I could only do part of cardiac rehab program as I was getting breathless, so was advised to do chair assist only. I suffer with water retention caused by heart failure so water tablets every day, but I don't mind because they help. I don't worry about my stent because it allowed me to be alive. You are fit to do all those stairs, we have 13 stairs at home, if I go up and down twice I get breathless, so I don't think you need to worry. You sound a strong minded keep it up.

God Bless \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\GRAIG

The most likely culprit for swollen ankles are calcium channel blockers like amlodipine. My Ejection Fraction is 75%... No heart failure, no heart attack, no stents, used to have left ventricular hyperathropy, abnormal EKG, poor R wave progression but all of that is healed. But I do have aortic root aneurysm, hyperlipedemia and hypertension. Im on amlodipine, ramipril and nebivolol for it. God is good. Trust Him

Actually I had a heart attack in January of 2005. I go for routine follow ups with my cardiologist annually. An echo, a stress test. I have no chest pain nor high blood pressure problems. I was never told of the CHF diag, til perhaps 5 years after the fact. I was shocked to hear that also. My EF was low, but it corrected itself. I was told I had a regurgitating valve, but the doc did not seem to concerned by it. I din't even bother to go for this years checkup. I was in a pretty severe depression at the time and just couldn't. If you read my profile you will see I also suffer with Bipolar II disorder. I had an echo earlier in the year by another doc I figured he could refer to. He is such a busy man and really doesn't spend a lot of time explaining things to me. Never get straight answers from him. :( I am feeling good so I will wait til the annual check up this year, unless I need him earlier. Hope not. ;)

Couldn't take the HCTZ...we dropped that (telmisartan instead)and added amlodipine. So far it's good , but my ankles are swelling bad, but Bp is great! Thanks for the heads up...I will be questioning my doctor if they don't improve. Added you to my FL.