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chf progression
My husband has mild heart failure and was told by his doctor 2 years ago that his life expectency was 5-10 years! In the last 6 months he has been feeling more tired and un able to do the most simple tasks without it making him poorly and putting him in bed for the rest of the day! Is this progression of his condition and what happens next? When he went to see his doctor the other day doc just said ' well u are in heart failure' not very helpful! Can anyone give me some insight on what's going on with hubby at this stage please! He is only 46 years old and I am sad it's so horrible for him!! Please help
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I can empathize with you. I have all of the same diagnoses except the high blood pressure. I am a 76 yo female, and think I am actually doing very well in spite of all the problems. I think you have to stay active, exercise, and have a positive attitude to deal with these medical problems. I have also had a malignant spot removed from my lung (stage 1 cancer), but do not require chemo or radiation. Will be doing CTs to follow up the surgery.
hi again
for myself.
I have congestive heart failure-coronary artery disease-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-type2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
visited the cardiologist approx. a month ago now,when I asked her for an approx. prognosis ,I was told impossible.i then asked what was the next stage for me was it to be a bypass.her reply was for you it is to late.i asked what she meant by this comment.and she replied that for me it will be medication only and when this fails I will be removed from the meds and reffered to palliative care.all this info. [ BUT NO PROGNOSIS ].
at the moment I have a lot of breathing problems and chest pain arms and legs very heavy feeling.doc has just changed my discotrine patch from 10 t0 15 mgs which has helped.but surely someone can give me an idea of what time I have remaining.ps I am 60 year old male heart failure from my dad to my younger brother died at 45 and now to me.
kind regards
and god bless you all
for myself.
I have congestive heart failure-coronary artery disease-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-type2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
visited the cardiologist approx. a month ago now,when I asked her for an approx. prognosis ,I was told impossible.i then asked what was the next stage for me was it to be a bypass.her reply was for you it is to late.i asked what she meant by this comment.and she replied that for me it will be medication only and when this fails I will be removed from the meds and reffered to palliative care.all this info. [ BUT NO PROGNOSIS ].
at the moment I have a lot of breathing problems and chest pain arms and legs very heavy feeling.doc has just changed my discotrine patch from 10 t0 15 mgs which has helped.but surely someone can give me an idea of what time I have remaining.ps I am 60 year old male heart failure from my dad to my younger brother died at 45 and now to me.
kind regards
and god bless you all
hi
one thing to remember is,you can have severe heart failure and still have an ejection fraction of around 60.
rgds
one thing to remember is,you can have severe heart failure and still have an ejection fraction of around 60.
rgds
Hi Kathy
My husband has had 3 heart attacks. He had his first one at the age of 32 years old. prior to his first heart attack I was in school doing nursing and we use to practice doing blood pressure readings his blood pressure was always out of whack and he use to have pain and pressure of and on. He did go to the family physician who told him he had acid reflux gave him stomach pills. I told my instructor he was going to have an heart attack 6 months later he did they put a stent in ....he was off work for a year on his year check up which was 2006 they took him off pretty much all his meds and told him he can resume to normal living. that was in 2005 he was 32 years old. In 2007 he started feeling tired having more pressure on the chest but everytime he went to the hospital they told him it was angina troponine levels where good as well as EKG and stress test. In Oct 2007 my husband had a heart attack while playing hockey while had the hospital he went into v-Fib this caused damage to the heart he remained off work for two years at this time he seen a cardiologist who performed an angioplasty he had an 80% blockage that they left there stating the heart muscle was dead there no supply to the area according to the stress MIBI test he had done. They again decreased his meds after 2 years sent him back to work he was feeling good started playing soft ball. Then in 2011he started feeling unwell again went to the hospital had all the test done the test came back good he continued to go and play soft ball 3 weeks later he had another heart attack. He had a angioplasty done he had two blockages at 50% to the same area that they would not do anything for it prior in 2009 when it was at 80%. they then diagnosed him with CHF (congestive heart failure) due to his ejection rate being 40-45%. My husband cannot work right now he has been off since 2011. He has not felt right since his heart attack. About a month ago he started to have more shortness of breath pain and pressure either at rest or while doing something. he went to the hospital with severe pain a couple weeks ago. Troponine levels. EKG and everything came back good. they blamed it on angina and his CHF. I wanted a second opinion and sort of had to fight for them to send him to a hospital where they performed angioplasty my husband end up having a 95% blockage and could of had another heart attack.. If your husband is feeling worst and has had a heart attack before and he is feeling similar please be his advocate and fight for a second opinion....I had to do the same and I saved my husbands life...Sometimes a doctor really needs to listen to his patient instead of writing him off....
