I was just wondering.....

[Harrybaby666]

If anyone here who has CHF like myself seems to float along doing ok for a while and then Bam!!! all of a sudden the symptoms come back. I seemed to be doing great until the early part of the week then my dry coughing came back with a vengance and after taking a couple of jeep loads of junk down to the dump, I got home and felt like I really needed to sleep, so I did for 3 to 4 hours, then got up and stayed up another 3 hours before going to bed for the night, and I was wondering if this might be the normal progression of CHF??? Any help is greatly appreciated in advance. Harrybaby666

 

[Yaps]

Hi Harry

Hi Harry

When Im in chf I simply cant sleep..wake choking..could this be wakening you? Hope you feel better soon, love Yaps

 

[Harrybaby666]

I have had some trouble sleeping...

I have had some trouble sleeping...

When Im in chf I simply cant sleep..wake choking..could this be wakening you? Hope you feel better soon, love Yaps

and I also cough and cough and cough and cough....a dry, non productive cough and yet, even though sometimes I can't sleep, other times I want to do nothing but sleep and sleep and sleep...I am right in the middle of moving to a new apartment and I am wondering if because I am exherting myself, due to lack of help, if this could be causing things to aplify....Hope your doing well yaps...I know this must be a pain in the neck for you at times too...Harrybaby666

 

[perkicar]

and I also cough and cough and cough and cough....a dry, non productive cough and yet, even though sometimes I can't sleep, other times I want to do nothing but sleep and sleep and sleep...I am right in the middle of moving to a new apartment and I am wondering if because I am exherting myself, due to lack of help, if this could be causing things to aplify....Hope your doing well yaps...I know this must be a pain in the neck for you at times too...Harrybaby666

I think alot of is probably all the stress of finding the apartment, and now getting ready to move. I'll bet you're alot more active than normal. Also, the dry coulgh can be a side effect of the ace inhibitor. Has anyone listened to your lungs lately, just to be sure you're not having any fluid build up?
As my doc would say, listen to your body--rest when it says rest, and try not to overdo it--I know you've got to get ready to move but it's not worth ending up in the hospital over!!

 

[Debrinha GT]

enlarged heart

enlarged heart

Hi Harry. I remember that when I was really sick before my first operation back in the 70's, I just wouldn't stop caughing for three months non-stop, especially during the night. I literally had to sleep sitting up on a chair and eventually I ended up sleeping with my head on the table. It was a violent tickly cough and really made me feel absolutely worn out. The doctors described it as being a heart-related cough and that my heart was enlarged partly as a result of it. It only went away after the surgery and thank God, has never come back. I hope this answers some of your doubts. Take care,
Débora

 

[Harpoon]

If you're on diuretics, ask your doctor about possibly doubling up on a dose or taking a dose (or maybe even half) at some point in between when you regularly take it.

I'm allowed to do that once in a while when I REALLY feel like I'm overloaded with fluids. Usually I'll just take a 40mg pill (normal dose is 60mg) either at mid-afternoon or mid-evening if I feel I need it. That usually doesn't happen often unless I eat too much salty foods and/or have too much to drink....

Insert alcoholic joke here please.

Sometimes the CHF can be aggravated by extra physical activity or an infection or eating too much. At least that has been my experience. Generally there isn't much that I've found that can be done to clear it up right away (diuretics can help some, but not for an hour or so at best) however paying closer attention to what you're doing and eating the next day usually clears it up...


Diet seems to be the big thing that does me in most of the time.

 

[Debrinha GT]

Just a thought!

Just a thought!

Since you're getting everything ready for the removal, it might be all the dust in the air that's causing it. Or maybe mites and ticks.
Débora

 

[Harrybaby666]

Do you find....

Do you find....

If you're on diuretics, ask your doctor about possibly doubling up on a dose or taking a dose (or maybe even half) at some point in between when you regularly take it.

