Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Support Group
Deep-vein thrombosis, also known as deep-venous thrombosis or DVT, is the formation of a blood clot ("thrombus") in a deep vein. It can be caused by something preventing blood from circulating or clotting normally. Join the support group if you are coping with DVT and find others who are going through the same challenges.
Hey everyone. I have a short story and question for ya. I am doing home monitoring which is pretty great all in all because I'm pretty anal about my results and want to know ALL THE TIME that it is therapeutic and everything is going great....except for today. My INR came back as 1.8 and of course that completely freaks me out. I am waiting to hearing back from the Coumadin nurse about my dosage for the next week. In the meantime I am sitting here talking myself into having a relapse LOL. I know logically I am FINE, but emotionally all I can think about is the low INR, the clot that was in my leg when I left the hospital 6 months ago, and the near fatal PEs that I had. I keep taking very deep breaths to see if I have chest pain, I have a pain high up in my shoulder that I know is probably just stress as it hurts when I move my shoulder, but of course my mind goes right to PE.
Just when you think life is getting back to normal, you are feeling great, starting to walk in preparation for a 5K in August, etc....a subtherapuetic INR can but you right back to that awful place of being worried and scared. I wanted to know how the rest of you get through those crazy days/times when you are sure you are going to get a PE??
I guess I'm just looking for someone to share their stories and tell me I'm being ridiculous :)
Thanks everyone!
Just when you think life is getting back to normal, you are feeling great, starting to walk in preparation for a 5K in August, etc....a subtherapuetic INR can but you right back to that awful place of being worried and scared. I wanted to know how the rest of you get through those crazy days/times when you are sure you are going to get a PE??
I guess I'm just looking for someone to share their stories and tell me I'm being ridiculous :)
Thanks everyone!
Even so, you have to remember that 1.8 is much MORE anti-coagulated than the normal population. A normal person has an INR around 1.0 and so you are in much better shape than that. Some folks stay on a slightly lower level with their INRs for years. We were just talking about this on the PE boards.
RetiredNavy takes low-dose warfarin (stays between 1.5 and 2.0) and has for the last ten years or so. Despite having two earlier clots and a number of superficial ones, the low-dose warfarin has kept him clot-free.
Besides, you've been on warfarin for six months now and this is normally the point where you'd be coming off warfarin. That clot in your leg (if it is even still there) should have stabilized and be on the way to becoming part of your vein wall. The chances of it breaking off and traveling are very, very slim.
Think of your clot like a badly built brick wall ... the longer it is in there, the more chance the "mortar" has to dry and the less chance that "bricks" will fall off the wall and go traveling. You're at the most risk early on, when the wall is still being built and/or the mortar is not yet dry. Very easy for things to go flying around at that point.
Deep breath ... you're fine. Hang in there!
Just needed to hear from another survivor that I am fine. The family thinks I'm crazy when I have these days, so being able to log on and talk with others that walk the walk helps so much!
Hope everyone is doing well today :)