I’m a lifer. I still drink, nothing crazy but a few every weekend. Eventually I switched from warfarin to xarelto.

If you feel like your job would put you at risk for serious bleeds that’s something to consider, but I would just try to see if it really is going to be a big problem. It’s funny but for me, once I was on anticoagulants long term it sort altered how I viewed myself. In a way, it gave me permission to sort of say, it will be impossible to maintain this vigilance I’ve lived with with the first clot. Maybe I can do this differently knowing it’s for the long haul. So I just sort of slowing started, for lack a better term, letting go. I started doing what I wanted to do. I had less worry and fear about hurting myself. I just did everything with a bit more awareness.

It’s not easy to hear that long term anticoagulants is the recommendation. These meds are no joke. So I get that you are struggling with it. Usually any time someone has a second clotting episode it’s the recommendation. For me, I had PEs that almost took me out and so that made it easier for me to weigh the risk of being on long term anticoaguants with the risk of PEs. I don’t want to drop dead from a PE, plain and simple, which then made the idea of taking anticoaguants not so bad.

I live really well on anticoagulants, but switching from warfarin to xarelto really helped not feel so burdened by the medication.

Hang in there!

I'm in the same boat as you. Though my work is not necessarily and issue, the other aspects of my life are shot to pieces. My annoyance is the hospitals and GPs here were just not interested in doing investigations. I really struggle with the idea of being on blood thinners for life to. In fact if I am honest, I hoping that I won't need to.

There is a part of me that would like to explore more natural forms of blood thinning, but I'm not sure how keen the Drs will be on this. I'm in my mid 30's and to be on thinners for life, seems like a long haul particularly. They stuck me on Xarelto at first and I couldn't cope with the side effects. So onto warfarin, eating is not easy, but as long as you dose the diet and not diet the dose I think it should be ok.

But it would be good to hear from some young lifers, to hear how they have got on

I was 42 when I had my first clot, so not too many years older than you. I’m 53 now, hardly geriatric. Just saying.

I was 23 in 1991 when I got my first dvt in my left calf. Then in 2003 dvt in right calf accompanied by 13 pulmonary embolisms gave me warfarin for life and now I am developing dvts in both legs problems breathing and a partially clogged ivc filter limiting circulation from my lower extremities where does a fifty years old man that isn't set up for life turn from here. Please pray for me whenever u feel like it

Will be praying for breathishope. Sorry RMB wasn't meaning to be offensive. Did you start your journey of with anticoagulants at the age of 42? Did you come off them after 6 months?

I'm utterly devastated with the idea of lifelong anticoagulation. The Docs here are pretty adamant but I've never been tested for a blood condition. The haematologist where I used to live couldn't be bothered after my DVT in 2013. Equally when I went to my Docs at the place I live they didn't offer much in the way of support, that was until I got a PE in April. I've been really clear with them about my desire to manage this with more natural products. Everything feels very debilitating

Hi, no offense taken!! I just wanted to point out so many of us are young-ish, so you know aren’t this one-off anomaly all alone out there. I was on anticoagulants for 6 months, stopped and got another clot, different limb, almost 2 months later. So I’ve been on anticoagulants for about a decade.

Honestly if you had more than one clot, it doesn’t matter the cause, whether you have a genetic clotting disorder or not. More than one clotting episode means your body likes to clot. That’s why they recommend long term anticoagulants.

You could try supplements but few doctors are ever going to sanction that over well tested, proven medication. If you go that route it would be something you’d have to do on your own. In some cases, natural
isn’t necessarily better. But I’m sorry you are struggling. It’s not a great place to be at any age, let alone young and otherwise healthy. PEs aren’t good either because those don’t care how old you are; they are indiscriminate in their ability to kill. So your doc is trying to protect you from that. You could get a second opinion to see if the recommendation is consistent.

I am a lifer as well. First diagnosed at 38 with multiple PEs and I now currently have some DVTs. Medication helps but isn’t a cure all. You must life the best life for you!

jhiller1013 I had my first and only clot and PE at 67. I'm also a lifer. I see a lady who does Alexander Technique. I have been seeing her for many years. It's not like massage but teaches you independent body parts. This past Feb I tripped on a tree root and fell on a feed bucket. Knocked the air right out of me. I bruised my ribs and scraped off part of an eyebrow.. Instead of taking forever to heal I only hurt for three weeks. I did extra sessions with her while I was still feeding the horses that live on my farm. I still see her twice a month. I can walk in her house aching all over and walk out feeling pain free. You might want to get online and see if this might work for you in place of massages. I'm only saying what has worked for me and it might not work for you.
No one gave me a list of what I could or should not do. I walked out of the hospital two days later with a prescription for xarelto.

I still live the life I had before the clot and PE but at a more careful pace.