Deep Vein Thrombosis Scare (long post)

I have just experienced the most horrible week I can imagine, and I wish I could say the nightmare was over. It is not, but let me start at the beginning.

New Year’s weekend, I had the flu for the second time. When I recovered, my left calf had a “Charlie horse” that would not go away. I took a lot of aspirin, but another problem also cropped up that took more of my attention. I had a pain just under my right rib cage area that occasionally made it difficult to breathe. Neither problem seemed to resolve itself, but I had a deadline the holidays had delayed. I ignored my physical issues and sweated over my work.

Finally, with my manuscript complete, I could no longer ignore my worsening physical problems. The “Charlie horse” had knotted up so badly I could not walk with ease, and my chest pain had reached the stage that I could no longer hide it from my husband and roommate.

On the 13th of January, I complained of these issues to my eldest daughter, who promptly had a conniption. TJ has experience with DVT and pulmonary thrombosis, and recognized the possibility of the dangerous symptoms. She begged me, and then convinced my menfolks to take me to the doctor. My doctor didn’t have Saturday hours, so we casually set out for the hospital ER, certain they’d send me home with a fistful of Tylenol. How wrong we were.

The ER staff agreed with my daughter, and so began a hellish five-day nightmare. They could not establish an IV, not even after thirteen sticks. My veins are never an easy stick to begin with, but my blood literally clotted right in the IV catheters. “Something is very wrong here,” one nurse muttered. Some twelve hours after my arrival, they were forced to perform a PICC (sp) line procedure using a special team called in from their time off.

Within 24 hours, DVT was confirmed in my left leg. Deep Vein Thrombosis --a life threatening blood clot that could break loose, travel to my heart, and kill me. It would be several days before the preliminary diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (a clot that was already dangerously close to my lungs) would be revised to walking pneumonia.

Needle phobic persons have nightmares about what I went through for five days. I will not cause my friends distress by relating every horrific detail, but suffice it to say my beloved HRT was partially to blame, as well as my love for leafy green vegetables in large amounts. My estrogen pills were forbidden, and I was loaded up with Heparin and Coumadin, both blood thinners. This necessitated a minimum of one daily blood draw JUST to check how thin my blood was. This did not include any other lab tests demanded by the doctors.

The PICC line was a waste of time, since I’d agreed to the procedure on the promise that all blood draws would be done from there, painlessly. Not so. The Heparin, going in through the PICC line, made all draws from that arm useless.

On the second night, I reached my mental limit after a male lab tech failed to get a blood draw, blew my vein digging around, and then had the nerve to lecture me about my tears and how he had to “do his duty.” He was lucky I was slower than my husband to kick his (ahem!) out of my room, and the IV lines tethered me to within a few feet of the bed. When his replacement arrived without warning, my already short fuse lit and blew. I threw back the covers, demanded AMA (against medical advice) release papers, and threatened to walk home in my pajamas. That was my limit, and I could take no more blood draws.

I am not sure whether to thank a nurse named Janice or not. Janice put on her best “nurse drill sergeant” mode, coldly spelled out the facts of how I could die if I left, and reminded me I still had the removal procedure of the PICC line before I could go. (I think she deliberately made things seem worse than they truly were to achieve her goal of getting me to agree to stay.) She also negotiated her best compromise, promising to call the doctors and get them to prescribe a permanent tranquilizing solution in my IV for the duration of my stay, to be administered fifteen minutes before a lab tech showed their face in the doorway. This was done as agreed.

Why don’t I want to thank Janice? Because I’m in surgical menopause, depressed, volatile emotionally, and my arms from wrist to above the shoulder look like they belong on a weirdly colored Dalmatian. I am still being tortured, despite having achieved release from the hospital on Thursday the 18th. Every week, I must visit the Coumadin Clinic and get another blood draw to check my blood thinness levels. I cannot imagine a worse torture, and my depression makes suicidal thoughts a regular occurrence.

Were it not for my GYN, who has given me much hope for the future, I might have already attempted the unthinkable. My GYN has promised to discuss alternative HRT with me on the 13th of February, when I see him. I also do like my Pulmonary Critical Care Specialist. Bless his cute little leprechaun looks and demeanor; he acts as if he really wishes he could spare me the horror. (Even if he’s faking, he’s a convincing actor.)

I try to remain grateful. I’m home, sleeping next to my husband. Once a week blood draws are better than daily. I’m no longer tethered to five feet of IV line, limiting my movement to the point where I had to ask permission to go to the bathroom. The food is definitely better here at home! LOL!! I can breathe again.

Why did I write this? Because somewhere out there, another Sister may have a “Charlie horse” in her body. Maybe she can make an informed decision and know to pack before going to the ER. (Grin)

I’m also placing a copy of this in my journal.

