New member

[Andy-Newcastle]

Hello,

I am 53 y/o and have just come home from a hospital stay where I have been told I have 'heart failure'.

More tests to do - but it's all a bit scary tbh.

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

Hi Andy-Newcastle

I'm sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with heart failure, I assume you've been given an echocardiogram while in hospital and that they have arrived at heart failure based on the EF (ejection fraction) of your heart.

First of all, don't panic, heart failure is a terrible phrase, I prefer to use the term Impaired Heart Function, it just means that your heart isn't pumping blood as well as it should. If your EF is less than 40% is means heart failure. However the medics are not bothered so much about the actual EF, they are most interested in how the patient copes day to day with the condition, for that they use the New York Heart Association scale which defines the classification, link below:-

heart.org/en/health-topics/...

The BHF also produce an excellent booklet which should answer most of your questions about HF, link below:-

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

There are a number of people on the forum who are living a full and normal life 20 years after being diagnosed with Heart Failure, and the medicines prescribed for the condition do a great job in helping people to life the best lives they can . Pleas try to stay positive. Best wishes for the future

[Lezzers]

Welcome Andy, my husband was diagnosed with HF when he was 57 having had a previous heart attack. Spiritofthefloyd is absolutely right when he says it really just means your heart needs a bit of help pumping, meds, healthy lifestyle choice, exercise etc will all help with that, the important thing is to listen to your medical team.

[blindfould]

hi heart failure is a scary word i was told i had this BUT ITS A GENERAL WORD THEY USE IF YOUR HEART IS NOT 100%..IT DOES NOT MEEN YOUR HEART AS LITRALLY FAILED.

[Vampiraskiss]

Hi it is I'm 52 and was told the same thing at the beginning of the year i was thinking all sorts up to the point of omg I'm gonna die soon however after numerous tests I was also told I also had angina and that I had also suffered a heart attack more shock BUT Yes it's scary etc and on 21st nov I had a defibrillator fitted my life is going on just nicely try not to over think it like I did you will drive yourself nuts. Do as they say and on the right meds I'm sure you will be fine if your heart failure nurse is as good as mine you will be in good hands. Wishing you all the best and keep posting I'm new to this group too but it shows you're deff not alone in your fears etc.

[Nanasboys]

Hi I found out like you in April and it was a shock have faith in your doctor at the hospital your seeing because they do this kind of condition because they care good look from nanas boys

[nantotwo]

Hi Andy

My situation was very similar to yours my diagnosis came out of the blue in April, once I had got over the shock I logged on to the BHF website and read what they had to say, licked my wounds a bit and began to focus on moving forward. This is is a condition we have to live with but it is manageable. I regularly have appointments with my heart nurse, listen to what they say, take my meds,listen to my body when I need to rest I rest. I am now back at work, yesterday I went on my annual Christmas shopping trip with my daughter, last year it nearly killed me, I was breathless, very tired and had to rest every five minutes and felt very unwell.This year I felt so much better, I of course took regular rest breaks and did not rush. Life does go on and with the right advice and meds you should begin to feel positive, and that is the most important thing being positive.

Hope this helps

[GracieOS]

Me too, my diagnosis came out of the blue a year ago, aged 55. I was fit, active, with a good diet and a none smoker. It's very scary. Just the name itself! A year on with meds and a few minor lifestyle changes my heart function has improved significantly. I still lead a 'normal' life. Still work, still walk my dog etc...

Anxiety over the diagnosis has been my biggest challenge, what has helped me most is seeing other people on here who have been living with heart failure for a long time, many years some of them and realising I'm not alone with this. A year on I'm thinking of, and planning for, my future, for retirement and going travelling around Europe in our campervan. last year I thought I was going die without seeing my son graduate University in 2021. Don't despair Andy, there are good reasons to be hopeful, the drugs, and maybe a few lifestyle changes, can really help.

[Yasyass]

I feel just the same no answers or advice just tests and left feeling sad and worried

[Heartlady1]

HI Andy and Yasyass, I was diagnosed with Heart failure at 33 years old, and felt like it was the end of my world, well I am now just about to celebrate my 58th birthday and have a cruise booked for early next year, and I am still in full time work, (although cant wait to retire) so there really is life after this diagnosis,

As others have said Heart failure just means your heart is not pumping at the maximum rate, and there are differing gradients which the medical profession tend to call Minor HF, Medium HF or Severe HF.

