I'm 67 and just been given a diagnosis of advanced CHF, how long do I have to live?
I just had a bout of pneumonia I would of never known anything was wrong. How can I prolong my life. Dr prescribed two medications and a life vest after 30 days if the medication helps I wont have to wear the life vest.
The medicines you've been prescribed are both standard treatments, and the life vest looks like an interesting product which should certainly keep you out of serious trouble while the extent of your heart problem is assessed. You say in your post that had it not been for the pneumonia you'd never have known anything was wrong: well, take your physician's and your cardiologist's advice and you'll probably be able to forget about the CHF for a good long while to come.
There are very good resources about CHF for the layman out there; the American Heart Association seems the obvious place for you to start, their website offers a good range of explanations and guidance leaflets. But it might be best to wait a week: once the imaging has been done you'll have a clear idea of how well your heart is functioning at the moment, and it will then be a question of following advice on medication and lifestyle to protect it in the future. I'm sorry that it feels as though you've been handed a death sentence; but other than the sad truth that humans are mortal - we're all going to die of *something* - you really haven't. It's a heads-up, not a warrant.
Dr didn't tell me how advanced. He didn't sound like there was hope in the future. I got the life vest the girl told me this is just a temporary thing wear it a month. Also was prescribed two medications toprol and Ramipril. Next Friday I go in for a stress test they will give me cardiolite. It seems to me decades ago a Dr once told me I had Congestive Heart failure but dont remember taking any medication and I've made it this far.Thank you all for your comment gives me more hope than I had earlier.
"Heart failure" is such a scary term. My husband lived with it for more than 20 years, and it isn't what he died from.
Take your pills, wear your vest, and talk to the doctor more about the prognosis next time. And Babalou is right about taking someone with you to the next appointment.
So has my 91 year old mom. I would make a list of questions like this one to ask at your follow up cardiology appointment. And take someone (friend, relative) with you, both to ask questions tou might not think of and to listen to the answers. I find that i don't hear the doctor's answers very accurately when I'm the patient. It's good to take slong another set of ears! Good luck and good health!
Advanced? How advanced? Do you know what your Ejection Fraction is?
I'm so sorry for your bad news, in any case. But it's not the end of the world - if it helps you to hear this, my 90 year old mother has been living with this condition for about 20 years.
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The medicines you've been prescribed are both standard treatments, and the life vest looks like an interesting product which should certainly keep you out of serious trouble while the extent of your heart problem is assessed. You say in your post that had it not been for the pneumonia you'd never have known anything was wrong: well, take your physician's and your cardiologist's advice and you'll probably be able to forget about the CHF for a good long while to come.
There are very good resources about CHF for the layman out there; the American Heart Association seems the obvious place for you to start, their website offers a good range of explanations and guidance leaflets. But it might be best to wait a week: once the imaging has been done you'll have a clear idea of how well your heart is functioning at the moment, and it will then be a question of following advice on medication and lifestyle to protect it in the future. I'm sorry that it feels as though you've been handed a death sentence; but other than the sad truth that humans are mortal - we're all going to die of *something* - you really haven't. It's a heads-up, not a warrant.
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I got the life vest the girl told me this is just a temporary thing wear it a month. Also was prescribed two medications toprol and Ramipril. Next Friday I go in for a stress test they will give me cardiolite. It seems to me decades ago a Dr once told me I had Congestive Heart failure but dont remember taking any medication and I've made it this far.Thank you all for your comment gives me more hope than I had earlier.
Take your pills, wear your vest, and talk to the doctor more about the prognosis next time. And Babalou is right about taking someone with you to the next appointment.
I'm so sorry for your bad news, in any case. But it's not the end of the world - if it helps you to hear this, my 90 year old mother has been living with this condition for about 20 years.