Well, I am a 23 year old girl looking for some answers on this huge blood clot in my left leg. It was diagnosed on 1-27-07.. My leg is still turning red and purple and still have pain. I am on Coumadin 3mg and on my third round with Lovenox... I am just anxious to get on with my life. They have me on bedrest and I can't go back to work. They keep saying it will get better, but I am wondering how long they usually take to go away? Do they really get better or do doctors just sugar coat things?

Hi, I don't want to alarm you but I have done alot of research on this. I was forced to because in late Sept my X, we were really close and loved our kids, anyway, he couldn't breathe at 600pm and was gone at 1030pm. We had no idea what happened until the coroner told us. He had DVT in his right leg, never knew it, had no symptoms. It let loose and traveled to his lungs, it is then called a pulmonary embolism. It blocked his lungs, so he went into cardiac arrest and passed away.

DVT can be lethal. They need to break up this clot and possibly put a stent in to block it from going towards the heart.

People die from blood clots and it is a major cause of strokes and heart attacks. Sometimes it is hard to diagnose. You are lucky that yours was diagnosed but I cannot believe you are on bedrest, the coroner told me it was from his immobility that this happened. But if you have dvt I think if you are laying down it is better, I think...

I would get a second opinion and get this clot dissolved and ALSO find out WHY your blood has a clotting problem. You are young!! Usually you will be at risk for this again and they need to find out what condition you may have that this happened to your blood! Do not take this lightly. My kids Dad whom we all loved is gone, here one moment gone the next, we have been in shock and grief for almost 6 months now, and this shouldn't of happened. If he couldn't breathe he should of went to the ER, which I begged him to, that was a sign of a pulmonary embolism, this is very serious!

I hope everything is ok with you please call your doctor this is nothing to take lightly. Best to you, let me know how you are doing and what you found out about your condition...Wendy

It can take awhile for the clot to dissolve. I had clots in my lungs about a year and a half ago. I never had any symptoms prior to the actual event.

The lovenox and Coumadin will help prevent any future clots it will give your body time to dissolve the clot.

Have they tested you for blood disorders? Good luck!

Hi, I don't want to alarm you but I have done alot of research on this. I was forced to because in late Sept my X, we were really close and loved our kids, anyway, he couldn't breathe at 600pm and was gone at 1030pm. We had no idea what happened until the coroner told us. He had DVT in his right leg, never knew it, had no symptoms. It let loose and traveled to his lungs, it is then called a pulmonary embolism. It blocked his lungs, so he went into cardiac arrest and passed away.

DVT can be lethal. They need to break up this clot and possibly put a stent in to block it from going towards the heart.

People die from blood clots and it is a major cause of strokes and heart attacks. Sometimes it is hard to diagnose. You are lucky that yours was diagnosed but I cannot believe you are on bedrest, the coroner told me it was from his immobility that this happened. But if you have dvt I think if you are laying down it is better, I think...

I would get a second opinion and get this clot dissolved and ALSO find out WHY your blood has a clotting problem. You are young!! Usually you will be at risk for this again and they need to find out what condition you may have that this happened to your blood! Do not take this lightly. My kids Dad whom we all loved is gone, here one moment gone the next, we have been in shock and grief for almost 6 months now, and this shouldn't of happened. If he couldn't breathe he should of went to the ER, which I begged him to, that was a sign of a pulmonary embolism, this is very serious!

I hope everything is ok with you please call your doctor this is nothing to take lightly. Best to you, let me know how you are doing and what you found out about your condition...Wendy

I am so sorry to hear about your ex...I want to thank you though for giving me your input. I have had so many tests done, blood work done about 6 times, I am seeing a hematologist. They are saying the DVT was caused from Birth control and taking a 6 hour car trip.. They say they cant rule out any blood disorders because they started my coumadin and lovenox quickly in the E.R. and didnt get that blood work done prior to being treated. So they say in about a year when I am off the meds, they will check my blood again to see if I have a clotting disorder. I just wish it would go away already. Sometimes I just feel like because I am so young, doctors just blow off illnesses. They say they are doing all they can for now, but I dont know if there are other options out there. Thanks again wendy
-Teresa-

It can take awhile for the clot to dissolve. I had clots in my lungs about a year and a half ago. I never had any symptoms prior to the actual event.

