Well, I'm finally out of the hospital!

[jensequitur]

Thanks for all your well wishes, guys - I got out on Monday, and I've been taking it as easy as possible since.  Back at work today.  They checked my INR this morning, and found that I was at therapeutic levels.  With the injection I took this morning, I will probably be a bit too high tomorrow - so they're reducing my Coumadin temporarily.  But the good news is now I can stop the Lovenox.

Oh, and I lost 6 pounds.  Not the best way of losing weight, but I have no appetite in a hospital (although this was the first time I was the one in the bed.)

[Lulu54]

Lobster?  They only had salmon on my hospital menu!!!  

Funny but around here all the hospitals are competing for our business and it is the little things like room service/food menus that they think make us want to come back to their place.

[jensequitur]

Oh, ouch!  How did they handle getting your INR to the right level?  Just keep dosing you with IV heparin?

[Guitar_grrrl]

Welcome home, Jen!

My DVT last year was caused by my BC pill.  I dropped it like a hot rock.  No problems, since.  I did learn I was allergic to Lovenox, though - hive city!

[jensequitur]

You know, the food wasn't actually that bad!  But I just didn't have any appetite.  I'd eat a little bit, and then stop, because I just wasn't hungry, and didn't want to eat.

They had steak and lobster on Friday night - my only complaint was that the lobster was a little dry.  Oh, boo-hoo, the lobster was dry!  Could have been much worse.  

[Rena705]

So glad to hear you are up and about again!  I know coumadin is something that no one wants to have to deal with but at least it helps.  Losing 6 pounds is awesome payback for you though...and you are supposed to aren't you...no one can eat the hospital food and I though they did that on purpose?  tee hee

Take care,
Rena

[michelleislay]

good news on all fronts!  so glad to hear it.

xo michelle

[rendean]

Jen,
Sorry I didn't realize you were in the hospital, too wrapped up in my own medical woes, or I would have sent get well wishes, which now are glad you're better wishes.

I'm glad you feel well enough to return to work already. Take it easy and take care of yourself.
Ren

[supermum_ms]

Hey Jen,

Glad to hear your doing well, dont know how your back at work already, still keep an eye on your self!

Cheers.........JJ

[jensequitur]

We actually didn't talk about the bc pills.  Because it's the suspected cause, I decided not to take them any more.  I will look for another birth control method, probably condoms for now...

[Sarahsmom46]

What? You didn't like getting the Lovonex shots?  I hated them too and found the injection is worse than the Copax injections.  

Anyway, you are quite the trooper.  Already back at work. Wow!!!  I have a question thought about the BC you were on. There are commercials out there on TV rignt now about Yaaz and class action suits going on.  My daughter is  taking that and it alarmed me at first. What did your doctor suggest you do about the BC? Change to another brand or quit this form altogether. If that is too personal of a question, you don't have to answer. Just thought this might help for information purposes only.  

Keep doing well and congrats on losing the 6 pounds.  

Julie

[candy158]

so glad that you are on the mend.  Take care of yourself, and be well.  

[jensequitur]

Yeah, the doctor said that if it did happen again, they would install a vena cava shunt, but I think it must have been the birth control pills.  I have this unproven theory that the pills were interacting with the interferon, but who knows!

I am going to have to watch my dietary level, but the nurse said as long as you keep it consistent, it's okay.  So I'll have to watch that - I like to cook up a big mess of greens, and then I end up eating greens every day.  Can't do that any more.

[slightlybroken]

I'm glad your at home and well.

I ended up losing weight when I was on Coumadin/blood thinners for a year for the DVT I had. I think the Coumadin can suppress your appetite. I was also cold for the very first time in my life. I was always warm blooded, but definitely not on the Coumadin.

The longer that your on the Coumadin, you might notice some minor hair loss. I did have this, but fortunately I have very thick hair to begin with.

Did they give you instructions on the Coumadin diet? You have to watch your dietary level intake of Vitamin K and limit it because it can mess with your PT/INR results and make you too thick. No multi vitamins ..herbal supplements that might have hidden Vitamin K.

I also have a vena cava filter just in case something ever occurs again which gives me a little peace of mind. I did have surgery to remove the blood clot because it was quite big and I do have some valve damage because of the blood clot. My ankle will swell if I'm up on my feet too long.

I hope your experience is good with this med and I hope you have a speedy recovery. If you need any info on anything, PM me, I'm always lurking.

[Lulu54]

J, welcome back.  That is one heck of a weight loss plan.  I'm so glad they got the clot under control for you.

Now we've had three of us in the hospital - we're done for a while, right folks?  

everyone stay healthy!
Lulu

[drsdonthelp]

I didn't even know you were in the hospital , so sorry to hear that, hope you are feeling better.
Pamela

[COBOB]

Hope that nasty old clot is no longer an issue!

[figuerpa]

I am glad you are out of the hospital, I just got out this morning myself so I am kinda out of the loop around here. Glad to here all is well with you, take it easy and yay for the 6 pound weight loss!!!

Paula