A man suffering from both heart and kidney failure has revealed the symptoms he “ignored”, which he now believes were early signs of his heart condition.
The National Institute of Health defines heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, as a condition that occurs when your heart doesn’t pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs.
This can happen if your heart can’t fill with enough blood or if it’s too weak to pump properly. The British Heart Foundation further explains it doesn’t mean your heart has stopped working, but you may need support to help it function better.
JP, who shares his experiences on TikTok under the handle @platinumkidney, shared the symptoms he overlooked in order to raise awareness about heart failure.
“Number one is the most visible one – when your ankles and feet are swollen at the end of the day, it’s hard to walk, and it even gets into your fingers; you might not be able to close your fists all the way,” he said.
He also ignored chest pain, describing it as “a little bit of pain, shortness of breath, and breathing kinda quick; and there’s always little sharp pains around your chest area”. Another symptom he mentioned was “clubbing”, where your nails start curving downwards.
He added that if your nails are “fully white”, this could also indicate heart failure.
The fourth sign, described as a “common symptom within a lot of diseases”, is “fatigue, tiredness and low appetite”. The individual emphasised the importance of seeking medical attention promptly, advising those with any of these symptoms to “go get checked out” sooner than he did.
The NHS advises “symptoms of heart failure can vary from person to person. They may start suddenly or develop gradually over weeks or months”.
Key symptoms include:
- Breathlessness – this may occur after activity or at rest; it may be worse when you’re lying down, and you may wake up at night needing to catch your breath
- Fatigue – you may feel tired most of the time and find exercise exhausting
- Swollen ankles and legs – this is caused by a build-up of fluid (oedema); it may be better in the morning and get worse later in the day
- Feeling lightheaded and fainting
Less common symptoms can include:
- A persistent cough, which may be worse at night
- Wheezing
- A bloated tummy
- Loss of appetite
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Confusion
- A fast heart rate
- A pounding, fluttering or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
It stated: “You should call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department as soon as possible if you have sudden or very severe symptoms. This is a medical emergency that may require immediate treatment in hospital.”
If you have any of these symptoms, make an appointment with your GP.