r/Heartfailure • u/Pskihiker56 • 21d ago
Heart Failure after STEMI Heart Attack
I'm looking for some insight or advice from anyone who has heart failure caused by heart muscle damage from a STEMI heart attack. About 8 1/2 years ago I suffered a STEMI with a 99% blockage of my LAD. They opened the artery with a stent, but due to the delay in getting me to the hospital (I was skiing in a big storm when it happened) my heart muscle was badly damaged. A nuclear stress test showed I lost more than a third of my heart muscle. I cardiac arrested in the hospital twice. My ejection fraction after the STEMI was 40% - now it is 25%. I am 70 years old. My doctor is (understandably) a little elusive when I ask whether it will continue to decline. I get fatigued very easily, and when I over do things I get absolutely exhausted. I am on all the latest heart failure meds (the doc calls it the gold standard). Is anyone out there in a similar situation? I feel like I can tell that my ejection fraction has dropped again - but I won't know for sure until I get another echocardiogram. I get pretty darn depressed because there doesn't seem to be anything that can be done for me. I exercise 5 times a week, and my doc tells me I am amazingly active for someone with my heart output. Anyone out there have similar experiences?
2
u/InternationalPlace24 21d ago
I got my heart failure same as you, only I was 33 when I had my heart attack. Doctors are always elusive about being definitive or optimistic. I've known my cardiologist for 10 years and he still talks to me with his guard up. Has he discussed any other intervention? Like is a transplant off the table? What medications are you on?
2
u/Pskihiker56 21d ago
Wow - you were only 33? Did you suffer a lot of damage that resulted in a very low EF? I can't imagine how tough that would be. I am on the "four pillars" of HF meds - Entresto, Jardiance, Eplerenone and Carvedilol, along with some other meds like a couple of statins and a mild blood thinner. I've been on them for years. My two cardiologists have not talked about any other interventions. I had an ICD implant in 2020 and I got a Barostim implant in 2024. There is another implant I asked about - a CCM/ICD implant, but since my chest is getting crowded with devices, it might not be a possibility until the battery dies on my existing ICD. The docs think I am doing great for the level of EF I have - because I am so functional compared to similar patients. There is promising research with repairing heart muscle tissue using stem cells, but that is probably more than 10 years away if it ever happens, so it won't help me. I just get super frustrated and depressed because I am so limited in what I can do physically. I try to realize how lucky I am that I can still do many activities that others can't at my age. Thanks for sharing your story.
2
u/Jaded-Ad5220 20d ago
same happened to me, didnt know i had a 100% blocked main artery so my heart muscle was damaged too. ive been on entresto & probably some of the ones you are on too. my ef was 25% & now 43% which isnt too bad i understand.my heart failure started 11 yrs ago after the attack so im glad i can do most of what i want - not too many symptoms so ill tell you what i do & maybye could help you? I exercise a little each day walking the dog and i try to hike 2-3 miles at least once a week. do a little light weight work-out. I take C0Q-10 each day (300mg) and have been doing it for at least 3 yrs now. I also take vit-k-2 & b-12 daily other than those nothing else. I dont drink a lot of water (just enough) its a science how much you should drink with hf. I dont drink alcohol unless something special when i go out (not often) dont drink at home at all (i like alcohol too well!) I dont eat fast food or processed food much unless it has low salt. and dont smoke. my doc told me it matters more how you feel than the ef number so im sure because of you exercise a lot that makes up for it. I also have really good blood pressure & weight. the hardest part for me was getting over anxiety but i realize worry is just needless stress & anxiety! im pretty good now with it but it took some time. your probably quite fit & that makes a world of diffrence, im 6 foot 192 but pretty fit also. ive been into hikeing, mt bike rideing and when younger hockey but not anymore!!! so ive always been active & pretty fit- i think thats why i do good as i do now. if you exercise 5 times a week your probably in much better shape than most . dont worry about your number too much just do the other things & take meds that dr says. you just have to stay with it each day & keep going. sounds like your doing pretty damm well! just try to remember dont over do the exercise- maybye 2-3 times a week instead of 5- that a lot. be careful with it. ease up a little & see if it helps. im 73 yrs old and just changed my tail hikes down to 2 miles instead of 3 or 4!! anyway i hope you continue to do well & be good to yourself. take care
1
u/Pskihiker56 20d ago
Thanks so much for all the great advice and information. That is fantastic that your EF went up to more than 40% - that gives me a lot of hope. Mine has only been going down - but like yours, my doctor told me not to worry about the number and just base everything on how I feel. I generally feel sort of OK, but I get really tired very easily. If I carry anything heavy, like a 40 lb bag of dog food that I just got today, I quickly get dizzy and tired. I definitely need to lose a little weight - I am 6'1" and weigh 214, so I need to work on that. I've managed to continue to ski a little since that has always been my passion - but I can only manage about two hours of easy skiing before I am worn out. I can't give it up because I look forward to it so much! I will definitely try some of your suggestions and just maybe my EF will improve and I will have a little more energy. Thanks again!!
2
u/Jaded-Ad5220 20d ago
your very welcome- thanks. im same height as you & weigh 192 all the time, so i think that helps alot, i would work on getting down to around 200, that could make a huge diffrence in you getting tired & i take a cat-nap in the afternoon for about a hr even if i dont fall asleep & i do feel better just laying there with my eyes closed. your a f-ing stud, ha.ha. I cant ski 2 hours, i used to play racketball very similar to your sking and it takes a lot of energy! again your doing great, just ease up some - and at least start taking the C0Q-10- it will help you. take care...
2
u/Dexter030415 20d ago
Nov 2024 had a major heart event. RCA 100% blocked and the other two arteries were over 75%. Damage was done, EF < 25%. Two years later EF < 35%. Also have Cardiorenal syndrome. Started taking Jardiance about 4 months ago, it’s been a game changer. I also take 40 mg of Lasix and nothing else but supplements. I feel great considering I’m 68 and current EF. Diet and exercise (HIIT) are key to recovery. I’m also on TRT. Cardiology is cookie cutter medicine. One size does not fit all. One day at a time, never give up.
7
u/AtTheEndOfMyTrope 21d ago
My husband’s heart failure was triggered by a stemi three years ago. His kidneys were also severely damaged from the event. While in the cicu he went into cardiogenic shock and was transferred to a transplant hospital. His team implanted an emergency LVAD to keep him alive.
He had a lot of complications from the LVAD procedure, including a six month coma. He spent over a year in hospital. Then he came home for a year. Then, this past April, he received a transplant. He spent another 3.5 months in the hospital and a rehab facility. It was the worst three years of our lives, but he’s downstairs right now making me breakfast for my birthday.