heart failure

[MyHF]

hi all so Iv been a member since getting out of hospital in October. I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and severe heart failure EF19%. I had an MRI in November and my EF had increased to 25%. Started Entresto at start of December, moved to the middle dose start of January. Just been for my appointment with cardiologist today and I’m as good as out of heart failure…..my EF is now 50%! No more fluid restrictions, no ICD required and no further appointments for a year. To say I am delighted is an understatement!

[Yumz199725]

That's amazing what a fantastic increase in EF so happy for you!!!

[Familyk]

So happy for you that's amazing!! I hope I'm as lucky as you, fingers crossed.

Take care

L x

[Captain_Birdseye]

What brilliant news!!

[Gumbie_Cat]

Such brilliant news!

[francesw47]

Wow!! What a brilliant post. So pleased for you.

[Hidden]

awesome news! Always uplifting to hear people’s good news.

[56dick19]

That’s excellent news mine was also 19% that was about 7 years ago and now is about 38% I had to have a ICD I’m on Amiodarone Aspirin Atorvastatin Bisoprolol Dapagliflozion and Entresto and get out of breath going up stairs and can’t walk far without resting

[MyHF in reply to 56dick19]

I also was on the list for an icd. However with such an improvement in ef and the fact I have been in sinus rythem since I had a 24 hour drip of amiodarone through a central line, my cardiologist is happy with my Apple Watch looking out for afib. I also will be on Bisoporal, spirinolactone, Entresto and dapa life long but have been told I can drop frusemide and Apixiban. Also I can now return to work after being off for the best part of 4 months! I do realise this isn’t the end of my journey, I still have heart disease but for now I feel really good about things.

[BusterMac]

congratulations my friend. Keep fighting the good fight

[Hidden]

Wow congratulations.. Do you know what triggered the heart failure?. Was it a slow decline over the years or something that knocked you sick like a Heart attack or virus or something else?Its great you have bounced back and so quickly.. Do you think the meds were the reason you bounced back?

I also improved from 12% to 35 then to 44 over the course of 2 years after a suspect heart attack, inflammation and Afib.

I know the cardioversion worked a treat and the entresto seemed to improve things early days. Unfortunately its dipped slightly to around 40% and i am due to start dapa.

Its great your out of the woods and yes its a lifelong condition.. I guess its just like a car battery but look after it and we can stretch those good years to the end. Good luck

[MyHF in reply to Hidden]

so Iv never had a heart attack. I am still waiting for a ct angiogram to check my arteries(35 week wait!) but cardiologist doesn’t think there’s going to be a problem with them.

I have family history of cardiomyopathy (4 deaths on my dads side) however I am very young to be diagnosed at 36, I did have “the virus” just before Christmas 2021 and all of 2022 I feel like my health was in decline and by October I had been hit by a ton of bricks, literally couldn’t walk the length of myself!

So I have made a few subtle changes, enjoy a couple of glasses of red on a Saturday now instead of beer/cider, eat whole meal instead of white, I have remained active since my diagnosis but still way less fit than before last year so for sure it’s the medications that have helped. Along with all the positive stories I have been reading on this forum since my diagnosis, they have kept me going!

[Wingnutty]

Excellent news for a change! Very happy for you. You are giving us all hope mate.

[MyHF in reply to Wingnutty]

all the positive stories Iv read on here really did give me hope!

[pablojack]

After cardio version for flutterI had suspected HF with EF of 45%. After 12 months of candesartan my EF rose to 67%. Conclusion was that enlarged ventricles were caused by flutter and no HF was present. In addition to aerobic exercise I also took 1600mg CQ10 per day until I found out that everything (apart from bradycardia) had returned to normal. I now take 400mg CQ10 per day. I do not know if CQ10 had, or has, any impact but it is recommended in some quarters to counteract the potential effect of statins on heart health. I do not recommend CQ10 but I would like to know if there have been any trials regarding it's effect, if any, on HF.

[am1875 in reply to pablojack]

My Cardiologist at a teaching hospital in the U.S. strongly prescribes CoQ10. Google: CoenzymeQ10 Mayo Clinic. All the best.

[am1875]

That’s awesome. Does the increase in ef translate to either or more energy, less shortness of breath, feeling better generally? Again, awesome!