question about chf

[sylviayasgur]

hi all,
i've read on some threads that there are some meds that can be given to keep chf under a bit of control.
joey's dad_88_ was recently found to have a leaky valve that is causing sob and wheezing. he has had a few difficult nights trying to catch his breath and was taken to the doctor today. the doctor told him that he is in chf.
he is upping his lasix and we'll see from there.

he is too old and fragile to undergo any heart surgery so it has become a waiting game. unfortunately, his chf has been recurring more and more frequently.
does anyone here know of other meds that might help control it a bit?
thanks for your help. as you can imagine, joey is very upset.
be well,
sylvia

 

[Ross]

There are many. Zaroxolyn, Aldactone, Hydrochlorothiazide, Some beta blockers as well. It just depends on what his kidneys can put up with.

 

[bvdr]

Hi Sylvia, sorry to hear about your dad. I have well-controlled CHF. I use Lasix, Maxzide 75/50, and Altace for the CHF. As much as the meds help the other very important thing is a low salt diet. When I am in A-fib the CHF is worse since the heart is not operating as efficiently so rhythm control is important as well.

 

[Nancy]

Joe has CHF and has had it for years. Sometimes it's well controlled and sometimes it's not. It does ebb and flow, at least for him. He has been on whopping doses of diuretics, at times up to three different types. Then his kidneys started talking back with chronic and acute failure. He just missed dialysis by a hair.

Right now, he is doing fairly well on a much reduced dosage of only Lasix, and it seems to be keeping up with most of it. Just a few increases here and there.

The one thing that has helped him is to cut his sodium to the bone. He eats next to nothing of sodium laden foods. I make everything from scratch. If he has even a modest amount of sodium, his fluid retention goes up exponentially. We rarely go out to eat. There is one restaurant which will make a no sodium meal for him. The owner's husband has serious CHF also, so she understands.

We weigh him every morning w/o clothing at the same time, just after he gets up. If he gains 2 pounds overnight, we know it is fluid and take action. Also if he has a slow gain of 5 pounds over a few days, then that too is fluid and requires action.

If you do not nip it in the bud before it gets to be too much, and it starts to go into your stomach area (ascites), then it is much more difficult to get rid of. At that point he might have to go to the hospital for IV Lasix. The stomach stops absorbing medications and then pill diuretics don't work.

He cannot take beta blockers or things like Procardia, because they pack on fluid weight for Joe, at least, and cause more problems than he needs.

His cardiologist should be able to get your dad on a regimen of medications and low sodium diet that will help him. AND, he has to stick to it , sometimes easier said than done.

Really, low sodium tastes fine when you've been on it for a while. Too much salt is just a habit.

I'm seeing more and more articles about the fact that our diets are way too heavy on sodium. There was one in the paper this mornng.

 

[sylviayasgur]

ross, betty, and nancy,
thanks for the speedy replies. fortunately, this is not my dad i'm talking about (my dad is the one who will be undergoing double valve repair this fall by dr. colvin. my dad is a bit younger than joey's dad, only 73).
joey's dad is 88 and has aged tremendously over the last few years. fortunately (?) joey's parents live a mile away from us and we are the first ones to get a phone call.
his dad has many physical problems and is such a great sport about all_ never complains, always so sweet.
his blood calcium levels were very high last year and they had to do a special drip procedure a number of times. in addition, he now takes thyroid meds. he also has terrible arthritis and takes meds for that, but had stomach issues as a result of those meds. they have pretty much worked that out though. he also has gout.
he loves to eat and drink. he does use salt and does not like to drink water. we often have to remind him of these.
a year or so ago, he became sob and joey took him to a cardiologist and pulmonologist. it was found that one of his valves is leaking pretty badly, but he has so many issues and is so frail (and has some dementia) that they just decided to let it live out without taking any invasive measures.
following that he was diagnosed with chf when he started wheezing.
it, as you mentioned and i know from my own dad, comes and goes.
this is a bad week. i just thought i'd ask about the meds because i'd like joey to take him in to see joey's cardiologist (for whom i have the greatest respect intelligence-wise) for another opinion (strategy).

thank you all so very much for your help and i'll try to keep you posted.
i'm sure and i've read many of you talk about aging parents. mine are still young, even though my dad's the heart/valve patient. joey's parents are 86 and 88 and in the last 25 years i've seen them go from very active (at 75 my father in law was swimming a hundred laps a day!!!) to really becoming "old". they move slowly, hear poorly, can't drive anymore (they are able to but we won't allow it after he got lost), and are very forgetful (dementia).

i'm sorry to complain, i just see joey hurting so much as he stands by, hands tied, and watches as they age.

sorry to be so depressing, but this has been a huge part of our lives lately.i try always to remind myself that we are fortunate to have two wonderful daughters who bring so much sunshine into our lives. we have our health and happiness and much much more to be thankful for.

thanks again for your replies.
stay well,
sylvia