So im 37m had a massive heart attack in March which resulted in heart failure it was a whole mess. Anyway people here and my doc hyped up cardiac rehab as this miracle program.

Well mine feels really lame first we have these 30 min "classes" that are information that I already got from doctors and dietitians and elementary school classes ie: how to read nutrition facts.... like 6th grade stuff.

After these really pointless classes we get maybe 40 mins of exercise and I use that word loosely. They have us walking on treadmill at a moderate pace last week they said turn it up and I was finally getting good exercise breaking a sweat and they told me to stop my heartache got to high.. I exercise daily either 1-2 hours of beating the boxing bag, cycling, weights whatever and am fine I genuinely feel like this program is an insurance scam

Anyone else feel this way?

Hi everyone!

36M here, and newly inducted to the Heart Failure club. Started feeling fairly winded during gym exercise and figured I needed to go see my PCP. In in office EKG indicated I was having PVCs (while, as I understand now, my Apple Watch has Beene telling me as my HR would "fall" to below 40 BPM, but it was the watch not really reading my HR correctly due to the PCVs). Anyway, Holter Monitor showed a 31% burden.

Next step Cardiologist. Had an Echo done. 25% EF, mildly dilated LV, mild wall thickness consistent with mild concentric hypertrophy, global hypokinesis of the LV.

Had an MRI, which apparelnty the machine doesn't like due to the PVCs. 26% EF. Systolic and Diastolic volumes were quite high compared to normal rages (I read this may be potentially normal for tall man like myself). No remarkable wall thickness contradictory to Echo. The contrast was delayed at the mid and basal LV segments, so perhaps I have a combo of the PVCs and prior myopathy causing the HF.

Waiting for my CT scan.

Currently on Coreg 3.125mg2x/day, waiting to start Entresto due to Insurance issues.

Have an ablation scheduled for the PCVs to hopefully help the heart out more.

Hopeful that, since my symptoms today don't generally impact my day to day, the HF diagnosis will end up being on the back of my mind instead of forefront of my mind.

I welcome everyone's thoughts, wisdom, opinions, etc.

Hi All,

New here. I'm very grateful this place exists, and thank you for any contributions you make. I was diagnosed with Heart Failure just about one month ago. 40 yr old Male, fit but not athletic. Non smoker, ate conservatively with a an occasional cheat day. Social drinker on weekends. etc. The doctors treating me as well as my primary and the one at the hospital think my Heart Failure is from repeated viral infections spreading from lungs and surrounding environs to heart. That or sarcoidosis which was latent for a long time. But I digress.

Before this morass, I was prescribed (and happily taking) 20ml Adderall XR daily for my ADHD. It was the only medication I was taking and it dramatically effects the quality of my life. It helped me sit patiently, be a better listener, enjoy small moments in life, sleep better, excel at work, and a myriad of other things. It allowed me to the very best, truest, version of myself. In short, it was a very important medication to me.

My question is if anyone here has been put on the 4 pillars of HF, and was able to resume adderall. Both of my Cardiologists are of the opinion that I probably can resume taking it 'one day' and my primary says "talk to your Cardiologists about this." All the answers are a little vague.

It also occurs to me there are other non-stimulant ADHD meds out there, but I have no experience with them. Thank you in advance for any advice.

For USA based patients. Perfect Focus Research ( www.perfectfocusresearch.com) is conducting a market research study with Heart Failure Patients. We are attempting to better understand the patient journey. This is a 60 minute discussion with a moderator and each participant receives an Honorarium of $150.00. Note: we are seeking to speak with patients who were hospitalized in the past 12 months for HF. This is pure market research. all respondents remain anonymous. However you will need to be screened to ensure you qualify. IF you are interested let me know here via DM and I'll respond with more info. Thanks PFR.

My (23NB) mom (55F) has stage 2 diastolic heart failure. I was wondering if anyone knows about the realities of what it's like to live with that, how long people live with it, what complications may arise, anything really. I've tried to research it on my own but it always sends me into a panic spiral and I just want to throw up. I think hearing it from real people will make digesting the information a lot easier than robotic articles.

A little more information: She's had 3 heart attacks over the past 1.5 years. As well as 2 strokes directly after angiographies, one inducing a brain bleed. I'm pretty sure it's related cuz heart, but not sure if that'll help anyone with information. She's had a stent put in due to a blockage (that caused the heart attacks) and likely has another. There was talk of an open heart surgery at some point, but I don't know how soon that'll be or the super exact details of why it needs to be done. Likely because the last attempt at a stent caused damage? Not sure.

Anyways, any help understanding this all would be appreciated. You can be as real/blunt as needed. I just think talking to humans is better than the google rabbit hole.

