Thank you:) I know if I go off the meds, I could catch a cold then my ef will plummet, so I will stay on my meds forever if need be! I told my cardiologist the only side effect was I thought the coreg was causing me to gain weight. He laughed and said "no, that's not really a side effect of coreg"

"Oh..." I answered. "Guess I'd better take up walking then" :D

[QUOTE=Refuge 51;3282843]Thank you:) I know if I go off the meds, I could catch a cold then my ef will plummet, so I will stay on my meds forever if need be! I told my cardiologist the only side effect was I thought the coreg was causing me to gain weight. He laughed and said "no, that's not really a side effect of coreg"

"Oh..." I answered. "Guess I'd better take up walking then" :D

Good news, Refuge!:) Obviously your DCM was the underlying cause as there is no evidence of ischemia? Do you know the underlying cause for your LV remodelling?

[QUOTE=kenkeith;3284564]Good news, Refuge!:) Obviously your DCM was the underlying cause as there is no evidence of ischemia? Do you know the underlying cause for your LV remodelling?

I am so new to this heart info...are you asking me if I had a virus? I don't know..the cardio thinks it's a possibility..I cannot say enough good things about coreg though:)


I do know my bp was always normal or normal high..but my pulse at rest was 100...now my usual resting pulse is 75 and my bp is 117/78 I don't smoke or drink, my arteries are fantastic...so I just don't know what caused it.

[QUOTE=pistons22girl;3284782]wow.. i'm not sure what mine is, but i know its low.. i developed CHF due to fluid retention from Preeclampsia in a recent pregnancy. I know you must feel 100% better, being at 50% now. I'm very happy for you, b/c i know how nerve-wrecking it can be to worry about this disease. How did you get yours back up so high? I know I should avoid sodium but its in EVERYTHING.. I hope I can take some steps to get mine built back up also. Congrats again!;)
Thanks!!
I didn't avoid sodium, I lowered it. I couldn't give it up completely!:D I didn't do anything that would make my heart race, and I slowed down to just one cup of coffee. Caffeine will make your heart beat too fast and there's 200mg. in just one cup of coffee compared to 50mg. in a cup of tea. I ate lots of protein, mostly roasted chicken; I don't eat red meat. Olive oil is something I really like so I eat a lot of that, and pecans. I ate an avacado every three days too. But seriously I believe it was the three drugs: coreg, digoxin and atacand that helped me. And the other life saver was the lasix because it kept the fluid off. I don't have more energy because I don't sleep well, due to my fibromyalgia, so I'm always a little tired. But that nagging fear is gone.

[QUOTE=Refuge 51;3284678]I am so new to this heart info...are you asking me if I had a virus? I don't know..the cardio thinks it's a possibility..I cannot say enough good things about coreg though:)


I do know my bp was always normal or normal high..but my pulse at rest was 100...now my usual resting pulse is 75 and my bp is 117/78 I don't smoke or drink, my arteries are fantastic...so I just don't know what caused it.

I had DCM and a fast heart rate (115 when taken to ER) to compensate for reduced blood flow caused by occluded vessels, etc.

Sometimes DCM is ideopathic (cause unknown) and heart muscle is impaired effecting cardiac output and the heart rate will increase as well as left ventricle remodeling. Apparently, then, that may be your situation and I was curious to know if the underlying cause was known.

Coreg (I take 10 mg 2X) and that does reduce the HR. My HR is 60-65 at rest. It is a beta blocker that also lowers bp, and sometimes Coreg is not recommended for an individual who has normal bp as it may decrease bp to a level that may cause a problem. But your bp is very good an evidence your vessels are healthy.

[QUOTE=kenkeith;3286091]I had DCM and a fast heart rate (115 when taken to ER) to compensate for reduced blood flow caused by occluded vessels, etc.

Sometimes DCM is ideopathic (cause unknown) and heart muscle is impaired effecting cardiac output and the heart rate will increase as well as left ventricle remodeling. Apparently, then, that may be your situation and I was curious to know if the underlying cause was known.

Coreg (I take 10 mg 2X) and that does reduce the HR. My HR is 60-65 at rest. It is a beta blocker that also lowers bp, and sometimes Coreg is not recommended for an individual who has normal bp as it may decrease bp to a level that may cause a problem. But your bp is very good an evidence your vessels are healthy.

The reason I didn't stop coffee completely was I didn't want to lower my already normal bp any more than necessary as one time it was 95/65 while on Coreg. The coffee helped keep it stable as silly as that sounds..