Recent Heart Failure Diagnosis Questions

[Chrisbev]

Hi All,

New here, only found out about the HF last month by chance, when being checked for possible respiratory issues. Im a fit and healthy 37 year old male and was admitted after passing up some pink mucus when coughing. A series of tests have come back with the following:

- Severely dilated LV with Severely impaired LVEF, estimated 20~25%

- Normal RV EF

- Dilated LA

- Trace to mild (functional) MR

Since the diagnosis I've been through so many emotions, I think the biggest issue is I feel absolutely fine but am now worried about continuing my normal life as it was before. Obviously now I'm watching my diet better and eliminating alcohol, I'm wondering how any of you behaved in simular circumstances to myself. I was always in the gym previous to finding out and I haven't been since. Can you lift weights, can you run at pace in a treadmill?

Another question I have is, with the lifestyle changes coupled with the medication allow the EF % to improve?

Thanks 😊

[Territorial]

I have a similar problem with HF and an enlarged LV and Atrium fortunately my EF is 56 they did encourage exercise and i needed to lose a little weight ..Yes your EF can rise with the right meds a good diet and exercise though i dont know about doing weights and got told to do steady exercise..Not sure if you are on a fluid restriction diet i am allowed 2 litres a day and basically only drink bottled water..I wish you all the best and i hope your doctors and cardiologist can give you what you need..

[Chrisbev in reply to Territorial]

Thank you for taking the time to reply. Yes I've been told the same, 1.5-2L water per day. It's not a great deal when you add up a morning cuppa and then throughout work and the evening, it adds up fast. I'm not taking a dedicated diuretic, I belive the Dapagliflozin and Eplerenone im taking have a simular effect. Given how low the EF percentage is, I must be lucky to have no obvious symptoms (appart from the initial coughing up mucus issue) I think I will stick to some light exercise and drop some excess weight now, hope the medications do their thing and hope for some positive news a few months from now.

[uzininemm in reply to Chrisbev]

Hello there,

Just checking about the 1.5l to 2l water per day, are you sure your medics didn't say fluids as soup, milk on cereal should also be included in the fluid restriction.

It can be done, the best way to start of his to see how much your cuppa holds and then divide that into the 1.5l. I find I 4/5 cups a day spread out during the day is manageable.

In regards to exercise have they mentioned cardio rehab yet to you, if not ask your medics for this, as they are the experts and I can't recommend it enough.

In the meantime I would build up with daily walks at a pace which you are comfortable with, that is that you are able to hold a conversation whilst exercising - things should improve over time. In regards to weights I would start with sets with 1 to 2kg (about 3 times a week).

I assume you are medication as well, this also does take time to fully work.

Your life will change but that doesn't mean it will be for the worse, just different.

Have a look at the pumping marvellous site pumpingmarvellous.org/ this is the charity for heart failure which will provide you with a lot of help.

[Chrisbev in reply to uzininemm]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply, yes they did mention this should be total fluids from every source. I wonder, if your body is expelling the water and you have no signs of water retention, are not gaining weight and have no difficulty sleeping, then would it be a bad thing for this figure to increase. I work internationally on a rotational basis and 9 times out of 10 its within a hot environment. Dehydration is likely due to sweat etc?

Thanks a lot I will be sure to check out the pumpingmarvelous site

[AnneSmith13 in reply to Chrisbev]

I asked my cardiology specialist last Friday if I had to restrict my fluid intake and was told no, just the normal recommended amount.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Chrisbev]

Have you been offered the chance to go to Cardiac Rehab or Cardiac Physio?If not , it's worth contacting your Cardiology unit and asking them if you can do the programme even if you haven't had surgery.

Just explain that you want to get back to exercise but feel less confident about doing this on your own so would like to do the sessions under supervision to get used to what you are able to do and get the right advice for the future.

I completely understand about the rollercoaster of emotions but if you keep talking to people in forums like this , keep making positive changes and build up your confidence with rehab or with other types of local occupational support you will feel more positive again.

Please keep posting with any questions and to keep us updated about your progress. Take care , Bee

[Chrisbev in reply to Blearyeyed]

Aw thank you for the reply, I feel much better just listening to all of your advice, experiences and support already. ☺️

[Anon2023]

Hi.Im so sorry that you are going through this. I imagine that you are feeling a bit shell shocked at the moment. I think anyone with heart problems feels exactly the same when diagnosed, I know that I did. Since my diagnosis 18 months ago I’ve done cardiac rehab and my EF has improved from 43 to 53 due to medication (dapa, spirolactone and entresto). I’ve had to adjust my lifestyle but I’m trying to focus upon what I can do rather than what I can’t. I’ve found the mental side of having heart inefficiency more difficult to manage than any physical symptoms. I was referred by cardiology to a psychologist to help me with health anxiety and this might be something you could consider. I would also look at the pumping marvellous website which is excellent and talks about heart problems in easy to understand terms. With regards to exercise I was only really warned off swimming for the first few weeks after I had surgery (as it’s hard to monitor how hard you are working) but other than that the cardiac team encouraged me to exercise. My condition probably differs from yours as heart failure encompasses so many different conditions so it’s best to get guidance from your doctor about your own personal circumstances. Best wishes. X

[Chrisbev in reply to Anon2023]

Hi, thank you for the reply. Yes as far as physical symptoms I feel fit and well. I've been taking the meds for just over a month now. The dosage was upped slightly on the beta blockers and Eplerenone has been added. At the moment its 4 meds. The mental side for me is the most challenging, feeling physically fit but also you are not internally is a terrible feeling. If id not found out by chance then I would be going about my day as normal. Knowing my heart is not pumping as it should just feels like a ball and chain when it comes to physical activity now, iIwill check out cardio rehabilitation asap.

