Identifying Heart Failure.

[vlad]

Heart Failure can occur with anyone, even top sportsman who have always kept in shape and stayed fit as Fabrice Muamba, Glen Hoddle , and David Ginola ,know, all suffered life threatening heart problems. Danny Jone's a rugby league player from Keighley Cougars sadly died on the pitch aged 26 from a heart attack. Most symptoms like tiredness, shortness of breath, and walking are signs that could be the onset of heart failure. Most people don't realize this as a warning and ignored Could l lead to a Heart Attack. This was the case for me, 5 years ago when i was 58 i was working onboard a Submarine being constructed, i was always climbing ladders and crawling into confined spaces. It started off as pain and Ache's in my legs, Sometimes id just put it down to my age and lifestyle and crack on. After only a few minutes my hips would be aching so bad id have to stop and wait a few minutes then i'd be walking, like i had lead diving boots on. I knew something was not right so i went to see my Doctor thinking i might need a hip replacement. After various visits i went to a Hospital where an Angiogram was performed. I thought they were looking for a blocked artery in my Ass causing poor Circulation down my legs or circulation to my hips.

I was then given an appointment with a Cardiologist, i was still unsure why i needed to see a Cardiologist but I was soon brought down with a big bang when he informed me I had severe Heart failure and the condition he diagnosed was severe Cardiomyopathy with left Ventricular failure. This i now know is the heart muscle underneath my heart that causes the pumping of blood around your heart. I had partially blocked artery's that supplied blood and Oxygen to the Muscle so part of it died over 50%. Luckily this was discovered before i suffered Coronary or possibly Death. I was immediately transferred to the Royal Blackpool cardiology unit where a Triple heart bypass was performed, there was a possibility once blood flowed again the muscle could recover but sadly it was far to gone to recover. The thing is that I never knew I had a life threatening heart problem, no chest pains or pains down my arms or sweating, known Symptoms of a heart attack. I have had to give up work and a year later after my bypass i had a small stroke affecting my Automated voice ie i sometimes get words wrong or mixed up. I have had a Defibrillator fitted into my chest to monitor and shock my heart if i suffer a coronary. I have a box like a Router called a L attitude Communicator that receives signals 24/7 from my Defib like increase of heart beat speeding up or slowing down. If it detects this, a message is sent to the team who monitor signals in the cardio team. My original complaint has now been identified as a Disk pressing against my spine trapping a nerve and an Artery against my spine that causes poor circulation to my legs. Due to the severity of my heart condition they will not Anesthetize me in case my heart stops. An Angiogram or Echogram is the only way you will identify a potential heart defect unless you have had a Heart Attack. So guy's if any of you start having these issues Don't put it down to just it being your getting old or not as fit as you were in your younger days please spend the money if you need to and have the tests it could save your life.

[Khun Paul]

Yes Viad, very true, taking care of your body is often put on the back burner, as my father often told me, know your body, and react accordingly. Dying is permanent !!

[vlad]

I learned the hard way KP and if some older members or have friends with similar symptoms don't ignore it even if your Angio or Echogram come back possitive at least your mind can rest. Sportsman who look after there bodys can still succumb to heart failure or Attack KP. We have lost many friends because simply they did not know they had a heart problem.

[AlexO]

Well done Vlad.
Subject only too close to too many of the Expat Community.

[vlad]

Thanks Alex ive seen to many ppass bevcause they simply didnt know only when it was to late

[FrazeeDK]

stem cell therapy now exists that rejuvenates the damaged heart muscle. Don't know how common it is as a treatment. per this Harvard Medical article its been around since 2014. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-he ... %20hearts.

[AlexO]

Thanks Alex ive seen to many ppass bevcause they simply didnt know only when it was to late

Other wee thing we can do to help survive an attack/failure is have 300mg of aspirin tablets at home. As soon as you are aware that something is going wrong or after your partner has called the ambulance get these into your body. Now standard practice in First Aid and Emergency Aid treatment. Small thing but saves lives..

[tamada]

Several years ago, a few of my clients started including the Framingham Risk Score as part of assessing the health of potential employees. There's now several online cardiovascular risk calculators with most of them requiring that you already know your cholesterol levels before you can complete the online assessment. However, the one linked below lets you proceed without those numbers.

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/ ... calculator

With regard to cholesterol testing, I used to buy the one-time DIY test kits over the counter in the US and UK but don't recall seeing anything similar here.

[vlad]

Not sure about Stem Cell therapy can rejuvenate muscle has died Frazee. I think if it was in use more reguler we would be using it regular for kidney failures lung damage etc. Cholesterol levels are checked regular by people who are overweight poor diet and run the risk of high cholesterol. Some of our high profile sports men and Woman have succumbed to heart Attacks who were not in high risk because of a high cholesterol figure and were fit.

[FrazeeDK]

the article clearly states "that once injected the stem cells develop into new heart tissue" and that stem cell therarpy reduced the amount of damaged scar tissue by up to 50%. Here is a more recent link on stem cell therapy for various cardiac issues. https://www.thaimedicalvacation.com/ste ... e-cad-pad/

[pipoz4444]

I learned the hard way KP and if some older members or have friends with similar symptoms don't ignore it even if your Angio or Echogram come back possitive at least your mind can rest. Sportsman who look after there bodys can still succumb to heart failure or Attack KP. We have lost many friends because simply they did not know they had a heart problem.

