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.
Hi, I have recently joined the group and have enjoyed, been educated and have had some fears alleviated by reading everyone's posts. I was hospitalized on 06/06/13 with multiple PE's three in one lung, 2 in another. I was two weeks post op (hysterectomy) and woke up on 06/05/13 with left shoulder pain and after 30 minutes back left lung pain. The shoulder felt like I had pulled something and the lung pain felt like an air bubble...sharp pain upon inhaling. I remember praying the pain would go away...thank the Lord it didn't because I am still alive because of it! I waited to go to the hospital...it took my poor brain a while to realize that something was very wrong...or I just didn't want to believe it. Once I arrived at the ER things went pretty fast and my pain level escalated once they made me lay flat for the CT...it felt like my left lung had several knifes lined with sandpaper in it! Not sure why I didn't have any pains in my right lung...that one has three. Everyone here has been through some version of what happened next.. A week in hospital...oxygen...blood draws...pain....heparin...Coumadin. Today...07/21/13 I finally went to the grocery store and walked and talked without making it half way through dragging behind the cart! :) My worry is...I go back to work mid Aug. I work for an ENT Doctor. I hear that I can get sick easier and it will hit me harder and longer. I am wondering if it is even worth it to go back or if I should try to find a different job. I still get short of breath, I use two different inhalers for that and it has helped a lot. I still get tired but it is getting better. I have finally found "me" if anyone understands that. Any time the stress or anxiety comes upon me..think...I can breath...I am still alive...I am getting better. But this work thing is really scaring me...I mean...I work with sick patients. Has anyone had to change their jobs because of this dx? I want to thank each and every one of you that has posted!
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Look at what my best friend did with my picture!
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We all have 24 hours in a day. How we spend these hours is important. Watching a little bit of a video about how sitting affects us made me aware of how much sitting and laying down I do. Gonna have to work on that.Your turn. Tell me another truth.
I totally understand about the germs at work. I work in the Emergency Room as a ED Tech. I was diagnosed with PE on June 2nd. I was off of work for 2weeks and when I went back I tried to do full duty work. My body said no and on top of that I started having Anxiety to we're I had to leave the ER to get fresh air outside the Ambulace area during my whole shift. I emailed my doctor the same day and she put me on light duty with no lifting, pushing, pull over 5ibs. So now I just sit down all day at UA desk . I'm on light duty till Aug 8th.
The 3rd week I broke out with Shingles and sense I work in the ER we see a lot of elderly people and little kids. So my doctor took me off for another week so I won't pass this to other people.
But have your doctor put you on light duty until your body is able to come back normal.. But it will take some time. I still feel Sob still having chest tightness and palpitation. But no I haven't changed jobs and I have to 2 jobs but one of them I did drop down to part-time though sense I been diagnosed. But no you won't get sicker I did call the Coumadin clinic to see if I can start taking my vitamin C they said yes I only can take 2 a day. At least that will help my immune symptom!!!
I got the shingles shot because I had a PE
Tian, I've never heard that having a PE itself can make you more prone to illness. I do think having had a major physical event can make you perhaps vulnerable but I wouldn't let it freak you out too much. I also think it's temporary, not like you're going to be prone to illness for the rest of your life.
I went back to work part time two weeks after coming home from the hospital, and then full time the third week. It was making me absolutely nuts to be at home with all kinds of time on my hands to think about all if it, all the what ifs, the self doubt, etc. I think getting back to normal is important. My biggest issue with returning to work was the fatigue. That was the hardest part. I would try to keep staying some what active to build up your strength. If you do get sick,like a chest cold, you may notice discomfort more, but I think a lot of that is also due to hyper awareness of our bodies after a PE. We're so focused on every ache and pain initially.
Talk to your employer and see if he can ease you into your regular workload like nicole recommended. But really,. try not to psyche yourself out too much.
I'm sure having surgery plays a part in the fatigue too. So does a hospital stay. I didn't have surgery, but I was in the hospital for 7 days total with the PE, had tPA administered in the ER, a blood transfusion because my blood counts got low on heparin, a vena cava filter inserted, etc. Lot of stuff your body has to deal with, you know, and I swear, that 7 days alone in the hospital wears you out. You don't sleep, you don't feel well, you don't eat well. So I think that plays a role in this whole thing too.
It took me about 3 months to feel pretty damn near back to normal. You'll be ok. You just may feel really tired for a while after starting work again, but that does get better. That's funny you mention grocery shopping. That was probably my first normal activity by myself after my PE and it was weird. I felt stoned, like I was moving in slow motion, and I was just holding on to that cart for dear life. But I got through it and it was a stepping stone to do more. The more normal things you do, the more confident you become in your body and your abilities.
Just take it a day at a time. That's all you can do.
My massive, bi-lateral PE was exactly 10 months ago. I am still having issues, and my doctor is investigating those. I can't say that I've been sicker than before the PE. I know that immune system is very low, since I've been having health issue since October 2011. But my body is starting to learn to bounce back, finally.
Colds tend to be a little harder on the system, but I haven't noticed that they last longer. Protecting yourself sounds like a good strategy.