Patients and Caregivers Forums

My husband is going to have LVAD surgery. We began this journey at UTSW in Dallas hoping for a heart transplant. The transplant was not approved due to age and other health conditions. UTSW did approve him for LVAD surgery. He has also been approved for an LVAD at Baylor Scott & White in Fort Worth...

Does anyone now what the maximum distances you can be away ( vacation) from a LVAD certified hospital?? My team is very cautious. And as mentioned in yesterday’s meeting they also will not let me drive. I’ve had to many blackouts due to GI bleeds. They actually took me off of warfarin and aspirin...

Hello all, first off thank you for being here ! My girlfriend and I are the primary caregivers of her 50yr old father who just recently received his LVAD. We understand thats a big undertaking and we are totally down for the job. We / he has had a few bumps along the way but i think we are finally...

My daily routine: 1. Do a self-check of the controller, check the readings, and check for alarms (low flow and power). 2. Disconnect from remote power; connect to the batteries. 3. If staying-in-the house, use controller bag supplied by the hospital. 4. If going out, use fishing vest purchased from...

Hello! im just curious , I’m sure my dad would love to meet other people that also share this experience. I think sometimes it can feel isolating. thanks!

This comment is great for first timers going through or about to go through surgery. It's great for getting answers to some quick questions and for getting support in times of fear of the unknown. But, this community really needs support from medical professionals. It needs to have moderators and...

Hi friends -- My dad will be returning home from the hospital with an LVAD sometime in the next week, and I'm trying to help him out by purchasing some gear/accessories that will make his life a little easier and more comfortable once he gets here and adjusts to his new equipment. Because of...

Hello, I have 9 LVAD tshirts that I would like to donate. 7 are white 2 are black all size Mens XL. Please let me know if you or someone you know could really use them. I know they are pricey!

Hi my brother brother has had an l vad For about 8 years now. Around June he suffered a fall hitting his head and causing him to have a brain bleed, He had to be rushed to Rochester in Minnesota. They removed part of a skull to let his brain swell. He was in the hospital for For 50 days and now he...

Hello Everyone! I am a product design student at the University of Cincinnati with a friend who has an LVAD. Since witnessing her experience as a young 20 year old living with an LVAD, I have been inspired to do my thesis project on trying to address some of the frustrations and pain points...

Nine years ago today, Prof Phil Spratt and the wonderful, dedicated Heart team from St. Vincent's Hospital in Sydney (Australia) inserted my Heartware LVAD and consequently extended my life another 9 years to date. I have been very fortunate to have used this time wisely and to the maximum with...

Hi everyone, my name is Mike, my LVAD was implanted September 27th 2022. So far so good. I am getting stronger by the day. Do my 2-3 mile walk every day and go to Cardiac Rehab. I am playing golf every Saturday. My only issues are a daily bout of double vision which lasts about 15 seconds and some...

My husband is likely getting an LVAD this week. He has cardiomyopathy and is only 40 so they want to put off a transplant as long as possible. The more I read about LVADs, the more I hear of numerous complications, recovery issues, and the amount of care the caregiver must provide in the months...

My mom had an lvad and she passed away. I have a bunch of equipment I would rather donate than just getting rid of. I would love to hear any ideas. I can send pictures if needed. Email me. Klwatk2@gmail.com

My husband recently passed away. I have 4 lvad vest shirts (3 black, 2white, size medium). They work really well and are comfortable with a Heartware lvad. I would like to donate them since I know they are costly to buy.

Been dealing with a rash around the port area. Port is not infected. My skin can't take anymore adhesive. Wondering if anyone has experienced this situation. Any help or suggestion would help!!!

Hello Everyone again, i have a Heartmate II for almost 3 years now. Not a candidate for transplant, too healthy,, antibodies too high. However, the Dr. wants to put on entresto and continue on coreg to possibly remodel the heart and bring up the EF. There is more information, but no need to bore you...

Does anyone have a history of taking the supplement CoQ10? I was reading an interesting study from the American Heart Association: Coenzyme Q10 and Heart Failure A State-of-the-Art Review

My father just purchased this small backpack at Walmart, and he is excited to share that he loves carrying his batteries this way! Perhaps someone handy with sewing bags could really make something like this super lvad friendly. He’s very active, and said that having the batteries off of his mid...

How do others do it? My husband had a heart attack end of January 2022 and received an LVAD on Valentines Day. He is home and going through cardiac rehab but because there was a head injury, injury to femoral artery and now he has neuropathy in his feet bad, he can't work again. This was supposed to...