Just started middle dose of Entresto,5 days in and feeling awful🙁

[Twinkletoes64]

This is my second go at taking the middle dose of Entresto and am feeling really lousy(this is why I stopped taking it last time within days) Am feeling exhausted,sleep disturbed and have achey kidneys…….am 11 weeks post op from abdominal surgery,so left it as long as I could before taking it again.

Was buoyed up by the fact my latest echocardiogram showed my EF had gone up to 49% on the lower dose, was so pleased with that as that has happened in only 3 months on lower dose of Entresto. I was told they’d like me to be at 55%.

Heart nurse said because of being 60 they’d like me to go up to middle dose and to give it a couple of weeks and to ride out the side effects,but really feel like stopping it as feel so crappy and low🙁

I guess my question is should I ride it out or trust my own instinct and take the longer slower route on the lower dose ..if my EF can rise by 14% in 3 months surely it’s got to keep getting better on that dose?

All advice greatly appreciated ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Thank you

[Blearyeyed]

How many days into trying the mid dose are you? The first 3-4 days can be the worst on a new dose , especially if you are still in recovery from something else.

Sometimes it can feel worse than the symptoms which can obviously be very off putting and makes you feel like stopping, especially if you are new to taking medication or feeling anxious about taking a new pill or dose.

They usually ask you to try a minimum of 14 days because the body commonly gets to the point that it's adjusted by then and the worst side effects ebb off.

If after 14 days the side effects are as bad or are getting worse that's usually the evidence that you need to have the lower dose or an alternative if it was a new drug.

You usually need to give yourself a few easy restful days when you first start a drug or increase your dose , so that all your body needs to give it's energy to is adjusting to the change.

Drinking more water and eating lighter and smaller meals can also help.

Take care , give it chance but in the end listen to your body , Bee

[Twinkletoes64 in reply to Blearyeyed]

Hiya Bee,thank you so much for replying,everything you said is spot on, just what I needed to hear and thanks for your reassurance. Am on day 5 and was very anxious about taking it as am still convalescing from big surgery!

It’s so awful to feel this crappy🙁but I take on board all of your good advice 🌞

Thanks again

[Jackabee]

stick with it if you can, the rotten effects should pass although, of course, we are all different. I have been in the highest dose for a couple of years now and my EF has gone from 30 to 60. I felt terrible for two weeks at each increase even throwing up in the middle of a restaurant 😳 which was mortifying but it was worth it.

[Granthamgeezer in reply to Jackabee]

Hello Jackabee. I did not realise the EF could reach 60%. I thought the maximum EF was 50% for each ventricle making 100% in total for the Heart. Am I wrong.?

[Jackabee in reply to Granthamgeezer]

Well I am not a cardiologist but in the letter after my yearly MRI it sad that it was 60

[Twinkletoes64 in reply to Jackabee]

Thanks so much for replying, am a week in now and feel like I have turned a bit of a corner!🌞

[Sooz34]

I'm on the middle dose of Entresto and it's been a wonder drug for me but you do get a few days of feeling odd before it gets better but its worth sticking with xx

[Twinkletoes64 in reply to Sooz34]

Thank you….I left it three months after surgery before taking it…just really hate feeling crappy as have had 6 years of health challenges and sometimes it just gets overwhelming!

[PinkKizzie]

'morning Twinkletoes64, sorry to hear you're having problems with Entresto. When I started on this I didn't feel too good either, however I stuck with it for about 2 weeks and the ill feeling passed. My EF is 25% and because I don't see my consultant until middle of 2025 I won't know if this has increased until then when I'll get an echo. Only symptoms I have now is palpatations but I can cope with that if it increases my EF. Take care and keep well. PK.

[Twinkletoes64]

ThanksPink Kizzie…..my EF was originally 30% so I know it works which has spurred me on to take it ,was expecting side effects but it still threw me…🙁😵‍💫😱am hoping that once my EF goes up I will have more energy and recover from all of the health challenges I’ve had….good luck to you too,am sure it will work well for you too…general surgeon/consultant who did my abdominal surgery who I saw yesterday for a check up said Entresto has good results and that they were happy to operate on me even with a lower EF and also confirmed that if my heart gets better my overall health will too.❤️❤️❤️

[Kwakkers]

Thirteen years after a cardiac arrest (preceded by 5 heart-attacks), I`ve learnt to "listen" to my body!

If summat feels wrong, get it sorted and "bash" your NHS sub to bits.

Ta-ra Chuck.

[Twinkletoes64 in reply to Kwakkers]

Yep totally agree with you kwakkers…...ten days into taking the middle dose of Entresto have now got a horrible uti,it can only be from taking this. And am now on antibiotics and then will take probiotics to counter the effect of the antibiotics…and on it goes …taking one thing to counteract something else…😵‍💫😱will give it till Tuesday which is 14 days on it….. then have blood test then give it some serious thought as to whether I want to continue on this dose ,if the side effects out way the benefits then there’s no point!…in the end it comes down to quality of life and taking what you can tolerate!

Also spoke to an amazing heart nurse yesterday on the BHF helpline who gave me so much sensible advice…we’re so lucky to have that resource.