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• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Coping with medication >> Coping with medication

Coping with medication

• Clip
• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF35 >> She was told she had heart failure by a nurse in hospital.

Felt breathless 1999. Heart failure diagnosed in 2000.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Interview HF41 >> A doctor says that treating heart failure has got better and will go on getting better in the future.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF35 >> She hasn't let heart failure affect her life and she carries on as normal.

Felt breathless 1999. Heart failure diagnosed in 2000.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF03 >> Received his diagnosis of heart failure from a GP in his practice.

Heart attacks in 1976 and 1986. Angina 1991. Heart bypass 1991. Heart failure diagnosed 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF09 >> He was diagnosed with a tired heart and explains some of the difficulties he has had since.

1976 heart attack. Heart bypass 1992. Pacemaker 1997 (replaced 2000). Uncertain when heart failure diagnosed.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF03 >> He can feel breathless if he tried to do something too quickly.

Heart attacks in 1976 and 1986. Angina 1991. Heart bypass 1991. Heart failure diagnosed 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF32 >> Explains he wants to know about his medications and consults the British National Formulary.

Cardiomyopathy (and possibly heart failure) diagnosed mid-1990s. Liver transplant 2000.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF17 >> He was taken off Warfarin because of side effects.

1994 angina. Heart attacks 1994 and 2001. Heart failure diagnosed 2001.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF35 >> Describes digoxin as a 'poison' that improves her heart beat.

Felt breathless 1999. Heart failure diagnosed in 2000.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF03 >> Says that the triple combination of drugs has made him feel much better.

Heart attacks in 1976 and 1986. Angina 1991. Heart bypass 1991. Heart failure diagnosed 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF30 >> Says the number of heart failure drugs he's taking has reduced over the years.

1979 hernia operation, heart damage discovered. 1980 pericardial sac removed. 1996 heart failure diagnosed.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF06 >> She is cautious about taking any other drug that might affect her warfarin levels.

1952 mitral stenosis. 2 valveotomies. Tricuspid and aortic valves replaced. Atrial fibrillation.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF38 >> He takes warfarin, digoxin, frusemide, spironolactone, atorvastatin, bisoprolol and aspirin.

Ischaemic heart disease diagnosed 2001. Heart bypass 2002. Heart failure 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF37 >> Wonders if he should have been prescribed statins after his first heart attack.

Diabetes for many years. Heart attacks 1992, 1995, 1998. Not sure when heart failure diagnosed, possibly 1998.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF36 >> She cannot separate side effects from her actual heart failure.

Dilated cardiomyopathy diagnosed 2001. Stent 2002. Heart failure diagnosed 2002. Bi-ventricular pacemaker 2003.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF33 >> Describes how his beta-blockers affected him.

Heart failure diagnosed 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview HF34 >> Says that atenolol affected his sexual ability.

Heart attack 1992, Triple bypass 1993. Angina 1999. Heart failure diagnosed 2003.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF14 >> Has experienced breast enlargement as a side-effect of his drugs.

Quadruple heart bypass 1999. Complications followed surgery. Heart failure diagnosed 2000.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF16 >> Developed a swollen and sore right breast from spironolactone.

Heart attack 2000. Angioplasty and stent 2000. Heart failure diagnosed 2000. Waiting for heart transplant.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF08 >> Described how she balances her diuretics with her fluid intake and avoids dehydration.

Cardiac arrest 2001. Dilated cardiomyopathy 2001. Heart failure 2001.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF01 >> Thinks that amiodarone affected the functioning of his thyroid.

3 heart attacks 1978, 1980, 1994. Angina. Ventricular tachycardia, Cannot recall being given a diagnosis of heart failure though he knows he has it.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF07 >> She has almost no appetite left.

Asthma and high blood pressure. Became increasingly breathless during 2001. Heart failure diagnosed 2001.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF03 >> He stopped taking ramipril because he developed an awful cough.

Heart attacks in 1976 and 1986. Angina 1991. Heart bypass 1991. Heart failure diagnosed 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview HF34 >> He was unable to tolerate simvastatin or Zocor.

