FutureCarmeliteClaire Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 About five months ago an vascular ultrasound tech walked into the waiting room and told me one of the most devastating things I have ever heard. I had a large bloodclot blocking my whole axillary vein in my arm. That is why my arm had been purple for weeks, that's why my arm kept going numb, that's why I had noticed new prominent veins in my shoulder and down my whole arm. And most of all, finally we diagnosed the problem that caused my clot that had been going on for MONTHS. This news was particularly shocking for me as I had already been checked for a blood clot in that arm at another facility and it was missed. A few hours later a doctor walked into my ER room and told me that I had a pulmonary embolism as well (a blood clot in my lung) and that I'd have to be ambulanced to another hospital. It is scary. No, not scary, terrifying. More people die every year from preventable blood clots than from breast cancer, AIDS, and traffic accidents combined. Pulmonary embolism is the third leading cause of death in the US. Dr. Samuel Goldhaber, Chairman of the Venous Disease Coalition said, "It is so important to raise awareness about DVT and PE because although blood clots are common, few Americans have sufficient knowledge about blood clots and how to prevent them." My condition was incredibly rare, but even still, a month to get my clots diagnosed was too long. Praise God that we did find them. March is blood clot awareness month, and I'd never been super into the "awareness month" thing, and then I got blood clots. This is a cause very important to me, and during this month, please do one thing and read a little bit on thromboembolism and how it can be prevented. http://www.theclotmustbefought.com/ If you know anyone else who is a thromboembolism survivor, please encourage them to share their story as well. :) Get a clue, clots kill you! Okay, medical rant done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tufsoles Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 My mom had Arital fibulation(where the heart does not beat properly.) We had to worry about clots too. It no fun and she was on a bunch of Warafin becasue of it. We were glad when she had to stop taking it and just takes asprin. She had a special surgery to fix her heart. She is fine now and besides the asprin she has to watch her caffine intake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FutureCarmeliteClaire Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 My mom had Arital fibulation(where the heart does not beat properly.) We had to worry about clots too. It no fun and she was on a bunch of Warafin becasue of it. We were glad when she had to stop taking it and just takes asprin. She had a special surgery to fix her heart. She is fine now and besides the asprin she has to watch her caffine intake. That sounds super scary! Yeah, I take lovenox (I should be done at some point this month). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissScripture Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Thankfully I never got a blood clot, but with my heart stuff (atrial septal defect) there were concerns, especially after the operation to correct the hole. I was on aspirin and plavix for several months after. I ended up with some epic bruises from that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FutureCarmeliteClaire Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 Thankfully I never got a blood clot, but with my heart stuff (atrial septal defect) there were concerns, especially after the operation to correct the hole. I was on aspirin and plavix for several months after. I ended up with some epic bruises from that! The bruises are the best part of the blood thinners! LOL! :) I just did injection #323. AND I'M BEATING THIS THING! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evangetholic Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 This is all very frightening to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissScripture Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 The bruises are the best part of the blood thinners! LOL! :) I just did injection #323. AND I'M BEATING THIS THING! I wish I still had the phone I had back then. It had some great bruise pictures on it. I had the most beautiful bruise on the back of my leg. We have no idea how I could have gotten a bruise there, especially one that large. It looked like I had been hit with a fastball! I had no memory of having done anything that would cause any sort of bruising. I didn't have injections, just pills. Do they give you even more bruises? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FutureCarmeliteClaire Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 I wish I still had the phone I had back then. It had some great bruise pictures on it. I had the most beautiful bruise on the back of my leg. We have no idea how I could have gotten a bruise there, especially one that large. It looked like I had been hit with a fastball! I had no memory of having done anything that would cause any sort of bruising. I didn't have injections, just pills. Do they give you even more bruises? Yeah, I get a bruise at every injection site. :) Look up "lovenox bruises". It's cray. Haha, I'll have to post a few pics of my bruises in a few. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FutureCarmeliteClaire Posted March 6, 2013 Author Share Posted March 6, 2013 These are other people's, not mine. This is a bit lighter than the ones I usually get. These are more like the ones I get, but all over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IcePrincessKRS Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 My uncle has been dealing with DVT. It is scary stuff. I'm glad you're beating it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FutureCarmeliteClaire Posted March 6, 2013 Author Share Posted March 6, 2013 My uncle has been dealing with DVT. It is scary stuff. I'm glad you're beating it! Definitely scary. Prayers for him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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