• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Resource Centers
    • Clinical Trials Resource Center
    • Wellness on the Yard
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Covid Resource Center
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / Health Conditions / Heart Failure / I Survived: Managing Congestive Heart Failure

I Survived: Managing Congestive Heart Failure

Did you know? Hypertension is the most predominant risk factor for heart failure in Blacks, and aggressive management of hypertension may substantially reduce the incidence and consequences of heart failure in our community.

Hypertension can be caused by high blood pressure, high-stress levels, family history, obesity, and excessive alcohol. All of which can lead to heart disease or stroke. We got a chance to sit down with Denise Huntley-Neal, a 56-year-old mother of four and grandmother of two. She knows about the defeating lifestyle but has since turned her life around to manage her congestive heart failure. Here’s her story:

Give us a little background of how and when you were diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

Well, I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2007. One day I just woke up after working a full day of work, I cooked and cleaned and everything the night before. I felt like I had the flu or something or real bad stomach pains, I didn’t know what was happening so I just laid down for a few minutes. When I woke up, I was in full arrest. I couldn’t catch my breath, I couldn’t breathe. I was just really, really ill.

You May Also Like
View Our Resources To Better Understand How Clinical Trials May Help Advance Research

So, I decided to go to the emergency room. I actually drove myself to the emergency room and when I got there, they were asking me all kinds of questions, like did I think I was pregnant, what was going on with this and that. Because I didn’t even realize at the time my ankles were swollen, my hands, everything was swollen.

After asking me a series of questions and running some tests, finally, they came back and gave me a water releaser called Lasix, intravenously (IV) to remove the water out of my body. So, I was hooked up to an IV while I was in the emergency room to release the water because it was just that much fluid in my body. I just remember going up and down the aisle with this IV rolling it to the bathroom, like every five minutes.

So, they finally admitted me into the hospital and they put me on the cardiatrics floor. I had to be in my 40s and the cardiac doctor peeked his head in, saw me, then looked back out and said “You’re like the youngest person on this floor, what’s going on?”

He told me that my heart was functioning at less than 30 percent and most of my heart was damaged from the fluid, the valves not defibrillating properly, and my pumping chambers being off. After speaking with him, I didn’t realize that I had done all this damage.

You May Also Like
13 Signs You Need to See a Dermatologist

RELATED: What Is Congestive Heart Failure?

What were your initial thoughts when they told you your heart was essentially failing?

Well, as a young mother, all I could think about was who was going to care for my kids. What am I going to do? Am I going to die? All kinds of things were going through my mind. Am I going to have to have a heart transplant, surgery? It was just very scary.

Looking back, what were some of the early signs that you think you may have missed?

Of course, being a single parent, not taking care of myself. The stress of work, I had a high-stress job and I know stress is out there and it’s inevitable, I know you have to deal with all those stressors at some point but when you’re a single parent, it’s worse because you have to

Continue Reading

The Latest In Heart Failure

heart failure in women

Heart Failure in Young Black Women: Things to Look Out For

Heart failure is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that affects millions of people worldwide. While it is commonly associated with older adults, it is important to recognize that heart failure can also occur in younger individuals, including young Black read more about Heart Failure in Young Black Women: Things to Look Out For
heart rate

Are Heart Rate and Blood Pressure the Same? No, Here’s Why.

Lower your blood pressure. Get your heart rate up. Know your numbers. When it comes to heart health, understanding all the numbers involved – and which should be up or down and when – can be confusing. But experts say read more about Are Heart Rate and Blood Pressure the Same? No, Here’s Why.
walnuts benefits

10 Incredible Reasons to Add Walnuts to Your Diet

They might not look like much but walnuts are an unbelievably rich source of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. So much so that researchers have been studying them for years to add to the growing list of potential health benefits. read more about 10 Incredible Reasons to Add Walnuts to Your Diet
Toni Braxton

Toni Braxton Undergoes Surgery: “My Main Coronary Artery Was 80% Blocked”

Toni Braxton is opening up about a "traumatic" and life-threatening health scare that occurred as a result of her living with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common form of lupus. The "Un-Break My Heart" singer, who has been open in read more about Toni Braxton Undergoes Surgery: “My Main Coronary Artery Was 80% Blocked”
dilated cardiomyopathy

Mom of 2 Young Boys Was Waiting for Pizza When Her Heart Stopped

LaNysha Adams of Silver Spring, Maryland, was lying on the sofa watching TV when her husband, David Foss, went out to pick up a pizza for dinner. When he returned not 15 minutes later, she was in a daze. Her read more about Mom of 2 Young Boys Was Waiting for Pizza When Her Heart Stopped

Heart-Healthy Recipes For Woman On-the-Go

When you hear about a heart-healthy recipe, you might immediately think about something that takes way more time than you have to spare. With these recipes, you can have tasty, heart-friendly meals in 30 minutes or less! 1. Stuffed Potatoes read more about Heart-Healthy Recipes For Woman On-the-Go

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

  • Lionel Richie Shares His Top 3 ‘Anti-Aging Secrets’Lionel Richie Shares His Top 3 ‘Anti-Aging Secrets’
  • Angela Bassett 7-Year Journey to Parenthood: Enjoy the JourneyAngela Bassett 7-Year Journey to Parenthood: Enjoy the Journey
  • ‘COVID Toes’ Might Be a Sign You Had the Disease'COVID Toes' Might Be a Sign You Had the Disease
  • YouTuber and Relationship ‘Expert’ Kevin Samuels Cause of Death RevealedYouTuber and Relationship 'Expert' Kevin Samuels Cause of Death Revealed
  • Football Legend & Coach Deion Sanders Has Toes AmputatedFootball Legend & Coach Deion Sanders Has Toes Amputated

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2023, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.