Heart failure

Hi out of the blue I was diagnosed in February as having dilated cardiomyopathy with severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction! A bit of a long winded name I thought,they think it is some sort of rare genetic thing, I never new I had anything wrong at all, and now everything has changed, I am still in shock, spent two weeks in hospital, full mot, and I have read everything possible,I still feel I don't know much about. it is nice to be able to share things with fellow heart patients, p.s the meds haven't made me feel any better! I just keep taking them and hoping, I am 58

.ta char

[JakJenLew]

It's true you just keep taking your medication and hope for the best...

[Weejenny]

Hi Chaz, I know only too well how you are feeling up until the end of January I ( on my husbands birthday so I'll never forget) thought I was fine. And now like you my life has changed. I feel so much better now thankfully. Reading others stories I never knew there could be so many different problems with the heart. I'm 49 and live in the north of Scotland, Jen

[Hidden in reply to Weejenny]

Hi it is nice to talk to other people that understand what you are going through, just got tablets changed today so hopefully that will make a difference, I am just outside Glasgow, near the airport

[Weejenny]

Hope your new medication helps. I'm just outside Inverness, my hubby is from Glasgow

[Hawdanoost]

I have the same condition. I was diagnosed in October 2015 they think it was caused by a virus at some point. My medication has now settled down and i have been fitted with an ICD. Apart from feeling more tired towards the end of the day I feel almost normal. I am 58 too. They can change the meds if they are not working there are plenty to choose from. Good luck.

[Hidden]

Hi that's good to know, that you can feel normal again, they have now changed my ramipril, not started the new ones as yet but hoping they will help, I just get fed up feeling tired all the time, can't keep up with anybody anymore boohoo

[GosportNancy]

Another one here newly diagnosed with left ventricular systolic dysfunction after being told for more than 20 years my symptoms were due to being overweight and unfit

[Hidden in reply to GosportNancy]

Hi how are you doing now? Are the meds helping at all, I feel worse since I started taking them! But was told I have to forever

[GosportNancy in reply to Hidden]

So far I have only been started on diuretics which wear off after a few hours. The GP wants me on ACE inhibitors next...so it is very early days for me.

My condition was diagnosed while in hospital last year in March, following collapse at home, then a cardiac arrest then several days in a coma in ICU.

Scary for family but not for me as I don't remember going to hospital