So, so true Vlad. It is a very hard lesson to learn and in some instances you are not even given time or warnings at address a possible cardiac arrest. One can only hope that your warning signs have given you a chance to overcome the already done damage and live a long life. At 63 (58+5) you are still young

pipoz4444

[vlad]

Thanks pipoz I was one of the lucky one's and my heart failure was picked up by accident otherwise its doubtful i would be typing this. I have Heart trauma nurse that every 2=3 Months sits me down and discusses how things are and im feeling. My medication is carefully monitored as some have severe side affects that could cause kidney or liver problems so monthly bloods are checked. Like i said i had no Symptoms.

[Hoopoe]

Well Vlad ,
your observations are correct , heart problems can affect anyone , sports personal a like ,
46 years of age i was power walking 2001 Torremolinas - Benalmadena , 32degrees , bit of heart burn ,(just thought it was something i ate ,) this continued for the rest of the weeks holiday even indegestion meds wouldn't ease it ,
on return to UK it eased and back to work i went ,within 3 days , 4 steps up a small stairs it returned , docs ekg hmm theres a bit of problem , Chorley hospital it was , 7 days , confirmed heart attack (MI) but not then , sometime in the past recently ,obviously spain , medication only , sent packing , the unstable Angina developed rapidly , much to the disbelief of works quack , 11 months later they finally (after i refused to leave hospital after being admitted again , (MI) ,), Seems you had a good result at Blackpool , , Angiogram Blackpool Vic Center of excellence , hmm err you've got a blockage RCA , failed attempt to stent , then again in 2003 , failed again , the unstable Angina continued much to the arguments between cardiologist ,some saying it would result in unstable Angina whilst others (err paid for by the company ) stating it doesn't cause the unstable Angina ,Needless to say ,i got the fck out of there (never returned to work ) and came here ,my pension was stopped as i went for an assessment BKK heart hospital BKK (paid for by the company hmm ) who after an examination wrote there is no evidence of coronary failure ,( Seems it can disappear depending on who's looking ) LOST the pension , Jump to 2016 April the angina is horrendous , boom heart attack , stabilsed at local hospital then onto Udon General ,angiogram ,there are now two blockages 1st, 50 mil -2inches long , 2cnd, 35mil -1 1/2 long , . shortening the story , Khon Kaen cleared both ,but it was then i had evidence of the heart condition and that BKK heart hospital BKK had used the incorrect procedure for my heart condition , after appealing yet again to the company with the new evidence on my pension ,they still would not re-instate my full pension for the missing 8 years ,
the good news is as of 2016 Khon Kaen clearing (albeit one is at 60% ) the Unstable Angina is no more ,
Take note guys Heart attack "go to the nearest hospital to get stabilised " do not as some here in Udon have ,,go past hospitals for one of your choice ,(they didn't make it ) you can do that once you have been stabilised ,

[vlad]

There you go Hoopoe i did't have Angina my heart is perfect its the Muscle under the heart that produces the vibration to make the heart pump my Heart is fine. Iv'e lost so many friends because they were unaware of potential problems down the line. Funny you should mention Chorley i was finally diagnosed with Stenosis a condition that has trapped an Artery against my spine with surgery the only procedure to cut a piece of the disk out but after 3 visits and an Echogram done at Chorley they Anesthetist specialist has told me my heart will not survive the stress. Pisser cos i struggle to walk but as my heart trauma nurse said its not life threatening but the procedure to carry it out could be. My triple bypass was done at Blackpool too Hoopoe. I worked for a contracting company at BAE systems constructing Submarines and obviously once my heart failure was diagnosed my contract was not renewed when most of my colleagues were given full time employment. As a result i lost thousands and no pension. I fought them through court on unlawful dismissal on health grounds but as i couldnt afford a barrister as i was on sick benefit they won.

[Hoopoe]

My triple bypass was done at Blackpool too Hoopoe. I worked for a contracting company at BAE systems constructing Submarines and obviously once my heart failure was diagnosed my contract was not renewed when most of my colleagues were given full time employment. As a result i lost thousands and no pension. I fought them through court on unlawful dismissal on health grounds but as i couldnt afford a barrister as i was on sick benefit they won.

Small world VLAD ,
Glad to know you still here , BAE systems pension fund are the ones that fck'd me over ,after 25 years working on military jets ,they stopped the pension after 3 years ,under the "no longer meet the requirements for ill health pension , " 2 years trying to get it sorted , nothing coming in ,,they are well aware stretch it out till your money runs out , After 2 years i was forced to accept early retirement ,that's half the pension of ill health ,
The best thing i ever did was come here , it i believe is the reason i'm still alive , out of 5 of us who had heart problems two died due to delay in treatment ,1 had multiple stents ,(i told him which doctor to go to to speed up the process ,)
The NHS sent the other one down to Harley st London and put his wife up in a hotel ,Quad bypass ,The 5th one escaped ," Me " so the system does work sometimes ,luck of the draw , but not for me ,