My husband went into congestive heart failure a few weeks ago. He had been hospitalized after having an attack which the hospital thought was pneumonia. They then sent him home with antibiotics. They also had diagnosed him with high blood pressure. We fought the "pneumonia" for weeks. He'd gone off the High blood pressure meds (don't know why that didn't raise a red flag but it didn't. I think he thought I'd kick the pneumonia then change my diet, and do natural things for the high BP) Well, that didn't happen and he had another attack, back to the hospital in congestive heart failure. Of course we know that this was caused by his bad decision, but also believe in the possibility that he was going into congestive heart failure before he was sent home the first time.

His heart they say is only operating at 25 to 30 percent. They have him on 2 blood pressure meds. 1 of them 3 times a day the other 2 times a day. A water pill, an aspirin, a pill to make his heart pump, a potassium pill, and a pepcid to make it all go down smoothly.

He just had a followup appointment with a doctor today and they seeing that his cholesterol is 200 wanted him to go on a cholesterol lowering medicine. He told them how much he was against that and that is number was not high enough to justify it and the doc said that because of his heart condition that it would be best that he did.

We know the drugs his is on only stop the progression of congestive heart failure and they cause side effects that no doubt will adversely affect his health further. We want to IMPROVE his heart and reverse this condition and not accept the status quo.

We want to give him D-Ribose and wonder what your thoughts are on that. We also have him on a liquid vitamin/mineral, co q 10, & Fish oil, along with changing his diet. He's always been one to exercise so he wants to get back to that as well.

I would like to respectfully ask what you think his odds are with recovery. It seems the medical community here believe you might get a bit better, but that is all.

Thanks,
Darlene

There is no way to tell you what percentage of recovery he will have with the little information I have about his health history. It does sound like you are taking some good stuff nutritionally, and yes I like D-ribose...but remember getting healthy is a game of adding and subtracting....it's like financial debt...you have to increase your earnings, while decreasing your spending. So it sounds like you are adding and doing things that will help him....the question you need to ask, is that enough? can you do more? what else can be done?

The part about reducing your spending is where we look at what things you are doing that are having a negative affect on his heart and stop doing those things....is it Not enough exercise? the wrong type of exercise? the wrong diet?...the point is you need to make sure you maximize those efforts if you want to increase you chances of recovery.

and it doesn't suprise me that they gave him cholesterol lowering drugs, etc....even though those numbers were all looking good. They don't know what to do. Keep in mind, as I always say....ask the doctor if this medicine is going to help make his body/heart stronger and healthier or is it only addressing the symptoms? and will I have to take this med for the rest of my life?

almost all heart medication given is to address the symptoms....cholesterol, blood pressure, water pills, etc....they don't address WHY his body/heart is in jeopardy.

Let me know if I can help. We might want to setup a consultation to get him on the right track.

Blessings to you and your husband,

Dr. Len

Blessings,
Darlene

Yes, heart disease is reversable....you just need to do it and more importantly Know What to Do.

Dr. Len