Newbie.

[Peddles]

Hi I was diagnosed with heart failure in December 2021 by my GP after an ECG and an Ultra Sound . I felt really well up until then. I had been cycling for the last 35 years , competitively and thought I was really fit. When cycling uphill or making a big effort, my heart rate would go quite high , sometimes up to 200 beats per minute. This has been going on for at least 8 years, since I started using a heart rate monitor. I mentioned it to a cycling mate who suggested I should get it checked out. The outcome was heart failure. I still can’t believe it. I am seeing a cardiologist in a months time to carry out further tests so should find out exactly what is going on. Since I was diagnosed I have become a nervous wreck and every little ache or pain is causing me worry. I have started to have panic attacks and just can’t stop thinking about it. My GP put me on beta blockers in December, but after 2 weeks we both agreed that I should stop taking them as they were not agreeing with me. This is some of my story and I felt it necessary to try and relate it to people who may understand what I am going through. I sound quite pathetic reading this but this is how I feel. I’m sure there are a lot of you out there that are a lot worse than me, but I now know you have just got to get on with it.

[Hidden]

Dear Peddles

What a shock you and your loved ones have had.

And you are not pathetic in anyway and its time to tell you that you are also not alone.

As you read Posts on here you will be able to pick up on the use of the statement “ you have heart failure “ and the horrible effect those few words have.

Heart Failure simply means that your heart is not working to text book 100%, not many at our age are and it is very common as we age { regardless of fitness} that there will be a problem.

Now how severe that problem is can only be know after tests are preformed.

Easily to say but try if possible not to over think and worry until you know these results.

If you find that you anxiety is getting the upper hand then make sure your Dr knows.

Good luck with your journey, many on here have passed through all the procedures needed to keep that heart as best as it can be.

Again you are not alone, we are here, { waving at you } we are here

Take care

[Lezzers in reply to Hidden]

Being 'in' heart failure & having heart failure are 2 different conditions. Being in HF is an acute medical emergency, having HF is a long term chronic condition that can cause you to go 'into' HF but not always. Equally, being in HF doesn't mean when you've recovered that you'll have HF.

[Hidden in reply to Lezzers]

Thank you I have learned something, have edit my original answer.

[10gingercats]

I have been to hell and backj with a diagnosis of heart failure. It should not be called this as it terrifies people and need not. Quite often patients are just told that they have heart failure with no analyses of their symptoms. It seems to vary enormously .Perhaps The B.H F ought to try and revise this term as it is so scary. Try and not worry too much and ask questions about your own situation to help you understand your own health. Heart failure seems to be a blanket name for many things .

[ETHEL103]

What your feeling is totally normal.Most on here have felt exactly the same,myself included.Those peep that say calm down are further in their heart journey but when it's first diagnosed it's a scary place.This forum will help you with your questions.Very best of luck.

[Lezzers]

Being given a diagnosis of HF is a shock & being left in limbo with no real info on why, how etc doesn't help. You haven't said how your HF was diagnosed did your GP do a proBNP test, or have you had an echocardiogram/MRI? What further tests will they be doing?

Heart failure really just means your heart isn't pumping as well as it could and needs a bit of support, meds, healthy diet and exercise, as advised by your medical team, will help your heart pump more efficiently. Lots of people live reasonable normal life's with HF, some people even run marathons. My husband has lived with HF since 2012 having previously had a massive heart attack and cardiac arrest in 1997, his HF went from moderate/severe to mild with the help of his meds etc. HF is very much in vogue at the moment, there's new medication & lot's of research etc going on out there so there's no reason to think 'this is it'. HF is a lot more common than you'd think, there's probably thousands of people out there with it but have not been diagnosed, you're now on the radar and can be treated.

[Hidden]

Hello & Welcome

I am glad you have found this Community as so many members hopefully with their replies make you feel better and not alone with how you feel

I agree with the term heart failure how it makes you feel and when we hear those words it is terrifying

Our brains then take a different take on things and we start to focus in on every little twinge what we would have never thought twice about, this is quite normal

Keep coming and talking with others that understand and hopefully that will help and let us know when you have had more tests done how you got on x

[RufusScamp]

You do not sound pathetic. Lots of us here have experienced the same sort of thing. I was told I had severe heart failure a couple of years ago, (at 70), but apart from the fact I'm a bit less active, life goes on much as before, including a week's walking in the high Alps before lockdown struck.

It's a horrible shock, but the tests will show the best way of dealing with it.

My advice would be, take things steady, eat healthily, and keep up with gentle exercise.