Anyone here fully recover from CHF?

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Originally Posted By: Miller88
That is one of the biggest eye openers of the whole ordeal. I never realized how much sodium is in our diet - even if you eat "healthy", there is just so much sodium in our foods that it's extremely hard to keep it under 2k. I'm supposed to shoot for 1800-2000 a day. Even cheese has some in it!

I basically drink water and tea and occasionally coffee (I know, not supposed to). If I'm out on the trail I'll bring some powerades because I just get so dehydrated. But that doesn't seem to affect me since I sweat it all out or breathed it all out.

Very little eating out for me. No prepared / premade foods.


How often do you get a refraction test? Have you seen any change over time?


Uhhh. I'm very bad when it comes to going back to the doctors. Once I was out of the hospital I got frustrated with trying to see a doctor and ... just stopped.

I was in the early stages, whatever that means. I went to the ER because I was having a "panic attack" for a few days and felt funny. I have never had a panic attack so I didn't know that it was actually something else.

I really should go and follow up. There's some warm summer nights where I just gasp for air all night long and end up sitting upright in the AC so I can breathe. And my legs will still balloon up quite a bit on and off.

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Anyone here improve or fully recover from Congestive Heart Failure?
Anyone else out there have a similar experience? I'm wondering what my future is going to be like.


Yes. My situation is likely different than yours. However, as you described it, seems similar to my ordeal.

I had a heart virus that caused massive enlargement. EF was quite poor, fluid in lungs, can't breathe, etc. Twice I "disappeared" if you get my meaning. Once while the nurse was asking if I was OK....

I'm now on a lean protein only diet. Carbs cause my abdomen to become inflamed, leading to pressure on the diaphragm and difficulty breathing. Plus, the protein only diet is an extremely effective diuretic! A double plus.

CoQ-10 helps markedly. As does weightlifting at the gym. With occasional cardio.

I'm on T replacement. FYI, T replacement, if needed, and done correctly, will greatly strengthen muscles. Including the heart. I feel great.

Also, I recently learned that my idiot doctor (endocrinologist) never checked my calcium levels. Come to find out, I was very low, causing all sorts of awful symptoms. I bring this up because quite often blood testing is not complete, and "rare" things might be missed.

A virus can and will affect the heart. But like any muscle, properly fed, exercised and so on, it can get much stronger!

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Good luck. Age 54 is a good place to flip the switch to a much healthier diet and lifestyle. I did it at age 55 and didn't realize how easy it could be just taking it a month at a time. Was on BP and Asthma meds for 7 years. After 10 months on my new diet and exercise regimen I dropped 50 lbs and all the meds. The asthma was gone as were the annual attacks of bronchitis, flus, etc. I can only assume that for years my immune system was compromised from all sides. Haven't been really sick in 7 years now.

Get rid of lousy foods that do nothing for you and replace them one by one with those that have a "purpose." If you can't figure out the benefit of eating something, it's probably not worth eating. Over a course of a few years I read a couple dozen books on nutrition, heart disease, cancers, health studies, etc. to figure things out. One I'd recommend is Dr. William Sears "Prime Time Health," geared toward us older folks.

You'll find plenty of information below on what's best. What's interesting about the medical profession is that things are ever-changing. A large percentage of what our doctors tell us to do today, will be proven to be wrong 20-30 years down the road.

Nutrition Facts


Thanks for the link! Yes I'm on something called Entresto. Its new and combines 2 BP meds. Luckily insurance just approved it. Local pharmacy didn't have it, had to order. So far so good..

 

[Rand]

My Grandma lived with 20% refraction for almost 20 years. (Greater than 55 is normal?)

You will never be 30 again.. but as long as you dont ignore it a good recovery is very possible.
Don't overdo it at the start and I'd get professional advice.

Advice on bitog is sometimes worth what you paid for it... if you know what I mean.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: Cujet
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Anyone here improve or fully recover from Congestive Heart Failure?
Anyone else out there have a similar experience? I'm wondering what my future is going to be like.


Yes. My situation is likely different than yours. However, as you described it, seems similar to my ordeal.

I had a heart virus that caused massive enlargement. EF was quite poor, fluid in lungs, can't breathe, etc. Twice I "disappeared" if you get my meaning. Once while the nurse was asking if I was OK....

I'm now on a lean protein only diet. Carbs cause my abdomen to become inflamed, leading to pressure on the diaphragm and difficulty breathing. Plus, the protein only diet is an extremely effective diuretic! A double plus.

CoQ-10 helps markedly. As does weightlifting at the gym. With occasional cardio.

