Does anyone else have Heart Failure here?

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kiteflyer105
kiteflyer105 Posts: 128 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
IF you have heart failure and a low EF% (injection fraction percentage), can you tell me how you raised your EF % and got it back to normal? I have been taking all of my medicine.

I started at 24% then 3 months laterI was up to 25%. This was discouraging to be honest. I hope it eventually goes back up to normal levels.

Next, I am going to have an ICD placed in my body.

Thanks for the input.
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Replies

  • loulee997
    loulee997 Posts: 273 Member
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    My mom has this---she has a pacemaker. Well, technically she is on her 4th pacemaker. She outlives them all.

    It worked for her. Is her heart cured? No. Her quality of life has improved.

    Good luck.
  • jennpen310
    jennpen310 Posts: 1 Member
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    I recommend you start taking something called "heart miracle" they have it at vitamin shoppe its a supplement you drink. It may help you get back to normal. Also take magnesium. I am a firm believer in taking natural supplements instead of pharmaceuticals. You can continue your meds but it you see results little by little you can wean off them as you see yourself getting better.
  • kiteflyer105
    kiteflyer105 Posts: 128 Member
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    Thank you both for your input. I appreciate it.
  • kwilson18
    kwilson18 Posts: 42 Member
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    Do you have access to cardiac rehab? It seems like a program monitored by people with experience with your specific diagnosis. And I would also run anything by your cardiologist!
  • loulee997
    loulee997 Posts: 273 Member
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    kiteflyer105 wrote: »
    I was planning to discuss anything I do with my doctors. All of this is very confusing. WE all have different anatomy and physiology...what works for one might not work for another. I understand that...all I care about is digging myself out of this hole. Thank you everyone. Hugs.

    There used to be several low EF% (injection fraction percentage) message/discussion boards. Perhaps your cardiac team can recommend a few patients to talk to about different approaches.

    My mom's pacemaker worked for her--but she also had it done in her 80's and she has kidney issues on top of it. So it may or may not be the approach for you. She had a lot of upside with very little downside...but once again, she is now 92. The amount of daily activity she wants to do would be much less than you--as a younger person.

    Talk to your cardiac clinic. See if they can recommend some support groups or some people who have done the ICD. Someone who lives it--can give a better view of what to look out for.

    I will say mom's intervention has bought her many more years than she should probably have ---but each situation is different. She is not a candidate for different or surgical interventions due to her age and overall health.

    I'd try to find a board of people who have done the different options. Discuss it with a practical group.

    T
  • kiteflyer105
    kiteflyer105 Posts: 128 Member
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    I have to have my AICD surgery, heal, and then I will finish cardiac rehab. After that, I am hiring an exercise physiologist to work out with. This is going to be a slow build up process. Starting from ground zero. Covid caused my heart failure, my diabetes caused my kidney failure, and I used to have uncontrolled diabetes, however, my last A1C was 7.1, down from 12.3. I see a nutritionist.

    loulee997-Thank you for your input.

    jennpen310-I know you were trying to be helpful.

    wendymoreland3796-Thank you for sage advice.

    kshama2001-Thank you for your helpful input.

    kwilson18-Thank you. My first AICD surgery did not work , because my vain was too small. I am seeing the cardiologist next week to find out my new surgery date. I was doing cardiac rehab. I can last 1/2 hour on the machines, which is awesome.







  • loulee997
    loulee997 Posts: 273 Member
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    kiteflyer105 wrote: »
    I have to have my AICD surgery, heal, and then I will finish cardiac rehab. After that, I am hiring an exercise physiologist to work out with. This is going to be a slow build up process. Starting from ground zero. Covid caused my heart failure, my diabetes caused my kidney failure, and I used to have uncontrolled diabetes, however, my last A1C was 7.1, down from 12.3. I see a nutritionist.

    loulee997-Thank you for your input.

    jennpen310-I know you were trying to be helpful.

    wendymoreland3796-Thank you for sage advice.

    kshama2001-Thank you for your helpful input.

    kwilson18-Thank you. My first AICD surgery did not work , because my vain was too small. I am seeing the cardiologist next week to find out my new surgery date. I was doing cardiac rehab. I can last 1/2 hour on the machines, which is awesome.







