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Heart Failure

(11 Posts)
rascal Tue 11-Apr-17 16:44:38

Last month I had an electrocardiogram because of occasional chest pain and occasional numbness to right side of body. Unknown to me my heart stopped and they stopped the test. The technician asked me if I had someone with me. I wondered why she was asking this. About two weeks after that I was told about this and told I had been having tia's too. I was prescribed Bisoprolol Fumarate 2.5mg in morning. Clopidogrel 75mg in morning. Simvastatin 40mg at bedtime. Glyceryl Trinitrate Spray 400mcgs if required. I've been on these new meds for two weeks now and I feel so tired and can't be bothered. I went to the GP yesterday to ask if I could have a lower does or take them at bedtime. She said no I've to keep taking them and they hope to find out the problem when I have an echocardiogram next month. I've also been taking Thyroxine and Hydroxychloroquine for many years now. I was wondering if anyone takes these new meds I've been prescribed and did you feel a little less tired once your system got used to them? Many thanks for any help I just feel I need to be reassured. flowers

paddyann Tue 11-Apr-17 17:30:08

my husband was pescribed three of these after a heart attack 5 years ago ,not The trinitrate though ,he stopped the simvastatin after getting a lot of side effects from it,one of which was fatigue ,so I'd ask your GP about changing to a different statin or using an alternative,we researched it and found Ubiquinol a form of coq10 which is a substance that the body makes itself until about age 40 ,so after speaking to his GP we bought that and his chlesterol levels have remained low without the statin and he has no side effects .Good luck with it ,I hope your GP is as receptive as ours was .

rascal Tue 11-Apr-17 17:50:31

Thank you paddyann for replying. I will explain and ask GP . I was told I don't have high cholesterol and the reason I'm on these meds is because I had heart failure within five minutes of being on the treadmill. Just can't believe it as I'm under nine stone never smoked don't drink and eat healthy . smile

MargaretX Tue 11-Apr-17 20:53:05

it sounds as if you are on Beta Blockers which are actually very good for the heart but it is well to consider that your heart does not recover completely, unless you have an operation which obviously you don't need, but with good medication it can keep on for years.
You will feel tired but you have to live with it and try to pace yourself. Keep moving with light exercise. Its been a shock to you but you will learn to live with it.

paddyann Tue 11-Apr-17 23:04:22

rascal my husband is also very health aware ,it was stress that caused his heart attack ,he changed his lifestyle considerably after it and is now (almost) stress free,hopes to retire by the end of next year and is walking 10 miles a day 4 days a week .He saw the GP this morning as his heartrate has dropped to under 50bpm,but apparently thats fine and its the conbination of the exercise and the heart meds thats the cause .

Teetime Wed 12-Apr-17 10:04:43

Yes I'm on Bisoprolol and have been for years and years and its the only thing that's effectively controlled my hypertension without side effects. I also take Hydroxychloroquine prescribed to control my SLE (Lupus) about 13 years ago with no side effects at all. DH has been on Simvastatin with no side effects either.

I used to manage a Heart Failure team of nurses and what I learnt from them was that Heart Failure is a tiring and sometimes exhausting business. I do hope you are feeling better soon. Best wishes flowers

harrigran Wed 12-Apr-17 10:34:23

I take Bisoprolol without any problems but GP and pharmacist changed my statin from Simvastatin to Atorvastatin because they said that Simvastatin is not suitable for long term use in over 60s. I would have thought that most statin users would fall into the older age bracket.
My neighbour has heart failure and he puts me to shame by being out and about all the time.

rascal Wed 12-Apr-17 11:41:32

I replied last night but when I looked this morning my posts are not there. I don't know what happened.

Thank you MargaretX for your reply. The Beta Blockers seem to be making me want to sit down a lot, they seem to make me want to pace myself. Do you mean my heart will not recover completely because it failed very briefly on the e c g treadmill? I don't know if that would have damaged it a bit or not? Yes it is a shock and I feel I'm living with a time bomb but I suppose the longer I'm on the meds, hopefully I'll learn to trust them. I hope the Electrocardiogram next month will show something up so it can be treated. I just want to get back to normal. sunshine

rascal Wed 12-Apr-17 11:55:01

Thank you paddyann. I could be stress with me too. Although I thought I was coping a bit better now. But this new situation is stressful not knowing. The Consultant said I've to take it easy and the meds will make me feel better. I'm so glad you're husband is feeling much better and able to walk 10 miles a day 4 days a week. There is hope for me yet! sunshine

rascal Wed 12-Apr-17 12:18:55

Thank you Teetime. I didn't have high blood pressure. The GP said they have put me on these meds because of the slight heart failure and the brief t i a's that I was having. I don't know if I will be on them long term I think it will depend if something shows up on the Echocardiogram. It's reassuring to hear you and your husband are doing well on the meds. My tummy seems to have started being upset on them I don't know which one though! sunshine

rascal Wed 12-Apr-17 12:39:27

Thank you harrigran. That's good you are able to take the meds without a problem, reassuring to know. I haven't got high cholesterol but the meds I've been put on seem to be what they prescribe for the symptoms I had. GP said I make good cholesterol to combat the bad cholesterol. I hope I'm not on these meds long term but I will just need to wait and see. Yes I do fall into that bracket, elderly care springs to mind! Although I don't feel elderly! It's only if I happen to glance in a mirror! Oh! That sounds hopeful that your neighbour has heart failure and puts you to shame. I hope to be out and about a lot too once I get the all clear. I'm just feeling far too tired just now. sunshine