This symptom checker includes the main symptoms of heart failure and is designed to help you evaluate these potential symptoms. It can serve as a basis for discussion with your doctor.
The symptom checker is not intended to be used to diagnose heart failure or to replace medical advice. The data you enter will not be stored or used by the Irish Heart Foundation or any third parties. If you have any requests concerning your personal information or any queries with regard to our processing, please contact msweeney@irishheart.ie or see https://irishheart.ie/privacy-policy.
Heart failure can cause the fluid in your body to gather in your lungs which may cause you to feel short of breath during everyday activities such as walking or climbing stairs.
Lying flat may also make you feel short of breath so that you need to sleep sitting up or with multiple pillows.
Heart failure means less oxygen-rich blood is circulating in the body. Because your muscles and tissues need oxygen for energy, this means people with heart failure can feel tired very easily.
Clothes or shoes might feel tighter as fluid in the body builds up in the legs, ankles or abdomen causing them to swell up.
The heart sometimes starts to speed up to compensate for its reduced ability to pump blood around the body.
Worsening heart failure may cause an increase in weight of more than two kilograms (about six pounds) in one week because fluid builds up in your body.
A build-up of fluid around the gut can affect digestion and might cause a loss of appetite, or make you feel sick when eating.
Heart Failure can cause changes in your mood, creating a sense of uncertainty, a lack of confidence and potential mood swings.
400 characters remaining.
Heart Failure can limit your lifestyle forcing you to change hobbies, activities and pastimes.
The next step for you is to download your answers and talk to your doctor about them.
You can also download the PDF version here. Print it and complete it with the help of your health care professional or carer.
