Feeling tired

[blackseve]

I have been self medicating and everything has been fine , changed to a recommended tablet and no problem , I do a 4 mile walk around 4 times a week and no problem, but just lately I have started to feel tired , I don't know if its the change of tablet or not, there is no pain just tired, everything else is fine , except for my normal cold weather trigger . Anyone got a clue what it is? I am 84 but feel ok during the walk and it comes on a while after the walk.

Appreciate you taking the time to read my post.

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[10gingercats]

What heart condition do you have and what kind of self medicating do you do?

I am 86 and have heart falure and a severely regurgitating tricuspid valve but I walk daily and do not feel tired when walking . I am pretty active and with a good social life.....not 4 mile daily ...only about two miles.It is difficult to know why you feel tired without a bit more info.

[blackseve in reply to 10gingercats]

Hi how nice of you to answer so prompt , what information would help you to see if you can solve my situation? I have apparently Angina, I have a pacemaker , and I must say I have not suffered any pain even when being told my diagnose was a full third degree heart block, and had a pacemaker fitted within 2 days, and all through it I couldn't get what all the fuss was about just because I had a shortest of breath for 20 mins. Look forward to your reply with interest xx Many thanks

[10gingercats in reply to blackseve]

Well, my condition does not cause me any real problems and so like you I wonder what causes any blips when they happen.I am not a doc. so can only answer from my own experience but suffice to say I had the tricuspid regurgitation for years with no problems and a sizeable hole in my heart as well.That went unnoticed for many years and was only noticed after a very small TIA. A baby happened on the way and a full time job until age 60. ..... still nothing sprang into the docs minds about a possible dodgy heart. So I guess what I am saying is there could be other problems emerging and you are just sailing along and with infrequents trips to the hospital for checkups if that is the case you wont know for a while if anything is amiss. It sounds as if you are doing the right thing in keeping active.I doa Zumbaclass for seniors and Boxing with an online workout so also do the best I can to keep fit.

[fishonabike in reply to blackseve]

I realise that you have your own reasons, and don't know what informs your choice of medication, but would you consider asking a pharmacist's opinion on your choice of medication?

re: fatigue - your heart is what drives the delivery of oxygen and fuel to the rest of your body - if it is not working as well as it should, deliveries slow don and your body (including muscles) does not get fuel and oxygen as fast as it needs it - so you run out of steam and get tired

I wonder if your chosen medication is helping ad much as you hope?

[Happyrosie]

along with the very helpful comments already given - do you need to tweak your diet? Helpful information on this is on the BHF website.

[Taviterry]

I've hesitated about replying before, partly because of the initial lack of information (!), and you still haven't told us about your self-medication. However ... after an initially successful op for a new heart valve in July 2023, I started to have extreme fatigue in September, since when I've had a frustrating time with the NHS. I won't go into details, but in your case talking to your GP might be the first step - they might arrange blood tests.

Are you taking prescribed medicines? In my case the accompanying leaflets do warn of risks of some of them possibly causing fatigue. I spend a lot of time researching diets and supplements that might help, but inevitably discover that something that might ease my type of fatigue might affect some other aspect of my health. My systolic blood pressure has gone up from the 130s to the low 160s and this might be due to the bicarbonate of soda I take!

I too enjoy walks, and have managed a few of three or four hours, but recently an extended walk of a mile or two to the shops has been enough.

I wonder how active could I be if I hadn't needed the valve op ? I'm 79, and before the op friends were expressing concern about much exercise I was taking. It doesn't help that I used to do a lot of voluntary environmental work, and though I'd become one of the oldest members there were those who were older than I (including one who'd had a triple heart bypass) and were still very energetic.