I'm allowed to do that once in a while when I REALLY feel like I'm overloaded with fluids. Usually I'll just take a 40mg pill (normal dose is 60mg) either at mid-afternoon or mid-evening if I feel I need it. That usually doesn't happen often unless I eat too much salty foods and/or have too much to drink....

Insert alcoholic joke here please.

Sometimes the CHF can be aggravated by extra physical activity or an infection or eating too much. At least that has been my experience. Generally there isn't much that I've found that can be done to clear it up right away (diuretics can help some, but not for an hour or so at best) however paying closer attention to what you're doing and eating the next day usually clears it up...


Diet seems to be the big thing that does me in most of the time.

Do you find that you want to sleep more and more if your chf is acting up? I sometimes have trouble sleeping, but most of the time, I seem to want to take a nap or just sleep and sleep and sleep. I do double up on my Lasix when I really feel horrible in my chest ( full of fluid) and then after I have taken the Lasix and the fluid has left me, I also feel extra tired...I can usually tell if I am filling up as my chest really aches badly...Just some other perspectives to ask you about...and no, I wouldn't even think of adding an alcoholic joke..LOL Thanks for your help harpoon...Harrybaby666

 

[Harpoon]

I haven't slept for more than seven hours straight in about four years so I'm not the right person to ask about being "tired" when CHF is acting up....

Not including when I was on life-support after my valve replacement, but that's another story....


I'm more tired when I'm retaining fluids. I'm a little bit withdrawn and concentration doesn't come easily.

It's difficult when this stuff comes up because my wife doesn't get it, at least I don't think she realizes it happens as often as it does.

Between a "chronic" lack of sleep, "not-as-good-as-they-should-be" eating habits, and a few other factors, I'm really not as heart healthy as I should be. I spend a lot of my waking hours feeling at least a little fatigued and most of it's because I don't get enough sleep. My cardiologist has pestered me a little bit about it, but with the hours I work and the sleep schedule my son is on plus the demands and responsibilities placed on me there's really not much room for improvement right now.

When I'm retaining water (the most prominent CHF symptom that comes up for me) all of this is just aggravated. "Groggy" doesn't fully describe how I feel...

I just wanna be left alone until the meds kick in and I start havin' to pee like a race horse....


Was that too much information?

 

[Harrybaby666]

Nope..it wasn't too much information....

Nope..it wasn't too much information....

It really helped me to get a grip on what I should be expecting or not expecting...It's funny that you mention it...on a regular sleep night, I cannot seem to sleep for more than 8 hours tops even though I want to....but when I am really feeling wiped out from my illnesses (mostly the chf) I will get to the point where I just sleep and sleep and sleep some more, and I have noticed that this happens after I have taken a double dose of Lasix and my Potassium and my chest has emptied of fluid...Harrybaby666

 

[Ross]

I just wanna be left alone until the meds kick in and I start havin' to pee like a race horse....

Hmm, you mean with dieuretics your supposed to pee? Could have fooled me. For everything they have me on, I should be exceeding you in runs to the office, but it ain't happenin. :

 

[Laurz]

Just some questions if anyone knows

Just some questions if anyone knows

Was diagnosed with a murmur when I was 12. Then in my late 20's early 30's doc said it looked like at some point I would need a new valve. Well during the last few years no one (Dr.s that is) has said a thing about a murmur. Even had knee surgery last year and not one thing was said by any doctor. So I thought hmmmm. Have been being treated regularly for hypertension for over 4 years and all of a sudden last week (the week of the 14th) swelled up like the blimp and pressure not good to say the least. Now all of a sudden everyone hears a 'very loud murmur' as one doc put it (my cardiologist). But my regular physician who has never said a thing is the first doc to go hmm you have a strong murmur. Funny how for years no one heard it and know here it is big as life. Well the first part of this last week other things began happening---like extreme shortness of breath. Find myself taking deep breaths fairly frequently, always tired, and yawning a lot. Pressure is getting a little better, chest feels tight. Have had two echos done am suppose to hear from dr. first part of this coming week. Just wondering if any of this makes sense or am I being overly paranoid now? Should I be concerned or just la la it away?

