Good Morning - But Is IT?

Just joined, am trying to navigate the path that is 'a heart failure'.

Currently awaiting an MRI to give a more solid diagnosis than "it's a problem with your left ventrical"

The balls I am trying to juggle include:

Keep Exercising & keep fit BUT take it easy with those Arthritic Knees, Drink less than 1.5 litres a day BUT don't let yourself dehydrate cos it affects your potassium levels Look after your kidney BUT take these pills that impair your kidney function, Don't get stressed or Depressed THOUGH you have an increased chance of having a heart attack and severely restricted life, Cut down on Salt and Fat, Lose Weight, Exercise Regularly but don't put a strain on your heart.

I could go on, but I suspect most of you have had the same conversations and heard the same suggestions.

I have to admit, I'm somewhat bewildered by it all.

The only thing I can say with certainty is that I have an extremely good Nurse Practitioner Team who are on the ball and playign with my medication cocktail to get the right combination that works best with the least amount of side effects.

Also, looking forward to the reduction on blood tests etc.

Life has provided me with an extremely varied sense of humour - so if some of my comments seema bit 'light hearted' or 'making light of a serious issue' - it is a coping mechanism - nothing personal.

[Swimming43]

Hi sorry to hear of your recent news. My father has heart disease and he had his MRI scan some 8 weeks ago. He has a problem on the left side. They are fitting him with a pace maker next week. Can I ask if you have swelling in your legs? This is driving my father mad as he has to take water tablets to reduce it but this means he is wanting the toilet every 5 minutes. He can’t sleep at night as his legs give him a burning sensation... he’s had enough now! Docs won’t give him sleeping pills because of his heart problem.... not sure how to help him

[Hidden in reply to Swimming43]

I really do feel for your father. I am having similar battles - but with slightly more success by the sounds of it.

I have been taking diuretics since June - yes, when i take them i can find myself whizzing off to the toilet frequently for the first few hours. They are apparently designed to reduce the fluid leaking back in to my lungs from my heart (a leaky LV may be one of my diagnosis options). It can be a right pain some days, others i can love with it. Those tablets have also interferred with my bowel movements, a lot of the time I can no longer have one without the other!

My legs are fairly OK at the moment, I have an occasional 'light swelling' - but nothing too much to worry the NP.

The current combination of meds has caused issues with sleeping.

One thing sleeplessness does do to me is increase my need to eat and reduces me ability to exercise as much. Both opposite to what the NP tells you to do. So, there is a need to restore some sleep to manage the eating (and so weight) whilst also retorign an ability to do some exercise (which also impacts on weight).

I have a small supply of sleeping tablets (issued by my GP) to help me get some sleep. Supposed to take daily but they are aren't strong enough in that form - so I take them about every 3rd or 4th day when lack of sleep really starts to affect me. Taken that way, they knock me out for a good 6-7 hours after which i feel totally refreshed for a few more days. It's not an ideal situation, but I'll take what I can get.

A Pace Maker is something that has been mentioned for me, pending outcome of the MRI.

I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, but it does make me wonder if the up coming op is the reason they won't issue sleeping tablets?

Anaesthatists have to have full control over the body when putting some one out. If you've been making use of sleeping pills, your body may be more resistant to drugs to put him oput for the op...

Not sure I have been of any help to you - lets hope the pace maker brings about the necessary change to give the imporvement to quality of life that is desired.

[Prada47]

Question " Good Morning or is it " I work on the basis every morning I wake is a good one !!

[Hidden in reply to Prada47]

I'd like to think that way, but 2 things have prevented that from ever being the case:

Sleep - or lack of it! If I get a good nights sleep, the world is a great place to be, if not - hand me the gun!

Shift Work - Meaning mornings can become a very unwelcome part of the latter part of a very long night shift

The other thing is...

The current cocktail of heart management medication has reduced my sleep to less than 4 hours a night, meaning I am now up from 3 and 4am - knowing that I have to sit quietly whilst others are still sleeping and will be lethargic throughout the day.

[Yasyass]

Ur info sounds just like I have been told except oh it’s severe but don’t worry

[Hidden in reply to Yasyass]

Ah yes, the "you could drop dead of a heart attack any minute, but nothing to really worry about". I'd ignored that comment as part of their covering their backsides from litigation in case i actually happens. Sometimes I miss old school health care where they just told you and be damned. Where is there a Blackadder series to add such 'humour' in to when you have such gold to pass on

[Kwagmire]

Hi I had heart attack heart failure 18 months ago gone through all the panic and worry and tried diet can’t diet makes me depressed so decided to live as I want to eat what I want when I want makes me more content so I feel better in myself so far so good so what I’m saying is we are all different do what you think is best for you god I’m not making any sense here sorry godblesss you all kwagmire

[Hidden]

What you said makes perfect sense, and pretty much occupies much of my philosophy of life. Life has to have a purpose, a reason to wake up, and it cannot be nothing but misery - otherwise what is the point?

It has come ot pass that there i things i can no longer eat with out causing unwanted side effects for me and my heart - like cheese! So once a month i get a small bit of 'caramalised red onion chutney cheddar - and save it in a sandwich. My body and heart seem to accept the once a month thing. Crisps and chocolate have also gone the way of the dinosaur - but again, i'm not too fussed. Having to undertake an increased walk/ exercise regime is not a bad thing either, because i enjoy photography and get to see things that are photo worthy that would not have been seen if i had not gone out...

So, big changes being undertaken, but there are as many postives as negatives so it becomes acceptable (photography wise it is more of a positive)