I have the same filter and was told by my hematologist that it is a permanent filteriand cannot be removed. As a result, I am on coumadin for life because there is a risk of a clot getting stuck in the filter if your blood is not thin enough. Hopefully this helps but I am sure this is not what you had hoped to hear. Do some research of your own and get a second opinion. Good luck with whatever you decide :-)

I would like to discuss the possibility of having a filter but since I am currently without insurance this isn't possible. If you have good insurance benefits, discuss all with your general doctor and pulmonary doctor.

I also have the same filter and was told that it is permanent - that it would be very dangerous to have it removed. I too am on jantoven (warfarin) for life.

Hello

I was recently hospitalized with DVT,PES and had a IVC filter put in, I was also diagnosed with Factor 5 leiden. Looks as though I will be on warifen for life.Doctors told me that my filter could come out in a few months or it could be permanant. One week out of the hospital chest pain still there as it was at hospital. Can some of you let me know about your experience how long for pain to go away and how long to get back to normal activities.

Thanks

Thanks for all your input Just so you know there are two of those same filters. One is able to be retrieved and one that is permanent. From what my vascular surgeon said they could both be removed.. It just depends on how much of a risk you want to take. He said he can do the surgery while on Warfarin as long as I am around 2.0-2.5.. Hematologist really dont have a clue other than the factors of clotting or not.. My doctor said a Hematologist would say if you have a filter in that is intended to stay than you should be on Warfarin for life. He disagrees with that. He said many people have a filter and dont need the thinners unless they have genetic factors.. He also said there is no proof which way you should go as far as leaving a filter in or taking it out. I dont think a Hematologist knows much other than clotting factors. I think a vascular surgeon knows better if something can be removed or not. He told me if I want to do it he can try.. He has to go in a look to see if he can. He cant tell through imaging. He also said it is a minimally invasive and low risk procedure. If I really want it out,there are so many options in which to have it removed. Just depends on how far I want to go with it..

I hope you all just don't take the word of one...

I have an optease filter in July and was told originally that it should be removed arounf December-January. But on the manufacturer's website for it it even says that it should be removed within the time period of 23 days, otherwise left in forever. My hematologist has talked with me about removing it because of my age he says he doesn't want it to be in forever (I'm 21) but I am fine with that and would rather leave it in than attempt to have it taken out if it's not meant to be.

My permanent filter was inserted by the Cardiologist who treated me when I had the PE. It was inserted while I was in the ICU. Due to the size of the PEs in both my lungs, my doc felt it was an appropriate preventive measure. The intent as that I'd only be on warfarin for 6 months. I am on warfarin for life now, due to a second DVT once I went off warfarin. I don't have any genetic clotting factors.

There's a lot of differing views in the medical community regarding the pros and cons of permanent filters and filters in general. I don't think it's a matter of one specialist knowing more than the other. It's just that they come from a different frame of reference.

I've got no beef with having a filter. If there's a chance that it could possibly prevent me from dropping dead from PEs, I'll take that over the risk of the actual filter itself. But that's me. You kind of have to figure out what feels right for you.

I have very much the same school of thought as RMB. I have a Greenfield filter and was always intended to be permanent so I never had to deal with whether or not to get it removed. I am on the young end of the spectrum for having one (32 when it was placed) and if I'd have had the option I'd probably have had it removed, though of course I don't know for sure, since I never had a choice. While my doctors have talked to me about the possibility of clots forming on the filter, etc., things that people seem to freak out about, my doctors have said that is a very, very small possibility of that happening barring additional genetic blood issues. I've now had two clotting episodes, and still my doctors say that if I want to I can go off coumadin in a year. I have asked about what if the filter catches clots and gets clogged or if clots form on it, how would I know? I was told that patients become symptomatic for DVT if that happens, so we just need to be vigilant of our symptoms, as we really need to be anyway.

One concern I would have about leaving in a retrievable filter is that there have been some (again, mostly isolated but it does happen) incidents of pieces of retrievable filters breaking off at some point in time and causing problems. The longer the filters are in apparently the higher the risk of that or other complications. My doctor said that really the placement of IVC filters in younger people such as you and I is relatively new, so there's really no knowing for certain how that might affect our health at some point in the distant future, as most people who traditionally had them have not had an additional 30-40+ years of life to look forward to. If I were in your situation, a couple of things which I would consider is whether the filter has been in for a short enough time that retrieval would be relatively easy, which your vascular doctor should know, and second how high are your chances of clotting again (is there a medical issue which might contribute to clotting)? If so, you might consider keeping it if it could prove to be additional protection for you.....just a couple of other things to consider.

Let us know what you decide....

I would have it taken out because no one really knows what the long term effects of leaving it in,does anyone have any factual information on that I heard if you leave it in to long that it could get stuck to the arterial wall of the vena cava therfore makingit complicated to remove. I will be in the same situation in a few months. The radiological sergeon that put mine in assured me that there would be no problem removing it if thats what I wanted to do. You should still try to get all of the info and make the choice yourself with the input of the doctors.