The lovenox and Coumadin will help prevent any future clots it will give your body time to dissolve the clot.

Have they tested you for blood disorders? Good luck!

Thank you for the input...They were unable to test for clotting problems because they started me on lovenox and coumadin right away when I was in the E.R. They told me after I am off the meds in a year, they will check my blood again. They are saying that the clot was caused from Birth control and a 6 hour trip in the car...So, has it taken a year and 1/2 for your clots to dissolve? Did you also have a DVT and it traveled to you lung or was it caused from something else? Thanks again!

Hi, thank you for your words of sympathy. I am so very glad that you were diagnosed and I am sure you will be treated properly. I just read that 2 million people suffer from dvt, 60,000 die, so it is so important to be diagnosed and treated. I just wished he knew that he had dvt so he could of been saved. Now i am paranoid of this. I have heard about birth control being a risk for clots, i hope you are off bc. He was sitting at the pc for long hours. I wish you to get well and have a great life and thanks for replying...Wendy

My PE was caused by the pill too. I was only 25 at the time. I was tested for a bunch of clotting disorders but all came out negative. Good luck!

ummok88-We're going through the exact same thing, only my clot is in my right leg. I was rushed to the hospital Dec. 23rd with a swollen red/purple leg, and blue toes and the most horrific pain I've ever been in. I spent 5 days in the hosptail, through Christmas and after. The pain got so bad even being out of the hospital, that I was taken by ambulance back to the ER once, and was driven another time. Morphine finally helped me. I know how nasty those Lovenox shots are (was on them for 10 days, twice a day, and am possibly going to be back on them), and I am currently on 5mg/6mg of Coumadin alternate days. I'm sure you've become a pincoushin as well, and seeing all of these doctors, specialists, all of these tests are overwhelming. I have gone through literally everything you have, and I can understand your pain and frustration. My clot is huge as well, runs from below my knee and up into my pelvis, measures in feet. I never EVER knew that a blood clot could be measured like this, I pictured it something small, pea size, not the size mine got.

I know how scared you are as well, because I am and was too. I have a great Gen. Practitioner who is wonderful, and a hematologist, and they all have assured me that the clot will not move because of being on the Lovenox (was told it makes the clot adhear to the vein so it DOESN'T move, which was the fear in the beginning). The Coumadin is to help the clot disolve or "grow into" the vein. At least this is what I have been told. I am almost 3 months into this, and still have the pain, redness/purpleness, and the swelling. I am unable to work, and driving is a no-no. However my doctor doesn't want me sitting around all day, unless my swelling and pain is too severe. I've been told to get up and walk every hour or so, but this is what my doctor has said...only do what your doctor has told is right for you. :) I've not had any problems with clots in my lungs, but am always so scared that something will travel to my lungs and land me in the hospital, or worse.

I just wanted to share with you what I am going through, as it sounds like we're both in the same boat. If I can answer any questions, just let me know. Take care hun! OH, and BTW, my clot was caused by BCP as well (just turned 26 in Feb.) however I am overweight so that contributed to it as well.

Formerlsa - I wanted to say that I am sorry about your loss, that's horrific. *hugs* to you and your children.

Waterfairy-Thank you so much for your story... Ya I left a lot out of mine, I was just giving the basics. I was put in the hospital when it happened for only a day and a half. They said the clot was continuous from my groin to my ankle.They released me and gave me the Lovenox and Coumadin. They said in 2 weeks I should notice a big difference. But of course with my luck, I didnt..When it first started I had a pain in my lower abdomen, I thought it was a cyst on my ovary or intestinal pain. I have irritable bowel syndrome. So i blew off the pain for 2 days and then one morning I took a hot shower and when I got out i looked down at my leg and it was swollen, purple and red and the veins were at the surface, my toes were black and blue. It was scarey. A couple weeks prior to this I had made a trip to Cali to get my hubby. He came home from a 6 month deployment (USMC) : ) anyways...We moved into an apartment over there and during our move I started not feeling well for about 4 days. It felt funny when I took a deep breath and I was nauseated. I didnt have an appetite really for 2 weeks. We came back out to AZ another 6 hour car ride to visit family for his leave and about 5 days into our trip in AZ was when I noticed the symptoms of my leg. Im not sure how long it takes for a clot to develop, but from the time that I left for Cali and came back and noticed symptoms it was about 14 days. I never had a clot in the lung either. It scared me in the E.R. when they told me the symptoms of a pulmonary embolism and was worried that those symptoms I had previously in Cali a couple weeks before was a clot in my lung. Well moving on..On Feb 22 I had called my hematologist and told him the pain isnt much better, I was still limping and my leg was still turning red/purple. He told me to go to the E.R. for more testing. They thought I had a clot in the main artery to my heart. I had ct scan, x-rays, EKG, blood work and they all came out ok. The blockage was still in my thigh and still to the knee. I am relieved that it has cleared atleast half of my leg, but I just wish it would go away. I am still taking Lovenox, I have given myself over 60 injections already over the past several weeks and am taking 3mg coumadin. I am not sure y they are keeping me on the lovenox, but it helps the pain. It sounds like this could take several months since you are about 3 months out and still not having a whole lot of improvement. I wish you the best in your recovery and lets keep eachother posted on how we are doing. Thanks again

