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.
Hi, I had massive bilateral pulomnary emboli 28 November 08. A month earlier my ankle / calf had been immobilised in an inflatable boot cast due to a suspected fracture, I was also on the oral contraceptive pill and took a return flight of 3 hours.
I spent 11 days in hospital and had daily heparin injections whilst my warfarin dosage was establised.
I am now due to come off warfarin on 1 Dec.
My question is of others in similiar positions - what tests are advised, what follow up treatment is suggested? I'm seeing my doctor this week & hoped to ask him some questions, but am not sure what to ask!
I am due to have a echocardiagram in late December to check for any damage to my heart. Thankfully however I have not had any chest pain since September so am hoping all is ok. I still get breathless quite easily but am not sure if that is down to reduced fitness or on-going problems with my lungs!
Any suggestions appreciated!!
Thanks
I spent 11 days in hospital and had daily heparin injections whilst my warfarin dosage was establised.
I am now due to come off warfarin on 1 Dec.
My question is of others in similiar positions - what tests are advised, what follow up treatment is suggested? I'm seeing my doctor this week & hoped to ask him some questions, but am not sure what to ask!
I am due to have a echocardiagram in late December to check for any damage to my heart. Thankfully however I have not had any chest pain since September so am hoping all is ok. I still get breathless quite easily but am not sure if that is down to reduced fitness or on-going problems with my lungs!
Any suggestions appreciated!!
Thanks
Some doctors will do a D-dimer test after you come of Warfarin/Coumadin. Since you had the clot last year a year ago, this may or may not really indicate anything at this time but it's still something to consider.
Hard to say what's going on in reference to becoming breathless easy or the check pain. May or may not be be related to the PE. The echocardiagram will be beneficial to rule out any other problems relating to the heart. I know it took me a while to get my endurance level back after my PE. I swore my lung capacity has never been the same (PE in 1992). Exercising definitely improves things but it take time.
Let us know what the doc has to say! Keep in touch and stay health!!
Regards,
Tom
Will indeed ask for them to re-test for clotting disorders (your email prompted me to remember that they tested me whilst I was in hosptial but said that the drugs would interfere with the results & should be retested!)
Hope u keep well.
Orla
Already had the full genetic tests both before starting coumadin and after starting
Chris
I asked one of the doctors at my local surgery about it this morning but he didn't seem to think it was necessary. Not sure how confident I felt in him!
I've to stay on the warfarin until after my echocardiagram, so in the meanwhile will ask to see the other doctor in the surgery & will ask him about the D Dimer test & I also think another CT scan would be a good idea - I only had 1 in hospital, but it showed that the clots on one side were large & were "clinically massive" on the other side, so would be keen to know that they're gone or much reduced!
Keep well...