Congestive heart failure...**Update Post #164**

[Phrozen Phil]

As somebody who went through Open-Heart surgery a year ago, I offer my encouragement and positive vibes. I had a valve replacement, reconstruction of the Aortic arch and a bypass. I was home in 9 days. I have not looked back. The knowledge base around cardiac illness is better than it was even 5 years ago.

You'll get a lot of advice and encouragement on this board. Take the encouragement, consider the advice more carefully.: A positive attitude and trust in your physician will do much for you. I wish you all the luck in the world suggest only that you should avoid fast-food joints like the Heart-Attack Grill.

 

[silverbear]

As somebody who went through Open-Heart surgery a year ago, I offer my encouragement and positive vibes. I had a valve replacement, reconstruction of the Aortic arch and a bypass. I was home in 9 days. I have not looked back.

Glad to hear it, Phil...

The knowledge base around cardiac illness is better than it was even 5 years ago.

That's what I'm reading, and it gives me some comfort...

You'll get a lot of advice and encouragement on this board. Take the encouragement, consider the advice more carefully.:

Any suggestions I'm tempted to take, I'll run by my doctor... trust me...

A positive attitude and trust in your physician will do much for you. I wish you all the luck in the world suggest only that you should avoid fast-food joints like the Heart-Attack Grill.

The weird thing is, over the last year or so I've lost my taste for junk food... the few times I've stopped for a burger, it just hasn't tasted as good as it used to... in fact, a lot of foods I once enjoyed don't really do it for me any more...

This might prove to be a good thing...

Thanks for the encouragment, Phil... and oh yeah, the advice...

 

[VietCowboy]

Only thing I can say is...following your heart may not be the best idea right now.

J/k

I can't imagine I can add much more than anyone else here, but I'd just like to say that I wish you a speedy recovery and that you have the best doctors and facilities and support and care available.

 

[silverbear]

Only thing I can say is...following your heart may not be the best idea right now.

J/k

I can't imagine I can add much more than anyone else here, but I'd just like to say that I wish you a speedy recovery and that you have the best doctors and facilities and support and care available.

I'm pretty set on the latter score, Winchester Medical Center apparently has a top-rated cardiac unit...

Thanks so much for the kind words...

 

[Zaxor]

for crying out loud I missed this post... sorry Larry...My friend if ya need me of ya need something send me an pm or a email...wish you of course the very best my friend.

 

[TheSport78]

Good luck to you, Bear.

Post-op, I would try to concentrate on diet and lifestyle changes. I'll be a dietitian next year, so if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

 

[ethiostar]

Sorry to hear this Silver. Hang in there. Take care of yourself and let others take care of you. We need you to keep the knuckleheads in check on this forum.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

 

[silverbear]

for crying out loud I missed this post... sorry Larry...My friend if ya need me of ya need something send me an pm or a email...wish you of course the very best my friend.

I knew I could count on you, Zax-man... I'm gonna be OK, count on it...

 

[silverbear]

Good luck to you, Bear.

Post-op, I would try to concentrate on diet and lifestyle changes. I'll be a dietitian next year, so if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Hey, thanks, that may come in useful...

 

[silverbear]

Sorry to hear this Silver. Hang in there. Take care of yourself and let others take care of you. We need you to keep the knuckleheads in check on this forum.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Deeply appreciated, pal...

Man, this is a great community...

 

[Doc50]

I've got it... just got out of the hospital after 2 days, now I've got a cardiac catheterization scheduled for Tuesday... and good luck to me, trying to pay for all of this with no insurance...

The doctor says he thinks I have a blockage, but he also thinks it's something that might be fixed without surgery... of course, he might just be trying to keep me from panicking, but at the same time, when I went to the hospital my pulse oxygen was in the 92-93 range-- not good for a healthy man, they want to see those numbers around 99-100, but for CHF it's not bad... the doctor thinks this means we've caught it early...

I'm pretty scared, but I did NOT start this thread to get a lot of sympathy... I just wanted y'all to know that if I'm not posting in here for a while, there's a good reason... and if I stop posting altogether, well, that probably means I didn't make it...

Damn, and all this happened just a month and a day from my 60th birthday... oh well, if it's a fight I'm in for, it's a fight they'll get... fortunately for me, the Winchester Medical Center (where I'll be having the procedure done) has a top-rated cardiology department, so I'm in good hands...

