid hands during a traffic jam (it would usually improve by drinking electrolyte solution). Rapid heartbeats when speaking in public (this didn’t happen before).
Afterward, I saw an internist, and he said my symptoms were due to vagus nerve irritation, prescribing Esomeprazole, Lunarium, and Cinitaprida. At that time, I didn’t have any symptoms of acid reflux or heartburn, but he suggested it might be silent reflux. I was on this treatment for 2 months, but the other symptoms didn’t improve. They did improve a little by taking Vitamin B complex and magnesium.

Subsequent symptoms:

  • When it’s very cold or hot, I start feeling disoriented and a little nauseous.
  • Burning sensation on the outer part of my left arm.
  • Shortness of breath with exertion.
  • Cold hands.
  • Epigastric bloating (I feel this is what causes me to not be able to breathe deeply). It has gotten so bad that when I breathe deeply, I hear a crackling sound in my sternum.
  • Nasal passages closing.
  • Acid reflux.
  • Pain in the center of my back, related to reflux.
  • After exertion, disorientation, weakness, a little dizziness (it was worse before, but not as much now).
  • Brain fog (this has improved over time, I feel more mentally clear).
  • If I skip a meal, I feel extremely bad, I get nauseous, and feel very disoriented.
  • Constipation (I used to go 3 times a day with normal consistency, now it’s only 2, with very variable consistency).
  • Slurring words when speaking (this doesn’t happen much anymore, but it was common at one point).
  • Belching (in the morning and during/after exertion).
  • Very fast heartbeat after eating, feeling dizzy while eating.

Recent symptoms that concerned me:

On a camping trip, we went to … for work, and after walking approximately 10,000 steps uphill and downhill according to my app, I started feeling short of breath and my epigastrium was very bloated. I was also burping a lot and regurgitating some food. My heart rate was extremely fast, way too rapid, and I felt weak. I started feeling disoriented. My extremities were freezing. I didn’t have dizziness, chest pain, or nausea, but it felt like I was about to faint at any moment. It was time for lunch, and I had no appetite, but I ate anyway. My pulse regulated about an hour later. Then my blood pressure was taken, and it was 138/80. Normally it’s around 110/70, I’ve checked it in the mornings, and it’s always close to that value. After that, the rest of the day, when walking, I felt short of breath easily. The next day I still felt very fatigued, maybe due to my lack of physical activity. On Saturday, I went to a wedding, and since we were running a bit late, I started feeling short of breath. I danced for about an hour, then sat down as my heart rate started accelerating. I felt disoriented for a few moments, but then my heart rate slowly regulated. The next day, I felt fine. Then, while driving, I had a lot of acid reflux, so I took TUMS. About two weekd after , after 10 minutes of walking, I started feeling very weak, so I checked my blood pressure, and it was around 90/60. Then it went up. This happened for about two weeks, and then stopped.

When I clon Ed stairs, about 3 flights at a normal pace, when I reach the top, I feel short of breath, I burp, and feel disoriented. Normally, it takes about 1 hour for me to feel okay again. When I’m worried about something, I feel like I’m about to faint.

Today, I am bedbound and can hardly think. I cannot walk more than 3 minutes. I would like your help to improve, thank you, god bless you. 

Analysis

Looking at forecasted versus entered symptoms, we see many matches. We will use this as one of our collection of suggestions. The other two are Cross Validated for Long Covid and KEGG Enzymes/Metabolites. No one knows the perfect solution, I look to where we have the greatest agreement as the best pathway forward,

From the above, we get just 25 critical bacteria. The top suggestions are very familiar from other analysis:

  • Inulin
  • Wheat Bran
  • Wheat
  • Dietary Fiber
  • Barley
  • Maize

The list is below

The top probiotics appear to be Limosilactobacillus reuteri {L. Reuteri}, bacillus licheniformis {b. licheniformis},Saccharomyces cerevisiae var boulardii {S. boulardii} and L. Gasseri . Unlike most people with Long COVID, only a single antibiotics appears in the top list.

Going to Cross Validated Suggestions, we see a smaller number of bacteria flagged as significant.

With the suggestions having some overlap with the above:

  • minocycline
  • Propolis {Bee glue}
  • ß-glucan {Beta-Glucan} i.e. Barley etc

In general. these same items often appear further down the list on the consensus list. The list above lacks priority.

KEGG Enzymes and Metabolites

The top suggestions are:

ProbioticCompoundEnzymesConsensus
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum41.6533.85292.7
Escherichia coli (Mutaflor)38.6551.6563.2
Limosilactobacillus fermentum36.630.95314.8
Bacillus subtilis36.549.580.6
Limosilactobacillus reuteri 34.8534492
bacillus licheniform33.9548.6422
L. Gasseri17.615.8574.6
Saccharomyces cerevisiae ——366

My suggestion for probiotics to be used in rotation (1-2 weeks of each and then move to the next) are:

  • L. fermentum
  • L. plantarum
  • L. Reuteri
  • Bacillus subtilis
  • Mutaflor

See Probiotics – General Advice for more information.

My recommendation for a regular breakfast is porridge (Barley, Oats) as well as a high fiber diet (see How much fiber is best/ideal? ).

Postscript and Reminder

As a statistician with relevant degrees and professional memberships, I present data and statistical models for evaluation by medical professionals. I am not a licensed medical practitioner and must adhere to strict laws regarding the appearance of practicing medicine. My work focuses on academic models and scientific language, particularly statistics. I cannot provide direct medical advice or tell individuals what to take or avoid.My analyses aim to inform about items that statistically show better odds of improving the microbiome. All suggestions should be reviewed by a qualified medical professional before implementation. The information provided describes my logic and thinking and is not intended as personal medical advice. Always consult with your knowledgeable healthcare provider.

Implementation Strategies

  1. Rotate bacteria inhibitors (antibiotics, herbs, probiotics) every 1-2 weeks
  2. Some herbs/spices are compatible with probiotics (e.g., Wormwood with Bifidobacteria)
  3. Verify dosages against reliable sources or research studies, not commercial product labels. This Dosages page may help.
  4. There are 3 suppliers of probiotics that I prefer: Custom Probiotics , Maple Life Science™, Bulk Probiotics: see Probiotics post for why