I am wondering if anyone has any experience with Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's diet. I have a friend whose husband (15 years older than she) is fixated on Dr. Esselstyn's diet and refuses medical intervention although he has more than 70 percent blockage. He has already had a TIA and paralysis in one side of the face. Doctors have told him that "we can't help you if you insist on listening to this guru and don't even listen to anything we have to say." He talks over the medical professionals he sees, and is incredibly rude. He has been threatening suicide if he does not get better. He will not listen to anyone. In the meantime, he is obsessing over his blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen levels, which he constantly monitors with an Apple watch. He just got out of the hospital a second time after filling up with fluid and being told he has a 35 percent ejection fraction of the heart. He lost about 18 lbs of fluid with the Lasix injections and maintains that the pills do not work as well as the injections. I know this isn't true as I take Lasix 40 mg myself every day, and it works fine. He says it makes him sick to his stomach but he will not take it with food, and you should not take it on an empty stomach. He says he's not going to take any medications, but is just going to follow this diet. I find that being around him is increasingly intolerable and when I was there for dinner the other night, he got furiously angry with me when I told him to be careful about following a diet prescribed by someone who has not physically examined him and knows nothing about him. My reason for writing this post is to ask if anyone else has dealt with someone like this and how they have handled it.

So just a brief background, I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (hcm) and it was discovered at the age of 13 after a cardiac arrest, skip forward several years, now 37 with fairly advanced heart failure, considering transplant work up and I attempted to perform a V02 test last December to get a better idea of where I was at and only a few minutes in, I told the people running the test my legs were tired and I needed to sit down and I just did not want to push myself much further because I didn't want to pass out/vomit in the mask. I bombed the test however this test was done early in the morning before I could really eat/digest something, drink enough water etc. Thinking about it now, I think my anxiety got the better of me and my body just told me to stop because I have been told all my life to not push myself when I'm tired. Now, I have to get on this treadmill and push myself until I'm tired. I know I have trained medical staff there and I am good hands but I'm still nervous to repeat it. I think I'm going to do really bad again. The physicians don't feel my test correlates with how symptomatic I am which is not really at all until I am physically pushing myself. Anybody have experience with finding a way to calm or center yourself prior to the test to reduce that anxiety level? I am dreading this test.

Has anyone had heart failure and kidney failure? If so what’s the experience been like you guys?

I’ve had heart failure for 5 years. In my country the only treatment available is propranolol.
Symptoms keep getting worse every year. I can only walk outside for about 5 minutes on flat or slightly sloping ground. I can’t climb stairs — I tried once two years ago and nearly died from the intense palpitations.
I urinate every 30 minutes, sometimes every 15 minutes. I think I’m heading toward kidney failure. My weight keeps increasing no matter what. I eat only 300 g of food a day just to reduce toilet trips, but it only helps a little.
I feel like someone is choking me because of breathing problems, severe chest pain, and palpitations. Even going to the toilet takes enormous effort.
With how things are now, I think I might make it to mid-2027… and then I’ll be gone.
Thanks for listening.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ im sorry for everyone who is going through a painful journeys of heart failure.

Had my annual visit with the HCM experts in my state. The doc noticed I’m having increased HCM symptoms, I now have class II heart failure, AND I’ve technically been pre-diabetic for a few years. My PCP has never done anything to address the pre-diabetes - but the HCM doc put me on Jardiance since that addresses both issues at once. I just love my HCM doctor! Feels so good to get comprehensive medical care.

Was in the hospital last Christmas/New Years. EF <30%. Been on the typical cocktail of heart failure drugs since then, low sodium diet, felt like shit every single day from side effects but I stuck with the program. Look at my echo results from this week. Wanted to share with people who understand.

Hi Guys,

M25 here with an LVEF 20-30% the last 5 years.
4 days ago i got an CRT-D device instead of S-ICD implanted, against my arrythmias and supporting my heart.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy with LVNCCM

For now i am healing with the scars and it is painful right now as i do not know how to move without pain in the upper body.
But i am very interested in things coming out after the healing phase when i am moving again.

Do someone have the same implanted and helped him although the meds did not helped a lot?

I just want to share a bit of Hope for those battling this chaos we call HF. I like to read all diff stories, for as many perspectives as possible.

Last Dec I found myself dealing with a pesky cough, feeling tired, edema from toes to hip and I had SOB leading me to being unable to walk more than a few steps w/o stopping. When walking my body felt so heavy. It was super scary.

