New here

[Confused_Guy]

Hi there. I'm new to the group. I've recently been diagnosed with heart failure and LVSD. Spent two weeks in the hospital getting things controlled and have been out for two weeks. I'm not feeling too badly right now. In many ways better than I have in quite some time - breathing is good.

Right now I'm struggling with the uncertainty of it all. Talking to doctors and nurses, and reading about my condition helps. "You can live a full and active life" and all of that is great....then I get to the last chapter and it inevitably end on the subject of palliative care. Just really don't know where to go with all of this.

[Ashleigh_BHF]

Hi Confused_Guy

It sounds like a lot has changed recently for you. Lots of people can live full and active lives with heart failure on the right treatment, but there are varying degrees of it which is why palliative care is also mentioned in the same booklet. If you'd like to call our Heart Helpline to chat to a cardiac nurse, we can go through what it all means for you and what support is out there. Our number is 0300 330 3311.

Take care,

Ashleigh

[gmkilly]

Hi, I have LVSD HF, diagnosed last April. If you haven’t found it yet, have a look at the Pumping Marvellous website. It’s a charity specific to heart failure patients. BHF is great, but it’s all things heart. On PM, you’ll find many more people who’ve been through where you are now. It’s very supportive and helped me greatly.

Best wishes

Gary

[Confused_Guy in reply to gmkilly]

Thanks. I'll check it out.

[Lezzers in reply to gmkilly]

I completely agree. My husband has heart failure & I've been a member of pumping marvellous for just over a year, they have a closed Facebook group. The advice & support from this group & pumping marvellous has been invaluable.

[Bear3570]

Hi my husband has been diagnosed with this too just a fortnight ago, we are overwhelmed with it all & I did the online searches too, it threw up more questions than answers if anything. Also scared the living daylights out of me! We are 48 years old & to be told this is scary as hell. The doc is treating him with Bisoprolol at the moment but what happens next?

[Lezzers in reply to Bear3570]

Please don't Google, the information is usually completely wrong or just not applicable to your situation. This group & the previously mentioned pumping marvellous group are fantastic for advice & support. Also being able to speak to heart nurses in this group is very helpful. Has your husband been referred to a heart failure nurse, if not ask for a referral as they are fantastic & they work with your GP & cardiologist. I hope you find the answers you need xx

[Bear3570 in reply to Lezzers]

No he hasn’t as of yet but I will tell him to ask thankyou , I have joined the pumping marvellous group too 🤗 . Thanks for taking the time to reply

[Prada47]

Hi Bear,

Pleased to meet you, I to have LVSD, HF with reduced EF you will find a lot of H F patients talk in 3 letter acronyms , but you will get used to that soon enough !! I saw my designated H F Nurse yesterday and she is titrating my meds upwards Now at 10mg Bisoprolol and heading for 32mg Candesartan, it's one of the roles HF Nurses carry out is to get your medication right. On my Heart Failure journey I have had 3 different Nurses and I would adopt anyone of them as a Gran daughter they have been brilliant. It takes a while to adjust to the diagnosis especially " It's Progressive " I'm 71 and a long way from Palliative Care, I think I am nearer to a Pacemaker than my Maker so hang in there it gets better. Honest

Best Wishes.

[Prada47]

Hi Confused-Guy

I think the reply to Bear says it all for me !!

Best Wishes