Congestive heartfailure

[delvoura66]

Hi, this is delvoura66. I really enjoy the support of this site. There are times when I get a little down about my surgery. In October it will be 2 years. My main problem is dealing with constant fatigue. I try to exercise regularly and ride my bike.
Usually a few days later I am so exhausted. My checkup in July
revealed congestive heartfailure my pressure was up and I had
trouble breathing. My doctor prescribed lasix to get rid of the fluid
in my lungs. I thought the surgery would give me quality of life again but it hasn't. I am withdrawn and depressed at times. My
doctor says for exercise I should walk and just give it time. When
does it get easier.

 

[Nancy]

Hi there-

It's disappointing to hear that there's another problem after you've already had surgery. But it does happen at times, and you're not alone.

My husband has had CHF for many years. Lasix does a very good job of controlling it, and keeping very low sodium helps to keep your kidneys happy, bacause you won't have to be on as high a dose if you keep your sodium down.

CHF does come and go. There will be times when you will not have much fluid retention, and other times when you will be fluid filled.

When my husband has too much fluid, we calls his cardiologist for instructions. Sometimes they put him on extra Lasix temporarily, and if it is too bad, they put him on Zaroxolyn as well. When the fluid clears, he goes back to his regular dose.

The guidelines we use are a weight gain of 3 pounds in one day, or a weight gain of 5 pounds over a few days. He can also tell now, by the shortness of breath, when he needs to get some additional help.

He weighs himself each day without clothing, at the same time in the morning right after he gets up. This is recorded in a little notebook, along with his temperature.

This is a condition that can be controlled and people can live a very long time with CHF, as long as they stay on top of it.

Take care,

 

[delvoura66]

Thank you so much Nancy.

 

[Yokena]

A Long Road

A Long Road

Hi Delvoura66,

Sorry to hear things are not going as well as you hoped. I'm two years post-op, too, and have had a summer of facing up to my limitations. It is quite sobering to realize that although we have been "fixed" we will never have "normal" hearts. It is making me reconsider career goals and rethink what to expect of retirement, and even whether I can afford to retire early. The upside is that I can recognize how really sick I was before the surgery and that even though I'm not keeping up with some the folks who don't have heart problems, I'm also way ahead of a lot of so-called healthy people. I see folks who don't take care of the health they have and feel and do much worse that I do. That's pretty sad, and a waste of their potential to enjoy life.

Just keep on doing what you are able to do, and take all the steps you can to maintain good health by eating right, etc. It's wonderful to be here and be functioning!

Hang in there!

Joyce in Mississippi

 

[Birky]

Heart failure

Heart failure

I thought the same thing after surgery. I am doing really well but today is just a bad day I guess. I think that it is finally setting in that I will be on Coumadin the rest of my life and have to put up with the blood tests and bruising. I went today for a blood test and the girls in the Lab said that I am so young to be on this. I think today I am just mad that my sternum still hurts, that I have about a 100 bruises and have to see the Dr. again. Even though I am mended, it will never be the same with a new valve. I guess I really wanted a repair but not possible. Enough of my whining,

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Hello and Welcome Delvoura,

I too felt like my recovery never lived up to expectations until I started taking Lasix once in a while and felt some improvement.
I was never told I had / have CHF, but I do seem to have a Low 'Threshold' and can move into fluid retention. Taking 20 mg of Lasix 3 times per week on a preventive basis has resulted in much more energy and stamina. You will probably need to see your Cardiologist for an examination before he will go ahead and just prescribe a diuretic. Ask him to confirm that you have fluid retention and WHY you are retaining the fluid. Too often the doc's just look at Ejection Fraction and pronounce you fit if that number is OK.

'AL'

 

[Nancy]

There is a lab test for CHF called BNP. It's really helpful. Those who've been misdiagnosed with bronchitis or asthma, instead of what was really wrong, CHF, know what I mean.

So be bold and ask about this test. Some hospitals may not offer it, but ask anyway. Maybe it works like grocery shopping, if enough customers want it, they'll get it.

 

[mharris]

It is nice to know that I am not the only one that gets down about having surgery. It's been 2.5 months since the 2nd one. It's been one week shy of 4 months since the first one. I can completely relate about having to take coumadin for rest of my life because I am only 29, but then I realize if I hadn't had the replacement of the valve I wouldn't be here today. So if you get down in the dumps go outside and look at everything around such as trees, birds, flowers, ect. or what I do is look at my 4 month old little girl and when she smiles back at me I realize taking a pill everyday for the next 50+ years is a small price to pay for being here for all my kids. Some people here probably have grankids so I suggest look at them or look at there pictures and I bet you would agree with me. Most of the time this helps me feel better but there are still times I think what if something goes wrong again. CHF can be really scarey but with the right meds it can be kept under control. Good luck and take care.
Michelle

 

[Bill Hall]

Delvoura - Sorry to hear about the CHF. I can understand you getting depressed over this. Who want to go through surgery and then find themselves still short of breath. There are only one thing I could think of regarding your problem. He wants you to exercise more often to lose weight. I would think that the only way to gain would be to take some pressure off your heart. Another thought might be to take something to lower the blood pressure. Maybe he meant that you had to wait until the Lasix took effect then he could do somthing else to help. I would pursue your problem further, maybe find another doctor. I sure hope you can overcome your constant fatigue.

 

[Nan]

Delvoura

Delvoura

Hi Delvoura,

You are not alone, I had an AVR in 10/99 and things have gone downhill from there.
However, we need to look on the positive side, in that we may not even have been alive to be feeling badly if we hadn't had the surgery!

Hopefully you have some days when you feel OK.

CHF can really take it out of you, but as Nancy says, it can be controlled.

Sodium is a biggy in controlling it. It sneaks into all kinds of things, you really have to read labels like crazy. And exercise does help, both with your heart function and depression.

I guess sometimes our expectations are that everything will be fixed by the heart surgery, but it is clearly not always the case. But still better than the alternative.

Hang in there.

 

[Georgia]

You go right ahead and whine

You go right ahead and whine

You deserve it and we all do. And some folks come out of surgery swinging and some shamble along. Most of us are kindof in the middle.

I don't know how awful you felt before surgery. I couldn't lie down and breathe. Now, you know it doesn't take MUCH improvement to be better than "can't lie down and breathe". So perhaps having experienced that is a blessing, because I started off pretty bad.

I am in the majority who think you're going to feel a LOT better when the lasix does its job; and if it down bring the pressure down you can be sure you'll be getting more meds to take care of that.

Feel free to continue to whine. As they say around here, we've got the cheese.

 

[delvoura66]

I just want to that everyone for their wonderful support and
understand. I feels great to have you guys to vent with. Thanks
again. I will do the best that I can to stay positive.