Being diagnosed with a heart condition can be a very frightening time filled with uncertainty and anxiety. You may feel like you won’t be able to live life in the same way as you did before. However, receiving this diagnosis doesn’t mean you can’t still do some of the things you always did – it just means you need to adapt and learn new ways to live well. Read our guide as we explore ways you can improve your life while living with a heart condition.
If you find yourself lower in energy than you used to be, it might be time to start planning and prioritising the tasks you need to complete to get through in a day. Trying to throw yourself into a full day of tasks and activities may mean that it takes much longer for you to get your energy back.
Consider what you need to do each day, week and month. How could you spread these activities out? For example, if you usually like to shower in the morning but have other chores to do, why not switch to showering in the evening so you’re not expending as much energy in one go?
Think about whether or not these tasks could be broken down into smaller jobs that you could spread across the day, week or month to help you pace yourself. This could be something as simple as taking extra time to climb stairs, pausing every five steps or so to catch your breath before continuing. Who says you need to charge upstairs in one go?
It may take a little trial and error to find out what works for you and how best to prioritise it, but it’s a good idea to keep in mind that it’s easier to recover faster from being a little tired than it is to recover from being utterly exhausted. Don’t forget to plan rest times for yourself too.
You may find that you have a lot of medications to take at specific times of the day. One way to keep track of what you need to take and when is to make use of a medication management system, like a pill box or dispenser.
You can get pill boxes to help you organise your daily medications for each day of the week. Some have a single pill box for each day, like the Economy Weekly Pill Box, or they may have up to four compartments for each day, like the 7-Day Pill Pouch. The latter has four spaces allowing you to divide your medication out depending on what time of the day you need to take them.
Alternatively, if you’re concerned about forgetting to take your tablets at the right times, you may want to consider something like the TABTIME Super 8 Daily Pill Organiser. This useful organiser has up to 8 daily alarms you can set to remind you to take your pills at the right time, helping to ensure you don’t miss a dose.
You could also try matching your pill-taking with a daily habit. For example, if you have tablets to take first thing in the morning and one of the first things you do is make a cup of tea, then why not keep your tablets near your kettle or tea bags as a reminder to take them?
Whether this approach works for you will depend on your daily habits, if you have children and need to keep all medication out of their reach, or if your medication has specific storage requirements. But it is an alternative option to consider.
The breathlessness and fatigue that living with a heart condition can cause could make it a little trickier to enjoy your usual shower or a relaxing bath. But there is equipment and bathroom aids available that can help make them easier.
If you’re more of a fan of showers than baths but are finding it difficult to stand for long periods, there’s no shame in getting a shower chair or stool to help you out. These handy devices offer you a place to sit while you bathe, so you don’t have to expend most of your energy to stay standing.
You may also find a well-placed grab rail useful to provide steadying support while you go about your ablutions. These don’t even need to be obvious as there are many subtly designed grab rails that perform two purposes. For example, the Invisible Creations range includes grab rails that are also mirrors, corner shelves, shower riser rails, and even toilet roll holders, offering you discreet support when you need it most.
If you’re a fan of a hot bath but are finding it tricky to get in and out of the tub, you may find a bath board useful as that gives you a space to sit while you swing your legs over into the bath. If neither of those options seems quite right, there are also bath lifts available to help lower you down into the bath and raise you up again once finished.
If you get stuck, you could always seek an assessment with an Occupational Therapist for help and guidance.
Exercise is important for all of us, whether living with a heart condition or not. This doesn’t mean you should immediately start training for a marathon or throw yourself into a series of heavy workouts. Your daily exercise could be as simple as going for a walk.
Depending on how steady you feel on your feet and what your energy levels are like, you may find a mobility aid helpful. This could be anything from a walking stick to a rollator.
A mobility aid could help to make getting out and about a little safer for you, steadying you and offering support where needed. If you find that you only need a little support but tire easily, then why not consider a walking stick with a seat? These canes are specially designed to include a tripod seat, so you can take a moment to rest when you’re taking a walk.
If you’re living with a heart condition, you’re likely to have had discussions with your doctor about potential dietary changes. If you’re looking for delicious heart-healthy recipes to try at home, the British Heart Foundation has a wide range to choose from.
For days when you have more energy, you may want to consider batch-cooking meals. Then when you have days where you feel more fatigued, you simply need to warm up a nutritious and delicious meal in the oven or microwave.
If you find standing for long periods of time tiring, meals that are faster and easier to cook might be easier for you to prepare. But who says you have to stand up in order to cook anyway? There are kitchen aids that can help, such as perching stools. A perching stool gives you a way to take the weight off your feet while you prepare food or cook at the hob.
When living with a heart condition, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. There is help available to support you when needed. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help or to take time to look after your mental health through acts of self care. Whether it’s a walk outdoors, talking with a trusted confidant, journalling to help process your thoughts, reading or whatever else works to help you, there are lots of ways to boost your well-being.
If you are struggling with your mental health or any aspect of your health, be sure to check in with your GP for support and guidance.
For support with day-to-day life, we offer the Home Living Consultation Service. This service offers you a consultation and assessment with an Occupational Therapist who will help to identify different ways to approach tasks or independent living aids that could help make life a little easier. You can find out more about this service here.
The British Heart Foundation offers a wealth of advice and support services to anyone living with a heart condition. This ranges from their Heart Helpline all the way through to guidance and information on almost every topic you could imagine related to heart conditions.
Do you need help deciding if a particular device is right for you? Please get in touch with our Expert Advice Service. For any other queries and support, don’t hesitate to contact us.
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