Heart failure symptoms

[Rainbow619]

Good morning all.

Does any one else who has heart failure taste blood in the mornings??

🌈

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

I doubt you would get a taste of blood related to heart failure. The most likely causes are gum disease or gastric problems. You need to talk to your GP as if it is a gastric bleed it could become serious if left.

[Rainbow619 in reply to MichaelJH]

Oh ok, thanks for that. I have so much going on at the mo I have no idea what’s related to what and as I had read that the fluid / gunk that builds up in your lungs can become pinkish when coughed up . Mine is normally clear / white. Again not sure if it’s from the heart failure or from the atrial septal defect. Thanks for the advice though, I will keep an eye on it and if it still keeps happening will mention it to my go when I speak to them next week. Ian also due to speak to someone from the Somerville foundation next week too so will also mention it to them. 🌈

[Kristin1812 Heart Star in reply to Rainbow619]

I’m sure you are doing the right thing, planning to discuss it with a health professional. May be nothing, may be important.

[Prada47 in reply to Kristin1812]

Good Morning Rainbow

I have Heart Failure only problem I have when I wake up is a very dry mouth. Only other thing is I'm grateful that I wake up !!

Take Care

Stay safe

Only other thing is when you clean your teeth do your gums bleed a little ??

[Rainbow619 in reply to Prada47]

I also have a dry mouth too in the mornings. Yes, think we should be thankful every day. 🌈

[Rainbow619 in reply to Kristin1812]

Thank you. Hopefully will get to speak to someone this week. 🌈

[Rainbow619 in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks for that MichaelJH. I don’t think it’s from my gums as I never spit blood when I’m brushing my teeth. I will hopefully get to

Speak to someone about it this week. Thanks

[Becksagogo]

Rainbow I quite often wake up with the taste of blood in my mouth and some days have blood around my mouth which has dried. Some mornings I look like Dracula and am grateful that I live alone! I've always put it down to the Rivaroxiban (anti coagulant) and have never really worried about it. Maybe I should mention it when I have my telephone appointment with my Consultant this week. I know it's not from teeth brushing or bleeding gums.

[valeriep in reply to Becksagogo]

Same here when I was on Rivaroxaban. I've always had sensitive gums anyway, and I put it down to the fact that I probably scratched them when I brushed my teeth last thing at night. I ended up putting a towel over my pillow, because I'd dribble blood in my sleep (also very glad I lived alone at that point!), and had the taste of it in my mouth when I woke up. I was very happy when the hospital took me off the drug! But of course, you should always seek an expert opinion if it's bothering you.

[Rainbow619 in reply to valeriep]

Thanks. I’m not in Rivaroxaban. Will hopefully get to discuss with someone next week. 🌈

[valeriep in reply to Rainbow619]

Urgh! Sorry to read you're currently in limbo like that - it must be very worrying for you at a time that is stressful enough. I do hope you get a phone consultation soon. x

[Rainbow619 in reply to valeriep]

Thank you. I have given up trying to get a phone consultation as it was stressing me out to much, which isn’t good for me either. I did speak to a nurse at British Heart Foundation who told me how to best manage my symptoms and has also referred me to the Somerville foundation, who deal specifically with congenital heart disease so should be able to help me some more. Got to take every step as a win at the moment🌈

[Rainbow619 in reply to Becksagogo]

Yeah, think that a good idea becksagogo. I always have lots of gunk in the mornings and very often wake up with it around my lips. I know I can be prone to excessive gunk (which could be pinkish blood stained - but mine never is) and cardiac asthma, which I do have asthma, but has never been linked to cardiac asthma yet. Unfortunately as soon as I was referred to a specialist for my condition and operation - coronavirus kicked off and I’ve now govern been left in limbo as my original consultant won’t discuss anything with me as I have been transferred, but my specialist also won’t discuss anything as they’ve not accepted me into their care, so totally in limbo with lots of questions and. I answers. I no some of my symptoms are from my atrial septal defect sand some are from the heart failure and I feel like I’m just winging it as best as I can trying to tackle one symptom at a time! Just want to be able to control things as best as I can. 🌈

[Tessie28]

Hi I did before my AVR operation.

[Rainbow619 in reply to Tessie28]

Thanks. I have an atrial septal defect, so it could be linked. Hopefully, I will get some answers this week. 🌈

[hf54]

I also have heart Failure . I have never noticed the blood thing which you describe but one piece of very good advice I would give you is that you have to “micromanage“ any small health conditions you have yourself as they become much more profound when you have heart Failure . This is for the obvious reason that your heart is a pump and if the blood cannot get round all the body then all the other functions which is responsible for won’t work as well as they should. Make sure you clean your teeth a minimum of three times per day and use a mouthwash which is available from the pharmacy called Corso dyl This will clear up any infection from your gums/mouth and then you can be sure if there is an additional problem where this is coming from. This is the first step. Please take care of your health is far more than before we all need to do that including me.

[Rainbow619 in reply to hf54]

Thank you. Luckily my gums are fine and don’t bleed when I brush my teeth. It’s just when I wake up with this gunk around my mouth and can taste blood. I’m just trying to work out what’s from my condition and what isn’t due to being left in limbo between my consultant and specialist as no one is currently taking any responsibility for me as my consultant transferred me to a specialist at the start of coronavirus and COz he transferred my care apparently he’s not responsible for me any more , but as the specialist hasn’t accepted me yet ( and is unlikely to for at least 12 weeks) then I can’t have a phone consultation with him either. Just trying to do what I can in the mean time. Stay safe. 🌈

[hf54 in reply to Rainbow619]

If there are any further problems you can ring 111 and they will decide whether you need to go into A&E. I have similar problems getting treatment

[Kowalski442]

Well I can definitely confirm your suspicions are correct. I have heart failure after surviving a cardiac arrest and into the second year I couldn’t believe the amount of blood in my sputum when I woke up. I went through all the gum bleeding suspicion but I’ve never had bleeding in my life so I was highly suspicious that it was blood from my lungs. Literally thick red blood on my tissue I spat into. The GP suggested checking with my dentist but when I went back a few months later he noticed I was still on a heart med (Tricrogrelor) that should’ve been stopped after the first year. No wonder I was still getting bruises all over my body still. After stopping the Tricrogrelor it cleared up, but now and again I still get pink spit in the morning and dry blood around my mouth. I’m assuming it’s just a side effect of the heart failure. There’s very little info about this online, but I can definitely confirm your suspicions. I hope that helps.