RECURRING BRAIN CLOTS AFTER SURGERY

[Ciiku]

A month ago my father was operated on after the doctors found out that he had two large brain clots.  This diagnosis was only done after 3 weeks of tests and all that time my father had extreme vomiting, migraines, inability to eat or drink anything as he would vomit it out soon after, weakness and within that period he lost a total of 3kgs.  My father has been a diabetic for over 12years taking daily insulin injections twice a day since he was diagnosed with diabetics. His diabete's has been extremely well controlled.  My sister died from a brain clot when she was very young and I have protein s deficiency and of late was diagnosed with a vitamin b12 defeciency and peripheral nerve damage after a failed back surgery.  My protein s deficiency was diagnosed in 2005 when I developed a clot and since I had none of the risk factor's the doctor who treated me ran a battery of tests to find out the cause of the clot and that's when he got the protein s deficiency.  When I got a second clot the same year i had another test which basically confirmed the protein s deficiency.  I was put on warfarin for 1 year and once i stablised I was put on a daily dose of baby asprin and upto today I have had no recurrence of clotting.

The reason i am giving this background information regarding my situation is because my father has been told that the bleeding in the head has returned and that he needs to undergo a battery of tests to determine the root cause as it seems they didnt find it the last time they operated on him a month ago.  He is scheduled for another surgery within 2 weeks and in the meantime he has been given medication.

We are as a family worried about him going back to surgery especially with him being diabetic.  What is your advise please?  Thank you

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

How are you?
Protein C or S deficiency is a condition that runs in families. Proteins C and S are natural substances that prevent blood from clotting.
Normal clotting requires 20 protein factors for clotting. Proteins C and S work the other way around and prevent clotting of the blood. Deficiency of even one them would cause abnormal clotting of blood.
The treatment is by medications like heparin and warfarin which are blood thinners. Please discuss this with your doctor and keep us posted!

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

How are you?

Sorry for what has happened. I can understand your feelings.

Have you explained to the doctors that you are having protein s deficiency. May be you are having congenital protein s deficiency. Congenital protein C or S deficiency is a condition that runs in families (inherited), which is caused by a lack of the proteins C or S in the fluid portion of blood (plasma). Proteins C and S are natural substances that prevent blood clots (anticoagulants). People with this condition are more likely to get blood clots.

If there is continuous bleeding in your father’s brain it may be due to protein c or s deficiency. Treatment is then by drugs heparin and warfarin.

The primary importance now is to remove the blood clots formed by continuous bleeding.
Surgeons try to keep the blood sugar controlled during surgery by insulin injections.
Even after the surgery, regular blood sugar levels are to be kept monitored along with regular insulin therapy.

Take care and pls do keep us posted on how your father is doing.

God bless..