I'm on T replacement. FYI, T replacement, if needed, and done correctly, will greatly strengthen muscles. Including the heart. I feel great.

Also, I recently learned that my idiot doctor (endocrinologist) never checked my calcium levels. Come to find out, I was very low, causing all sorts of awful symptoms. I bring this up because quite often blood testing is not complete, and "rare" things might be missed.

A virus can and will affect the heart. But like any muscle, properly fed, exercised and so on, it can get much stronger!

Yes CoQ10 is one of the 6 meds..
Yes something similar to disappearing happened. In the middle of the 2nd night I remember a nurse asking me "if I'm still there" and "If I'm going somewhere".. Thought i was having hallucinations with all the meds. I asked my GF who stayed with me in the room for 8 of the 9 days. She said the monitor went off twice and several nurses would rush in and start talking and shaking me. I didnt sleep for 2 days after that, downright creepy.

 

[Boczech]

Originally Posted By: Bandito440
Good luck to you. Follow your doctor's advice with regards to exercise.

Everyone should be getting annual physicals. They're free for most people with insurance.


X1

Check your pride in at the door and do it for your family/loved ones. We kid at work about having a colonoscopy done once we hit the big five-O but there is one guy who is in denial at 70yo and still eats Hungry Man dinners at least two times a day. We know that it is a matter of time before he keels over.


LeakySeals: Please follow what the Doctor's are advising and we will be praying for you on this end. There are some really good folks on this forum that will help as much as possible.

 

[NibbanaBanana]

Okay, what your cardiologist is not going to tell you is that cardio disease is completely preventable and reversible through diet alone. Why? Because they went to school for 10-12 years to learn to treat cardio using drugs and surgery. It's not their business and they're not interested in preventing cardio or reversing it through diet. Want to recover? It's up to you.

Go to the index at the top left. Click on "heart disease". Watch the videos. http://nutritionfacts.org/

Call up Dr. McDougall and talk to him. He will send you all the research papers. https://www.drmcdougall.com/

Read this book. http://www.dresselstyn.com/site/

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Good luck. Age 54 is a good place to flip the switch to a much healthier diet and lifestyle.


I think you're joking but if not I'd like to state that NOW is always a good time to pursue a much healthier lifestyle. I put mine off until about age 30 and ten years later I'm still working on it--but to some degree I wasn't able to, as I had a family to get going. Now that stress is mostly done (up all hours of the night, near 24/7 watching) I can focus on me instead.

 

[69GTX]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Good luck. Age 54 is a good place to flip the switch to a much healthier diet and lifestyle. I did it at age 55 and didn't realize how easy it could be just taking it a month at a time. Was on BP and Asthma meds for 7 years. After 10 months on my new diet and exercise regimen I dropped 50 lbs and all the meds. The asthma was gone as were the annual attacks of bronchitis, flus, etc. I can only assume that for years my immune system was compromised from all sides. Haven't been really sick in 7 years now.

Get rid of lousy foods that do nothing for you and replace them one by one with those that have a "purpose." If you can't figure out the benefit of eating something, it's probably not worth eating. Over a course of a few years I read a couple dozen books on nutrition, heart disease, cancers, health studies, etc. to figure things out. One I'd recommend is Dr. William Sears "Prime Time Health," geared toward us older folks.

You'll find plenty of information below on what's best. What's interesting about the medical profession is that things are ever-changing. A large percentage of what our doctors tell us to do today, will be proven to be wrong 20-30 years down the road.

Nutrition Facts


Thanks for the link! Yes I'm on something called Entresto. Its new and combines 2 BP meds. Luckily insurance just approved it. Local pharmacy didn't have it, had to order. So far so good..


Don't forget the natural blood pressure reducers like garlic, celery, beets, parsley to name a few. Foods that are high in phosphorus and magnesium are heart healthy too. You'll learn plenty as you dig in deeper. Garlic and onions not only good for your heart, but great for the immune system. If only people substituted for of that for fast food burgers, fries, and pizza. Besides a potent multi-vitamin I take additional C, D3, CoQ10, hawthorn berry, and aged garlic extract. But the food is what you should focus on. My cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL to LDL, homocysteine, HS CRP, and numerous other markers of inflammation risks went to optimum levels on diet/exercise.

 

[69GTX]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Good luck. Age 54 is a good place to flip the switch to a much healthier diet and lifestyle.