My husband has had 3 heart attacks. He had his first one at the age of 32 years old. prior to his first heart attack I was in school doing nursing and we use to practice doing blood pressure readings his blood pressure was always out of whack and he use to have pain and pressure of and on. He did go to the family physician who told him he had acid reflux gave him stomach pills. I told my instructor he was going to have an heart attack 6 months later he did they put a stent in ....he was off work for a year on his year check up which was 2006 they took him off pretty much all his meds and told him he can resume to normal living. that was in 2005 he was 32 years old. In 2007 he started feeling tired having more pressure on the chest but everytime he went to the hospital they told him it was angina troponine levels where good as well as EKG and stress test. In Oct 2007 my husband had a heart attack while playing hockey while had the hospital he went into v-Fib this caused damage to the heart he remained off work for two years at this time he seen a cardiologist who performed an angioplasty he had an 80% blockage that they left there stating the heart muscle was dead there no supply to the area according to the stress MIBI test he had done. They again decreased his meds after 2 years sent him back to work he was feeling good started playing soft ball. Then in 2011he started feeling unwell again went to the hospital had all the test done the test came back good he continued to go and play soft ball 3 weeks later he had another heart attack. He had a angioplasty done he had two blockages at 50% to the same area that they would not do anything for it prior in 2009 when it was at 80%. they then diagnosed him with CHF (congestive heart failure) due to his ejection rate being 40-45%. My husband cannot work right now he has been off since 2011. He has not felt right since his heart attack. About a month ago he started to have more shortness of breath pain and pressure either at rest or while doing something. he went to the hospital with severe pain a couple weeks ago. Troponine levels. EKG and everything came back good. they blamed it on angina and his CHF. I wanted a second opinion and sort of had to fight for them to send him to a hospital where they performed angioplasty my husband end up having a 95% blockage and could of had another heart attack.. If your husband is feeling worst and has had a heart attack before and he is feeling similar please be his advocate and fight for a second opinion....I had to do the same and I saved my husbands life...Sometimes a doctor really needs to listen to his patient instead of writing him off....
Kathy:
I was diagnosed with chf and atrial fib in 2005. Was ok with an ef of 15% for several years, even exercising moderately hard. I had several decent years when I was under treatment of Cleve Clinic (ccf) heart failure docs. I was told from the beginning that transplantation was the ultimate fix for chf. anyone who has been treated for chf at ccf understands what the staff there can do in terms of managing heart failure symptoms. I had a transplant in 2012 and am back playing sports and at 55 I am as active as I have ever been in my life. In my experience, a heart failure doc is completely different than a general cardiologist. Please check out the heart failure section someplace like the ccf or a major university where heart transplants are done. My heart failure doc early on told me to not focus on my low ef numbers and all the old statistics about life expectancy, but rather concentrate on doing what I had to do to manage my symptoms. I wasted a good year of my life after I was first diagnosed sitting around waiting to die because I would look up on the internet all the horrible things that my heart failure numbers were supposed to foretell. Good Luck. Pray hard.
I was diagnosed with chf and atrial fib in 2005. Was ok with an ef of 15% for several years, even exercising moderately hard. I had several decent years when I was under treatment of Cleve Clinic (ccf) heart failure docs. I was told from the beginning that transplantation was the ultimate fix for chf. anyone who has been treated for chf at ccf understands what the staff there can do in terms of managing heart failure symptoms. I had a transplant in 2012 and am back playing sports and at 55 I am as active as I have ever been in my life. In my experience, a heart failure doc is completely different than a general cardiologist. Please check out the heart failure section someplace like the ccf or a major university where heart transplants are done. My heart failure doc early on told me to not focus on my low ef numbers and all the old statistics about life expectancy, but rather concentrate on doing what I had to do to manage my symptoms. I wasted a good year of my life after I was first diagnosed sitting around waiting to die because I would look up on the internet all the horrible things that my heart failure numbers were supposed to foretell. Good Luck. Pray hard.
Hi I'm a 26 year old female with an ejection fraction of 20%. I had numerous of heart surgeries. My mom was told I wouldn't live past the age of 5 and I wouldn't be able to have children. Look at me know. I have a 3 year old. I was told I can still live a long life. You should get a 2nd opinion. I also have a defibrillator and on medications.
I agree.....forget about that life expectancy. We were told our daughter would not survive her childhood.........WRONG........she had a heart transplant at 22 and is now 35!! I never heard of any child dying at 35!
Has anybody even mentioned a transplant for your husband???? If not...why??? Take him to a center where transplants are done such as a major university medical center, the Cleveland Clinic or Mayo clinic. I would not be sitting around just waiting for him to die when transplants can be done.
Understand that that is a hard road to travel, but it can be worth it and add many more years to his life if he is willing to keep going. He has to have a strong mindset about living. If he has 5-10 years left, he is not sitting on death's door yet; he needs to be doing everything he can so that his muscles do not atrophy, whjich they will if he is laying around. Laying around will also cause him to retain fluids in his lungs which is not good. Take care....
Has anybody even mentioned a transplant for your husband???? If not...why??? Take him to a center where transplants are done such as a major university medical center, the Cleveland Clinic or Mayo clinic. I would not be sitting around just waiting for him to die when transplants can be done.
