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 woke up just before midnighton Monday with severe chest pain. I felt like I was going to pass out. I took some codeine but the pain continued. It got to the stage that I thought I should take a trip to emergency. I live only a couple of minutes from the hospital so I had someone driv,e me. I must have looked terrible as they rushed me straight in. The dr thought it may be either another PE or my heart. I had a CT scan as well as usual heart attack blood tests. They couldn't find a clot but said I had low potassium levels. I was set up for a potassium infusion. I have never had one of these before and within a couple of minutes felt the burning pain of it going in. This was followed by my throat closing and itchiness all over my body, my heart rate then started to drop significantly. The IV was stopped quickly, I was surrounded by medicalmstaff and given adrenaline.
I am glad I don't have another clot but it was a frightening evening. I still don't know why I had such bad chest pain. But potassium has been added to my list of anaphylaxis causes. My throat it still sore from having closed up and I am exhausted. It just all seems to be never ending medical emergencies
I am glad I don't have another clot but it was a frightening evening. I still don't know why I had such bad chest pain. But potassium has been added to my list of anaphylaxis causes. My throat it still sore from having closed up and I am exhausted. It just all seems to be never ending medical emergencies
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Look at what my best friend did with my picture!
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We all have 24 hours in a day. How we spend these hours is important. Watching a little bit of a video about how sitting affects us made me aware of how much sitting and laying down I do. Gonna have to work on that.Your turn. Tell me another truth.
Did they ever tell you what caused the loss of potassium in your body? Mayo clinic has a list----- see if one of them applies to you.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/low-potassium/MY00760/DSECTION=causes
Do you drink a tea that has licorice in it? If it contains licorice that isn't deglycerized then that could cause loss of potassium. (I know because of friend of mine had that happen to her-----but I think you would have to drink more than just one or two cups for that to be a problem. Just something to think about.)
I have an auto immune condition that causes some bowel issues so I wonder if that's the cause.
Unfortunately the ER was not helpful in the why but I am going to the gastroenterologist tomorrow so I will see what he says.
Report back to us please? Having 'bowel issues' might mean food/minerals/vitamins just aren't getting processed properly.
Wish you luck.
Hope you get some answers from your GI visit.
Now I have to have a CT scan done for the possibility of abdominal clots. It has been one thing after another for the last few years. I think it will be good to figure this problem out. I have decided to put my fear and worry into a box and deal with it later.
Just to let you know I have suffered with low potassium for years about 6 I think and I take medication twice a day. They have never been able to find out what has caused it , but the more I read on this site I am beginning to wonder if people with Auto immune system illnesses are more likely to get clots, I suffer with Rheumatoid Arthritis which falls in that category and I know many others on the site also have such illnesses, I think that a lot of our ill health is linked to our failed auto immune systems, I have looked up the foods high in potassium and try and include them in my diet as well as the medication this works for me, I hope you feel better soon lots of love
Sharon