Recently diagnosed.

[Visitus]

Husband diagnosed with HF after heart attack 4 weeks ago. Admitted hospital given iv diuretics and oxygen. He is on heart meds and oral diuretics but he is continually coughing with white frothy phlegm, all day long, More so after meds. How long will this last and is it side effects from drugs? Can anyone help?

[Lezzers]

Sorry to hear of your husbands diagnosis. My husband has HF & his nurse wasnt concerned about his phlegmy cough as it didn't have any specks of colour in it. He's been coughing for years, he's had x rays & scan on his lungs & all have been clear. Certainly mention it to his Dr/cardiologist so he can be checked out. Some medication does cause coughing, if it's the medication that's causing it they can change it, I think ramipril or lisinopril are the usual culprits. Has your husband been referred to a heart nurse?

[Visitus in reply to Lezzers]

He was referred to HF nurses said urgent referral but not heard anything 2 weeks later. Admission to hospital was 1 week after discharge from heart attack. That's when HF was diagnosed. He had a stent and one artery was blocked causing part of muscle to die. EF 27%. Thanks 4 your support

[Lezzers in reply to Visitus]

What about calling the nurses yourself or ask the GP's secretary to chase them up. On my husbands last echo his EF was 30, but don't look too much into these numbers cardiologists will be more interested in how he's feeling/symptoms etc. It's very early days for him, once his medication kicks in you're likely see a big improvement in himself & his EF. Also, remember to look after yourself, us carers/partners tend to get forgotten about but we're also affected by these medical conditions

[Visitus in reply to Lezzers]

Thanks I feel the same. Was your husband coughing all the time? He is exhausted mainly worse after meds. Wonder if he is allergic to some of them. Hope this stops so he can start 2 go out

[Lezzers in reply to Visitus]

My husband coughs all day long, sometimes it’s a dry cough others it’s very phlegmy. It’s worse in the mornings & evenings &in extremes of weather. They changed his medication from lisinopril to candesartan but that didn’t help. He used to work with asbestos, hence all the tests but they came back all ok. They’ve now said it’s his heart & he’s retaining some fluid (I’m not convinced, but happy to know his lungs are clear). He’s now on a low dose of fusemide which has helped a bit. What medication is your husband on? My husband has had medication changed or stopped due to intolerance. Is your husbands cough so bad he can’t go out?

[Visitus in reply to Lezzers]

He's on ramipriĺ,bisoprolol and loads of others. Also fruosemide 80mg in morning which made a big difference. We haven't gone out due 2 coughing and bringing up frothy stuff. Not seeing cardiologist 4 another month ish- not had appt yet. your hubby may have heart problem as fluid gets back logged (from watery part of blood) in lungs causing white frothy phlegm. Frusemide will shift it but he may need higher dose?

[Lezzers in reply to Visitus]

Ramipril is likely the problem. Certainly call the HF nurses & ask them about about it, that may speed up their visit. I'm aware of the fluid can enter the lungs but would have thought that would show on the scan. Also, having had the cough for years before going on furosmide I would have thought the fluid build up would just get worse!! Whilst the coughing is annoying it's something he's gotten used to. Don't really wanna up the furosmide unless it's completely necessary, he's on quite a lot of medication that can affect his other organs. Something to ask the cardiologist next month. I hope your husband is feeling better soon.

[Visitus in reply to Lezzers]

I agree x-ray should b fuzzy if anything there. Hope he feels better soon. Hubby persevering. Thanks 4 the support. Take care

[Fortepiano]

I suggest you phone the BHF nurse helpline.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

An ACE inhibitor cough is typically dry and unproductive. When my husband had pulmonary oedema his cough was white to very pale pink and frothy and very copious. He also had breathing difficulty, particularly lying flat. It was diagnosed by x ray.

I can understand your concern given your husband has only recently been in hospital on IV diuretics. In your circumstances I would both try to get his referral speeded up and also get his cough checked with an xray either through his GP or AandE.

My husband's heart failure nurse recommended weighing every morning nude after peeing and keeping a record of weight. This is standard practice.

If it goes up more than a kilo in 2-3 days contacting the heart failure nurse.

Fluid restriction ( normally 1.5 - 2 litres a day ) and especially no salt is also very important.

The bhf booklets are very good if you haven't already got them.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

These early days when you haven't yet seen a heart failure nurse are very stressfulł - it does get more normalised.

Alł the best

[Visitus in reply to Fortepiano]

Many thanks- the doc at hospital was aware of coughing and stated it was part of condition. That's when he had x-ray to diagnose and put on diuretics. Weight ok. Just wondering how long to settle. Some coughing -dry is due to meds

[Fortepiano in reply to Visitus]

Well, if it's due to fluid it will only settle when the fluid comes off. I'm a bit surprised they discharged him when he still had fluid. Hope the diuretics work soon.

[Visitus in reply to Fortepiano]

He was on oxygen overnight and still discharged. Went in Fri out sat Thanks for posts and links