I just thought I'd give y'all a heads up, so that some weeks or mnnths from now, we won't be seeing those "whatever happened to Bear" threads... if I'm not here, you'll know why, it's the only thing that would keep me out of here...

If you have coronary artery disease (blockage), you would probably have some anginal symptoms, like chest pain and difficulty breathing on exertion. If not, then you probably do not have myocardial ischemia (decreased oxygen in the heart muscle), and treatment for minor blockage won't help.

An echocardiagram may show valvular leakage and enlargement of one or more cardiac chambers; this is the usual cause of CHF, and is managed mostly by medication, diet, and aerobic activity. You will need to eliminate most of the salt from your diet, which includes all pre-prepared foods. All use sodium salts as preservatives, and that includes anything in a box, bottle, can, jar, and many frozen foods. You need fresh fruit and green vegetables, whole grain cereal and lean meat.

If indeed you have valvular cardiomyopathy, surgery can be reparative, as a last resort. If your cardiologist won't spend time discussing all these issues and options, find one who will.

The first episode of CHF is not necessarily a reason for gloom and doom; you may still live to be 90, with the right kind of care. Good luck.

 

[CATCH17]

Good luck to you Silverbear. I've always enjoyed your posts.


WHEN you get healthy look into taking some supplements like Fish Oil, and COQ10.

 

[silverbear]

If you have coronary artery disease (blockage), you would probably have some anginal symptoms, like chest pain and difficulty breathing on exertion. If not, then you probably do not have myocardial ischemia (decreased oxygen in the heart muscle), and treatment for minor blockage won't help.

An echocardiagram may show valvular leakage and enlargement of one or more cardiac chambers; this is the usual cause of CHF, and is managed mostly by medication, diet, and aerobic activity. You will need to eliminate most of the salt from your diet, which includes all pre-prepared foods. All use sodium salts as preservatives, and that includes anything in a box, bottle, can, jar, and many frozen foods. You need fresh fruit and green vegetables, whole grain cereal and lean meat.

If indeed you have valvular cardiomyopathy, surgery can be reparative, as a last resort. If your cardiologist won't spend time discussing all these issues and options, find one who will.

The first episode of CHF is not necessarily a reason for gloom and doom; you may still live to be 90, with the right kind of care. Good luck.

Oh man, thanks for that... as recently as this past Tuesday, I put in my 3.5 mile walk in just a hair over an hour... my breathing was a little (and I emphasize a little) heavier than normal at first, by the time I was 3/4 of a mile into it I was doing fine...

When I started this thread, I was hoping for a) input from other cardiac patients, and b) input from one or more of our physicians in here... I've been getting a lot of the former, now you've done a terrific job of offering me the latter...

You have my gratitude, you have made me feel better...

 

[silverbear]

Good luck to you Silverbear. I've always enjoyed your posts.


WHEN you get healthy look into taking some supplements like Fish Oil, and COQ10.

Thank you, buddy... I'll ask my doctor about the supplements you recommended, count on it...

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

You are the Silverbear...take that heart, smack it around, make it your B(censor) and tell it who is boss.

Than be like a Vulcan and Live Long and Prosper.

 

[silverbear]

You are the Silverbear...take that heart, smack it around, make it your B(censor) and tell it who is boss.

Than be like a Vulcan and Live Long and Prosper.

I'll take me some pointy ears... LOL...

You're right, I'm a mudhole stomper, a semi-official loose cannon, this thing doesn't have a bleeping chance...

Thanks for reminding me who I am...

 

[Seven]

Hang in there SB.





Like you wouldn't.............


You're in my prayers.......so expect to be marathoning by Friday!!

 

[wittenacious]

If only people cared, eh SB!?

If sincere well wishes possess healing properties, I think your friends have collectively served up the right prescription. Continued best wishes, my new friend. Hope you're feeling loads better about things by now.

 

[TheSport78]

Thank you, buddy... I'll ask my doctor about the supplements you recommended, count on it...

Look up D-ribose (powder form) as well. Very effective for heart patients.

 

[silverbear]

Hang in there SB.





Like you wouldn't.............


You're in my prayers.......so expect to be marathoning by Friday!!

One of my great disappointments is that I'm now on Lasix as a diuretic... of course, this means I won't be able to run in the the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness or Belmont...

I'm finding that as I get older, one dream after another dies...

Thanks, buddy...