ummok88 - *hugs* I just hopped online really quickly before I went off to bed, and saw your post. I can barely keep my eyes open, but wanted to let you know I'd respond more tomorrow. You have no idea how much we've got in common, though this blood clot is the thing that has done it! I just wanted to tell you that you're not alone in this, and I hope that maybe we can get through this together. Have a good night!

ummok88 - How have you been today? I hope well. I'm having one of my better days, which is always a good thing. You know, when I read your story last night, I realized how much your story matches mine. I woke up one morning, hopped into the shower, and when I bent my right knee, I felt a "tight" sort of feeling, and throughout the time I was in there, I kept looking at my leg thinking it was a little swollen. By the time I got out, I went to my bedroom, looked down, and I had the same things you did; the swollen, red and purple tone, with the blue toes. Pretty much identical to your story. I called my Mom into my room (still live with her b/c of financial reasons :) ) and she didn't know what to think either. Throughout the day, we had gone out Christmas shopping, and the more I walked, the more pain I had and I could barely walk. Later that night, I had put my leg up on pillows and had taken some Advil which didn't touch anything of the pain, and when I went to get up, I couldn't. The pain was so severe, and it went right into my pelvis. That's when I woke my Mom up and she took me to the ER.

I had no idea, that two weeks prior, the cramp in my calf was the beginnings of my clot. I was woken up in the middle of the night with a nasty cramp that came out of nowhere, but never did I think "hmm, blood clot." But when they asked me in the ER if I had ever noticed any cramping, I thought back and was like "Ohhh no." If I had only gone to the doctor sooner, I might have had a bit better of an outcome.

I'm so sorry to hear that you've still got the Lovenox shots on. Everytime those nurses came into my room, every 12 hours, to give me another shot, I just got so upset. I hate shots. lol My poor mother took over when I got home, and honestly she did better than the nurses! Honestly, the Lovenox does help, and I'm glad that it has helped you. Are you able to get up much throughout the day and more around? I remember when I first started getting up, I always had a fear that the clot would break up and go to my lung, but my doctor assured me it wouldn't.

Are you taking anything for the pain? I was on both Percocet and Oxycontin at the same time for the pain after my 2nd ER trip. People don't realize how painful these things can be. My Mom was so distraught that she literally purchased a walker and a hospital bed for me, because I was in so much pain from laying in my own bed. This is definitly not an easy injury and definitely no fun.

Sorry to ramble so much. If I can answer anything for you I will. I so hope that things begin to look up for you. Believe me, there is light at the end of the tunnel. At least that's what my doctors keep saying. :) Best of luck hun.

BTW, which birth control were you on when you were diagnosed? I was on Yasmin. I'm just curious.

Waterfairy- It is crazy how almost identical our stories are. I also had that tight feeling in my knee, but have been experiencing that feeling off and on for a couple years. Especially if i was in a hot tub or took a really hot shower. I dont know if i have had this problem for a lot longer. Kinda scarey...

Well, today is one of my better days as well. I have been trying to take it easy though on my good days cuz i get in the bad habit that if i feel better, i tend to walk a lil too much. I go tomorrow to see how my PT/INR are doing. I hope its all getting stable. I have been waiting to go back to Cali to be with my husband. Im stuck in AZ (also living with my parents) : )

I really do think there is a light at the end of the tunnel for us, I just know we were hoping it wouldnt take so long. You are about 1 1/2 months further into this than me, but it seems like you had a lot more pain than I did. For the first week it hurt so bad i was in tears every night. I was given Vicodin. Now the pain is off and on. I did have to take a vicodin the other night when i had a "better day" and walked too much. Day by day i just keep telling myself that this is going away and I will be layin on the beach soon!!!