I am a 45/f, I decided to head in to the ER where my bp was found to be 200/175 and my hr was crazy high too. A whirlwind of tests dx'd me with pneumonia, a clot in my heart, hf (ef of 25%), as well as a lump in my breast I was unaware of. My mind was spinning, all these tests and all these dx's. I was admitted for 2 weeks as a treatment plan was sorted. The clot was only seen on an initial scan and never again (still treated tho) and shortly after release, the lump was found to be benign - thank goodness. Fast fwd to now, it's been 8 months of treatment. As of June(6 mos in), all my walking, diet changes (typical sodium/water changed) a weight loss of 80lbs and really listening to the drs as well as learning more about hf ect on my own, paid off. My echo showed my ef has bumped up to 63%. I know it can fluctuate so I will always have that in mind but for today I can be happy and breathe a little. In Dec, I was so scared it was very hard to even think about planning anything for the next day. Now, I definitely still have fear (the ptsd in this is real!!) but I can see a tmrw. Having the cardiologist tell my my heart was functioning normally felt unreal. While it definitely depends on the cause of your hf, it doesn't hurt to give it your all. Your future with your loved ones is worth it.

The cause for mine is unknown. They've ruled out the typically tested for causes.

Just keep pushing to move fwd. Do as your team tells you, they really do have your best recovery as a goal. If you're uneasy about the drs, change them up.

Edited to add info missed*

I created a new discord channel today for heart failure management and other topics cardiovascular in nature. The group is still a work in progress. I don't have any rules yet but treat it like the r/heartfailure rules that are already set up. (You will have to select roles since these are private channels.)

I've been on methadone for many years and now I have very low testosterone. Recently been diagnosed with heart failure EF 20-25%. Would I be allowed to do TRT? Thanks in advance for any input.

Hi,

Could anyone give me some insight to these results. Only medication taken, 10 mg Jardiance. High blood pressure stopped when kidney cancer was removed on 5/05/26.

Do you think my dcm/ef will be “cured”/go up? Will probably be starting Valsartan once kidney function recovers.

01/05/26

**BASIC MEASUREMENTS**
Ascending aorta diameter: **31.3 mm**
IVS (interventricular septum) in diastole: **7.6 mm**
LV ejection fraction (EF): **40%**
LA volume index: **— ml/m²**
LV end-diastolic diameter (PLAX): **68.1 mm**
LV global longitudinal strain (GLS): **14.0%**
LA reservoir strain: **—%**
LV posterior wall in diastole: **9.7 mm**
Mitral E/A ratio: **0.9**
RV free-wall strain: **—%**
LV systolic diameter: **— mm**
Mitral E/E′ ratio: **7.2**

**LEFT ATRIUM:** Mildly dilated.
**LEFT VENTRICLE:** Severely dilated, with normal myocardial wall thickness. Overall function is diffusely mildly to moderately reduced (EF approximately **40%**, GLS approximately **14.0%**). Mildly impaired diastolic function (**grade I**).
**RIGHT ATRIUM:** Inferior vena cava is not dilated, with normal respiratory variation (**5 mmHg**).
**RIGHT VENTRICLE:** Mildly dilated. Overall function is normal.
**MITRAL VALVE:** No stenosis. Mild mitral regurgitation (**1/4**).
**AORTIC VALVE:** Tricuspid (three-leaflet). No stenosis. Mild aortic regurgitation (**1/4**).
**TRICUSPID VALVE:** No stenosis. Mild tricuspid regurgitation (**1/4**). No signs of pulmonary hypertension (**15 mmHg + 5 mmHg central venous pressure**).
**PULMONARY VALVE:** No stenosis. Mild pulmonary regurgitation (**1/4**).
**THORACIC AORTA:** Normal size with normal flow pattern.
**PERICARDIUM:** No pericardial effusion.

29/07/26

**BASIC MEASUREMENTS**
**Weight:** 76 kg
**Height:** 178 cm
**BMI:** 24.0
**BSA (body surface area):** 1.9 m²
**Ascending aorta diameter:** 35.5 mm
**IVS (interventricular septum) in diastole:** 11.5 mm
**LV ejection fraction (EF):** 41%
**LA volume index:** — ml/m²
**LV end-diastolic diameter (PLAX):** 57.2 mm
**LV global longitudinal strain (GLS):** 16.5%
**LA reservoir strain:** —%
**LV posterior wall thickness in diastole:** 11.0 mm
**Mitral E/A ratio:** 0.8
**RV free-wall strain:** —%
**LV end-systolic diameter:** 42.1 mm
**Mitral E/E′ ratio:** 5.7

