I would say that some people see Hematologist right away and some see them later or not at all. I don't think there's a specific standard or recommendation that all docs follow.

I agree with RMB on this. Plus, not everyone even sees a hemo, so I don't know that there is a standard on this.

I agree with the others. I don't think there's any real standard for when or if you see a hematologist. Some doctors will do it almost immediately, sometimes I think that's because they'd rather a hematologist manage anticoagulation treatment. Quite honestly I think sometimes they pass people all around to every medical specialist possible because it's business. But I don't think that seeing a hematologist several weeks into treatment is any reason to worry or think there's something extremely wrong or unusual. I think it really just comes down to it being your GP's preference, not necessarily that it's something specific about your case. I've clotted several times, and had different experiences, from not seeing a hematologist at all, to having one consult with me while I was still in the hospital.

So I went to the hematologist. He told me honestly that the only reason that I was there was for my kids. To make sure it wasn't something they could inherit and that I will be on blood thinners the rest of my life. He also congratulated me for having a saddled embolism and having to have heart lung bypass and surviving.

I had a hematologist see me in the hospital. He was on the regular rotation as was my GP and cardiologist!

Gramby, I'm very lucky that my Hematologist decided to test me for genetic clotting disorders. I had to battle with her some about it. She was so shocked by the size of my PE that she said even if I did not have any clotting disorders, she was going to put me on warfarin for life. I don't understand what she saw, because my paperwork only says large saddle emboli; not massive. I guess the arteries in my lungs must have really been blocked. I haven't seen too many people on here who have been placed on blood thinners for life based on the size of their PE. Any how, the genetic testing will give you some answers as to why you clotted up and what precautions you need to take to protect yourself from getting more clots in the future.

I was thinking a lot about RMB, and some of the other posters on here who have tested negative for genetic clotting disorders and I wonder if you guys might have Hughes Syndrome like me. I have been doing a lot of reading on the Hugh Syndrome Foundation in London. It appears that there are a lot of people who have APS and are Seronegative on blood test. The antibodies do not show up in their blood, but they continue to have symptoms. Also, there are some antibodies that have not been discovered yet. I tested again a few months back for Anti-Beta 2 Glycoprotein 1gG Antibodies. These particular antibodies were added to the APS diagnostic criteria in 2004 I believe. Some people were not diagnosed properly because they had the Beta 2 Antibodies, but not the Lupus Anticoagulant, or Anticardioliphin Antibodies. It' will be interesting to see how many more blood disorders or antibodies will be discovered in the future. I also have the Factor 2 Mutation. The Anticardioliphin and Anti-Beta 2 Glycoprotein Antibody tests are not affected by being on Warfarin. But the Lupus Anticoagulant cannot be diagnosed when you are on Warfarin.

Also, it is good to know what you're up against. That is what the genetic testing can tell you. I tested 98 positive (high positive) for the Beta 2 Antibodies in 2012. I retested again a few months back and I am still 85 positive (also considered a high positive). That means that these antibodies have been in my system for over 2 years in high levels. It means that I am still at a very high risk of recurrent thrombosis. This is good to know. It mean that the intensity of my Warfarin therapy needs to remain increased. They will also do more testing in the future to see if these antibodies go away. Usually the antibodies come out and cause problems from time to time, then they go away. In my case, they aren't going away. This is all good to know. Knowledge is power. I hope you get some answers!

I never did comeback and update this. I went to the hematologist and waited for 3 weeks and called them. The nurse told me all my level look good and whatever the measure for coagulation was really low. She stated that at 6 months the doctor will see me about possible coming off of Xarelto. Well this just makes the mystery even more strange in my opinion. No trips, no prolonged travel(recently anyways) and by all account of every doctor I have talked to no reason for this to have happened. So back to square one.

Many people clot for no concrete or identifiable reason. So the hema tests are really just to rule out genetic clotting issues. Those tests are used to help determine whether you stay on anticoagulants long term or short term, which will be revisited at 6 months. This sounds very standard actually.

Some people never know why they clotted.