Need advice and help for EF of 35%
I’m 63 and run everyday. Never really been sick.
My Apple Watch showed afib
Went to GP who gave me a holter for 24 hours.
It showed afib for 8 seconds.
She sent me to cardiologist who looked at report and said it’s nothing but let’s do an echo/stress test to make sure.
He did the test and it showed 35% EF
He was shocked and said let’s do another holter for 24 hours and see if missed anything,
He also booked me for a cardiac MRI next month.
He said sorry, I thought we would be done with this🙁
Everything I read is a death sentence.
I’m literally scared to death.
I can’t tell my wife and kids as I don’t want to worry them.
I work as a teacher and been in a fog for a week.
Does anyone have anything positive to say,
S as m I over acting?
I really need help.
Sorry to bother you guys.
,
No apologies needed, we're glad you reached out.
EF numbers can notoriously bring on a lot of stress.
Please know you are not alone. Many in this community have shared similar stories with EF results and anxiety. I'm hoping some will chime in here with their personal experiences.
I would tend to believe if your doctor thought it was anything emergent or life threatening, he would have admitted you immediately (as opposed to booking your MRI for next month). However, that's just my usual take/thought process after a cardiologist visit.
Once you have all the results/answers you will have a better understanding of what's going on. If you'd like, you can shoot a message to your cardiologist and explain your concerns, perhaps they can move the MRI up a bit.
In the meantime, I thought I'd share this article that may provide some helpful information on EF numbers: https://heart-failure.net/living/ejection-fraction-number
Always know this community is here for help and support.
Please keep us updated when you get a chance...we'll be keeping you in our thoughts.
My best, Doreen (Team Member)
I want to add something. My initial EF after the heart attack was 35%. It then kept decreasing until it reached 21%, before fluctuating a bit after that.
What I want to share is that how I feel doesn’t always correlate with my EF number. I can say that I’ve been feeling better over time, with fewer symptoms, even though the EF decline.
My last echo was about two months ago, and my EF was 27%. Right now, I can 'jog' for about 100 meters when I’m feeling really fit (the 20m I mentioned in my previous post was when my EF was 35%). So, stay positive, keep Googling to understand what you should and shouldn’t do, and ask your doctor questions—everyone’s case is different.
Side note: Even though I said, 'I'm feeling better over time,' I’m still being careful not to take things too lightly, as an article mentioned that some EF patients have become overconfident about their life expectancy :'D,
I'm glad you're doing well. It sounds like you are doing all the right things to stay on top of your health.
Hopefully your upcoming MRI will provide some more answers and
"peace of mind". We'll be anxious to hear an update.
Sending tons of positive thoughts, Doreen (Team Member)
It helps to hear from someone who understands what I’m going through. I appreciate your perspective on the EF numbers and the reassurance about my cardiologist’s approach.
I’m going to keep asking questions and stay informed. It’s great to see others in the community sharing their experiences, too. I’ll keep everyone updated on my MRI results.
