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Heart failure stages?

Howdy and thanks for taking the time to read my post. As many of you know I am the worried wife.lol...hubby has had a massive stroke 7 months ago after a cardio version..k...first his medical history which I will admit I don't understand all of it...
Paroxysmal Afib--irregular heartbeat I believe
Chest pain, mild diffuse (?) CAD (?) in LAD (?) and CCX (?) cath 8/2005 (cath the heart?)
Chronic granulomatous disease in lungs(1st seen on an xray while in the Navy..not sure about this either, told not to worry about it)
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, predominantly septum an apex..( thickened heart)
Mild MR (Mitral Regurgatation)
Cerebral artery stroke
Chronic back pain
    While in ICU for his stroke I was called and told he went into heart failure, but not to worry as it was not abnormal under the circumstances and they were treating him...he was transfered to re-hab where he went back into heart failure and was treated and then came home after 3 weeks. (Not enough re-hab but a whole other story- he is in outpatient 2 X week thru the VA)
This past winter, he got real sick. We had a blizzard that night..over 2 1/2 feet of snow..cold sweats, dry heaves, seeing things,,ect..I kept going out to plow and coming back in for him and it took me 4 hrs to get our driveway clear. The nurse shows up, says, yes he is sick, calls the VA..they say push fluids, prob the flu..I know better...call an ambulance...sure enough he went into heart failure...they put him on Lasix 20mg 1 X day...that was that..
Now today I am reading about stages of heart failure..sigh....I think I have a new question for his cardiologist next visit...cause I thought once you had it under control..well..it was under control...
So....will this contiue to get worse as years go by?
He takes 120 MG of Sotalol 2 X day...and his Lasix.....they took him off Toprol because his blood pressure was just so low he couldn't keep his eyes open...his INR is all over the place...doc said he likes it around 2 1/2..but it is always up and down..yesterday it was 4.7...they will recheck tom....but he has gone down to 1.7 at times..not sure why its all over the place...it has been 8 months (July 2) since his stroke and every week his level is off....sigh...any ideas anyone??? His nurse has told me that he may have another 10 yrs but more than likely its closer to 5 but 3-5 was more realistic..sigh...she told me that about 4 months ago..which is one reason I cry all the time cause I just dont know what to think or anything....It is so hard taking care of him but I feel like he should not spend his last couple of years in a VA home...so ....I buck up and do what I do and do a lot of hoping...
thanks all for reading
Cheryl
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187666 tn?1331173345
I know it's hard on you. So many responsibilities shifted to your shoulders now. Not knowing what's going to happen or when. I don't have any words of wisdom. My Mom has been reacting with intense anger towards my Dad. It's very painful to watch. My Dad gets tired of listening and just closes his eyes. I don't get that same sense of anger from you. Just fear and fatigue. I hope you have someone to help, to allow you some time to rest. Take care.
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Avatar universal
Cheryl, I wish I could do more than offer you some prayer.  You are in a hard situation.  Many times the caregiver gets forgotten during illness.  Please make sure to take care of yourself as well.
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Avatar universal
well, I am not sure its good news..but ...he has not had a heart attack...with all the heart issues I am not sure why..but he hasn't....but..where the heart is thickened, it does not pump the blood well..and so flluid builds up around the heart and then into his lungs....which the doc says is under control with the Lasix..of course I am concerned as to how long his thickened heart can stand up to all the work it is doing...as for lifestyle changes..well..he is in a wheelchair most of the time...can walk a short distance with assistance on some days...this day is not one of them..on days he cant walk I cant leave the house..as he cant go to the bathroom ect ect...I give him a lot of water, but he eats and drinks very little..has lost over 45 lbs...he is now 5'9", 131 LBS. no salt to speak of..some in some foods, but most is homemade...1 can of soda a day...soooo....Some days I think its going to be alright..others..I am just scared to death...
Cheryl
Helpful - 0
187666 tn?1331173345
I asked the same question quite awhile back. Can't remember all the details of the answer but it was something like: you can have congestive heart failure but not be in heart failure. It can be managed with the various meds. I guess being "in" heart failure is when you have all the fluid retention and short of breath, etc. Decompensated I think they call it. But with the right meds management they can "compensate" for the weak heart and a person can feel pretty good.

My Dad's heart is so damaged now after all these years of heart attacks (4) and not managing his life style it's very difficult to keep his HF under control. Life expectancy for anyone with this? I wouldn't want to guess. It's a case by case situation. How much damage, what kind, how cooperative is the patient in changing lifestyle and taking meds? Don't give up, don't worry about an expiration date on your husband. Enjoy each day, each week, each month.

Last Nov. they thought my Dad might live for another 2 weeks, 6 months at the very most. It's been over 6 months and this Friday he's going in to trade in his ICD for a pacemaker (the ICD battery is almost out). He may get another 6 months. He's not giving in or giving up. I'm amazed.
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