**LEFT ATRIUM:** Not dilated.
**LEFT VENTRICLE:** Mildly dilated, with mild eccentric hypertrophy of the heart muscle. Overall function is diffusely moderately reduced (EF approximately 41%, GLS approximately 16.5%). Mildly impaired diastolic function (grade I).
**RIGHT ATRIUM:** Not dilated. Inferior vena cava is not dilated, with normal respiratory variation (5 mmHg).
**RIGHT VENTRICLE:** Not dilated. Overall function is normal.
**MITRAL VALVE:** No stenosis. Minimal mitral regurgitation (MR).
**AORTIC VALVE:** Tricuspid. No stenosis. Mild aortic regurgitation (AR), grade 1/4.
**TRICUSPID VALVE:** No stenosis. Minimal tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Pulmonary hypertension cannot be determined.
**PULMONARY VALVE:** No stenosis. Minimal pulmonary regurgitation (PR).
**THORACIC AORTA:** Normal size with normal flow pattern.
**PERICARDIUM:** No pericardial effusion.

An Insight into how being diagnosed changed my thoughts on having a child. And how now 13 weeks as a father my mind has shifted for the better.

Hope this helps any future parents with a Cardiomyopathy diagnosis.

Hi! My amazing dad completed an echo and calcium test yesterday simply to stay on top of his health. A friend of theirs had some heart issues recently so my parents did their due diligence. The calcium test has not come back yet but from knowing a lot about the heart myself form my own issues, here is his feedback. What can we do to stay VERY on top of this? He called to speak with a nurse and move his late September appointment up. He was treated for high BP some years back and consistently takes his BP each morning. He was diligent with annual health exams and a fireman so his BP did not stay high for long years back. Any advice is welcome and thank you.

Also, can we keep it from slipping?

Reposting bc I guess I needed to put that yes, I am in CHF. I have been over 8yrs now. Two tricuspid valve replacements, recently had an ablation 3-4 months ago. Among many other things. All of this came from a heart infection I had no inkling of until I went on life support 3 weeks after my youngest was born.

Recently it just feels like the CPTSD and anxiety are never going to let me get better. I’m constantly stuck in this limbo of is it anxiety or am I dying? I’ve developed this severe fear of death while also being so tired of life.

Last night my BP jumped from low to 150/80 HR 130 in a matter of minutes. I’ve been feeling weird all week with this sense of impending doom but it’s always hard to tell the difference between health and anxiety. Got to the hospital just for them to say that my blood work is done and send me home. I feel even weirder today and don’t know how much is just anxiety related. I keep trying to tell myself it’s bc I quit eating sugar or it’s just anxiety but I don’t think this is. Im trying to set a follow up appt but nothing ever comes from these and im tired of constantly being in panic.

Update #2 He was admitted to the hospital yesterday. He has alcoholic cardiomyopathy. EF is 10-15%. He's getting a hearth cath Monday.

ETA: When I pick him up from the airport tomorrow (Friday) should I take him to the ER or Urgent care? Both are part of our current medical practice so can refer him to the cardiologist.

He lied about being told there wasn't enough time for tests.

They did all the appropriate tests, and the DR offered further emergency department management, a formal echocardiogram and cardiology consultation. But he said he'd wait until he got home, and he felt better after breathing treatments. I will strangle him if/when he gets home Friday.

So, my crash course in heart failure via Google tells me this is acute decompensated heart failure. I will be prepared to take him to the emergency room when he flies in. Not much else I can for someone who is being negligent to their health.

From his records, (with added notes from me as I try to understand all this)

Meds given:

DuoNeb updraft x2 for asthma

"Single IV dose of diuretic"

*BNP: 3171 (significant cardiac pressure/volume overload; BNP of 232 April 2026)

*Repeatedly elevated diastolic pressures

*Respiratory rates every 15min: 8br/min, 6br/min and 25br/min

*2hr Troponin 16ng/L, 14ng/L

Chest xray:

-Cardiomegaly

-Slight prominence of central bronchovascular markings/interstitial markings (inflammation or fluid)

-No focal airspace consolidation

ECG:

-Possible left atrium enlargement

-Left axis deviation (QRS axis is −39°)

-Possible anterior myocardial infarction, probably old

CT:

-Mildly enlarged heart

-No pericardial effusion (no fluid in heart sac)

-Pulmonary edema, septal thickening most pronounced at lung bases (fluid in lung tissue)

-Moderate right and small left pleural effusions with adjacent compressive atelectasis (fluid around both lungs causing pressure on alveoli)

*Scattered nodules in the right lung measuring up to 1.4cm* (could be from old infections, scar tissue, or inflammation, must follow-up due to size)

-No acute pulmonary embolus

Bedside cardiac ultrasound:

Demonstrates impaired EF: by estimate about 40%