[b][/bi just cant seem to have any energy whats so ever i'm tired when i go to bed and tired when i'm awake.......i have no energy to do much and any little thing wears me out gonna have some blood work done to see whats up just so much going on here and have been so stressed and depressed...ughhhhhhh it never ends it seems like my german shepard i have had for 7 years is ailing and i know whats the right thing to do but i cantt bring myself to do i love my duke he is my protector and my helper just so much thanks for listening

oh also when its getting ready to storm does anyone feel like a twinge at their icd trigger does and i know its gonna storm

When they complete your blood work ask your doctor if your problems might be medicine related. It seems like what is good for one makes someone else feel worse.
I have not had any experience with therapies yet. 15 months shock free. But I did have some negative results from some meds. Hang in there and get some answers.

Do you think its possible you might have developed CHF due to your heart attack? I have CHF and the tiredness you describe is very familiar. If so, that needs to be managed with medication and a lifestyle adjustment. What types of activities make you tired--you say "any little thing"....for me, just sweeping the floor or making my bed wore me out to breathlessness and exhaustion. Is that the kind of activity you're talking about? Otherwise, you might be depressed about your dog. Depression makes you very tired. Pets are a member of the family and the sadness is real. When I lost a dog in my childhood, I was very sad and I remember my mother telling me, "When you go to heaven, he'll come running up to you with his tail wagging." Somehow, that really helped me.

I'm sure you can get to the bottom of this and get feeling better. What medications do you take?

Hi Nanamo67,

Further to what our other friends have said, let me also say that it could be medication related, meaning you may have a conflict with the ones you may be taking, or not taking the right ones for your situation. The best medication I have found to counteract my fatigue and help considerably with my breathing/lung capacity is Carvedilol (Coreg). Carvedilol is a beta blocker. It works by relaxing the blood vessels, slows down the heart and the amount of blood pumping is reduced. It decreases blood pressure and relaxes the heart. That said, after a busy day of doing what retirees do or spending time with my grandkids ! , I am ready for my pillow top ! We don't plan anything for our evenings because I am just not up to it. And I've learned to manage my life that way.

You seem to be very concerned about your dog and that's quite understandable. But worry and stress can play havoc on the body and the physiological effects - increase in blood pressure, illness, lethargy - can also leave you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression. Perhaps a family member or friend could be of some help in how to manage the situation with your dog.

Having a full blood workup is a good step. Perhaps you should also enquire about having an Echocardiogram to see how your Ejection Fraction is doing (your heart's pumping capacity).

I sincerely hope you find an answer to your problems.
Donna London ON

Hi again, just more house keeping. Moved this from the 2007 archive.

You must be thinking of talking to your doc.... maybe you should get your dog to the vet for a checkup.... there is always the possibility of heart worms or something that would show up by checking his blood...
I just had our dog in for her annual and the bill was $230 bucks... well worth it for a good friend.

I do really well under normal conditions. When it gets hot and muggy I can get into trouble.

Yesterday was one of those days and I spent a lot of time outside sweating. Even though I drank a lot of fluids throughout the day, today I feel like I rode 17 big ugly bulls in the local rodeo and got thrown off and stomped on by all but one of them, then ran over by a stampede of horses.

Its a good excuse today for a nap and to stay in where its cool.

(used to live in the cowboy capital, Dodge City) Terry

Have u been in the hospital and lost quite a bit of weight? There is one condition that we CHF patients should keep an eye on is called cardiac cachexia, where by u lose weight due to muscle loss and it is almost impossible to reverse it,, Keep an eye everyone. I was in the hospital for almost 24 days and when I came home I had lost 12lbs and now the docs say that I have what is called cardiac cachexia, the symptoms are very similar to what u r describing.

God bless us all always

david1

When I saw my cardiologist in April, I asked him about the constant tiredness. I can sleep 14 hours a night if I don't set my alarm. If I do take a nap, it can go for a couple of hours before I wake up. I try to keep to an eight hour night and avoid naps, but some days I just can't do it. Anyway, the doctor's answer was a simple "it's the meds, which you can't afford to come off of."
So I guess I'll deal with the tiredness and sleep late or nap when I absolutely have to -
hard to do when you are trying to hold down a job too.

After 7 years I've finally accepted that tiredness is part of the deal for me. It is a combination of medication and my heart condition. I'm sorry.

I still work fulltime as a teacher and head of department - which I consider to be a major achievement! However, the price is that I'm in bed by 8pm weeknights and I spend weekends resting to get my energy back for the coming week. Fortunately I teach in a private school and only teach 16-18 year olds in very small classes. In addition I get 16 weeks vacation a year. I wouldn't be working otherwise. My husband does all the shopping and cooking, and the housework is shared - but is done on a piecemeal basis. We have a gardener, and I don't socialise or take part in any activities outside school. At times I could weep with tiredness, but am learning to just get myself to bed and either sleep, meditate or listen to a good audiobook. I try to see my heart condition as an opportunity to practice acceptance.

with love

Karen

I have those see-saw days where some I feel great, almost normal, and others, it's hard to get motivated to do anything. I also teach, and I really look forward to the weekends to rest, but most of the time, I am feeling guilty for just laying around. Listen to your body and when you feel tired, REST! When you feel like you have a little more energy, be careful and don't overdo the physical stuff. I just got the symptoms back for CHF and they are doubling my Lasix and Diovan, so I guess I can look forward to laying around for a while. At least it will give me time to catch up on watching "Ellen"!

Hang in there and don't ever give up!!

Rob

When I first got out of the hospital, I was so tired all the time. My blood pressure was (and still is) very low from all the meds. Now, 10 months later, it is not so bad. Some days I am still so tired, I feel like I can barely walk across the street, but most days are so much better. I think I had to get used to the low BP. Previously it was always between 120/80 and 135/90. Now it is always around 100/60 or even less.

I am sorry about your dog. It is so hard when they get sick.

Debi