Like most things, its probably best to wait to get the formal results. 7 or 8 months is still quite early and you'll probably notice some improvement in your stamina / heart in the coming 6 months. I don't know whether the undissolved clots may change a bit or your body would simply adapt to them. Do you know why they did decide to do a VQ scan?

I've had a couple of rounds of PEs in the last couple of years and last September had VQ scan (with other stuff) and they said there was a moderate number of undissolved clots still there. My impression is that surgery would be considered if the undissolved clots were having a significant impact on your life (pulmonary hypertension) as the surgery is quite full on. More probably, they'd just keep monitoring you.

I agree with Rosiethecat; until you get the formal results, hard for any of us to say what the outcome will be. I wonder if it makes sense to have a CT scan, to compare what your what your lungs look like today against the last CT scan results you had to really see the state of the existing clots, or if they're new clots, considering you're not on anticoagulants right now.. But that's just my opinion. Not sure what your doctor would recommend.

I don't think it's unusual to still have some totally unresolved clots at this point in your recovery.

My large bilateral clots took almost two years to dissolve. I was concerned too but it turned out to be okay. I don't have pulmonary hypertension. I am on warfarin for life but I was told that would not make the difference. I like rm.'s suggestions about asking if a comparative CT scan might be a good idea.

Talk to your Dr about it.

Hi AndersDanAnders,

I had a bilateral pulmonary embolism as well in May 2014 and I live in the Netherlands like you (you're the first I see on here from this corner of the world!).

I also had a perfusion scan recently and it was hard for them to say if the perfusion deficit they saw on the scan was due to my lung infarction/old clots or to something new, or to unresolved clots.

With a d-dimer test they are practically sure that there is nothing new going on, but it's hard to say whether my clots completely resolved or not (apart from the infarction, which is still there).

I don't think they will propose surgery to you unless, as rosiethecat said, your undissolved clots affect you to a great deal.
What my "huisarts" (gp) said to me is that the lung doctor and the hematologist might want to discuss resuming my treatment with blood thinners for a while to alleviate my condition, but I am not even sure this will happen.

I also remember very clearly that one doctor at the hospital told me that some clots never dissolve from your lungs, and that it's normal.

Good luck with your results!

I just want to add that I'm not sure a d-dimer will be 100% reliable in a case where you may already have existing clotting. I had a clot in my right leg for about five years after diagnosis (maybe longer) and my doctor always refused to do a d-dimer, telling me that the existing clot could throw off the results.

Thanks for all the replies. Will yet to remain calm untill the official results thursday.

Echo86 that is a coincidence. Are you on the Facebook suppprtgroup "trombose en wat nu?'. It is in Dutch and a great group

I was under the impression that the clots MAY never fully dissolve. In some cases, the body can build a bypass around the clot. I'm not really sure why that is, but that's how I undestood it.

AndersDanAnders - I have not joined the facebook group. I have sent you a private message here on the boards.