New member here. Thank you all who have shown up to create this group. I spent the last night awake having anxiety about my future with bilateral pulmonary emboli (diagnosed on 4/5/17). I'm grateful for this site as last night it eased my fears to read many of the other posts. I'm a nurse, as I've seen a few of us are on here. I flew home from Thailand (15hr) on 3/27, wore compressions stockings, got up a couple times, stretched my legs more than a couple times, slept a lot, and had no signs of a DVT!

I'm a nurse as I've seen a few of us are on here. I flew home from Thailand (15hr) on 3/27, wore compressions stockings, got up a couple times, stretched my legs more than a couple times, slept a lot, and had no signs of a DVT! What is this, nurse curse or what?

I noticed the weekend before my dx that walking up a short flight of stairs made me really short of breath. It wasn't until I worked on 4/4 that I felt like there was a noose around my upper abdomen and I worked the day before and ran around all over the hospital per usual. I left work contemplating going to the ED but instead decided to go home and do some more research. I had pretty much ruled out PE but wasn't sure that I didn't have a cardiac issue and still waited until morning to see if I could get into my Dr's which I did. DUMB! I know better, I don't know what I was thinking.... maybe lack of oxygen to the brain. At my office visit, my SATS (oxygen levels) were normal and she followed me around with a pulse ox on while we walked up and down the hall, sent me for a chest x-ray, and labs. She also didn't think PE and about 3 hrs later she called and told me I needed to go to the ED right away. 

The ED was apparently expecting me. I had a CT scan and was diagnosed. Everyone was looking at me really strangely. Apparently, I didn't present as a PE patient. The sent me home on Elequis and a follow-up with my Dr. Everyone from my unit was shocked that I wasn't hospitalized. I was just in shock. My home stint didn't last long. I went back to the ED the next morning for worsening symptoms, shortness of breath, and pain. The ED doctor I was assigned this time was sure I'd be admitted but no. After running another round of cardiac tests, my heart is apparently unaffected, my SATS are still good, and the only reason for admitting me would be pain control which we decided together to medicate with Tylenol and 5mg of Tramadol every 6 hrs. (I did not want strong narcotics, as a nurse, I see daily how tolerant then dependent some people can be on them).

In spite of having multiple clots in both lungs, I now am off pain meds. I'm still short of breath and feeling fatigued which I don't understand considering my SAT levels. Somewhere on here, I read that 9% bounce back quick. I'm determined to be in that percentile, but I will let my body guide me.

I guess at the moment I feel optimistic. Still amazed, floored, scared, overwhelmed at this event also. But optimistic about fresh starts. As much as, "I could have died? I could have died!", I am alive! And I am so grateful.

Here's to breathing easy!