Congestive Heart Failure

[JRobyn]

PMs sent so that I reduce any additional thread hijack than I have already caused! :duh:

 

[2458n]

The commercial says 5 years and another says you die 10 years younger when you have type 2 diabetes. Get a good doctor- mine tells me I am a excellent example of modern meds.

 

[MossRoad]

...

When I asked my doctor he just said there are to many variables. That I understand, however I just wondering if the 50% was pretty much the norm or if a lot of it is slanted because of ill health from other factors.

...

My father died of congestive heart failure as a condition of amyloidosis (weird protein disease), which was a condition of multiple myeloma (plasma cell cancer). He was 77. So in his case, yes, it was highly slanted because of ill health from other factors.

 

[RalphVa]

Don't think it's progressive. In my case, it came on as a result of being weakened by afib and the TURP with all the fluids employed.

Don't think it was progressive in my Dad's case either. In grandmother's case, it probably was, as she had swollen legs a long time before she got CHF and died.

So many things that you buy have tons of salt in them. My wife is non gluten. It's virtually impossible for us to go out to eat any more: ice cream and yogurt places. That's about it. One small chain in Columbus, OH caterers to both non gluten and low sodium. A couple places around here say they do non gluten, but they have virtually nothing that I can eat. At the bowling alley, there is absolutely NOTHING below about 2,000 mg of sodium, FAR above what I allow myself now.

Lots of people get their ejection fraction back to normal after CHF. Trick is keeping it there with no sodium and exercise.

Ralph

 

[tcreeley]

I shoot for less than 150 mg sodium daily. It occurs naturally in most foods, But the worst foods are what you get from the grocery store- like all of them! You get used to it - cheddar cheese tastes salty to me now, no tuna, no cottage cheese, no bread unless I make it myself- saltless. I see the bp jump when I eat more sodium. I always figured I would be active for ever. Bodies just don't cooperate. I ache if I just walk to the mailbox. I find I need to keep myself interested in new things. I am always tired and moving is like stretching cold rubber bungy cords. But I always feel better from getting out and doing something. I've learned to let myself stop and catch my wind- it allows me to last longer and do more. No more days of working non-stop to get the job done. "The **** with it - there is always time" has become my new way of living- cuts stress!
Life is the way it is- find the enjoyment in it!

 

[MossRoad]

My wife's father has trouble walking. So he got a stationary bike. A lot less stress on the joints. He'll put 40 miles on it during a football game and he's 88! I think he could still kick my butt.

 

[JDL538]

I was told I had CHF when I was 39 years old. My dad died of a HA young, my brother when he was 42. I stated walking 5 miles 5 days a week. When I was 59 I had 5 way bypass I'm 69 now. I still walk 5 days a week I'm a fast walker and have been on statins for many years and bata blocker. I enjoy walking.. My opinion get in shape it's fun and don't worry about it. Lose weight if need be. By the way the heart doc. who told me that was much younger than me he's dead 5 years are more.

 

[Whidbey]

Just did a paper surveying this subject. A high percentage of the mortality occurs in the first year after diagnosis. After this period the curve flattens out. The younger you are when it occurs, the fewer accompanying diseases the better the long term survival.

 

[JDL538]

What I forgot to say is I had about 10 heart attacks when I was 37 all in one day..I went to the hospital and they said I was to young to have a heart attack and sent me home saying it was something else, I don't remember. 2 YEARS later my brother died and the doc. said all of us should be checked.. My attacks made there own bypass in the lower part of my heart, I was lucky .

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

CHF has lots of causes. Some are reversable, some are not.
Your local hospital may have a support group for CHF. Sounds silly but might have useful information. Also, ask your doctors if you have a "case manager." These are typically RNs who have more time and are just honestly better at explaining things to patients than the average doctor.

 

[oldpilgrim]

Your local hospital may have a support group for CHF. Sounds silly but might have useful information. Also, ask your doctors if you have a "case manager." These are typically RNs who have more time and are just honestly better at explaining things to patients than the average doctor.

this.......... We had one from the VA for my father and have one for my FIL. Extremely helpful.

 

[jeff9366]

I will be 62 in May and for the most part I still feel I am in good health. I am not physically fit by any means, (overweight, high blood pressure, high blood sugar), but I stay active, cut and split my own wood and do other chores around the homestead. I do get winded a little quicker than I use to, but figured that was do to old age and being out of shape.

You are in DENIAL. You are NOT physically fit if you are overweight, have high blood pressure and are diabetic or near diabetic.

Are you taking medication to reduce your high blood pressure? How is your cholesterol?

Diabetes is mostly due to being overweight. Get rid of the potato chips and other salty snacks, leave ice cream in the grocery store, no sodas with sugar, change to low fat milk, reduce red meat consumption, no eating between three healthy meals per day, start walking every evening if the weather is in any condition but rain.

It is not easy but these are necessary life style changes as one ages. I made them. You can make them.

You are stuck with CHF but you can address the complicating factors which are dire individually.

 

[RalphVa]

Congestive heart failure doesn't mean a degenerative disease. It's just that your heart had too much liquid in the sac surrounding it. The reason is because your body wasn't getting rid of liquid, particularly liquid in the lung area.

First thing is to get the weight down. I'm surprised yours didn't come down with it, like happened to me. I was forever cold but was eating every 2 hours like a horse. Still lost 35 #.

The last 3 days, I laid off extra stuff that I love. Down to 179-180 now. Seems to be my normal weight. Was what it was when I married. Lowest it ever got (before CHF) was when the army ran me all over the hills of Texas in medic training.

The previous writer is dead on correct. Get the weight down, and you may no longer be diabetic. I take cinnamon capsules twice/day to try to avoid it, too, because my family genes on both sides are laced with people having type II diabetes.

Ralph

 

[JRobyn]

You are in DENIAL. You are NOT physically fit if you are overweight, have high blood pressure and are diabetic or near diabetic. ....

Lighten up a little bit there Jeff. Broken SAID he was NOT physically fit, but reasonably active. Which is better aerobic exercise, walking or splitting wood?

 

[JDL538]

Start walking a mile and keep adding until you're up to 3 or 4 miles. The faster the better.

 

[MarkF48]

Start walking a mile and keep adding until you're up to 3 or 4 miles. The faster the better.

Make sure your doc is OK with this first.

 

[brokenknee]

Lighten up a little bit there Jeff. Broken SAID he was NOT physically fit, but reasonably active. Which is better aerobic exercise, walking or splitting wood?

Thanks