" This could have killed me and I think this fact is always in the back of my mind. And now on the other hand, I feel great."
Yep I feel the same way. I am a little over 3 months post PE and still wonder if this will kill me...I still have no cause.
Glad u are doing well..

With time, it gets easier to reconcile the normalcy that starts to settle back in against the backdrop of such a life threatening, dramatic event.

Testing every month is the goal with warfarin and it's hard to feel comfortable with that at first. It took me months to ever even get to an INR of 2 so finally when I was starting to consistently stay at 2 and above and my doc then started testing me once a month, I was a nervous wreck. That was several years ago, and I'm still testing monthly, except when my INR changes and then we adjust the dosage, test more frequently until it stabilizes again and then back to once a month. At some point, you'll be relieved to not be testing all the time and you'll appreciate that feeling of , cool I don't have to test for another month.

I guess what I'm saying is you'll continue to go through changes in your thoughts and feelings the further out you get from your PE. I think you're doing amazingly well for being 5 weeks out. And I think going back to work is a gift to us in many ways because it does add a component of distraction and it's a way to pull yourself out of "sick" mode. I couldn't wait to go back to work, even though it was difficult. I just needed to get some equilibrium back for my sanity.

Hang in there and keep moving forward!

" With time, it gets easier to reconcile the normalcy that starts to settle back in against the backdrop of such a life threatening, dramatic event.

So very true, time cures all they say, but until we get to that point in our road to recovery we are very blessed to have this site and people on it to settle our anxious minds down :).

Glad you are doing better indwen123, makes us have more hope we will get to that level soon :). I too still don't have any answers but have been reading and searching sites for some kind of answers, one site I found said that a DVT can wholly let loose and go to our lungs, which I suspect happened to me because there were no DVT's that they found or told me about, which I find scarey too and maybe that is why they wont tell me the size of my PE's, so I await my appointment with the hemo dr in January. I am still having pains in both lungs especially where the pe's are and a lot of phlegm that doesn't seem to want to move and has effected my voice, it feels like a film over my voice box that wont let loose, I have asked the dr's about it but they don't seem overly concerned about it, but everyone thinks I have a cold who calls me to talk and I don't, thank goodness :). I have 3 puffers I use for the inflammation in my lungs and it is helping but is very slow at healing. I have another drs appointment on Monday so hopefully they will now give me some answers, but I am not holding my breath lol. Hope everyone is doing well and thanks for this site, it really helps me.

Yes, you guys and gals have been, in essence, my doctors. I mean, I have gotten more meaningful information here than I have from all the doctors that I've seen since this affliction. This whole thing is so difficult to grasp and move on from......... For example, today after school let out, I happen to take a look at my ankle, and it was a bit more swollen than it had been for the past few weeks. I called my doctor about it, however, he was not there so I explained what was going on with the receptionist who in turn said that she would let the doctor know about it and if he didn't respond before 5:00pm, then I would have to wait until Monday. It's things like this that drive me crazy. Sometimes I wish that I was Barak Obama. He has a doctor with him 24/7. That would be great!!!!

Indwen

Remember, the more you stand on your feet and are up and around longer, the more swelling you may experience, even in your ankle and foot. Elevate your leg now that you're home. That may help.

Also the comment I made about time, it wasn't my intent that it come off as some kind of cliche or suggest it cures everything. What I meant is with time, it literally gets easier to deal with the emotions, the feeling good but having this crazy life threatening event in the back of your mind all the time. Your thinking will adapt after a while so you can come to terns with it all and sort things out, even stuff like this swelling, and whether that warrants a call to your doc or something you give a couple of days. It's so overwhelming. So I was just trying to say it's not going to be like this forever, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and you eventually gain confidence in your body and in your thinking again.

Thanks all for your comments and responses. It sure does help....

Indwen

I saw a therapist for post traumatic stress after my ambulance ride and flat lining adventure. Mine could have been prevented since I complained about ankle, leg pain and then coughing up blood in the four weeks prior to diagnosis. I am thankful that I did not die and I no longer sob uncontrollably. I also got to confront politely the doctor that assured me... 1 week before my lungs were covered with embolisms and everyone was sure I would die before morning...he assured me I did not have blood clots...I had a sprained ankle? Jackass. I haven't sobbed even once since seeing him in November YES!

I had a massive PE in August and my INR level is being tested every week, and when below 2.0, I have been tested three times a week. Copays are adding up!!!! Has your INR been stable?