Heart failure

[Nanny72]

This is a long one but I am concerned. Just over five years ago I was told I had heart failure. During investigations aortic stenosis was diagnosed. I had valve replacement four days later.Since then I have had routine follow ups.

I am taking Ramopril, Amlodopine, Bisoprolol. Frusemide etc.

This week at the Heart Failure clinic, the Consultant said he didn't think I had heart failure.

Can it recover, said my ejection fraction was 60.

I have been in hospital twice since my valve replacement, once with brain bleed and once with psoas bursitis and diverticulitis bleeding.

I have suffered from anxiety and depression since my diagnosis.

I need reassurance that this can happen.

I also have an implanted cardiac monitor, should I have this taken out?

[buddy2blue]

wow that’s a lot to cope with. I have been in heart failure since I was 7 years old. I’m on a cocktail of meds one been rampril. I also have a duel lead pacemaker. Your cardiac team should discuss with you if you need your device removed. Xx

[Nanny72 in reply to buddy2blue]

I am 70 years older than you. I do feel for you, my grandaughter has single ventricle and never complain.. People like you and her make me ashamed of moaning. I send you my love. Hopefully one day treatment can repair hearts.

[buddy2blue in reply to Nanny72]

I’m on palliative care now xx

[Nanny72 in reply to buddy2blue]

I hope they find a heart for you Buddy. My grandaughter is 28 today. She also has a fontan. My worries are nothing compared to yours

[buddy2blue in reply to Nanny72]

I have chosen not to go through transplant now that’s why it’s Palliative Care xx

[Bishop1 in reply to buddy2blue]

Good morning to you. How're you feeling? Thinking of you x x

[buddy2blue in reply to Bishop1]

morning I’m ok this morning thank you xx

[RufusScamp]

Medication can improve heart failure. My E?F improved from 20% to 60%, but I know I need to keep taking the tablets. I would think it's better to keep the monitor in place. But your cardio team would be best-placed to advise you there.

Wishing you all the best.

[buddy2blue in reply to RufusScamp]

I’m on all the heart meds that I can be.

[Hidden]

Hello. Yes my heart function improved from 12% to 44%. I was taking meds during this time, improving lifestyle changes and also a cardioversion to reset AFib. It got up above the % where the cardio team dont need to see me. They want me to continue meds. Now if it improved further to say 65% then thats back in the normal range and no heart failure.... So yes, it potentially could improve to a level of 'no heart failure' but would you continue meds... I know they would prefer that.

[Scroll in reply to Hidden]

Hi, I was told normal range for EF is 50 - 65%, by my Cardiologist, when I had heart failure it dropped to 35%, 4 and a half months later I had another scan, EF was up to 52%, cardiologist said that was perfectly normal and I would go to 6 month check ups.

In essence I was told that I had reversed HF. Diet exercise and the 4 pillars of heart failure medication have me set up, yeah still dark days but I still see weekly improvements and gained confidence

[Hidden in reply to Scroll]

Wow thats a great sudden improvement. How old are you and what meds do you take? I did notice after taking entresto where the most improvements occured

[Scroll in reply to Hidden]

57, stent fitted on the day of failure,

Ramipril, bisoprolol, dapagliflozin, prasugrel, eplernone, aspirin, atorvastatin. Recovery was so quick and good, that I didn’t need the ernesto arni. I was being set up for it but as said they found I didn’t need, maxed out on Ramipril and Dapa.

[Hidden in reply to Scroll]

Thats brilliant! Love to hear success stories like this. I am due to start dapa and hope this helps a bit.

[Scroll in reply to Hidden]

dapa I take 5mg Morning, 5mg at lunchtime, bisop I/2 dose Morning same evening, same again with the Ramipril 1/2 and 1/2 Morning and evening, My cardiac nurse is a great believer in split doses, to spread the benefits of the meds over the 24 hrs, Ramipril I think it was, they were saying fades in around 16 hrs

[Hidden in reply to Scroll]

Yes i also split the entresto tablets in half and it seems to be less on the side effects. I might start this with the other tablets then. See if it evens things out as i feel pretty spaces out and anxious at times during the day.

[fishonabike]

in response to "This week at the Heart Failure clinic, the Consultant said he didn't think I had heart failure.

Can it recover, said my ejection fraction was 60"

Are you aware that a "normal" Ejection Fraction (EF) is around 55%?

So was your cardiologist actually trying to say that your heart is doing better (as a result of the surgery and medication) and that you are no longer seen as having Heart Failure?

[Nanny72 in reply to fishonabike]

Thank you for your reply which actually makes sense. For over five years I thought I had heart failure and basically stopped doing some things.

[fishonabike]

i should have added that low ejection fraction can increase/recover if the cause is successfully treated - for example: i had a takotsubo episode during which part of my left ventricle was not functioning properly, this meant that it was not pumping effectively and my EF dropped - the EF recovered as the heart muscle recovered

In your case i would guess that repairing the valve meant that the EF improved, so your heart was no longer failing

In some cases medication can improve the pumping action of the heart

in chronic heart failure it is more difficult to improve the heart function because of the type of damage