Post partum cardiomyopathy here

[ppcmom]

I am suffering from PPCM. I was dx in Feb and now my EF is 35%, it was 10%. I am on coreg,lisinopril and sironolactone. I also have 3 month old twins to boot. How do you feel with an EF of that? I am so tired all the time.

[gmachris518]

Congrats on the twins........good luck keeping one step ahead of them as they grow. :)

I notice you are taking lisinopril.  This particular drug put my husband on his knees, and caused his potassium level to bottom out, causing extreme dizzyness, vomiting, and eventually total collapse.  At best, he escaped the collapse with an irregular heartbeat, and ongoing BP problems.

If I had one single piece of advice for you, it would be to demand something besides lisinopril, or any of the other "pril" family drugs.  I think you would find that your strength and endurance would return, somewhat.  After taking a "pril" family drug, though, it is hard to calculate how much of your strength you would get back, as they tend to do their damage, and some patients never recover from it.  

Another "pril" family drug is Enapril, and I was given a low dosage when starting dialysis, about a year ago.  It zapped my strength, and eventually caused my BP to drop to 50/30, so, again, I would get rid of the "pril" family drugs, and refuse to take them.

I know several people who have taken "pril" drugs, and have lost their ability to carry on with a normal life style, and it seems permanent.  I also know a very few people who take lisinopril and do "okay" on it, but their numbers are much lower, than the people who have suffered permanent damage.

While the twins are certainly an energy zapper, the "pril" drug is probably your most prominent problem and can be addressed.  I hope the best for you and your babies.....

[ppcmom]

Thank you! I go back for another echo next month. MY BNP level was 2000+ at dx, last time I had my levels checked(last month) it was 127, so going down! My tachyardia is better too, I had 170 beats pm x 5 in a row. I had to wear a life vest diffibulator, but now I do not have to with my EF up like that. Luckily, I have lots of help! I am 36, and have had depression too with dealing with my dx. I was super healthy and now am so sick. Its been a struggle. I am blessed to be alive. I did have cardiac arrest and died in the ambulance where I was intubated and my family was called in they said I wouldnt live. I am alive but I still have a struggle.

[CCF HeartMD3]

I am sorry to hear about your recent troubles. The way people feel when they have heart failure differs between people. Some don't even know that they have the problem while others can feel completely exhausted - like you. I would suspect that you have many reasons to feel very tired: heart failure and the medicines certainly are one component. Having new twins is also likely contributing. Good luck with the new babies!