Long-Term HF patients?

[Seaguller]

Hi

Has anyone been diagnosed with HF at a younger age (ie under 50) and experience of living with it long term (10 years plus). Very concerned at the moment about life expectancy and quality of life. I.e should I have kids and get married?

Thanks for any help

[Hidden]

Hello again Seaguller,

You have asked many questions that really don’t have firm answers, as the favourite saying on here is that “we are all individuals” and rightly so.

I can fully understand you questions, but heart failure is not an age thing, believe me when I say that from birth to grave and any given point in between you can be affected with problems of the heart.

I realise because you are younger than me that you may only want and take advice from your own age group.

But and it’s a big but, if you are thinking of love and all that brings, then never ever let anything { including heart problems } stand in your way.

Live your life to what ever level you can, I know you are afraid , but there is always a hand here to guide and help you through, if needed, even though it maybe an old hand.

Take care

[Seaguller in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. Very kind

[jeelpie]

hi Seaguller,although I cannot answer your question there is a Facebook group for under 55 heart attack survivors, there are many young people on this site who are in a similar position to yourself, they to like this forum are really supportive, maybe you can give it a try?

[Seaguller in reply to jeelpie]

Thank You

[Stampedeg in reply to jeelpie]

Hi jeelpie Could you let me know the name of the FB page for under 55 please as I have recently had a HA and have HF at 51.

Thanks

[jeelpie in reply to Stampedeg]

hi, it called under 55 survivors if you type this into a Facebook search you will find it, then you request to join, honestly it has really helped me since my heart attack in September, it was someone else on this forum who told me about it, please let me know how you get on x

[Stampedeg in reply to jeelpie]

Thanks jeelpie. I have requested to join so will let you know how I get on. 👍👍

[FiftyNotOut in reply to jeelpie]

Hi - I’d really like the name of the group too, having had a STEMI heart attack this year at the age of 50.

[jeelpie in reply to FiftyNotOut]

hi fifty not out, I had mine aged 52 and totally didn't see it coming as I considered myself fit and healthy! the under 55 group is really good and has really helped me with my feelings around my heart attack, please check it out x

[simplysal]

I have not lived with HD for long (well, have not been aware of it for long).

One week before my 45th birthday, a 90% blockage in my LAD artery was found and I had a stent fitted.

It’s fair to say after this (only 6 weeks ago) I have been left with thoughts such as “great, if I need this now, where does that leave me in years to come” where I had felt anxious about my future.

Yet worrying is futile and I’ve accepted that whilst I can’t change what has been, I can only focus on being more present in my life right now.

I’ve realised that none of us can predict the future. Yet even if we could, would we really want to know what’s coming? Knowing how our lives might play out may cripple us with fear.

I intend to enjoy my life as much as I had before and simply manage my health difficulties as they arise.

Good luck 👍

[Jak8]

At 40, heart attack at 50 .cardiac arrest 2012 in Toulon while touring Europe in motorhome. Defib fitted and a week later started driving 4ton van back home. Now 73 and active as much as one can be with covid. No point in worrying you could be knocked down by a bus like a kid aI was with when 7

[Yodayodz]

I had a heart attack at 51 in 2023 23rd December big shock it can happen to anyone

[Brian1974]

Hi 👋 I was rushed into hospital and when hf acute event had to have pump inserted to help my already enlarged heart bpm over 160 for couple of weeks ,anyways I was moved to heart transplant ward because it was not for slowing down but the cardiologists here I think are the best and I cannot praise everyone from when I was first admitted to months of care in two hospitals was after managed right medication that was very thorough I had pump removed which was inserted to an artery in my leg,(was a painfull experience, which I cant remember being inserted,but I can remember being removed!) to answer you're question I was 45 when this happened and had no idea of the expected life after because it wasn't something that anyone had spoke about as I think it is a touchy subject or my family maybe thought that it was maybe either the doctors etc .had told me or said that it was enough dealing with the fact that I could not accept the not able to get out and be an engineer again (which was my trade)I only learned about this when I looked up one of the various medications that I take every day ,was changing from warfarin to apixibam or was on amiodarone for a while and when I was taken off it after maybe 2 year which I know now is a while but my bpm went up and another couple of few week hospital visits and a very painfull and I am not usually bothered with as I guess you are used to operations yourselves but I had a monitor inserted to keep a close eye which I know they are as my meds have been changed both up and down and but when it was inserted was sore for a while !but I am 50 this year and I thank God everyday since as I know how close I was twice so I have learned to accept that although I don't feel over the hill quite yet 🙄I know I cannot run a marathon and each case is different ,just try and not stress and I know this from experience try and train you're own head to deal with the daily stress that you ptobs go through the same and if you feel OK or not phone or don't think the NHS has forgot about you because i felt like I was saying it to a degree that I was saying thank to the cardiologists and all the nurses etc like I genuinely meant it and still maybe not my original gp who missed it after 4 visits at first it was a locum or ?life saver gp whom I only saw 1 time and not since as I have looked for her to thank her also will never forget but sorry for all that and any typo's as my sausage digits press the wrong letters some times and try and take it easy as I also was diagnosed with bad anxiety and ptsd from about a year or so before so I still don't know what started the chf as I don't smoke or drink and although my my has had various heart issues is not genetic so I know it's not easy but try not to focus on this too much if possible everyone on all these sites are and have always been very helpful thanks again.

[Qualipop]

My mother developed heart failure when pregnant with me in her 20s. She had eclampsia which damaged her heart. That was back in the late 1940s and there was absolutely no treatment for it. Even late in life she was never treated; simply told she could never have a general anaesthetic. ( She had a hip replacement by epidural). I've no idea how bad her heart failure was. She lived a totally normal life, smoked woodbines, walked her dogs, had another pregnancy which sadly ended in eclampsia again and the loss of the baby. Her only difficulty was getting breathless on gentle inclines yet she could climb hills with the dogs ( We're in the Pennines). Even after a heart attack aged 69 she still had no treatment. Everyone's different,the degree of heart problems are different. Medicine has advanced rapidly since then.