it's not always the MS!

[jensequitur]

Well, just an update on my status - I've been in the hospital since Thursday morning.  I went in and they ultrasounded my leg, and found a clot, so they sent me across the street to the hospital, and I was checked in immediately.  I think the absolute worst was finding the vein for the IV - it was cold that morning, and my veins aren't all that prominent anyway.  They had to stick me five times before they could get the IV in.  I was actually happy - it was either that or a picc line.

Then they started pumping me full of heparin.  The doctor quizzed me on my symptoms, and asked me if I was having any shortness of breath.  Well, yes, I answered - not mentioning that it's an on again, off again symptom.  They decided to schedule me for a CT scan.  Turns out a little bit of the clot in my leg had ended up in my lung.  Scary!

So I've been in the hospital since then.  I'm not supposed to move around, although the doctors are inconsistent on this.  A couple say that because of all the blood thinners, there's no danger.  My doctor (and a couple of others) say not to move around.  I don't like being bedridden, but I'm feeling very cautious!  I have sanitary arrangements so I don't have to go very far, and with all this medication, it seems like I'm going every five minutes.

The positive things are that I'm in a private room, nice and quiet.  Which is great because I like a little privacy for some things!  And the food is actually not all that bad, although everything seems to smell like instant chicken soup, even the eggs.  We had steak and lobster for Friday dinner.  

They say I'll probably get out sometime Sunday.  They're waiting for my levels - whatever that means - to go down to a point where it's safe for me to move around.  Then I'll have to inject myself with heparin for a couple of days - subcutaneous, thank goodness.  And of course I'll be on coumadin for six months.

They're not real sure what caused the clot, but they suspect it's the birth control pills.  I've been on the darn things for fifteen years - probably it's the cause of my phlebitis in my left leg.  (And that's another thing - don't let your PCP blow you off either.  I went to my doctor twelve years ago with odd swelling in my left leg and new varicose veins, and they didn't take me seriously.  They should have taken me off the bc pills right there.)

So one big thing I've learned from this is that every symptom is important.  Instead of just dealing with the pain, I should have been calling my pcp three weeks ago.  I tend to ignore symptoms, and that's not a healthy behavior.  I was thinking it was the MS, and I was just progressing, when I had something else entirely going on.

Well, as they say - live and learn!

[michelleislay]

jen, i am sooooo sorry to hear about all you've been through!!  at the same time, totally relieved and glad you got to the root of the problem in time.

thinking of you and hope you feel much, much better.

xo michelle

[michelleric]

What a scary thing to go through, and I am SO glad they found this and are taking care of you.  Could have been a tragedy.

4 years ago, I had 2 blood clots as well.  One was a very high high risky one. I believe it was a superior mesentary artery, All I know is that is a bad one, and I had similar treatment as you.

After running a huge amount of blood tests, they found many factors of a blood clotting disorder. I will be on coumadin for the rest of my life, and go for monthly blood tests.

I hope you are doing better, let us know.

Michelle

[anon07072023]

Hi Jen,

I'm really glad they caught your blood clots.  They're nothing to mess around with - especially once they go to your lungs.  I'm sure you realize the seriousness of it.

The private room in the hospital is the way to go.  I'd definitely prefer a private room, too.

I hope you're doing better.
-Kelly

[Deb61]

I'm glad to hear that you are in good hands.  Oh my goodness--what a scare! People with MS, who are generally more inactive, have a double-whammy going against them when they're on birth control.  

I wonder if you've heard, or anyone else has heard, of anything that people can do that are in wheelchairs (or inactive) and on birth control pills (or not) to prevent blood clots.  There's a lot of discussion about stretching your legs on long international flights to prevent blood clots.  I wonder if these stretches for people with MS who are quite inactive (even if you have to move your legs by lifting them with your hands) would help?      

People on this forum, including myself, learn a great deal from you, and you're missed when you're not around!  

Deb

[Sparkysarah]

What a terrible scare for you and you sound very calm about it all. I guess you are pleased to get to the bottom of it ..but it could have been extremely serious if not treated. Ifound Audrey's information very helpful and interesting.

Meanwhile rest up, take care and sounds like you have no option but to take things easy for a while so don't overdo it when you get home.

Love and hugs

Sarah x

[Udkas]

Hi there,
I wish you a speedy recovery, and I am so glad that you are okay?  Well I guess it could have been a whole heap worse!

It's very easy to blame every symptom on MS (both for patients and Doctors), if you are diagnosed with MS it is very easy to blame it for most things, when of cause other options should be investigated.

Thanks for sharing this with us and reminding us about "not blaming every symptom on MS", I wish you a speedy recovery and thank goodness that they got the clot in time.

Cheers,
Udkas.