    Good luck! Let us know if things are going well.
  • ddsb1111
    ddsb1111 Posts: 736 Member
    edited December 2023
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    @kiteflyer105 Good luck to you as well! I can only imagine how anxious you are. If you don’t mind me asking, how did this happen. Is it something I can avoid or is it genetic? 😟
  • kiteflyer105
    kiteflyer105 Posts: 128 Member
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    I came down with Covid. Covid gave me Heart Failure.


    https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/congestive-heart-failure-prevention-treatment-and-research

    Prevention
    The best way to avoid congestive heart failure is to avoid the conditions that contribute to it, or to carefully manage these conditions if they develop, says Jones.

    Stop smoking    —better yet, don’t start. It’s a major factor in the arterial damage that can cause heart failure. Also steer clear of secondhand smoke.

    Eat in heart-healthy ways. The foods that help you are those that contain little saturated fat, trans fat, sugar or sodium. Think fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, lean protein such as chicken without the skin, and “good” fats such as those found in olive oil, fish and avocadoes. Get practical ideas to eat for heart health in Eat Smart.

    Lose pounds if you’re overweight. Along with diet, being physically active helps achieve this goal and is also great for your heart.

    If you have another type of heart disease or related condition, closely follow your treatment program. Ongoing care and adherence to prescribed medications, such as statin drugs to treat high cholesterol, can make a big difference. “Recent research shows that a major portion of the long-term benefit of statin therapy is in the prevention of heart failure by way of preventing heart attacks and coronary events that lead to it,” says Jones.

  • ddsb1111
    ddsb1111 Posts: 736 Member
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    kiteflyer105 wrote: »
    I came down with Covid. Covid gave me Heart Failure.


    https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/congestive-heart-failure-prevention-treatment-and-research

    Prevention
    The best way to avoid congestive heart failure is to avoid the conditions that contribute to it, or to carefully manage these conditions if they develop, says Jones.

    Stop smoking    —better yet, don’t start. It’s a major factor in the arterial damage that can cause heart failure. Also steer clear of secondhand smoke.

    Eat in heart-healthy ways. The foods that help you are those that contain little saturated fat, trans fat, sugar or sodium. Think fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, lean protein such as chicken without the skin, and “good” fats such as those found in olive oil, fish and avocadoes. Get practical ideas to eat for heart health in Eat Smart.

    Lose pounds if you’re overweight. Along with diet, being physically active helps achieve this goal and is also great for your heart.

    If you have another type of heart disease or related condition, closely follow your treatment program. Ongoing care and adherence to prescribed medications, such as statin drugs to treat high cholesterol, can make a big difference. “Recent research shows that a major portion of the long-term benefit of statin therapy is in the prevention of heart failure by way of preventing heart attacks and coronary events that lead to it,” says Jones.

    I’m so sorry to hear that. Thank you for informing a dummy like me. I had no idea where that came from or what to do, sad to say. As I get older I realize how much I should start paying attention to stuff like this.
  • kiteflyer105
    kiteflyer105 Posts: 128 Member
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    Repost
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,430 Member
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    Hey, Kite, regarding physical activity. It’s awesome you’re up to two miles a day. There’s so many people who whinge they can’t do anything and here you are, killin’ it and anxious to do more.

    Just a thought. My gym is part of a large hospital system (Wellstar). It has a large, separate area devoted to cardiac rehab with all kinds of equipment, and a lot of degreed staff and therapists specific to cardio rehab. They also offer special chair fitness and water aerobics classes, specifically for cardiac patients, and even a special kickboxing program for Parkinson’s patients.

    When rehab patients graduate up to the “regular” gym, there’s a BP monitoring station where they record it every visit, and trainers who are knowledgeable with former rehab patients.

    If you’ve got something similar in your area it would be worth checking out. I’m always astounded at the number of locals - including doctors who practice at the adjacent regional hospital !!!- who don’t even know this fabulous gym exists- and has been open to the public for decades. It’s a first rate facility.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,617 Member
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    Have medical practitioners given you any advice on what to do in the meanwhile in terms of diet and exercise in order to remain as healthy as possible and/or improve?

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