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Pacemaker & ICDs: Introduce Yourself & Meet Others

Pacemaker & ICDs | Last Active: 5 days ago | Replies (76)
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@danab

Hi Again, @jc76 Yes I was surprised also. 5 % knowing what normal is now. Like you Mine was lower than normal until my transplant. Most of the 10 years tho it did get much stronger as the treatment progressed. I remember it mostly got to about 45 but towards the end was decreasing down towards the magic number of 30 % which as you probably know is when they call it Heart failure. I always found that term a bit misleading. Maybe heart weaker would be more accurate. But Nice to hear your doing well and yes our healthy living sure helps make the weak heart function better.

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Replies to "Hi Again, @jc76 Yes I was surprised also. 5 % knowing what normal is now. Like..."
jc76 | @jc76 | Mar 18 6:11am

Heart failure scares all that have it as immediately think "My heart has failed." It has not. It just means does not pump out blood as well as normal heart. I like the term "Reduced Heart Function." Mine has been at 25% for over a decade. Is not getting better but stop getting worse when got on ICD/Pacemaker and on some great medications (Entresto and Carvedidol).

I think heart failure should be used for when heart has failied altogether and you are on heart bypass machine as you heart has failed. Most read heart failure and think (as they should with such a term) I am dying. Some, like me, have very good body compensation and do not have any physical side affects from my HF diagnosis. You may notice I said physical side affects as mentally still really bothers me.

I only have HF on the left side of heart as right side is normal. I am told that is crucial to my abiilty to exercise as much as I do as the right side is pumping blood to heart.

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