what if you contacted your primary physician about referral for a clinical dietician. Maybe what you eat is causing inflammation, etc. that are getting in the way of your improvement. Not a weight loss guru but more like a healing type diet.

Is it possible for you to see a nutritionist? It's so hard when your body gets slammed over and over again.

I hope you being to feel better soon. It's tough when you're not yourself.

You are trying to get well plus it is an extra busy time of year. It is no wonder that you are feeling discouraged. Have you had friends or family offer to help? If so, I would take them up on it. Ask someone to pick up a wreath and put it on your door, ask someone else to pick up a few necessities at the grocery and leave them on your front porch. Hopefully you can think of a few things to lighten your load.

The main thing for you to do is to heal but I can understand how sitting around in the middle of undone chores would be stressful. Can you make one part of your house an oasis for recuperation? A den or your bedroom? Ask someone to help you dust and move the clutter to another part of the house.

I am sure you will get plenty of other great suggestions. I hope the thought that we are all sending healing vibes to you will help as well. Take care.

Time is the greatest healer. You are being too hard on yourself. Get a nice poinsettia and forget about decorating or even getting out decorations. And forget about the messy house, too. Take care of yourself first. Christmas is a stressful season, and there is tremendous pressure to do things that are not required. So sit back and have a cup of tea and watch a holiday movie on TV!

I think a nutritionist would be a stellar idea, if I can find one.

I've actually gotten quite a lot of help from family and friends already. But my main help is my DD#1, who has 5 kids, works retail (busiest time of the year), and also has Christmas to deal with.

Adding to the stress is that my sister, who I have a complicated relationship with and is like a mother to me, says she's coming to visit in January (date unspecified). I've lived here for 30 years, and no one has ever come to visit me. And she's a super-super neatnik, and I'm . . . not!

I think my Christmas present to me will be maid service for a couple of months, if I can find one.

violet I'm so happy you said about a cleaner because it was the first thing I would recommend! I REALLY struggled this fall because I was going through some health issues, my roommate that helped with chores as rent moved out, and I don't have a replacement cleaner. So stressful. My compromise was to hire my roommate to come back and clean about once every two weeks! A few years ago I got rid of cable TV in order to hire a cleaner and it is 1000% the best tradeoff of my life.

The most important thing in my view, but the hardest to do, is to take it easy on yourself and realize that you're still recovering. Do all your self care, get out for some light walks if you can or just nap, eat as well as you can, but realize your energy will be low and don't beat yourself up for it. This fall I started to have a mandatory two hour nap schedule per day - at least two hours! But you know, I just gave into it and enjoyed the quiet time with my kitties. In my case I'm still working full time but I kind of warned everyone at my work I was going through tough times and they were all very kind about it.

Sorry to hear you're going through such a rough time Violet. Hugs!!! A house cleaner would be great, or wait for your sister to help. As a self proclaimed neatnik myself, I would love if someone asked me to help clean their house.

Try some stress relievers like meditation or yoga. Also, you mentioned having to take "lots of meds." Could be the side effects are causing some of the symptoms. I would definitely ask the doctors about this. Maybe he could take another look and see what is no longer needed. Good luck.

The very best possible thing to do would be to find a cardiac rehab exercise program and get moving. I know it's hard when you feel low. But DH, who has similar issues, was sent there by his pulmonologist and it make a huge difference.

I would ask the cardiologist you go to would be able to recommend such a program. It did DH a world of good -- he got stronger, his mood brightened and he felt better in general. It's easy to underestimate the value that three hours a week can bring to your life.

If you don't have a complicating condition, such as diabetes, you may enjoy juicing veggies and fruits. Juicing allows for a huge increase in nutrients. Also, smoothies are another way to increase the nutrients your body needs, and includes fiber. Also, sprouts, like alfalfa and broccoli, and many others such as sprouted beans and lentils that you can make right at home, have just what a healing body needs.

