Fear of myocarditis
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am currently at the end of a summer cold that started with a scratchy throat last Tuesday.
The course of the illness was as follows: slight scratchy throat from Tuesday to early Saturday, took Dorithricin. Since Friday evening, itching and sneezing in the nasal cavity, no secretion. From Saturday dry swollen sinuses, improved with the use of saltwater spray, taking Soledum forte 2 times a day (still taking it today). Secretion is clear until today and has never been yellow or green, initially a little blood due to dryness. Friday and Saturday nights I had pain from the dry mucous membrane in the sinuses radiating into my teeth, no pain during the day. I did not have a cough or strong feeling of illness except for a little tiredness due to interrupted sleep on Sunday and Monday. I did not have a fever, the oral temperature was consistently 36.3-36.5. Since Tuesday I can breathe freely, but still sound a little nasal and only need to blow my nose 2-3 times a day. It is improving day by day.
Now to my question: I have had an extreme fear of myocarditis for a long time. Therefore, I take good care of myself when I am sick, this time I only went for a normal walk for about 2 hours a day from Tuesday to Saturday, and slowly walked from Sunday to today for a maximum of 1-1.5 hours a day. I always take a break from exercise because I assumed that myocarditis can be caused by delaying a cold and only serious febrile infections are triggers. Now I have read that enteroviruses can also cause myocarditis without exercise and delaying it, and that these viruses are often the cause of a summer cold. Unfortunately, this triggered an anxiety reaction in me and I am panicking about overlooking something.
My resting heart rate is normally 74-90, it has always been like that, however, today I measured it once shortly after walking around the house and it was 101-107, the more I panicked, the higher it became. After 8 minutes of sitting quietly, it was back to 84. I sometimes have heart palpitations, which were examined 3 years ago and diagnosed as organically healthy.
I know the symptoms can be unclear, but listed are palpitations above 100 beats per minute, heart palpitations, fatigue and shortness of breath. As described, I sometimes have heart palpitations, the last time was two days ago, so it is hard for me to distinguish when I should see a doctor, and heart palpitations only occur when I feel anxious, so it is also difficult to distinguish, maximum heart rate then around 107. No water in the legs, no feeling of fatigue, no shortness of breath. I have no underlying conditions.
How do you distinguish normal heart palpitations and anxiety-related rapid heart rate at 108 beats per minute from what could be myocarditis?
I am currently abroad and have an appointment tomorrow afternoon to get another expert opinion, however, the last time after a week of cough in late January, I went to the doctor because I had more heart palpitations about 10 times a month from March to the end of June and sometimes felt like I was getting a panic attack and having trouble breathing (not shortness of breath and was in stressful situations). It was attributed to my generalized anxiety disorder and because I had other symptoms, it was blamed on anxiety and not further investigated, I am now afraid that it was also myocarditis. Although it clearly decreased with less anxiety.
Should I have a private EKG and ultrasound done, but I would have to finance it privately?
I hope you can help me.