I think you're joking but if not I'd like to state that NOW is always a good time to pursue a much healthier lifestyle. I put mine off until about age 30 and ten years later I'm still working on it--but to some degree I wasn't able to, as I had a family to get going. Now that stress is mostly done (up all hours of the night, near 24/7 watching) I can focus on me instead.


The reason I said 54/55 is because that's about the point my body started behaving a lot more differently and breaking down in some respects. Up to 55 I still felt like I could do stuff like I did in my 30's and 40's. At age 58-60 that started to change. I agree though, make those changes as early as you can before damage can't be undone...in your 20's and 30's if you can.

 

[NHHEMI]

Leaky gonna send you a PM. Don't want to post what I will tell you publicly.

 

[ecotourist]

I think you mean ejection fraction. It means what fraction of the blood in the heart is pumped out with each stroke.

I've treated many people with congestive heart failure. Your description of CHF is a textbook case. You need to get advice and follow up from your cardiologist.

 

[CT8]

Lots of stuff is genetic.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: ecotourist
I think you mean ejection fraction. It means what fraction of the blood in the heart is pumped out with each stroke.

I've treated many people with congestive heart failure. Your description of CHF is a textbook case. You need to get advice and follow up from your cardiologist.
Bitog may need a medical help section now there are Physicians on board.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Originally Posted By: hatt
Glad you're getting better. I'm going to show this thread to my wife tonight when she gets home and see what she says. 10 year cardiac nurse.

Awesome! Thanks!
Wife says you need to take it a little easier. Lifting weights in the basement not such a good idea. Talk to your doctor before doing anything.

I don't think you realize how sick you are. Rome wasn't built in a day. Don't overdo your rehab and push your heart too hard, too early. Of course, don't quit either. Hopefully your appointment goes well tomorrow.

 

[spasm3]

The underlying cause may determine your recovery. Sometimes is idiopathic, its just not known what the cause is. Cardiomyopathy can be caused by viral infections, long standing hypertension, alcohol and some drug use and some older chemo cancer treatments.

If you recently had an extremely stressful event in your life, it's possible its Takotsubo. Takotsubo is not fully understood but may be related to catecholamine release due to extremely stressful events. Ejection fraction can improve in those patients in time.

If your ejection fraction does not improve in the next few months your physician my refer you for a implantable defibrillator. The defibrillator would monitor and try to convert lethal dysrhythmias.
An other treatment is a bi-ventricular pacemaker. When you pace both ventricles at exactly the same time , the ventricular septum does not move as much and your ejection fraction is improved.


Sorry to hear about this, i wish you the best.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: hatt

I don't think you realize how sick you are.

That's what I was thinking.

 

[Y_K]

Originally Posted By: NibbanaBanana
Okay, what your cardiologist is not going to tell you is that cardio disease is completely preventable and reversible through diet alone. Why? Because they went to school for 10-12 years to learn to treat cardio using drugs and surgery. It's not their business and they're not interested in preventing cardio or reversing it through diet.

Epic bull, Steve Jobs school of thought. We all know what happened to that assinus assinorum.

I'd listen to folks who go through 18 years of schooling and continue to be schooled for the rest of their professional lives first. Of course, a few second opinions and correction in your lifestyle are good too. Especially, if you are hypochondriac.

 

[69GTX]

Originally Posted By: Y_K
Originally Posted By: NibbanaBanana
Okay, what your cardiologist is not going to tell you is that cardio disease is completely preventable and reversible through diet alone. Why? Because they went to school for 10-12 years to learn to treat cardio using drugs and surgery. It's not their business and they're not interested in preventing cardio or reversing it through diet.

Epic bull, Steve Jobs school of thought. We all know what happened to that assinus assinorum.

I'd listen to folks who go through 18 years of schooling and continue to be schooled for the rest of their professional lives first. Of course, a few second opinions and correction in your lifestyle are good too. Especially, if you are hypochondriac.


There is zero downside in taking a holistic approach with diet/exercise/stress reduction. The nutritionfacts.org site is run by real doctors with decades of experience. They research and cite all the worthwhile and properly done studies. Even they will say that the majority of disease is directly related to diet/exercise/stress, etc. No doubt, that some smaller portion is due to physical issues only correctable by surgery. If the fast food industry disappeared tomorrow, we wouldn't need 2/3 of the doctors we currently have. It's a fact that the medical industry as a whole is not interested in treating the root causes of disease. They treat and manage symptoms through drugs and surgery. If they did otherwise, they'd be out of jobs.

 

[CT8]

All the low nutrition high toxic via bug poison and round up saturated meats and grains and potatoes certainly aren't helping any ones health.