I'm 53 years old and just diagnosed with diastolic heart failure.

It's easy to find scads of information on heart failure (I really, really, wish they'd abandon that frightful term and use 'heart insufficiency' instead. The heart does NOT fail!)

Basically, due mostly to age, but also to cardiomyopathy or too much exercise, especially high intensity exercise, your heart can develop collagen deposition in its 'substrate'. The walls of the heart thicken as a result, and the collagen makes them stiffer. It's just harder for your myocytes to make your walls change shape as they did when you were in your 20's. So, in your case, diastolic, your muscles may not contact well, but neither do they release fully as they should...meaning the relaxing stroke doesn't let the wall of the atrium and ventricle move away from the septum, and you get less volume with each stroke as a result.

Just as with most heart arrhythmias, people live literally for decades with heart 'failure'. It does depend on early treatment and control over time, so please do google it, read tons, ask questions, and follow your cardiologist's advice (be prepared to challenge him if your new learning doesn't match what you're being advised to do. This keeps both of you honest).

That's is actually reassuring to hear. I truly appreciate it, as I've not been in the best state of mind since I got the news.

I will definitely be reading more and asking my doctor questions.

Thank you!

I hope you find encouraging news. I know that my dad has had CHF for many years. He’s 87 now and has some issues, but has done incredibly well since he had quadruple bypass after heart attack when in his early sixties.

@hope4joy

You are still a young man that is good.

I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in 2001. My EF was in 30s. It is not 2025 and I am 77 years old. My EF how is 25 but has stabilized with great medications I was prescribed and having a ICD/Pacemaker inplanted in 2006 which really helped with electrical issues I had with my chart.

You did not mention your EF? Keep your spirits up. There are great medications out there these day asked your cardilogist about the new ones specific for patients with HF.

With your cardiogist approval find an exercise you enjoy and to that. My cardiologist told me that in old days they would tell you to go home and get in bed. Now they say exercise. Of course exercising has to be specific to you and what your doctors say but can help.

I always talk about enjoying an exercise you like doing or a hobby you like doing. Doing something you like doing can help you mentally which can directly impact you physically and vice versa.

Talk to your cardiologist. I hate the word heart failure and told my HF specials so. It does not mean the heart has failed. It only means that the heart is not bumping the same amount of blood determined to be the norm.

I would like it changed to RHF. Reduced Heart Function. I do water aerobics 5 days a week, swim 2 times a week, and bike once a week (again with full approval of my HF and EP doctors).
Good luck! Talk to your cardiologist. Like I posted there are some great new medications out there for HF.