Anyone else have Congestive Heart Failure?

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MsSweetCheeks1975
MsSweetCheeks1975 Posts: 27 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
About 3 years ago, I was diagnosed with CHF. Before my diagnoses, my symptoms were horrible. I could barely walk, always coughing, retaining fluids like crazy. Now, my symptoms are mild. Eating low sodium makes a huge difference.

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  • skinnyrev2b
    skinnyrev2b Posts: 400 Member
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    Sorry to hear your diagnosis, but thanks for posting. My Dad has just been diagnosed so it's great to hear from someone who's managing their condition.
  • MsSweetCheeks1975
    MsSweetCheeks1975 Posts: 27 Member
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    Low sodium diet is a major thing. What symptoms is your dad having?
  • amelialoveshersnacks
    amelialoveshersnacks Posts: 205 Member
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    Hubby has it. He believes juicing works well for managing his symptoms. He mostly does beetroot, celery, lemons, ginger and carrots. Mind you, he doesn't like veges so it's the only way he will have them. I've tried to chat him into blending but he wont have a bar of it.
  • MsSweetCheeks1975
    MsSweetCheeks1975 Posts: 27 Member
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    That's about how long I was in the hospital. I was in ICU at first. They pumped out like 70 pounds of fluid from me. It's weird, I didn't have any problems switching to eating low sodium diet. I know in the past, if I accidentally bought a no salt added product, I thought it tasted horrible. When I was told I needed to eat low sodium, it came easy for me. My EF is normal, but I have Diastolic CHF. My echo was normal. Now, my BNP used to be really out of range, but the last BNP I had was barely in normal range. So, losing weight and eating low sodium has made a big difference for me. The cardiologist told me that eventually I can probably eat more sodium, but really now I"m fine with eating low sodium so I think I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing. Glad to hear that you are doing so well Kalex1975.
  • KUAngie
    KUAngie Posts: 19 Member
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    As a cardiology ICU nurse working primarily with HF patients, it is refreshing to see patients who are compliant with medications and lifestyle changes. It does make a difference. I do see patients that have issues even they follow all directions to a T. But I know how difficult it is to follow low sodium, low fluids, when friends and family and society all eat processed foods. Good job guys!
  • MsSweetCheeks1975
    MsSweetCheeks1975 Posts: 27 Member
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    So, do you see many patients that are compliant?

    It always scares me when you hear about the statistics of how long people survive with heart failure. I figure that is because a lot of people aren't complaint.
    KUAngie wrote: »
    As a cardiology ICU nurse working primarily with HF patients, it is refreshing to see patients who are compliant with medications and lifestyle changes. It does make a difference. I do see patients that have issues even they follow all directions to a T. But I know how difficult it is to follow low sodium, low fluids, when friends and family and society all eat processed foods. Good job guys!

  • amelialoveshersnacks
    amelialoveshersnacks Posts: 205 Member
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    I might be onto a winner.... For three days in a row I have given hubby a meatless meal either for lunch or dinner. Dinner was actually quite nice with roasted sweet potato stuffed with cauli, brown rice, spinach, lentils, onions with an avocado and parsley dressing, roasted asparagus, green beans and mushrooms. We also had a low sodium bone broth that I added roasted garlic, pepper and rosemary to. After dinner he went and bought a block of chocolate, 2 tubs of pineapple lumps and a tub of milkbottles. He only ate 3 rows of chocolate though. It's more a mental thing. He's not coping so I suggested that maybe we could get a blender so he can have a smoothie as a meal replacement and he agreed that it's a good idea! Woohoo!

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