Rococo makes an excellent suggestion. I am very surprised your cardiologist did not suggest this, unless he feels you are not up to it at this point? Here, it is norm in treatment. Also, when my sister had Mono, to help her get back to feeling good, the doctor suggested an all b with c vitamin formula. I likegreen tea and feel it helps with immunity. As someone else stated, time is the best medicine. Plenty of rest, good diet, etc.

well, I know how to exercise and have the equipment to at home . . . am trying to start very slowly with breath work, stretching, and core work. But honestly have not been able to do much. I think they have not suggested cardiac rehab because . . . I don't have heart disease. No blockages, no clots, just the AFIB and enlarged heart now because of the damage to it. Had a chest xray, too -- no pneumonia, no fluid around the heart.

The secondary things have really been getting to me -- bronchitis is a sapper, especially after days of uncontrollable coughing. I'm wheezing terribly, I have no breath, am not sleeping well, I'm fatigued, my blood pressure is high, and yes, I think the meds contribute.

I do have an appt. with a pulmonologist this week. Oh, and I'm so tired of whining about it--so boring!

Probiotics. The intestinal track needs to be free of bad bacteria to keep it running efficiently since this is where all our foods are processed and toxins are removed. Eating organically 'clean' is a good way to get you on the right track. Vitamin B6 and B12 or a good all around B is also helpful for energy. I'm in a slump myself with allergies I didn't realize I had, but after being sick for the 7th year in a row, anywhere from Thanksgiving thru Christmas, i'll be getting tested after the holidays. Like yourself, my normal high energy has me barely able to decorate, let alone shop. You've been given a lot of good advice. Hang in their Violet, this too shall pass.

Violet, I'm so sorry you're still not well. Bronchitis can be a major energy zapper for sure. And with everything else you've had going on, I'm sure your energy level is really down. Everyone else has already chimed in with great suggestions, but I'll just echo the good eating in small meals mantra. Try boosting your energy with some carbs too, such as a baked potato with some cheese and a sprinkle of protein (pre-cooked chicken for example). Or microwave a sweet potato and add butter and cinnamon. Balance with a salad with some extra veggies & tuna (or nothing, depending on preference). Having 6 small meals during the day might help you feel better than 3 larger meals and keep your energy up during the day. And do ask your doctor if your medications could be contributing to this & if they can get you started with some post-care rehab.

@violetwest -- DH did not have a heart attack. He has flutter/afib and a weak heart. Had 4 cardio versions and an ablation. Also had terrible bronchitis which put him back into afib after the ablation. Unfortunately, heart and lung issues travel together. And some of the the lung meds can put the heart back into afib. It can be tricky.

The pulmonologist actually sent him to rehab. They do send people post heart-surgery and other issues as well. I cannot tell you how helpful it was to him.

These programs are medically monitored. You should not be exercising at home on your own. They take oxygen saturation, heart rate, blood pressure before each workout and monitor the timing on every machine. He is allowed to do some of the machines and not the others. It is especially important to do monitored exercise if you are on blood thinner.

I do hope you will call your doctor -- be it the pulmonologist or cardiologist. Bronchitis is never good but especially not for heart patients.

Food, sleep and movement are the three most important aspects of wellness. If you are on blood thinner, please do not take random advice on diet and be sure you have the list of foods that interact and understand those interactions.

Green tea, f.ex. which someone recommended will lower the effectiveness of blood thinner. Please be sure to get medical advice on diet as well.

seems sensible, but no one has offered any kind of rehab to me. Cardiologist merely said I could start exercising.

I'm afraid of exactly that, rococo -- that the bronchitis will put me back in afib. I am also wary of being bounced back and forth between different doctors.

Lots of great suggestions here already for you, so I'll second some of them.

When I first heard your plight, the first thing that came to mind was the medications you're on...might be worthwhile to have them reviewed to see if there are any you can reduce or eliminate. They can wreak havoc with all sorts of body systems.

