I'm sorry to hear that. For them to blame you for not getting up to take more frequent breaks is RIDICULOUS. Do you know how many people fly every day, for hours, never getting up and they never clot? I don't think this is anyone's fault.

I thinks some people are just prone to clotting for no apparent reason. And so they just need to be on anticoagulants. Are you now on warfarin long term or some other anticoagulant?

I do think it needs to be said, lest we scare the crap out of people, that there is such a thing as getting one clot, you do your time on warfarin, and then you come off and never have a clot again. For anyone with more than one clotting event, you do have to be more diligent.

I'm glad you added your second comment. I have had 4 PE and several clots in my legs. I am one of those that there is no certain cause they can come up with. I was on warfarin 2 years and got a PE while on that, so while I was on heparin again, I developed the hematoma and was taken off warfarin. HOWEVER, even with the filter, I was told one day that I would have to go back on warfarin. I only blame myself, because I should have known better with my clotting history. However, you are right, on the other hand lots of people survive a trip like I made. And perhaps, I would have clotted even if I didn't take that trip. We will never know. I just wanted to put that reminder out there that those of us with clotting history should take breaks on long road trips. Now, I have to learn the rules of being home with a huge clot in my leg. Again, just like the PE, you don't get much information when you are sent home. I did read where heparin did not disolve the clot, it just keeps me from getting more clots or this one getting bigger. So...where does this clot go? How long does it take? I read in the papers I took home that I should not stand, walk, sit or lay for too long. Keep changing. And that if there is swelling, elevate my leg.

No, the heparin won't dissolve the clot, but neither will warfarin. What it does is prevents the clot from growing so your body can dissolve and reabsorb it. That doesn't meant the clot won't go away, just that the medication isn't actually doing the dissolving, your body is. I think the timeline really depends on the person. They couldn't find my pelvic clot when I went back to the ER just 2 weeks after starting warfarin, but I can't guarantee it was gone. Pelvic clots are very difficult to see on an ultrasound, and the only reason I knew it was there before was because my doctor ordered an abdominal CT along with the CT that diagnosed my PEs.

Wow! How dare they blame it on you! Don't you ever feel like once you start to feel better about things something happens to bring you down?

I wish you well!

Lynne, it's kind of similar to a lung clot. The clot eventually resolves,gets reabsorbed, etc.

I would follow up with your doc on when you can start being active. I personally think it's good to get moving soon after your clot,but you want to make sure the timing is right on that.

My cardiologist told me today that I should be good to go back to regular activities in a week. I see the primary doctor and the pulmonologist tomorrow. So, we will see what they say. Since I have now seen the ocean, my next trip is the Grand Canyon. And I'm going as soon as I can. This is just a small bump in the road. I knew in January that sooner or later I would have to go back on warfarin, so now is the time. No biggie for me. I take that in stride. I'd pretty much learned to live life on warfarin after 2 years, so I just have to remember the basics again. What Vitamin K (basically just do everything in balance) and quit juggling sharp knives.

Yeah, the whole taking breaks thing is ridiculous. I kid you not; I've driven from Los Angeles California all the way to North Platte Nebraska straight and never had a problem. That is over 24 hours of driving with 4 15 minute fuel and bathroom breaks. I never had any blood clots until fell off my truck and had an accident.

Also, one of my primary care physicians is pushing me back out to drive a trucks again. The same doctor in the ER who told me to never drive again is now telling me I'm fine to drive long haul again. The real fact of the matter is that most doctors don't know what they're talking about. They say one thing, then another thing, and then another.

I don't want to imply that sitting for a long time or being immobile is not a risk factor for blood clots. It's a fact that it is. My comment was about Lynne being blamed for her clot for not doing enough. I'm sure that flight wasn't that long Lynne and I'm sure you did what you thought was enough. Years ago, I'd been on flights between 7-14 hours and never got up much or anything and never clotted. Years later I developed clots out of the blue for no concrete reason. Sometimes it's like one big crap shoot. And Jerry, my 2 cents (II know you didn't ask ha ha! ) if my doc said no more truck driving and then later said go ahead and drive a truck, I'd ask him what it is that made him change his recommendation. I don't think it's necessarily that doctors don't know anything, but I think there are many grey areas in medicine that are judgement calls. So if he's whistling a different tune, ask why, what changed in your circumstances that would change his position on that.

Lynne I'm really proud of you for just putting this in proper perspective and continuing to plan for other trips and if your doc gives you the ok to start being active again in a week, do it. DVTs and superficial clots can be painful during that initial recovery and I think that scares people so they don't try to do much. But just do what you can within reason. I think sitting around too long is detrimental to DVT recovery in the long run.