Here is an action plan for those with heart failure:

Every day

• Weigh yourself in the morning – but before breakfast – after you use the bathroom and write down your weight.
• Take your medicine as you have been instructed.
• Check for swelling in your feet, ankles, legs and stomach.
• Eat low-salt food and watch the amount of fluid you drink.
• Balance activity and rest periods.
• Find your heart failure zone.

Green zone

All clear: this zone is your goal!

• No shortness of breath
• No weight gain of more than 2 pounds
• No swelling of your feet, ankles, legs or stomach
• No chest pain

Yellow zone

• Caution – this zone is a warning. Call your doctor or Community Cares at 316-268-5255.
• You have a weight gain of three pounds or more in one day.
• You feel short of breath.
• You have more swelling in your feet, ankles, legs or stomach.
• You feel more tired or have no energy.
• You have a dry, hacky cough.
• You feel dizzy.
• You feel uneasy; you know something is wrong.
• It is harder for you to breathe when lying down or you need to sleep sitting up in a chair.
• You wake up from your sleep short of breath or in a panic to breathe.

Red zone

• Call your doctor or Community Cares to discuss symptoms if you have any of the following:
• You are struggling to breathe and shortness of breath does not get better while sitting still.
• You have confusion or can’t think clearly.