The pill I was on was called Levlite 28...I was however taking it continously so i never had a period. They think I have endometriosis and have so much pain during my cycle that they said it was safe to take them everyday. I honestly felt great while i was on them, but I will never ever take another hormone pill for as long as i live! It's crazy, but I have heard of so many girls that were on Yasmin and they got clots from it. I dont know if its because its a popular pill and a lot of girls take it, or if the risk is just greater with Yasmin. I have been on birth control though for 8 years now. A little too long I think. I started taking them everyday back in September.

Well, I will stop gabbing your ear off too hee hee.. Take care and I hope you have an even better day tomorrow. oh I wanted to ask why you arent allowed to drive yet? Is it because its the right leg? and have they told you any idea when you can go back to work? They say I cant go back to work "for a while" whatever that kind of time frame is...but I have been driving lately, they never told me not to, but im worried if I shouldnt be. I will ask them tomorrow. Well take care and hope you sleep good! I know I havent been able to sleep well in weeks! *hugs*

-Teresa-

Teresa - So nice to meet you:) My name is Steph. I think since we share so much already, introductions are in order. :wave:

It's just so weird how much our stories are alike! I knew there had to be people out there that had experienced what I had, but I hadn't any idea there was another woman who was almost identical! I hope that your knee tightness isn't anything too serious. I had no idea what that feeling was like, and even after I got home from the hosptial stay, whenever I feel my leg getting really tight again, I know that my blood has thickened a lot. About 3 weeks ago, my leg began to get that tight feeling, and my bloodwork showed that I looked like I wasn't even on Coumadin! I was shocked, because I take it every single day at 5pm, even have an alarm on my cell phone so I never ever forget. But now whenever I get that feeling, I know I need to call my doctor!

I'm so glad to hear that you had a better day! They are always a positive thing. I don't know if you wrote your reply last night and you had your retest for the PT/INR today or are going tomorrow, but either way, I hope it comes back looking a lot better for you! I just went Monday and had my "checkup" and my doctor increase my Coumadin to 6mg every day. I get checked again in 2 weeks. Has your doctor mentioned to you about the Vitamin K thing while being on Coumadin? I know that the last time I had my blood get too thick, it was because I had too much Vitamin K. That's been REALLY hard for me to figure out, because EVERYTHING HAS Vitamin K in it. In the hospital, they gave me a paragraph that said not to eat leafy greens in access, broccoli, cauliflower. They mentioned nothing about soy, canola oil, even mayonnaise because of the soybean oil. I had no idea!

I'm so sorry to hear that your husband and you are apart! That's got to be hard trying to deal with this, especially since he just got back home! I hope you two are reunited SOON!! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you so that you can go home soon!!!!!!!

There MUST be a light at the end of the tunnel for us!! That's what I'm relying on; family, my loving boyfriend, and my hope! Even though I'm about 1 and a half months into this longer than you are, it's still hard for both of us, I'm sure. The pain I get is nowhere near where it used to be. When it was at it's worst, I was basically sedated for two weeks straight. But now I'm doing pretty well. I took a Percocet last night because I decided to sit wrong, with my legs hanging over a bed for about an hour, and that just did not sit well with my legs, literally. :) I'm glad to hear that your pain has subsided quite a bit as well, and only need to take pain meds every so often.

You know, or similarities keep growing. My doctors believe I also have endometriosis, but hasn't been confirmed because I cannot afford the laproscopy surgery to diagnose it. I've been on birth control pills since age 12 or 13 because of my horrific periods, but never had any sort of problems with them until now. So I've basically been on the Pill, one way or another, for about 13 years or so.