Heart attack 1992, Triple bypass 1993. Angina 1999. Heart failure diagnosed 2003.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF09 >> He experienced bad sunburn because of one of his drugs.

1976 heart attack. Heart bypass 1992. Pacemaker 1997 (replaced 2000). Uncertain when heart failure diagnosed.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview HF19 >> Feels that the amount of medication he's on has affected his appetite and taste.

Stroke 2001. Heart attack 2002. Heart failure diagnosed 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF35 >> She doesn't want to know anymore about side effects in case she imagines having them.

Felt breathless 1999. Heart failure diagnosed in 2000.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF33 >> It took him some time to realise that surgery wouldn't help his heart failure.

Heart failure diagnosed 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 71-80 >> Interview HF28 >> He doesn't want taking pills to take over his life.

2 heart attacks 1995. Triple bypass 1996. Diagnosis of diabetes 1995/6. Heart failure diagnosed some years later, probably in 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview HF34 >> Describes how he managed without medication after his luggage was misdirected on holiday.

Heart attack 1992, Triple bypass 1993. Angina 1999. Heart failure diagnosed 2003.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF10 >> Reads out his medication from a list and works out that he takes 15 pills a day.

Diabetes 1982. 3 heart attacks; 1986, 1991,1996. Colorectal cancer 1988. Several small strokes. Uncertain when heart failure diagnosed - possibly during 1990s.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF09 >> Says that his wife reminds him to take his medication every day.

1976 heart attack. Heart bypass 1992. Pacemaker 1997 (replaced 2000). Uncertain when heart failure diagnosed.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF17 >> He divides his daily quota of tablets into three batches and keeps them in separate bowls.

1994 angina. Heart attacks 1994 and 2001. Heart failure diagnosed 2001.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF16 >> Because of his bad memory he puts his medication into pill boxes and takes them 3x a day.

Heart attack 2000. Angioplasty and stent 2000. Heart failure diagnosed 2000. Waiting for heart transplant.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF29 >> He has an alarm system set up to remind him to take his medication.

1998/9 idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure diagnosed. Experiences episodes of chest pain and breathlessness.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF30 >> Explains that having to take drugs everyday has affected his quality of life.

1979 hernia operation, heart damage discovered. 1980 pericardial sac removed. 1996 heart failure diagnosed.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF17 >> Describes how he felt depressed for a time until his drugs were changed.

1994 angina. Heart attacks 1994 and 2001. Heart failure diagnosed 2001.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview HF35 >> She tried various complementary practices - homoeopathy and osteopathy - but found they didn't help her.

Felt breathless 1999. Heart failure diagnosed in 2000.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview HF34 >> Finds his heart failure nurse extremely helpful and reassuring.

Heart attack 1992, Triple bypass 1993. Angina 1999. Heart failure diagnosed 2003.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF30 >> Explains that having to take drugs everyday has affected his quality of life.

1979 hernia operation, heart damage discovered. 1980 pericardial sac removed. 1996 heart failure diagnosed.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF29 >> He has an alarm system set up to remind him to take his medication.

1998/9 idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure diagnosed. Experiences episodes of chest pain and breathlessness.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview HF16 >> Because of his bad memory he puts his medication into pill boxes and takes them 3x a day.

Heart attack 2000. Angioplasty and stent 2000. Heart failure diagnosed 2000. Waiting for heart transplant.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF17 >> He divides his daily quota of tablets into three batches and keeps them in separate bowls.

1994 angina. Heart attacks 1994 and 2001. Heart failure diagnosed 2001.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 80+ >> Interview HF09 >> Says that his wife reminds him to take his medication every day.

1976 heart attack. Heart bypass 1992. Pacemaker 1997 (replaced 2000). Uncertain when heart failure diagnosed.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Aged 71-80 >> Interview HF28 >> He doesn't want taking pills to take over his life.

2 heart attacks 1995. Triple bypass 1996. Diagnosis of diabetes 1995/6. Heart failure diagnosed some years later, probably in 2002.

• Heart disease >> Heart failure >> Side effects of medication >> Side effects of medication

Side effects of medication