Heart Failure

How hard was it to get your cardiologist to tell you or diagnose you with heart failure?

Throughout my experience, I have found cardiologist to be the most secretive of all doctors, or put in another way, they keep information from you it seems, more than other doctors.

I know that they probably believe in "self fulfilling prophecies" i.e. the patient hears the bad news and their minds start to make it happen.

I believe that currently, I have some degree of heart failure, with preserved ejection fraction. I am waiting for my files to be sent from Dr. Richard Krasuski, whom I saw and received my 5th stent from last Friday, at the Cleveland Clinic.

I was Goldie54, but could not sign it the other day, so I morphed into Jack54,lol.

I know that sometimes when right side heart failure is involved, you have a preserved EF, until the left side begins to fail.

Thanks in advance for any information :)

Jack

[maggiemag]

I have never had a cardiologist keep info from me, but I an an RN, so maybe they realize they couldn't!  If I couldn't trust mine, I would leave in a flash and find someone I could trust with my life.  I believe one can have diastolic dysfunction and a preserved EF.  That would mean the left heart was stiff and not filling as it should.  It is diastolic heart failure versus systolic, but they are both related to the left heart.  You can also have a combo of both, which I do :-).  Having a BNP blood test can tell if you have CHF, but it won't tell the cause.  See if you can get your doctor to order a BNP.

[ddavey]

after you get results from bnp, the usual criteria for stages of heart failure are set by the new york heart association, and these go by symptoms that one is having and their severity.  from that your stage of heart failure is determined and appropriate steps are taken.   bnp cannot tell the reason for a failing heart, that can be determined thru echo, cardiac mri or tee testing.  one can have a relatively low ef for an extended period while having "mild" heart failure.  my daughter has had an ef of 35% for over two years, in spite of medications, and her symptoms of heart failure have stayed relatively mild.

[Jack54]

Hi D :)

Thanks for the info. I really hope that your daughter is better. What a shame that young people have to even hear the word. G-d bless her.

I don't know if I had the BNP test but bet I did, during my last hospitalization. I need to read up on that test.

I have been in and out of hospitals since I had a heart attack and light stroke in June of 2003. I have really had a time with those RNs, lol. Cleveland Clinic has the very greatest of all doctors, but there nurses to not come near to the quality of the UAB hospital nurses!!! (University of Alabama) In fact, I think the CC has a real shortage of nurses or they cannot hear well at all. You buz them again and again and they don't come.

Ok I got them back :)

Jack

[Jack54]

Hello Maggie :)

Boy it's good to have an RN around. I am sorry you have such a condition though. When I left the Cleveland Clinic, Dr Krasuski put me on a salt free diet. I am retaining fluid badly. My lungs get congested when I go without Lasix for too long.

As I say, I am waiting on all of the test results to be faxed and/or mailed to my PCP, here in Alabama. I thought it was time to work on my leaky aortic valve, so I hopped on a plane and flew to Cleveland last Thursday. I was clogged up again so I got my 5th stent.

I really hope that you are doing well. It is very nice to meet you :)

Jack

[anacyde]

It's possible to retain fluid without having heart failure.  It's disappointing you can't get more direct answers from your doctor.  Do you know if you've had a BNP drawn?  If not, I'd request that.  Also, ask for an explanation as to why you're having fluid problems.

Hope all goes well.

[Jack54]

Hi Ana and thanks for the information :) I don't know, but do suspect that I have had the BNP drawn. I have just never asked about it. I certainly will have one if I haven't. I've always thought I held fluid because of heart medications and too much salt.

Thanks for the well wishes and I wish you the best. Are you one of us unlucky ones? Sorry to be nosey....

Jack