The thing about driving with this clot, my doctor honestly didn't say any sort of reason why, but when I saw him last, he said "walking good, driving no." Honestly I don't know the real reason why, but I know that when I drive, my leg gets really sore. It might be, because of what you said, that it's my right leg and that's my "driving" leg, so that could be. As for the work thing, I was unemployed before I got this clot, so I'm lucky in a sense that I don't have any sort of timeline that I need to work with. My poor family is supporting me right now, which I feel terrible about. But anyway, the work thing, my doctor told me, I won't be able to start looking "for quite some time." So like you, there's no real timeline on when I can start looking for another job. Something you might want to ask your doctor(s) is if you are driving, how much you should do and whatnot. I do drive, but only back and forth about 5 mins. down the road to take my boyfriend back and forth to work (no drivers license yet :) ) but that's it. And he doesn't work every day so it's okay. Whenever I can't drive though, he takes a cab. I just don't push it. Next time I talk with the doctor or the nurse, I'll ask and let you know what they say about the whole driving thing. :)

I hope you got that good nights sleep, Teresa. I know how horrible sleeping is sometimes. I had to really get used to sleeping on my back with this, because before I always slept on my side or stomach. I hope that you get a good report from the doctors and a nice visit from the dream fairy. Keep me updated on how things go. I hope you don't mind me chatting so much on your thread...I'm just so thankful to find someone who has been going through pretty much an identical thing. Take care, Teresa! *hugs*

Waterfairy-Well it is nice to meet you!http://www.healthboards.com/boards/images/smilies/wave.gif
:wave: So, how are you doing today? Any better sleep? My leg seems to be having some good days lately, but I came down with a cold yesterday and my doctor doesn't want me taking anything other than Tylenol. I am still waiting for call from him to let me know how my bloodwork turned out yesterday. Hope it is good!

Oh, thanks for letting me know about the Vit. K in Soy and Mayo. I had no idea. When all this happened I completely changed my eating habits as soon as I came home from the hospital. I havent eaten any green leafy veggies or hardly any veggies at all, just corn. They told me to stay away from high fat foods because I also have a family history of cardiovascular disease and hardening of the arteries, so they said because the vein in my leg has been damaged, it is more likely to have cholesterol build up in that particular vein when I get older.So, I have been staying away from the fast food as much as possible. I also have irritable bowel syndrome so I have been on a really high fiber diet since I can no longer take any meds for the problem.

As far as the endometriosis goes, they just have me on Vicodin for when I have pain during my cycle since they cant do much else. My OBGYN told me in a year when I am off the Coumadin they would think about doing a laparoscopy, but he said not much can be done and a hysterectomy at age 25 doesn't sound too great to me. You should ask them about taking pain pills during your cycle. The past 2 times on my period since being off the pill, the vicodin helped a lot. I only had to take it at night for like 3 days and I was fine.

About the driving. I bet it is because that is your driving leg. I am always scared now when I drive or am in a car about being in an accident. Im not sure how much you can with stand in an accident before we would have internal bleeding from being on the blood thinners.

Oh, do you have a medical ID bracelet? That was one of the first things I purchased. It's amazing how expensive a little piece of metal with writing on it can be, but I think it's worth it!

I wanted to tell you that I have been using a heating pad on my legs and taking a warm bath every night for the past few weeks. I have really noticed that the pain is going away. I read about superficial vein phlebitis and it said you can have clots in the veins that are close to the surface and using warm compesses helps relieve the pain and makes the clot dissolve quicker. I always had a bruising pain if i applied a little pressure in certain areas on my leg. The doctor said it could be phlebitis and so i started treating those symptoms with the heat and have noticed a big difference in the pain. I know there is still a large clot behind my knee though. That is what hurts the most from the Dvt still and it turns so red and purple when I stand up too long.

Well, I hope each day continues to get better for you and I hope your INR stays stable! I will let you know what the Dr says. Take care *HUGS*http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif
:)
*Teresa*

Hello there Teresa! How was your day? I hope you had another good day with your leg. I spent too much time out and about yesterday on my feet and my leg hurts quite a bit this evening. I always tend to overdo it when I am feeling better, and then get knocked back. I hope your cold is lots better today. I know how hard it is when you've got to be careful in what OTC things you take. I'm only allowed Tylenol as well for anything, and that doesn't cut it for me!

How was your bloodwork results (that is, if you got them back!)

Isn't it so hard trying to get things to "work" with the Coumadin? I have had a very difficult time, as I'm sure a lot of people do when they're not used to being on a blood thinner. When I was in the hospital, the nutritionist never told me anything about the Coumadin, nor did any of the doctors. I was told to lose weight though, and was recommended to join Weight Watchers, which I've done. Having this blood clot, they said that my weight had something to do with it, but it was most likely the pill that caused it.