Zinc is a good immune system booster that may help you fight off the diseases you are facing.

Meditation, of course, is a great stress reducer and immune system booster...I don't think I ever not recommend meditation...it's good for everything.

Have you considered alternative medicines as well, eg acupuncture? My neighbor is an acupuncturist. (He suffered a serious boating accident and was told it was unlikely he'd walk again. He's now fit as a fiddle after chinese medicine and went to china to learn more about it and now practices it.) The chinese medicine approach is different...they treat the patient, not the symptoms. No reason it can't work hand in hand with what the western guys are doing for you already...and it may help with your energy levels as well as fighting infection.

Finally, sometimes I think we are thrown things that we don't realize we need...perhaps this is the time to learn to ask for help...a cleaning service, your sister, a neighbor, a high school kid or a retiree looking to make some extra money...would be great to have them come in and help you out. A messy house alone, esp for women, can be a big stress inducer, and you certainly don't need that now.

Sending you thoughts of patience, courage, strength and comfort.

@violet - There needs to be consult between the two, not bouncing. Is there a family member or friend who can help facilitate that?

I would ask both doc offices about medically supervised exercise. It will give you a lot of confidence, get you stronger and you can get info. Most hospitals have these programs today or there are affiliated programs they can refer you to.

Also, I always run all meds by the cardiologist. Inhalers and breathing treatments prescribed for bronchitis can be an issue. I double check everything because DH has more than one thing that needs to be watched.

You need clear understanding of the meds and peace of mind about interactions. Most docs don't consider that. They stay in their own lane so to speak.

If the bronchitis isn't going away, I would ask them to take another look. That should take about 3 weeks or so but it should go away if the right med has been prescribed for it. In the past, we've had to change those up.

Please, please check with your docs.

My dad's doctor told him that as he got older, he needed more time to heal. He told my dad to expect a week for every day that he was down. Now that assumes you get past the bronchitis. Do get your docs talking to each other so you aren't bouncing.

I would look for a naturopathic doctor instead of relying on traditional medicine which relies on drugs to suppress symptoms (they are unnatural to the body and have terrible side effects). Support your body with super nutrients from a diet that focuses on recent research instead of the traditional food pyramid. Try it, see how you feel. You can always go back.

Please be cautious with your exercise if you have bronchitis. This Livestrong article about laying off exercise while recovering from bronchitis echoes the bad experience I had when training for a long bike ride and trying to get over a "chest cold." I just couldn't recover from the cold while training, and it morphed into something worse. It was due to trying to maintain fitness with a depressed immune system -- my body refused to get well until I rested. I ended up cancelling the bike trip, and spent the next three months recovering (three rounds of antibiotics too.)

Not that you're doing that high a level of exercising, but still, it's not the time to try to "get in better shape." You've had some tough knocks. Rest and quality nourishment are your friends here. Maybe a little stretching and gentle strength work, but please don't push yourself. There will be time for that when you get well.

I haven't read all the comments so sorry if this has been suggested.

How is your blood work? Are they testing your iron?

This time last year I had no energy. Barely got through Christmas and shopping...could only shop in short spurts one store at a time. I'd have to come home and nap after a 20 minute trip to the grocery. I pretty much laid on the couch January and February in between doctor visits.

I had an elevated white blood count in November and again in December. When it was still elevated in January my primary sent me to a hemotologist. Lots of tests for lots of stuff were, thankfully, negative but I had extremely low iron and had to have a set of iron infusions. It took a few weeks to kick in but my strength returned...just in time for knee surgery!

It took six months for the white blood count to return to normal and neither the hemotologist nor my primary have a clue as to why it was elevated.

I hope you feel better soon!

ETA.....I accidentally hit submit before finishing. Anyway, I hope you get a blood work up and they can figure something out . Do get maid service...that alone will make you feel better. DH was a godsend during my many months of illness with the cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.. Get and take help when you can!

