Heart Failure low ejection fraction
Hi I'm Margo. I live in St Louis. I am 65 and on disabilityfor mental health. I am married to a wonderful man. My first marriage, his 2nd. He was a widower with 2 grown daughters. I have no children. He and I marriedin 2011
I had my first heart attack in the ER of Medical City Dallas while on vacation. My symptoms were very vague. I am left handed and had a slight tingle in my hand like I had been holding my cellphone too long. I had been having shortness of breath for about 6 months but I had been very depressed and on medication. I thought I was just out of shape from laying around so much.
I told my husband I thought we should go to the ER. I felt really silly like it would be nothing. Instead I arrested while standing up from the wheelchair. I died and they brought me back. I had broken ribs but I'm so grateful. I also had pulmonary failure. I came to on a ventilator I was on it 3 days. I was in ICU 14 days.. 8 in one hospital for pulmonary failure and 6 in Medical City Heart and Spine hospital where they put in a stint and an ICD. There was one view 80% blocked. They said that did not contribute to the heart attack and they did not know what caused it. I also haf pneumonia after the pulmonary failure.
I have an enlarged left ventricle. Prior to the ICD my ejection infraction ratio was 17%...afterwards it was 27%.
I am on a fluid and salt restricted diet. 2 liters of water and 2000gm or preferably 1500gm of salt. I am following my diet restrictions. I experienced loss of appetite, and nausa. But those are behind me now.
I have been doing all my exercises PT/OT had me doing. I also walkva mile a day with my husband and another mile or so around the house. I rarely use the walker in the house, but take it when we leave.
I just started cardio rehab. I put it off because I was so weak I needed to build up some.
I am working hard to regain any improvement of my heart EF.
I have done a lor of online research. I have found that most say exercise will not help the EF. My cardiologist says the same thing. That it is to help me learn to manage the symptoms. He said he has ran 2 cardio rehabs in his past. I have read exercises can help improve EF.
That is my goal. To improve my EF. I get my next echo cardiogram Oct 20th.
Anyone have this experience from a low infraction rate to improvement? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you. Also suggestions for cardiologist in St Louis?
My husband still works 50 hours a week. He is my main caregiver. We also private pay for caregivers.
