Vitamins and HF

[genteel]

Hello everyone. I just wondered if anyone had researched or had information from talking with cardiologists on taking vitamins with prescribed heart medication? I have just been diagnosed with heart failure with EF of 40%. I have seen various blogs and videos on u tube from doctors and cardiologists recommending the use of Coq10 or ubiquinol and other supplements like D-Ribose, vitamins k1and k2, vitamin d3, Hawthorn berries vitamin and magnesium. I take ramipril 5mg atorvastatin 20mg, furosemide 40mg, aspirin 75mg and bisoprolol 7.5mg daily. I suffer with breathlessness too. I would live to hear back from anyone with similar symptoms regarding the breathlessness and how to cope woth it or if your medication was altered, ammended to help and also from anyone who has tried the use of vitamins to see if they helped? Thank you. Jim

[gmkilly]

Jim, ask your cardiologist/gp/pharmacist. Some vitamins and herbal remedies react or interfere with the effectiveness of heart meds. Your drugs cocktail is specific to you. I have HF too, and take everything you take, my EF is about 46%, but I was very fit before my HA, and I’m now largely asymptomatic, I either walk or swim pretty much every day, and eat very clean. We’re all very different in how it manifests itself, and how each reacts or deals with the meds.

Gary

[genteel in reply to gmkilly]

Thanks very much for your reply Gary. Apart from the cardiologists and doctors on u tube and blogs recommending certain vitamins i think our own doctors and cardiologists are very wary of answering the question of taking certain vitamins and supplements with heart meds. It would be nice to hear a positive that they are ok to take without any interactions though and can improve symptoms too.

[gmkilly in reply to genteel]

Most of them are too frightened of getting sued or complained about if they’re wrong, and what you’re talking about isn’t on the NICE tick box list!

[humph3]

After 14 months of taking ramipril atorvastatin bisoprol etc I decided that I was no better than before I had stents fitted for a full blockage of the LAD. I was still getting angina every day and the drugs were making me feel drowsy and impeded my ability to think straight. I stopped taking all my drugs and am following theLinus Pauling vitamin programme. 5g of vitC and 4g oh L lysine per day. Don't do this at home but I no longer have angina and feel much better. I have Benin doing this for 5 months. I wouldn't suggest anyone else takes such a drastic step -probably just works for me!

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Having had diabetes for many decades, and now having PAD and CVD I have tried various supplements over the years including garlic tablets, Vitamin B complex, cod liver oil, CoQ10, etc. The only one I take now is 1000mg SR Vitamin C. This is CVD often starts with irritation which the body tries to repair by depositing plaque thus causing another problem. The link between the vascular system was established centuries ago when they discovered Vitamin C (as lime juice) prevented scurvy. BTW all the other vitamins/supplements did nothing for me.