Violet, I am so sorry you're still feeling unwell, and having the added stress of the holidays and your sister coming to visit. You've gotten lots of great advice already.

I think sometimes it takes throwing a bit of a fit to the doctor to get them to pay closer attention. Be very firm and assertive in saying you're not recovering the way you think you should. I'd make a list of questions about cardiac rehab, taking supplements, reviewing med interactions, seeing a nutritionist, breathing treatments, etc., and get a plan together.

A housecleaner, and any extra help you can get, is a great idea. Let your sister mother you, since that's the role she likes to take. I'd just let her know you're recovering and need lots of rest, and she needs to plan accordingly.

You have been through a lot! Give yourself a break, and rest. I know you're in a dry climate like me-- Are you running a humidifier?

One thing I try to use a lot when recovering from things is soup. It is easier to digest, many more of the nutrients are retained in the broth and it is relatively easy to prepare when I have little to no energy. With bronchitis, I would lay off dairy or at least greatly minimize the dairy but I would load the soup up with veggies to get all they have to offer. This is a good recovery soup. I find the ginger helpful. Also, I like soups with a lot of garlic or onion when recovering to help strengthen the immune system. Last year when I was sick, I made some honey infused with ginger and mint and I add that to green tea which seemed to be restorative as well. If you are interested, I can find the directions. Of course, allow your body the time it needs to rest after you have pushed yourself some, too. Wishing you a steady recovery.

guys, I knew I could count on you for helpful suggestions and encouragement. It means a lot.

Many of these things I am trying. For instance, my DD is my health buddy and comes to the doctors' visits with me as much as she can, tracking things and asking questions when I forget. My primary doc is really good about keeping track of the medications and interactions. Although I'd much prefer non-med solutions, It's still too early to go off the heart meds, for sure, and the others are for the bronchitis. I'm trying to do meditation (or at least breathing work).

Soup. Rest. (It's not like I can do much else.) Probiotics (or at least yogurt -- no saurkraut for me); better food choices -- very hard! etc. housework help. and time.

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. Salut!

All the general health advice anyone needs is contained in roccogurl's sentence: "Food, sleep and movement are the three most important aspects of wellness".

More specific advice should come from your cardiologist :-) Def ask about a rehab program and make sure your bronchitis is being treated properly.

Additional suggestions......pick one positive thing you can commit to doing every day. Read a chapter, walk to the mailbox and back, eat a piece of fruit. Many tiny changes add up to an altered, improved lifestyle.

Finally, set aside ten minutes every day for reflective time. If you are religious, pray. If you don't pray, meditate, or count your blessings in a thankfulness ritual. You may soon find yourself more refreshed by that time than anything else.

Chronic illness is mentally debilitating and it is very easy to slide into a depressive state because of it. Dont eschew anti-depressants if they are indicated and offered.

It sounds like you are doing what you are supposed to be doing. If you feel you are not over the bronchitis, I would definitely go back to the doctor and be re-examined. Hopefully, it is just a matter of time and you will be back on your feet soon!

Although you just may need more rest and re-hab, be sure to talk to your doctor about your meds.

Did you take medication for your blood pressure before the hospital stay? If so, were you doing well on it? If so, it may need to be adjusted. If you just started taking them, please know that it sometimes takes a while to get the right medication and right dosage.

I had some weird reactions to the first type of BP medication I was given. I had was tired, had blurry vision, and I got wierd rashes on my skin. One of them slowed my heart rate down so slow I could barely stay awake (I called and they told me to stop taking that one). Anyway, they may need to re-adjust your BP meds a little, or change them. We tried 4 different medications/combinations before we found one that worked for me with few side effects. If you don't have a BP monitor, get one and keep an eye on it.

Is your heart rate in the normal range? A high resting heart rate will make you feel tired and out of breath even when doing almost nothing. I had a condition where the heart rate would go way up then down and it drove me crazy, (now repaired with surgery).

