2. Fatigue and Weakness
As heart failure worsens, the heart is unable to keep the blood flow within healthy ranges, so your body won’t get enough of it. To compensate, your body diverts blood away from less-essential areas, including the legs and arms, to supply the brain and heart.
As a result, you may feel run down and tired over an extended period. The tiredness usually becomes worse during certain activities, such as climbing stairs, walking, or carrying groceries. If you had no problem doing these activities in the past and now you can’t even finish grocery shopping without feeling drained, you may want to talk to your doctor.
According to experts, these kinds of significant changes are raising more concerns for doctors than every little pain or ache you may be feeling. They also point out that unexplained weakness is a symptom of heart failure that women especially experience.