You know, I never thought about getting a medical ID bracelet or anything like that. I might just have to now...last thing I need is to be in an accident and they don't know I'm on a blood thinner. Thanks for sharing that with me!

Do you still have a lot of swelling in your leg? My right leg is significantly larger than my left leg, and I can notice it quite a bit when I wear jeans. It's only been the last week or two that my foot isn't completely swollen to where I can barely bend it. The leg itself doesn't really stay unswollen, but it's nowhere near as bad as it was. You know, your warm bath and heating pad was a great idea. When I was in the hosptial, they put some moist heat on my leg to help with the pain, and it helped quite a bit. Now when I'm home, I take a hot damp cloth and put that underneath my heating pad and sit with that when the pain really gets intense. I've not tried the bath idea yet because I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to get out of the tub!

This might be too much information, but I've definitely noticed the difference during my cycle, in regards to how heavy it gets. I've always had a heavy flow, but find it much worse on the Coumadin. The cramping hasn't gotten as bad yet, but it's only a matter of time I'm sure. Once I've got my clot issues under control, I've got to go see my OBGYN about options now.

I hope to hear that your next report went really well, and hope you're getting better each and every day. Take care! *HUGS*

Steph

Hey Steph..Well, my INR was 2.4, right where they wanted it. It was 2.7 last week so they said I am stable for now. I am just afraid cuz next week they said they wanted to stop the Lovenox and the last time they did that my INR went down to 1.4... So we will c how that goes.

I decided today that I am going back to Cali to be with my husband. He drove out today to come get me. It's just annoying having to make appointments with new doctors and all, but it will be ok.

The cold is getting better thankfully!! Still stuffy, but Tylenol helps a little. I have been doing a lot of walking the past couple days and tonight my leg is a little sore...I can tell it is swelling, it feels all tight and my toes feel tight when I try to bend them. The warm bath usually helps it though.

Well, as for my cycle I have noticed a lot more bleeding as well, but as far as pain or cramps, very little, which is odd for me. I am usually in bed for 10 days and feel terrible, but I have been taking Vicodin the first 3 days of my period, so I dont know if that has anything to do with it. I saw my OBGYN last week and he told me for now, Vicodin was about my only option for pain and Birth contol in the future was out of the question. He recommended my husband get a vasectomy if we didnt want any children. That seemed a little extreme for now, so we just gotta be very careful!!!

Well, I am sorry to hear that your leg is sore. I know how it is on those "Good Days" heehee... You just get so tired of sitting around all day doing nothing and when you feel better it's nice to walk around and get out of the house.

Well, you take care and hope you have a better day tomorrow.*HUGS*
-Teresa-

Hiya Teresa :wave:

I'm so glad to hear that your PT/INR results showed much improvement and is where your doctors wanted the levels to be. Have they stopped the Lovenox like they said they might? I know when I stopped the Lovenox I had the same problem with my levels going back down. But a lot of it has to do with the Coumadin being regulated as well, at least for me. It takes a while to get the right dosage of the Coumadin...I'm 3 months in and still haven't found the right dosage yet. It's usually changed every time I get my levels checked. Lots of it has to do with the Vitamin K thing as well.

I'm so happy for you, Teresa, that you and your husband have been able to reuinite again. That had to be so hard being away from him, especially having just gotten him back from the USMC! I'm really truly happy for you!!! Have you been able to find any new doctors in California?

I have yet to see my OBGYN since having this clot. I need to talk with him now about my options, because like you, I'm never allowed to be on birth control pills again. A really mean nurse in the hospital mentioned getting an IUD put in because it doesn't have the estrogen in it (if I'm not mistaken), but I've only heard terrible things about those things. I can't believe your OBGYN suggested your husband get a vasectomy! That does seem quite extreme, doesn't it!? My boyfriend and I definitely want children one day....way down the road, so that's not going to happen. I've been told too, that I will most likely have a problem conceiving because of my female problems, so I don't need to add that to the mix! :) Right now, I just need to find out what to use as far as birth control, because I always liked that extra security of birth control in addition to condoms. Sorry if that was too much information. :confused:

How has your leg been? You mentioned swelling in your last post. I hope it's doing a lot better. My swelling has gone down a lot, but it's still bigger than my other leg. I can really tell when I wear pants or jeans. Plus it's always got that purple/red look to it, and you can really see the pores look like little purple dots, if that makes any sense. I've been doing a bit more driving than I probably should. But I'm trying to take it easy. I always have this fear though, that if I end up sitting all day and not doing anything, I'm going to get another blood clot. My doctor said that I shouldn't worry, but I do. I still even check to make sure my toes aren't turning blue! This whole clot thing has just changed everything! I'm sure you can attest to that!