Understand that that is a hard road to travel, but it can be worth it and add many more years to his life if he is willing to keep going. He has to have a strong mindset about living. If he has 5-10 years left, he is not sitting on death's door yet; he needs to be doing everything he can so that his muscles do not atrophy, whjich they will if he is laying around. Laying around will also cause him to retain fluids in his lungs which is not good. Take care....
Kathy,
I totally agree with Jesus above. Your husband should definitely be under the supervision of a cardiologist, preferably one who specialies in CHF.Knowing his ejection fraction is (EF) is vital in determining the extent of heart failure and the course of treatment, If your Dr. has not determined that and is not responsive to your husbands symptoms or your questions, you should seek another doctor. There are a number of drugs and treatments for HF, it often takes time to find the best combination. As Jesus said, fluid retention can be a major problem causing difficulty in breathing and tiredness. Exercise is very important, he should do as much as he reasonably can. Also depression and a sense of futility is common and it is very important to have a positive attitude.
I had a major heart attack in 2000 at age 62 and was given a very poor prognosis like your husband. By refusing to accept it, pushing my cardioligst to aggressivily treat me and exercising to my limits, along with a self imposed diet losing 30 pounds, I now at 75 lead a reletatively normal life style.
Don't allow your husband or yourself to give up, actively pursure treatment from your doctor, or if he won't provide it, find a different doctor! But be sure it's a cardiologist.
Good luck to you both.
Rich38
I totally agree with Jesus above. Your husband should definitely be under the supervision of a cardiologist, preferably one who specialies in CHF.Knowing his ejection fraction is (EF) is vital in determining the extent of heart failure and the course of treatment, If your Dr. has not determined that and is not responsive to your husbands symptoms or your questions, you should seek another doctor. There are a number of drugs and treatments for HF, it often takes time to find the best combination. As Jesus said, fluid retention can be a major problem causing difficulty in breathing and tiredness. Exercise is very important, he should do as much as he reasonably can. Also depression and a sense of futility is common and it is very important to have a positive attitude.
I had a major heart attack in 2000 at age 62 and was given a very poor prognosis like your husband. By refusing to accept it, pushing my cardioligst to aggressivily treat me and exercising to my limits, along with a self imposed diet losing 30 pounds, I now at 75 lead a reletatively normal life style.
Don't allow your husband or yourself to give up, actively pursure treatment from your doctor, or if he won't provide it, find a different doctor! But be sure it's a cardiologist.
Good luck to you both.
Rich38
Ok,
First try to relax. I got in 2007 a big HA and they also told me that I
Only had 5 years. Fortunately they fail.
It is important to be treated by a cardiologist that can adjust medication
and monitor his evolution. Also know what his ejection fraction is and how it evolves.
I get routinary blood test and checks with my cardiologist every 6 month.
My experience tells me that suppress salt intake is very important and avoid fluid retention using the needed amount of diuretics.
Why does he stop his exercise program? I know it is hard but he should try to do every day as much walking he can without been exhausted.
Cold temperature is bad, particularly in the head, I always use a wool hat.
A good vitamine complex and Coencyme Q10 can help.
Then verify that there is not other issues. This is my chechlist for tiredness:
1) Check thyroid
2) Check Anaemia
3) Check Sleep Apnea
4) Check Vitamin B and D levels
Please do not hesitate to ask any other question you might have .
Jesus
First try to relax. I got in 2007 a big HA and they also told me that I
Only had 5 years. Fortunately they fail.
It is important to be treated by a cardiologist that can adjust medication
and monitor his evolution. Also know what his ejection fraction is and how it evolves.
I get routinary blood test and checks with my cardiologist every 6 month.
My experience tells me that suppress salt intake is very important and avoid fluid retention using the needed amount of diuretics.
Why does he stop his exercise program? I know it is hard but he should try to do every day as much walking he can without been exhausted.
Cold temperature is bad, particularly in the head, I always use a wool hat.
A good vitamine complex and Coencyme Q10 can help.
Then verify that there is not other issues. This is my chechlist for tiredness:
1) Check thyroid
2) Check Anaemia
3) Check Sleep Apnea
4) Check Vitamin B and D levels
Please do not hesitate to ask any other question you might have .
Jesus
He had 3 major heart attacks in 2009 and had stents put in! In 2011 he was told he had heart failure it is unfortunately hereditary on he's mothers side and that is what she had!! he was told in 2011 he had 5/10 years life expectency!
I assume that when you say"Dr" you mean cardiologist.
One important point is to know why does he has HF.
HF only means a number of symptoms that can be produced by multiple reasons.
Tiredness it is quite often the biggest issue but most of us are able to manage it reasonable well.
Please tell us a bit more... basic heart issue, sort of medication,.
..
Jesus
One important point is to know why does he has HF.
HF only means a number of symptoms that can be produced by multiple reasons.
Tiredness it is quite often the biggest issue but most of us are able to manage it reasonable well.
Please tell us a bit more... basic heart issue, sort of medication,.
..
Jesus
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