 

[Harrybaby666]

Hi Laurz...

Hi Laurz...

No Your not being paranoid....I am always on my Dr.'s case if something doesn't feel right...and I am persistant, but I do get frustrated when they just blow things off without checking...Be persistant, and not let them control you, as you are the one paying for your care and you have a right to your answers. Remember...IT'S YOUR BODY...NOT THEIRS....They are not the ones who have to put up with the annoyances or the rotten feeling or the exhaustion....I hope this helps in some small way...Take Care, Harrybaby666

 

[Harpoon]

There are times when the stuff can come on rather suddenly like what seems to be happening in your case.

Get answers, make sure they're answers you understand and are comfortable with (even if you don't like 'em much, at least be sure you KNOW what's going on.)

A lot of people will start a little notebook to mark down symptoms, when they occured and what they were doing when the symptom started. Some even take it beyond that to track what they're eating or drinking, when they take meds and so forth...

It may be useful to you. It may also be a good place to write down questions as they come up so that the next time you see your doctor, you have something to reference when he/she asks, "Do you have any questions...?"

When I got to the point of seeing multiple doctors I had a list of all my meds and their doses in the front of my notebook. That was useful too since I had so many different medications.


I won't say what you're experiencing is "normal" by any means, but it is something a LOT of us have gone through or are going through now.

 

[strawberry]

Harrybaby,

I had found this website for a friend who developed chf with viral cardiomyopathy: See if it gives you some insight.

www.chfpatients.com

Does anyone find that they get digestive troubles when the retain fluid? They say it's not my heart but I'm on diuretics for ankle swelling and my abdomen also does and I get indigestion etc. Just wondering.

Take care.

 

[Harpoon]

I dunno if you can call it indegestion neccesarily, but when I'm really overloaded on fluids (this happened a lot BEFORE I got my valve replacement done) I tend to puke up meals or just beverages....


It's one of the things that set things into motion when I first started with Cleveland Clinic.


If I'm not careful, I can get that way still, but it's rare and I know how to avoid it most of the time.

I think it's just a matter of so much water/fluid being in your system that it has no where to go so you get the indegestion or vomiting or whatever. Your kidneys can't work fast enough to handle the fluid like it's supposed to because your heart isn't circulating blood as well as it should so all that excess, unprocessed fluid starts building up in places that can't hold it, thus you get sick....

 

[Nan]

Harry, you are doing too much! And yes, CHF makes me very tired! You need to try to slow down. Do you sleep with pillows or in a recliner to help you breathe when your CHF is bad? That might help your sleep. Along with the extra lasix!

 

[Harrybaby666]

Hi Nan...

Hi Nan...

Harry, you are doing too much! And yes, CHF makes me very tired! You need to try to slow down. Do you sleep with pillows or in a recliner to help you breathe when your CHF is bad? That might help your sleep. Along with the extra lasix!

Yes, I do sleep with a few pillows and with my head reclined and up...right now because of all the pain I am in, I am sleeping on the couch (until I can't bear that anymore)...I have to switch places as it seems to help somewhat with the pain....I do have some hope though...I spoke with a cardiac surgeons office in Portland Maine today and they are going to get me pointed to some capable doctors...FINALLY....The nurse told me that my valves are leaking BECAUSE of the Congestive Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy, so at least I am getting some answers....I am pacing myself though....Hope your doing well and better with the CPap Nan....I know it's hard, but we can deal with it.....Take Care, Harrybaby666

 

[Nan]

Hi Harry, hope this note finds you feeling better! I am glad that you have found a doc that may be able to help you!

I have also found a good doc, a sleep doc....she has some really good ideas about how to help me with the apnea...first off she is sending me to a ENT to see if we could get me breathing through my nose and thus use a nasal mask , and second she is talking about possibly using the dental appliance along with the face mask but at a lower pressure. And she is having me bring my CPAP and mask in to our next appt. (not til May, however) to help me with the mask. Wow. I am impressed!

HOPe your new doc turns out to be as good. Take care,