Lena

Lena

Thank you so much for your insightful, heart-felt post! I would expect nothing less from you, as you have been an ispiration to so many of us here!

It upsets me that we can't be physically closer to you to help you through this terrible time for you.

Thank goodness for your daughter and the medical personnel at the ER that day -- you are on the mend because of them!
Please keep us posted on your daily improvements, your weekly visits to the Clinic and your dr. appt. on Feb. 13th!


Andrea

Thank you so much for posting... this just may help someone else.
I am so sorry you had to go through this ... and are still going through it.
Since I am a family therapist by profession the first thought that occurs to me is please, please find someone to talk to. Do not take any kind of suicidal thoughts lightly. We are all at such a vulnerable time through all of this.
That's what I will add to the post about the perfect recovery place for all of us sisters..... compassionate, professional therapists to help us through all of this!

I'm so glad you listened and went to the hospital. The pain with dvt's are your warning and it can break at anytime. I've had two so I'm familiar with the feeling. Are you needle phobic? As I was reading the trouble with the picc line I was wondering why they just didn't administer lovenox. It's a needle administered in the fatty part of your abdomen or upper thigh and you can do it yourself at home. It works immediately unlike heparin.

But, none the less, your on the road to recovery.

Thank you for sharing your story with us! I am so sorry that you are going through this and very gratefull that you are going to be ok. It is very comforting to be at home with your loved ones and am glad your out of the hospital. I will keep you in my thoughts

I am so sorry that you had to go through all this, but am glad you posted it. I am now a little frightened. Last week I had a major charlie horse in my right calf. I ignored it as i had walked our dog for a little exercise the day before. The next day my hips joined in with my leg and had a party i could not attend as i could not get out of bed. I went to my 3 week post op, with all the info the dr. had filled me with and with the nurse drawing my blood as they think i have an infection, i forgot to tell dr. about the pain, i thought it was do to the walk...but i should have mentioned it anyway. I still have some soreness where the charlie horse was, its been years since i have had one of those. I am just wondering, do you always get short of breath when it is a blood clot? I am thinking i should probably call the doc and mention this to her, but on the other hand, would'nt i know something more was wrong, i mean other symptoms? Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Best of luck to you!

Lena,
I am so sorry to hear about your illness. I am glad you took your daughters advise and did go to the er. I will pray for you and your husband. I hope the pain has eased and that they did give you something for it. Keep everyone posted on your progress.. God Bless Becky

	Quote:
Originally Posted by tlm1125 I am just wondering, do you always get short of breath when it is a blood clot?

You don't necessarily have to get short of breath when you have a blood clot. Here is a Hystersisters article about Blood Clots which tells what symptoms might be present. Pain in the leg is always something that needs to be reported to your doctor.

I had a DVT at 3 weeks post op. I called my doctor's office as it became increasingly painful but was told that because I had none of the other symptoms that it more than likely wasn't a clot. I ended up in the ER where the DVT was diagnosed and spent the next 8 days in the hospital. My only symptom was pain in the inner thigh.

Please be aware of the symptoms that might signal a blood clot and never be afraid to seek treatment because you feel it may end up being nothing. It's always better to err on the side of caution, especially with something as serious as a blood clot.

	Quote:
This necessitated a minimum of one daily blood draw JUST to check how thin my blood was. This did not include any other lab tests demanded by the doctors.

During my 8 days in the hospital I had to have blood drawn every 6 hours 'round the clock, and for the following one year on Coumadin I had to have blood drawn once a week. It wasn't too bad. There were a couple of times that it actually hurt, but for the most part it didn't bother me.

Hi

Could you possibly elaborate a bit on your comment "my beloved HRT was partially to blame, as well as my love for leafy green vegetables in large amounts."

As someone thinking about going on HRT and who also loves eating green veggies, I'm left wondering... !!

Thanks.

Hey, Britty. You first, since Catherine took care of many of the questions. I had three factors that made me susceptible to DVT, according to my docs.

1. Genetics-- DVT issues run in my family. My Dad gets them with nearly every medical procedure. Tiny, difficult veins also run in my family. Thick, easily coagulating blood means we are a royal pain in the butt for doctors and labs everywhere.

2. HRT -- my beloved estrogen also **CAN** cause DVT, if you're prone to them. I took the risk of going on HRT, and I would do so again if an alternative can be found. This surgically-caused menopause is for the birds, IMHO. For me, HRT was wonderful. This is not true for everyone.

3. Leafy, green veggies -- While I am certainly not a vegan, I love my leafy veggies and eat them regularly. This means I keep a high concentration of vitamin K in my system. This makes regulating my blood thinners more difficult.

Lena