
Pulmonary Embolism Support Group
By far the most common form of pulmonary embolism is a thromboembolism, which occurs when a blood clot, generally a venous thrombus, becomes dislodged from its site of formation and embolizes to the arterial blood supply of one of the lungs. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, pain during breathing, and more rarely circulatory instability and death.
I myself didn't feel chest pain until soon after diagnosis. I experienced chest pain for a few weeks after that point, and then it came and went for a few months until it disappeared entirely. I was actually confused at some points, because I would go a few days without having to take any pain medication at all, the pain would be almost gone, and then one day BAM! it would be back. My doctor told me that this was normal, and as long as my good days were start to outnumber my bad ones as time progressed, it was good news.
As for length of time for pain, it varies from person to person. Many people suffer for days, or weeks and some for months, depending on circumstances, i.e., the size, number, location, age of the clots. It's my understanding that if there is a lot of scarring involved, recovery can take longer.
When I asked my doctor about some of the side effects (I haven't discussed the shoulder discomfort yet), he said it's normal to feel chest pains (given I had PEs in both lungs). It's almost maddening, and yet, I know I'm lucky to be here.
I just wanted to say thanks for posting your stories. It makes me feel less alone in this. :-)