I'm probably not the best person to help, because honestly I never felt scared coming off anticoagulants, I only ever felt happy, as I saw it as part of the proof I was getting better.

I think to a degree the fear you have is normal. A lot of people feel nervous about coming off anticoagulation, and then also, you have this exacerbated by the fact that another normal fear is what you describe feeling as you look at your baby. That realization of loving someone so much in a way you've not felt before, and realizing the responsibility you have toward him, and just wanting to be with him. Those are normal reactions for any new mom, it's just probably that those fears for you take the shape of worrying about another PE because that's the most dangerous thing you've experienced on the side of not taking anticoagulation. I would imagine that if your doctors were for some bizarre reason recommending you stay permanently on anticoagulation, you'd then be feeling extreme anxiety about the possibility of having another bleed, because that's just how our anxious (and overtired) brains work.

You are more aware than many about the risk association with anticoagulation, and those risks increase the longer you're on it. Unnecessary anticoagulation could put you at a far greater risk for things which might normally be less significant, like a minor car accident or a fall on the stairs, for example. Also, as a young, menstruating woman, anticoagulation is a real pain. And having been through it, I would recommend being off anticoagulation if at all possible by the time you start your period again after the baby, because it's not pretty unless you would like spending all your time in bathroom and taking a shower five times a day. Then even once your periods settle into to more "normal" they are still often heavier, and for me that has meant bouts of anemia with the accompanying lack of energy and other symptoms. It hard being a mom and be dealing with that at the same time. Even now that I have that issue better controlled, I still feel like I spend a few days just recovering from my period every month, needing a little extra time to get lost strength back.

On the other side of things - is there a risk you could clot at some unforeseen time? Well, sure, but the chances aren't terribly high. If they were, the doctor wouldn't be recommending that you stop anticoagulation. Then you have the added benefit now of experience, if it should happen again. You know what it feels like, and if you were to feel it again, you'll probably react to it much more quickly than you did the first time. I know my experience was when I clotted again, I knew it almost right away and was diagnosed much more quickly than the first time, which meant the whole issue wasn't as severe as the first. Among those who have clotted multiple times, that seems to be a recurring theme, we recognized it when it happened, plus having the history means the doctors start looking for it right away, and earlier treatment is helpful. None of my subsequent clotting events were as severe as the first. And also, please remember I'm like some kind of clotting freak, most people who come to this site seek help while they're being treated, and once they're better they move on and don't think about any more. There are way a lot more people like that than people like me who continue hanging around this group. Most likely you'll be one of them too, and that's excellent that you'll be able to just move on with your normal life!

I think the nerves are really normal in the beginning, but after coming off, you'll get more comfortable with it the more time passes. Just remember if you get pregnant again, be sure to get in to the your doctor ASAP so you can start anticoagulation right away. Hopefully PE's will eventually seem to you like this small blip in your long, healthy life, a weird part of your pregnancy, and nothing beyond that. Congratulations again on the baby, but also on being able to take the first step to leaving this experience behind you. I hope all will go well!

I completely understand. I found my PE 5 days postpartum. It's been one month. I am a nursing mom with a newborn baby. I'm always exhausted and my anxiety is awful. I've been on lovenox for almost 6 weeks. My family doctor put me on warfarin about 3 weeks ago. He told me Monday to stop my shots. I still have about 30 shots left. I'm so nervous about being off them. The weather is rough and it makes my lungs hurt so bad. Every issue I have makes me want to run to ER or give myself an injections. I always think it's going to be my luck to have it happen again or that my Clot is still there. I get it completely. You aren't alone. But guess what? We are alive and have our little ones. I keep telling myself this is a gift and to cherish every day. Enjoy every moment.

Doctors use a equation to determine whether or not you can come off of blood thinners. Like in my case.. even if I didn't have two blood clotting disorders, I would still be on Warfarin for life. That is because I have scarring and damage in my DVT leg that would clot up again on it's own due to lack of blood flow. But even without the damaged leg veins, I have an uncontrolled auto-immune blood clotting disorder called APS. I still have high levels of APS antibodies circulating in my blood that make me a high risk for more blood clots.

If you do not have any identifiable risk factors or bold clotting disorders, then you have a very good prognoses for never having another clot. When you were pregnant, you were susceptible to having blood clots, because pregnancy in and of itself Is a risk factor, because it makes the blood more easy to clot. I think something like one in every ten pregnant women will develop a blood clot. I remember reading that somewhere!

If you are not obese, have no genetic clotting disorders, and are no longer pregnant or on birth control, you should be fine. You might need to be put on injections again if you ever become pregnant, because your number one risk factor for clotting is being pregnant. Also, just keep an eye out for any symptoms of new clots once you are taken off of blood thinners.

You should have your doctor perform a D-Dimer test before they take you off of blood thinners, and also another one a few weeks after you have been off of thinners. This will give you a good idea as to how your body is reacting to being off of blood thinners. I hope this helps. Good luck!

I apologize that it has taken me so long to reply and thank you all for your advice and words of encouragement. I keep reading them over and over to keep myself sane:) It has been 5 days off thinners now. My anxiety has gone up but it isn't quite as bad as I expected. I am trying to think like ShilohsMommy and see this as a good rather than bad thing.