I look forward to hearing how you're doing and how things are back in you own place with your husband. Take good care, Teresa! *HUGS*

Steph

Hi Steph.. How are you doing today? I haven't taken it easy since I got back to Cali. Surprisingly though, my leg doesn't feel to bad. I was so scared driving back. I had to make the 6 hour drive back again ( the drive that caused this mess). We stopped every hour and got out to walk around. I made myself move my leg every ten minutes though in the car the whole way here. I know I shoule be taking it easy, but it's so hard to. We had just moved out here when this happened and nothing got put away, so I have spent the past 2 days on my feet putting things away. My groin is what hurts the most I think. My thigh and calf feel bruised, but I am scared about the pain in my groin. That was where the pain started 2 months ago. Do you think I am just over working myself? I know they said it was still blocked there and I wonder if over working myself put too much strain??? I dunno.

As far as the birth control issue.. When I saw my hematologist I was talking to her about what to do and what they thought would be in my best interest since they put me on the Lovenox and Coumadin. She even said no IUD.. she said they do contain small amounts of hormones and didnt recommend that. Basically she said condoms!! Which isnt my most favorite thing in the world (sorry if that was too much info.), but we have to be careful for now. She also said femal condoms, diaphram and the use of foams and gels. But as far as a pill to take, she said no way.

Well, the cold finally went away. I actually started feeling great once I got here. The weather is so much nicer. Not too hot and its more humid. AZ is way to dry!!!

Well, I hope you continue to do better..We just need to relax more often I think. I know we shouldnt push ourselves, but this lifestyle is getting pretty boring.
:)
I hope to hear from you soon. Take care Steph!!! *HUGS* and try not to over work yourself..We have to get better!!! -Teresa-:wave:

Hello Teresa! I bet you're really enjoying the time with your husband, now that you're home. I can only imagine that things are just that much better since being back in the arms of your sweetie! Have you begun to take a little break with your leg? I hope you've had a little bit of rest! :)

Oh I can only imagine how scary it was driving back home with your husband. Every time I get in the car for any amount of time, I get scared that this whole thing will happen again. But I'm so glad that you got to take breaks and walk around when you were driving back home. And moving your leg in the car too, that was great! I know whenever I'm laying on the couch or something, I will move my foot up and down to get some sort of circulation going.

Thank you for sharing with me what your hematologist told you about birth control options. I had a feeling that there wasn't going to be anything besides condoms and the OTC foams and such. I'm not sure why that one nurse told me to get an IUD. I am sure that most all options provided by a gynecologist is somehow hormone related, though I could be wrong. I'm terrefied more too, what my cycle is going to be like in the months to come.

I'm really glad that your cold got much better once you got back to CA. I've been fighting allergies like mad here in NC. Everything's starting to blossom and boy, my allergies do not like that.

Have any of your doctors said that you can sit TOO much? I'm just wondering if that's something that I need to worry about. I try and get up every hour or so, but at the same time, I worry that I sit around too much as well.

I hope that things are getting better for you now that you're home. Keep in touch and keep me updated on your recovery! Enjoy that time with your husband!!

Take care, Teresa. *HUGS*

Steph

Hey Steph! Sorry I haven't written in a few days. I haven't been on the computer. How are you doing? Any better? The past few days for me have seemed ok. Not too much pain. I just wonder if the red/purple look to my leg will ever go away?

I go tomorrow for another test of my INR. Hopefully I am still stable. The doctor out here finally took me off the Lovenox last Wednesday and I am still at 3mg of Coumadin for now. I hope I continue to stay stable with that. I am making her check me every 2 days cuz I told her I was scared that I may drop. She thought it was a good idea too.

Are you still having a lot of pain? I hope not...I know they told me not to get up and walk too much, but honestly I think walking more has helped me feel a little better.

