Breathlessness

[Squiggs1]

I was told last week I have heart failure on top of afib. I've had afib for over 2 years and even my consultant didn't tell me I have heart failure . I had catheter surgery 4 weeks ago but palpitations and breathing is worse. I asked the Dr last week would an inhaler help and she said no. Is there anything I can do at home to help with my breathing. I don't want to go to hospital as they just give me the pills I have at home

[10gingercats]

I am not a medic. I write only based on my own experience.Whenever I have had breathlessness...rarely in my case...I have been found to have fluid in my lungs or around my heart.This is usually dealt with by using a prescribed diuretic like Flurosimide that dries up the fluid. and this has helped the breathlessness.My GP has prescribed this or occasionally my cardio.

[Squiggs1 in reply to 10gingercats]

Thank you,I'm on that too,just recently..doesn't seem to be helping at the moment,so I'll give it another week

[Maydayuk]

Hi, I have just had my aortic valve replaced, I was doing so well. Walking a couple of miles a day. Then all of a sudden, I went down hill fast. I couldn't move, my chest and neck pains were so bad. Chest burning could not breathe. It turns out my hearts struggling. It's inflamed with pericardial effusion. I can't get a straight answer from the hospital in respects of will it get better. One doctor told me it was heart failure. I was on intravenous antibiotics for a few days and added candersarten to my normal meds. If anyone can shed some light on this, I would be grateful. I had a echo it showed ejection fraction 45% with septal dyskinesia. I have a few complications but is there a light at the end of the tunnel or am I a loss cause. My life seems like endless pills and hospital visits. I sympathise with you on not wanting to be in hospital.

[Squiggs1 in reply to Maydayuk]

Yes,it seems never-ending doesn't it..hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel,just have to keep asking questions to the consultants and Dr's,and if they skip round it,then I think complain higher up

[Maydayuk in reply to Maydayuk]

Update. I was back in hospital over xmas. I had another echo. I have pericarditis which will take a while to treat. Good news is my heart seems to be getting a little stronger the ejection fraction is now 55% which takes me out of heart failure. Although the pain of the inflammation is awful. I'm hoping in time I will gain some normality.

[Alfie33]

I'm exactly the same as you, I asked for oxygen, but they said it won't make a difference as my oxygen levels are fine its my heart that isn't working correctly so its not supplying my organs with the oxygen they require. When I'm gasping for breath I use a hand held fan in front of my mouth, which seems to help

[Squiggs1 in reply to Alfie33]

Yep,I use a fan too,and have one next to my head in bed,helps another,its just doing normal things that I can't do at the moment..its pretty scary and unfortunately have to give up work..the Dr is calling me on the 16th to explain why I wasn't told I have heart failure,just afib..that'll be an interesting conversation