Q. i have congestive heart failure. it is worse. how will it finish me off and how can i tell when?

response to nurse on awswer:
You MAY HAVE congestive heart failure. This is how THAT works: "Heart failure occurs when your heart muscle doesn't contract hard enough to pump as much blood as the body needs. "Failure" doesn't mean that the heart isn't pumping at all, just that it is failing to pump as well as it should. When the heart muscle has been damaged by long-term high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, a heart attack, or other conditions (such as injury or infection of the heart muscle), it is harder for the heart to pump blood.
Heart failure most often results when the left ventricle has been damaged. The left ventricle is the heart chamber that pumps blood out to the body. When the left ventricle is damaged (by a heart attack, for example), the weakened muscle doesn't have the strength to pump enough blood out. Blood left behind in the heart ventricle takes up space needed for incoming blood from the lungs. Yeh, got fluid everywhere etc. did too much diovon cause it?

These are difficult questions, and I'm glad you are asking them. Sometimes, doctors don't take the time to work through all of the issues.

Not knowing more about your situation, all I can do is make a few educated guesses to answer your questions and point you to further reading.

On the "when", the best way that I know to understand the statistical prognosis for those battling heart failure is the Seattle Heart Failure Model. It isn't perfect, because there are many variables that it simply can't account for. But if you want to know your prognosis, it's a pretty good tool.

As to how it might kill you, there are so many different types of heart failure that it is tough to say. As the heart becomes less and less efficient, it can starve your other internal organs. So kidney failure may ensue. Or it is possible that the lungs would back up with fluid. Or the heart may be the first to fail (sudden cardiac death associated with ventricular fibrillation). These are all good questions for a heart failure expert. If you do not have a heart failure expert, please go find one ASAP!

As others have said, there are many steps to go through before throwing in the towel, but it's good to know how it might go if you don't get active and fight it. I'm guessing that you are not a heart transplant candidate for some reason. I'm also guessing that you have been through cardio rehab and are aware of all the things you can do to help yourself. If not, I hope you can get inspired to learn more.

Further reading below...

Wow. I've had CHF since 1990. Good diet, exercise, good mental attitude and following my MD's directions took me from living less than a year to today.

My EF was 15 in 1990. It's 30 today.

I'm not a doctor but at it's worse for me was;
Trouble Breathing (trouble talking). Tired all the time. Couldn't walk more than a few feet. Slept virtually all the time.

The best one to ask your question to is your cardiologist. Work towards living the best you can every day!

I wish you the best.
MOT

My dad is 80 and had it a long time watches his diet and exercises as much as he can.A pace maker might be your answer.I know other people with it.Ive also seen people swelled up all over and still lived.Good luck and take care