I have had all 3 of these types, and with some further medical help my Severe HF has now moved back to Medium/smild HF.

The main thing is how you are feeling, the type of medications that can help your heart to pump more efficiently and to focus on leading a healthy lifestyle. That last one is really important, if you smoke, stop, If you drink try to reduce, or if you can, cut it out all together.

Eat healthily, and once you are given the ok by the professionals exercise, I do a 40 minute walk 3 t 5 times a week (initially I struggled with 10 minute walks - apparently it was due to me being unfit rather than my heart, but over time I can now walk for 40 minutes without being out of breath )- this took about 9 months to get here so build up slowly, but I am now fitter than a lot of my friends of a similar age!

So although I know that this is a worrying time, there is life after diagnosis, look after yourself, listen to your doctors and look after yourself whilst waiting for the tests, and ask on this site any questions that you have. We do understand what you are going through, as we hearties have also been through this too x

[Yasyass in reply to Heartlady1]

Thank you for your nice reply glad things going well for u but I was wondering I had a heart attack three years ago but was eating walking healthily and even now but when said got hf shocked but stil need a mri but otherwise I feel fine

[Heartlady1]

Hi Yasyass, I was told I had had a heart attack 3 months prior to being diagnosed, The great thing is that you are feeling fine, and are doing all the right things, which is soo important. The medical team can help the heart to function better with medication, but its also important to lead a healthy lifestyle and the fact that you are feeling healthy is a great positive sign The tests always seem to take a long time, however they are important to assess what is happening with your heart, and trying to understand why. For me it was a thyroid problem which caused the Heart attack, for others it could be arteries, or even the flu, as well as many other reasons. Once they have identified what is happening with your heart they can then give you the right treatment for your particular needs. Hope this helps,

[Yasyass in reply to Heartlady1]

Thank you so much for reply giving me confidence although I cannot find that in the gp I had heart attack due to hormone tabs I was taking and stress otherwise was healthy but I suffer from anxiety and cardio. And gp have made me feel hopeless since I saw them and worry even thou I was feeling normal and energetic before I did the echocardiogram and saw the cardio with many regards

[Qualipop]

It's a horrible term but my mum developed heart failure in her 20s and lived another 50 years with no treatment and no problems except a bit of breathlessness on hills.

[CFla]

I’m 57, fit, and went to hospital with heart failure that has since been attributed to an allergic reaction to heavy duty antibiotic I was taking for sinus infection. Had taken it once before with no adverse reactions so didn’t realize what was happening the second time I took it, since it started slow with symptoms like I caught a virus. My HF markers returned to normal month later but I still feel I suffered some heart damage so, like others, take this all seriously no matter what brought us to this point. I learned from CT and Echo show I have mild diastolic dysfunction and mitral valve regurgitation that I need to stay aware of. So like many others it shocked me into taking up daily cardio exercise which I had slacked off for past 6 years while dealing with aging mother care taking. No doubt the stress attributed to high BP and my DD. The bright side is I’m Glad to find all this out now so can be proactive before my previously silent symptoms get worse. Have new grand baby I really want to be around to see grow up!! This web site gives me hope I will like the many others living with a heart that isn’t 100%

[Yasyass in reply to CFla]

I am so happy for u and grandkids mk days extra special

[FeetheBookworm]

I was diagnosed with HF 3 yrs ago with an EF of 17%. As of this wk my EF has consistently been at 43% since January this yr and I have just been discharged by consultant to GP care. I follow the BHF diet (mainly!) and have daily exercise - 2 dogs ensure that.

[Yasyass in reply to FeetheBookworm]

What is a bhf diet plz thanks

[FeetheBookworm in reply to Yasyass]

I was given a large BHF book which is a guide to living with heart failure. Includes a healthy diet etc.

[Yasyass in reply to FeetheBookworm]

From where if u don’t mind me asking thanks

[FeetheBookworm]

By my Heart Failure Nurse who is funded by the BHF. It was when I was first admitted to hospital just over 3 yrs ago.