Heart failure

[Doctorzhivago]

Although a MATURE lady, I still worry about the time left on this mortal plain!

[Hidden]

Dear Doctorzhivago

A warm welcome to you and your first post, I hope that the forum can be as informative and supportive to you as it has to me and many others.

I am sorry to hear that you are worried about the time you have left being apart of this magnificent thing called life.

Your Bio and so far yourself have not given us any clues to that worry, so maybe if you ask the questions we can do our best to understand your situation and see how our experiences can help you.

To start the ball rolling, I found my recent illness to be liberating on how to plan my end, I have put my house in order and now can just relax and enjoy what time has been afforded me.

Take care

[RufusScamp]

Have you been diagnosed with heart failure? This is a dreadful term, when it merely means you heart is not as efficient as it should be, not that it is packing up shortly.

I was diagnosed with severe heart failure over 3 years ago, but with medication, exercise and a pacemaker, I have been discharged by my cardiologist, and am living life as fully as a dodgy hip will permit.

It depends on the cause of your problem, of course, and we are all different in our response to treatment, but btter things are possible. Try and get more advice from those involved with your case, - not Dr Google!

[Threecats]

Hi Doctorzhivago

My Mother definitely falls into the “Mature lady” category ( don’t tell her I said that!😀)and was hospitalised with heart failure 10 years ago, aged 78. I am delighted to say that she was put on medication and is still going strong and keeping me in order today!

As RufusScamp says, heart failure is a dreadful term and when I heard Mum’s diagnosis, I too, thought that was it for her, so was delighted to find that it is very much not the case. Of course none of us know how much time we have left but I am sure that, with the right medication, you will enjoy your remaining years to the full, as Mum has done.

All the best to you, TC

[Doctorzhivago in reply to Threecats]

What a lovely message and what a comfort. Lots of love and good health to Mum

[Yuatt36]

I have heart failure and my GP told me 2 years ago that I could die anytime, I am 80 taking medication, my thoughts are to keep going, think positive and look forward. I am on the list for a pacemaker that will give me a better quality of life for a few more years. I also have beaten breast cancer with the same positive outlook. Keep going don’t let it beat you, I wish you good health and happiness.

[Doctorzhivago in reply to Yuatt36]

Thank you so much - you have made me feel so much better.

[Lucy61 in reply to Yuatt36]

Hi I've had heart failure with heart block for way over 8 years and pacemaker dependent I have good weeks and bad weeks the cough is awful recently my cardiac team changed all my medications and I began to feel better within a week so much so up until the change in medication I relied on my mobility scooter because I get breathless so easily I have asthma and copd one day I was sitting there wondering how I can make my life a better quality my son came here with these 2 weird looking pumps a humidifier and a massive tub off pink salt he said mum please try this for me I said salt 🧂 I really don't think so he sat down and said mum you can't even make it to the front door without getting out off breath try what I am going to show you for 1 week if there is no improvement in your breathing then at least we tried so he goes to the first pump looking thing filled it with this pink salt he sat beside me and said watch me he was breathing right out then taking a h breath in and breathing out through the nose I wasn't very convinced so I had a go I struggled for a while I kept coughing really bad he said can you taste the the salt I said it tastes like sea water he said keep going mum for another 5 min I heard him plugging something in I asked what is that and he got up and pulled my table as close as possible all off a sudden there was puffs off smoke loads off it my son said mum do the same breathing exercises you were just doing I did this for about ten min and I noticed I am not coughing as much my pumps are always in hands reach to me as is my nebuliser because my breathing gets so bad sometimes I felt like I was drowning with the amounts off mucus in my lungs and Airways my son said relax mum you don't have to tense up in fact breath normal this smock stuff has now filled my kitchen he started to show me a video about this salt therapy I suddenly coughed really hard and brought up so much gunk I was actually sick but it was tons off sticky clear mucus I couldn't believe it normally I would have to do back to back nebulisers to get a quarter off that amount up my son said I am staying with you tonight mum ive always struggled to get to sleep with a chest that sounded like a steam train and a cough that ends up giving me headaches my son brings the pump looking thing to my bedroom and asked me to do 5 more puffs on it he also pluged the humidifier back in and placed my pumps nebuliser and box off tissue right beside me I cough for about 3 min and same thing happened with the sticky mucus even more than first time I suddenly realised I was not having rattling breathing my son laid down with me at the bottom off my bed I remember saying I will try not to disturb you he said you just lay back and relax that was about 8_30 in the evening I got my 4 pillows how I have them I laid back and breathed normally well low and behold next thing I knew was it was 7 o'clock in the morning never for years and years have I ever had such a wonderful sleep I never woke up all night no nebuliser used unheard off for me and no pumps I kind off panicked because I've never gone more than 15 min without getting breathless from the heart failure asthma and the copd I've been hospitalised hundreds off times even ending having to go into ICU on a couple off admissions I have been on this treatment for about 6 mths now but also using different methods I now don't use my mobility scooter I walk with my dog 3 times a day I have not been on steroids once no antibiotics for flair ups I've not had any I can go up and down stairs now in and out the car on my own go shopping on my own I no longer have carers its like a brand new me but remember I said other drugs free methods were also used bearing in mind my heart only functioning at 20 percent I really want to finish my story but I didn't realise I had wrote so much I will come back to this if anyone wishes to know more take care everyone god bless you all and remember there are ways to better your quality off life

[Hjiu]

That's a bold statement from your GP!

[tonysmithpi]

They should really use an alternative phrase than "heart failure", it is way too OVER descriptive than what it should be for a "dodgy ticker"

[Lezzers in reply to tonysmithpi]

Wouldn't that depend on how bad/what sort of condition your 'dodgy ticker ' is in for the term to be OVER descriptive? I do agree that heart failure could be termed differently though.

[tonysmithpi in reply to Lezzers]

It just seems a cover all description and it strictly a true description

[Lezzers in reply to tonysmithpi]

Sorry, I'm not sure I understand your reply. But you can have a dodgy ticker & not have heart failure. And yes it's a horrible term but it is factually correct as HF simply means the heart is not functioning well enough to supply your body's need's & it can be caused by a number of heart conditions. And of course there are different stages of HF, some people can be asymptomatic which is great, their meds really work for them, some even run marathons! & then sadly there are others who aren't able to get out their front door because they're so symptomatic.