Avoiding CHF

Avoiding CHF

Down through the years I had various symptoms that were attributed to other things: dizzy spells thought to be vertigo (in 1990s), breathing difficulty thought to be COPD (2000, 2005, other times), and later breathing problems (2009) thought to be due to exercise-induced asthma. I worked hard after hurricane Katrina and literally sweated the fluids out so I had no lung fluid problems during the clean-up period.

In 2010 I was diagnosed with a weak heart (EF = 11 % with a lot of fluid) and the breathing problems were caused by fluid in my lungs = CHF. I was in the hospital in early March, 2010 for a few days to get fluids out of my lungs. I did not like going to the hospital, though they did a good job, and being away from my home, so I limited my salt and fluid intake for a long time (My EF was 15-20%.)  and avoided any more CHF episodes until 3 Dec 2011.    I spent a few days in the hospital getting fluids removed from my lungs.

My EF was 15-16 % prior to my pacemaker/ICD implant on 28 Oct 2011.   I do not yet have a reading of EF after the implant.

Adrian R. Lawler,  (C) 2011 --