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Living with Heart Failure: Building a Support Network
Living with Heart Failure: Building a Support NetworkLiving with heart failure everyday can be challenging.You may start to feel frustrated, depressed, sad, stressed and angry. This is a normal reaction to dealing with aserious illness.But you do not have to go through this alone. Find support to help you cope with heart failure and the dailychallenges it can bring.Heart failure patients with good support networks can reduce or even prevent depression.“We’re each other’s cheerleaders, basically. You know, we’re very fortunate, because we know that tobeat something like heat failure it’s important to have support. You’ve got to have family support.”Your family and friends are there to help.Let them know how you are feeling and when you need help.Talking about heart failure can make both you and your loved ones feel much better.Sometimes having control over your future can help you feel stronger.Creating a daily log of your symptoms can help you feel like you are an active part of your own treatment.It may also help to make an advance directive with your loved ones to give you peace of mind.An advance directive is a written document detailing the kind of medical care you wish to receive if therecomes a time when you can no longer speak for yourself.Discuss your possible treatment options with your healthcare provider and loved ones.When you make your decisions, appoint a family member or close friend to carry out those wishes.This is not an easy topic to discuss, but it is a very important one for everyone, whether they have heart failureor not. It can prevent your family from having to make difficult decisions later, and give you some peace ofmind now.Joining a support group is a great idea as well. Here you can talk with people who also have heart failure.They can offer support, tips for living with heart failure, and just be a good sounding board. They know whatyou are going through.“It’s nice to bounce ideas off of them and say, ‘Hey, how do you do this? How do you do this on aneveryday basis?’”Talk to your healthcare team about finding support groups in your area or online.You can join the American Heart Association’s Support Network at supportnetwork.heart.org.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCHA10168B EN LivingWithHeartFailureBuildingASupportNetwork.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 1 of 2Living with Heart Failure: Building a Support NetworkYour healthcare team is also there to support you.Whenever you have a question about an advance directive, your treatment plan, medications, or evenemotions, call and talk to them. They are there to help.While it’s normal to feel frustrated or sad, feelings of hopelessness or sadness that don’t go away is a possiblesign of depression. Changes in your sleeping, appetite, and weight are also signs that you might beexperiencing depression.If you notice any of these changes, you can reach out for help. Depression and anxiety over heart failure canbe treated. You can get help and feel better about your condition.“Don’t be scared to tell your family this. If you’re experiencing stuff like that, don’t keep it in. Talk tosomebody, all right, and if you talk to somebody you’ll get past it.”You may feel like you are dealing with the frustrations and challenges of heart failure by yourself.You can’t carry that burden alone. Find support around you. Your friends, family, support groups andhealthcare providers are all there to listen and help when you need it. You may just have to ask.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCHA10168B EN LivingWithHeartFailureBuildingASupportNetwork.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 2 of 2
Heart & Vascular Center
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