Tested positive today and have an elevated heart rate (105-115). I had a blood clot issue about 7 years ago. Should I go to the ER to get a work up to make sure everything is ok?

if it persists, i definitely would. my nephew's heart rate sat at 110-115 for several hours -- and he was fine after that. it was his body's way of fighting off the virus. but that's just one anecdote.

I am not a doctor and you should not take my advice, but generally when I run a fever my heart rate is elevated. Apple Watch these days just allows me to quantify it.

That said, I would certainly double check with a doc.

You should go to the ER

Heart issues after Covid seem to be common.

I had an ablation for atrial fibrillation 18 months ago. No problems since then. Test positive for Covid December 27, went back into AFib January 2.

Have heard others with previous AFib have had the same issue.

Second ablation scheduled for this week to get me out of it.

Dr. Not Yet Dr. Ag said:

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While I can't say definitively what you should do as I have not evaluated you or know your medical history, mild tachycardia alone is not a reason to go to an ER. ERs are for medical emergencies. If you are experiencing symptoms that you believe are a medical emergency, then go. However, don't go to an ER just because your watch tells you your HR is slightly above 100 or because you have high blood pressure when you have no symptoms. Those are not issues that need an emergency work up.

Symptoms of a pulmonary embolism are shortness of breath, typically worsened by exertion, chest pain (typically gets worse with breathing), lightheadedness, and sometimes fainting.

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I had covid 2 weeks ago.

I have a fitbit that tracks my daily resting heart rate. It has been 57-58 for many months.

For the 2-3 days I was sick with covid, it spiked to 67-68. Since I recovered, it has been 63-64.

I don't think it is a problem, but may be interesting.

Had Covid on 1/3. The first day I had a pulse of 100-110, second day it returned to normal.

Dr. Not Yet Dr. Ag said:

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While I can't say definitively what you should do as I have not evaluated you or know your medical history, mild tachycardia alone is not a reason to go to an ER. ERs are for medical emergencies. If you are experiencing symptoms that you believe are a medical emergency, then go. However, don't go to an ER just because your watch tells you your HR is slightly above 100 or because you have high blood pressure when you have no symptoms. Those are not issues that need an emergency work up.

Symptoms of a pulmonary embolism are shortness of breath, typically worsened by exertion, chest pain (typically gets worse with breathing), lightheadedness, and sometimes fainting.

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It can be difficult to know whether or not to go to the ER. If I went every time I might need to go (or when the Internet tells me to), I'd be going several times a year.

Last December, I had a bout of food poisoning and ended up dehydrated. I went to the ER. At first they were going to send me back until they realized I was having tachycardia issues so they put me on an IV for a while to rehydrate me.

Ever since my thyroid quit, I've had problems with cold. I'm often mildly hypothermic. For some reason, I don't seem to shiver when I get cold any more, though, which I find puzzling.

A couple of years ago, I was going out to a feed lot one morning when it was 28 F outside. I took my temperature while driving and saw it was 92.5 F. By the time I got to the feedlot, the heater had warmed up the pickup and it was up to about 95.5 F which is fairly normal for me any more.

A week before Thanksgiving, I was out doing some work in 40 degree weather and went back to the office for a better coat. While there I decided to take my temperature. As it turned out, it took about four minutes before I could get a temperature reading and when I did, it was 90.1 F. The thermometer's range starts at 90 F. I put on my heavier coat and went back to the job site but made sure to avoid being out in the cold more than a minute or two at a time.

I mentioned this to the physician's assistant I saw when I went in for my annual thyroid blood test and she just said that the thermometer is probably wrong.