Well, keep me posted on how you are doing! I hope you are doing better and better each day! Take care Steph! Hugs.... -Teresa-

Hiya Teresa :wave: I apologize too, for taking so long to get back on and write. I've been busy, probably more busy than I should be with this leg of mine! I'm having terrible pain again, because my blood has decided to thicken up...again. My doctor upped my Coumadin to 7mg a day now, and it's just really starting to wear on me. I have that really tight feeling in my leg when I bend it, and it's swollen up and red again. I was doing so good, and then when I go and do a little shopping, walking, driving, I end up back in the same old place! Argh!!!!

So how did your PT/INR test go? I hope that everything is going nothing but great for you hun. I am really bummed about everything, especially since I noticed that today it was 3 months since I was in the ER and found out I had this thing. I hate to think that I've got another 3 months of this, and even longer! I'm paranoid about everything, always checking to make sure my toes aren't purple. I woke up last night with a cramping in my arm and automatically think BLOOD CLOT! I know it's not, but I think you probably know what I mean...you're just always wondering and worrying! I hate it! lol

I'm quite tired so I think I'll end this here. I look forward to hearing from you and seeing how things are going. Take good care though, Teresa! HUGS!

Steph

Hola Steph!:wave: Well, I am sorry to hear that you aren't doing well with your INR. Mine's not so great either. Last week it gradually started to drop off and went to 1.9...So they increased me to 5mg. I go tomorrow to see how it is, but I know it is still low. I can just feel it. Kinda like your leg has been. I have definately over done it the past 3 days. My knee is red and tight and my toes really hurt. It seems like everyday the pain is in a different place. It's crazy that you said you woke up with a cramp in your arm. I have been having cramps and pain in my left arm and shoulder for like 2 weeks now. I think it's just because I haven't slept well in so long. I still take vicodin every now and then for the pain...just about to take one now. I'm tired of feeling this way. I hope you get to feeling better soon. Take it easy chica! *HUGS* -Teresa-

Hiya Teresa :wave: So sorry I've not been in touch. I had quite a bad stomach bug, and that took me away for a while. Plus I couldn't get onto these boards for some reason. I hope this message finds you well. I'm doing a bit better, mentally, from the last time I posted. :) I kind of get depressed every once in a while with this whole thing. I am starting to wonder if I will ever be back to a normal life. I'm sure you might have those feelings as well? :confused: How have your testing results been? I go again Monday and then we'll see how things are. I'm not looking forward to being pricked again, but I've gotta do it! Has your Coumadin been increased at all? I'm still on 7mg/day but that might change tomorrow after my results.

Are you still experiencing the redness and swelling in your leg? Anytime I'm up and around for more than an hour, my leg swells and gets those redish/purpleish dots and coloring to it. I'm starting to feel like this will be a life long problem. I really need to talk with my doctor and see exactly where we go from here. I want to be able to start looking for a job, start driving again more than 5 minutes down the road, etc. I want to know too, what I'm to expect long term. I have no idea exactly what I'll have to deal with, and that makes me uncomfortable.

I hope you are doing well, and enjoying the reunion with your husband. :) I look forward to hearing from you.

I think too, we might need to start a new thread since the board moderators don't like a post to get too long. :)

Take care, you!! *HUGS* Steph

Hey Steph.. :wave: I won't make this too long since we need to start a new thread. You can start a new one, I will look out for it. Ya, I am doing a little better each day. I still have the pain by the end of the day, but not too intense. I still get the red/purple spots and purple toes if I stand for over 10 minutes, but if I am moving around, it doesn't bother me. I am also concerned about what our future will be like. I really do think in time this will totally resolve, but I am thinking I won't feel totally normal for almost a year. I am just going to take the rest of the year to get healthy again. I am going to ask my doctor though if it would be ok to work part-time in a month or so. I think I could do a sit down job for a few hours a day. I was working as a technician for an ophthalmologist and stand all day long, so I know that job is out of the question. I am glad to hear you are also feeling a little better. I'm sorry though that you weren't feeling well for a little while. They have uped my coumadin to 5mg/3mg alternating days. My INR is either too high or too low. So tuesday we will c how this new dosing is working out. Well, you take care and I hope to hear from you soon. Hope you feel better with your tummy!:) *HUGS* -Teresa-