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.
Just wanted to share a story from March.
I had pelvic surgery early in March (a month ago today!) and I am still fighting to get my INR back under control. About a week and a half after the surgery, I was getting more active but realized I kept breathing out of my mouth when I exerted myself.
It was the weekend, so there wasn't a doctor to go to. My last INR was 1.7 and I was going nuts thinking I had clotted and it had travelled to my lungs, which was why I couldn't get enough oxygen. I kept thinking I should go to the ER, but (despite Ferr's excellent rant to the contrary) I kept talking myself out of it. Nevertheless, I was seriously on edge and afraid to go to sleep all weekend because I was thinking I wouldn't wake up.
The following Tuesday afternoon, my cheek started to hurt and my upper teeth went numb. Classic signs of a sinus infection. Thinking over it, I realized that I had been blowing more snot than usual for several days. (I have sinus problems anyway, so snot in my life is not unusual.)
The reason I was doing all my mouth-breathing was because my sinuses were glued shut. Being a PE survivor, I jumped right away to the "OMG! I'm gonna die!" scenario and missed the obvious. I really just needed antibiotics, not another trip to the ER.
Anyway, just a silly reminder of how not everything wrong with us is related to PEs or warfarin. Sometimes it is just stuff that happens to everybody.
I had pelvic surgery early in March (a month ago today!) and I am still fighting to get my INR back under control. About a week and a half after the surgery, I was getting more active but realized I kept breathing out of my mouth when I exerted myself.
It was the weekend, so there wasn't a doctor to go to. My last INR was 1.7 and I was going nuts thinking I had clotted and it had travelled to my lungs, which was why I couldn't get enough oxygen. I kept thinking I should go to the ER, but (despite Ferr's excellent rant to the contrary) I kept talking myself out of it. Nevertheless, I was seriously on edge and afraid to go to sleep all weekend because I was thinking I wouldn't wake up.
The following Tuesday afternoon, my cheek started to hurt and my upper teeth went numb. Classic signs of a sinus infection. Thinking over it, I realized that I had been blowing more snot than usual for several days. (I have sinus problems anyway, so snot in my life is not unusual.)
The reason I was doing all my mouth-breathing was because my sinuses were glued shut. Being a PE survivor, I jumped right away to the "OMG! I'm gonna die!" scenario and missed the obvious. I really just needed antibiotics, not another trip to the ER.
Anyway, just a silly reminder of how not everything wrong with us is related to PEs or warfarin. Sometimes it is just stuff that happens to everybody.
Two weeks later, same thing: but it was an anxiety attack. You never know, is the point. better to be safe. Glad you're ok now!
It is tough learning to listen to your body when your body is now so hugely changed. All the best.
She got me on antibiotics (luckily she is also a nurse and knows what shes doing, and when she reported to my doctor he took what she was saying as gospel and wrote the prescription for antibiotics).
I do understand how difficult it is to just get up and go to the doctor and even though I rant about it I am guilty of it too.
Hugs and hope your feeling better
Ferr