Heart Failure

[raymondo555]

I contracted Covid in March and at which time I was also diagnosed with AF. I have had several Doctors and Hospital appointments and each time my Medications have been increased changed and most recently one tablet removed. I find it slightly unsettling each time a medical professional refers to it as 'Heart Failure'. To me it sounds so drastic, yes I don't feel great and I have at times severe breathing issues but to hear the words 'Heart Failure' certainly gets my attention.

My last Doctors appointment was a week ago and I was told after my echocardiogram my heart is pumping at 20% and I'm now waiting for an appointment with Specialist, I haven't a clue as to what sort of treatment I'll then get. I have another CT scan in 2 weeks times to see how my lungs are bearing up.

Having reached 3 score years an 10 and never had any serious health issues I guess I'm pretty lucky really .......

[javo123j]

I had a similar experience when I was diagnosed after a fall. Hopefully they can get your heart into normal rhythm maybe with a cardioversion then the 20% should improve.

[Singwell]

You have the right to ask them to explain more fully what it is they find and what they mean when they say 'heart failure'. 20%function does sound rough and we know COVID can impact on the heart. Push them for clearer information. 70 isn't old - you want to enjoy the coming years.

[DawnTX in reply to Singwell]

I agree with you about clarifying. I will be 70 in August. I always say I am 35 in my head although the last six months have been hard especially since Covid which I believe is what made my a fib even uglier. I had gone 15 months after my last ablation and felt I was living a pretty good life until those six months ago. Heart failure is a pretty strong word it would make me ask them immediately what are you talking about how long do I have I think it sounds that serious. Don’t assume everyone MEDICAL knows everything. I can laugh now but in recovery I had three medical staff including a doctor pushing on a hematoma at my groin where I had four tubes. Well, they thought they were being helpful but on day of discharge speaking with my doctor I found out they had used a type of a plug in my Femoral artery to close it up. I have had that used before I am familiar with it but had not known they had used it this time with different doctors and hospital. that’s so called hematoma was actually the plug that was not going anywhere and thankfully did not break up or my femoral artery might have been in trouble. I asked my doctor to make sure in the future staff knows you have one of these plugs in you. He did not say anything to me but I’m sure he was shaking his head when I told him what they had been doing.

One had just done her certification as a PN I think it is so if anyone should’ve been aware it should’ve been her. We should not have to be responsible for these things but it’s our body so if you can be aware no one is perfect doctors are human

[Ppiman]

It is a dreadful term especially as it's not necessarily anything that important, I gather. I thought I understood it a little, but the more I read, the more I realise I don't. I gather that for some, even a small decrease in EF is very noticeable, as it was for me, but for others, even a large decrease barely registers. How can that be? After my ablation for atrial flutter in 2019, my EF rose from mid 40s to low 50s which pleased my doctor, but I have to say that it still doesn't feel normal to me.

If you haven't already, I'd ask what is causing your HF and what or if anything can be done to improve it? Yours is the kind that is potentially reversible, so far as I know, i.e. "HF with reduced EF". Was it the covid infection that caused it? Is it the AF that is causing it? Would an ablation help? Would losartan help? And so on - lots of questions.

Steve

[jsanta]

Hey Ray I contracted Covid and a week later I was in the hospital heart failure I have a fib and was on Tykosyn unfortunately the Covid blew out my electrical system! Almost like they gave me an AV node ablation. My heartbeat went to 30 they rushed me to the hospital and they immediately gave me a pacemaker which brought my heart back up to 70 when ejection fraction is now 45 to 55% it was never really as low as yours. However for whatever reason my QTC which is a concern when you take Tykosyn was at unsafe levels and they took me off it. I immediately went back into a fib but not as bad as before because of the pacemaker kind of controls in a little bit did not going to Tachcardia as often however I couldn’t really walk more than 100 yards without being out of breath. So on Tuesday I’m getting an ablation I had to ablations about five years ago they did not work that’s why I went to Tykosyn. But I’m a strong believer that the Covid blew out my AV node and I was vaccinated.