I found out I have CHF about 5 months ago. I was first diagnosed with bronchitis, then asthmatic bronchitis. Finally my doctor did an x-ray and thought it may be either asthma or CHF. He sent me straight to the hospital and called in a lung specialist and a cardiologist. The lung guy said it was definitely asthma and the cardiologist said it was CHF. Now after many tests, I know that I have CHF. I've been in the hospital every 2 months so far. My EF was 28% when I had the stress test and my heart had enlarged to 7¼.
Since then my EF is up to 40% and my heart doesn't appear to be as large anymore. My main symptoms are that I stay tired all the time and have to rest a lot. So far I'm still working but don't know for how long I'll be able to do so. I also have rheumatoid arthritis and my feet hurt sometimes so badly that the cover hurts them. I assumed it was the RA but now that I've read some about other CHFers' problems, I wonder if it may not be a symptom of the CHF.
I work with mentally retarded individuals in a state facility. I'm the supervisor of one of 32 living units on the grounds of a Human Development Center in Arkansas. I really enjoy my job. I would hate to have to give it up but it's very hard work much of the time. My husband and I own a convenience store on a very popular resort lake, which he runs, so we don't get much time off. We wouldn't trade what we do for anything, though. We have 2 married children and one granddaughter who is soon to be seven. She's the love of our lives. We also have a weiner dog whom we prefer to call "our boy" instead of a dog. <g> He's like our child. ;-)
| 0.25mg Lanoxin | Daily |
| 2.5mg Zestril | Daily |
| 40mg Lasix | Daily |
| 5mg prednisone | Daily |
| 10meq potassium | Daily |
| one mg folic acid | Daily |
| Estratest | Daily |
| 40mg Celexa | Daily |
| 500mg Naproxen | 3 times a day |
| 200mg hydroxychlorquine | 2 times a day |
| 17.5mg Methotrexate | Once a week |
If anyone would like to write to me I'd really like to hear from you.
Nancy - December 23, 2000
All information on this site is opinion only. All concepts, explanations, trials, and studies have been re-written in plain English and may contain errors. No one here is a doctor. No information on this page should be used by any person to affect their medical, legal, educational, social, or psychological treatment in any way. This web site and all its pages copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 Jon C.