Have your doctor double check and make sure the combination of ALL your medications is not causing any additional problems.

Make a decision today, that you are the most important thing and the rest can wait. Wishing you the best of luck with your rehab.

I am an exercise physiologist, and I agree on asking about cardiac rehab. You did have an MI due to the afib, so it is considered heart disease and cardiac rehab should be covered by your insurance if your doctor refers. Although it is better than it has been in the past, historically women have not been referred to cardiac rehab. The cardiac rehabs also often have a RD on staff or on a consulting basis. Again, your insurance should pay.

Also agree with kswl that some type of meditation would be helpful. There are pretty good data on the use of meditation/mindfullness-based stress reduction MBSR in chronic illnesses.

Update: I had an excellent consult with my pulmonologist today. We are tackling my coughing, breathing, and wheezing problems first. Meds adjusted, and I should be feeling better in a few days hopefully. Then doing a lung and sleep study after the new year.

Discussed at length the breathing problems and interrelationship of the heart problems; doc texted back and forth with my cardiologist right there. I asked him about the cardiac rehab and he said I didn't need it. He did seem concerned about allergies and the possibility of asthma (which I have never had), and of course the possibility of sleep apnea.

I knew this would be an important appointment -- wish I had gone in sooner. I'm so glad I had my referral changed to a doc that didn't just do the sleep studies, which was my first referral.

Violet, I had this same problem two years ago. I got the flu, and it went into my lungs and stayed there for two months. Even after that I was weak. Then, six months later, I got it again for two more months. Then, a year and three months passed, and sick again for two months. Same thing, coughing and coughing, completely wore me out. I have tried EVERYTHING known to modern medicine and natural healing, holistic, etc.

A virus can feel like bronchitis, but not amount of antibiotics will cure it, so stay away from them like the plague. They are lifesavers for sure if you have something bacterial, but if you don't, they wreak havoc with your immune system!! A good diet for restoring your immune system includes lots of whole foods, yes soups, and lots of vegetables for the anti-oxidants. Juicing could be good, my SO swears by it but I just ate a lot of vegetable based soups. Limit carbs and sugars! I'm not an all-or-nothing person, but I had to really watch that as I am a carb-a-holic. Probiotics, the ones that you get in the refrigerator section, and 30B count. Forget yogurt and sauerkraut unless you make it yourself, what you get in the store is dead, despite what the label says. Lots of fluids. The only herb that helped me was olive leaf, it is a strong anti-oxidant. I tried them all.

I took a codeine-based cough syrup at night in order to get some sleep. Nothing over the counter worked. I only took it at night, so did not get addicted. Then, just rest, rest and more rest. Exercise did not help. Yes, maybe walk and stretch/yoga just to keep your muscles in shape, but exercise helps prevent your getting this, but once you have it, you just have to let your body rest. One day it will leave. Until then, listen to your body. Go on sabbatical. Rest. GET HELP!

My house went to heck in a handbasket. I had to pay someone to help me dig out. And so it goes. If sis is coming, maybe she can help. If she can't, and it is stressing you, either get some help ahead of time, or reschedule the visit. You are on time out!!!!! Rest and time, that is the only thing you can do. I wise doctor told me that, one who had been through the same thing herself. She said sometimes the body just goes into this mode due to having absorbed a lot of stress for a long time. She got it after med school and the birth of her first child. Sometimes the body needs to reset itself. On the plus side, I haven't been sick like that for over two years, so you can get over it!! We want instant fixes. Sometimes we just can't get them. But you can move through this eventually! Allow yourself the time to heal.

Lots of great advice Violet. Nothing else matters except your health at this point. Allow your sister to visit and take care of you if that's her thing.

You must be your own advocate with doctors and insurance. I would insist on the rehab if I were you.

thank you, guys. Hanging in there for now but it seems like two steps forward one step back. My Christmas present to myself is a cleaning lady for a month or two. Well, and a watch. And some new makeup . . . . (cough)