HEART FAILURE

Have any of you experienced a parent suffering from heart failure.  What symptoms did you notice your parent or family member or friend having?  Were the symptoms taking place in a gradual sense, or did they come on suddenly?  

I'm trying to determine if my mom is going into heart failure.

[Momto3]

I have been around several people who have/had CHF.  

My father is relatively asymptomatic (except for SOB) and has had some degree of heart failure for at least 10 years. He now has an ICD to try and help with improving his heart's pumping function.  My uncle went through a couple of years of retaining water, fluctuations in health, kidney impairment, diabetes and was in/out of the hospital for the past 1-2 years.  It was a gradual process and eventually, the hospitalizations became closer together until he passed away in January.  He was very clearly symptomatic (on oxygen, SOB, diabetic, kidney problems....)

My father-in-law had CHF, but for the most part got along quite well.  Toward the end of his life (he was 89), it did become more difficult for him.  I'd say although he had CHF for years, it was only the last 6-8 months that he developed debilating symptoms (SOB, hypertension, hallucinations, nightwalking, weakness).  Overall, he did well, but the last 6 weeks he needed almost round the clock care.  He had bypass when he was 80 and up until about 88, he did pretty good.  At the end of his life, we found out he had an aortic dissection and that likely contributed to his death.  He didn't want any further intervention.

There are stages of CHF; have you researched the 4 stages?  That may help you to figure out where your mom is at, relative to CHF.

connie