[Anon2023 in reply to Chrisbev]

I know. I found out by chance too and now it feels like I’ve got it hanging over me all of the time. In a way you are in a much better position than someone who doesn’t know about their heart problems as you can have treatment. I completely understand though how worrying it is to have a heart problem. You have age on your side which is a massive factor and it sounds like you were already physically fit so you have a massive advantage in terms of managing your condition and getting good outcomes. Xx

[BHFbiker]

My situation was quite similar to yours, in that my problem was diagnosed at a routine check (ie no obvious symptoms, but a definite heart murmur). However, a serious valve problem was diagnosed after an MRI scan and I needed a valve replacement.Very fit (spin instructor and weight training), so I had same questions about exercise.

Did cardio rehab for 16 weeks after operation, with the main monitor being my heart rate. They wanted me to do cardiovascular sessions 3 times a week at about 75% of my max BPM, plus 2 strength sessions not taking the heart rate over that same number.

I'm now back to my own workouts, but I do wear that monitor, just to keep an eye on what zone I am working in. For now I am also getting assessed every 12 weeks to see if I can push the heart limit higher, and in particular if I can get back to interval training (rather than steady state CV), as that obviously works the heart harder.

In short, if you can talk to cardio rehab people, I'd recommend that for getting the guidance as to how to progress the training.

Hope it goes well 🙂

[Chrisbev in reply to BHFbiker]

Hi, thanks for your reply. That's really reassuring to know and great progress. I will definitely go down the same route, I will stick to walking until I can get part of a cardio rehabilitation program

[Larneybuds]

Good morning..... diagnosis of HF is a shocker and must have been difficult for you being quite young. As some of us mentioned to another member of the forum yesterday, the words heart failure are scary to hear and should be changed and one member suggested heart inefficiency which is a much more gentle way of describing the condition. It just means your heart needs some additional help to do it's job. With regard to exercise with weights I was advised no weights and no push ups but I know this does seem to vary. However, I was later told i could use light weights, which I do now at home on a daily basis. If I were you I think it would be worthwhile to check with your cardiologist or a medical professional. If you haven't had cardiac rehab it's worth finding out about it as it will make you feel more confident about what you should or shouldn't do but they will almost definitely advise daily exercise. With regard to medication, some of the drugs prescribed can help improve EF and there are lots of people on the forum who will confirm this. Pumping marvellous and BHF are great sources for information plus you will get lots of support and good advice from people with the same condition on the forum. Find out as much information as you can, don't be frightened to ask questions, make your lifestyle tweaks and you will soon more confident and able to deal with your diagnosis. Hope we hear more from you....all the best and take care x

[Chrisbev in reply to Larneybuds]

Hi, thanks for replying. Initially before leaving the hospital after finding out I was told no weights also. I think sometimes the worst thing you can do is google a condition because there is so much conflicting information. Its great to here honest, first hand experience on here and I will be posting back as I go along, hopefully making the desired progress ☺️

[Larneybuds in reply to Chrisbev]

Yes....the worst thing you can do is Google. Just stick to recommended or suggested sites or ask your medical professionals. I was diagnosed with a heart problem at 66, ...a lot older than you but have been fit and healthy all my life....always been sporty, had a good diet, watched my health and attended the gym 3/4 times a week pre diagnosis. It all came as such a shock. I am back using light weights, walking and doing some cardio....all advised by the rehab team so I feel perfectly safe doing that now even though initially I was told by my consultant and gp not to use weights. I've still been told no press ups but have no interest in them now anyway lol. You will get lots of good advice on the forum and you will also see just how many people are affected with similar to yourself. I am sure you will make the desired progress you mentioned and you will continue to lead a fairly normal life with just a few possible alterations to your 'new normal'.....those two words have stuck in my mind since my hospital stay because that's exactly what it is. You will be fine. Take care x

[Pouchielou1972]

Hi Chrisbev . My diagnosis also came totally out of the blue. I've always kept fit with diet; cardio and am big into weight training m my EF was 10% last Oct and went up to 50% March this year. Going to cardiac rehab really gage me the confidence to get back into exercise. We used light weights in the sessions and I am now back weight training in the gym with heavier weights, albeit lighter than I would use before, but still doing the same job. The meds, diet and exercise can help to improve or at least keep your EF stable.

[Chrisbev in reply to Pouchielou1972]

Hi, thanks for replying with your experiences. This does sound very similar to my situation and it's fantastic and promising to see such changes in that amount of time. I'm very much hoping this may be the case for myself. I have read that EF can be classed as normal again and this has proven so. I'll let you know how i get on, all the best for the future ☺️

[Pouchielou1972 in reply to Chrisbev]

I totally understand how scary it is receiving the initial diagnosis. I thought that was it and my life was over. Once you speak to others and look at sites like the BHF and Pumping Marvellous, you realise that Heart Failure isn't really the term that should be used. Our heart isn't about to pack in, it just isn't pumping quite as it it should and just needs a little helping hand to get there.Your EF maybe on the low side right at this moment, but this can most certainly be turned around by being on the right meds and eating well and taking exercise.

Please feel free to ask anything. We are all here to support you and let us know how you're getting on. Take care for now 🤗

[Jackiesmith7777]

My husband has recently had a stroke caused by AF and his eco cardiogram said his was 33% functioning . It does come as a shock as we were focusing on his stroke rather than his heart , although we knew he had AF .

[Kennydope]

I was diagnosed with Heart Failure after an in hospital Cardiac Arrest in April. After spending 4 weeks in hospital I was discharged after having a CRT-D fitted and medication sorted. Entresto, statins etc. My EF was 23 on discharge. Not sure what it is now but I feel pretty good. Going to the gym doing light weights, been on holiday to Spain and just finishing Cardio Rehab . Hopefully you’ll be fine with the meds and your EF goes up.