After a week in the hospital...

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elaich - 30 Oct 2005 06:28 GMT

I am lucky to be alive.

53 y/o male, T2, no known family history of any clotting dysfunction, and
I develop a blood clot in the thigh that went to my lungs. I survived the
dreaded pulmonary embolism, probably by luck.

The doctor felt there was no link to this and diabetes, only that it must
be genetic. I am more suspicious. But, there may a link to my mother. I
have just learned that miscarriages may be related to blood clots. My
mother had a number of miscarriages. Still, she lived to be 86, and died
of smoking related lung disease.

Could this be diabetes related? Since I live in a small, somewhat remote
town, the extensive labs they took had to be sent off, and take 2 weeks
to return results. They are looking for an undiagnosed condition or a
genetic tie.

Meanwhile, I have to do at least 9 months of blood thinners, and maybe
for the rest of my life. It's a small trade off. I'm glad to be alive.

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Ozgirl - 30 Oct 2005 06:52 GMT

Ack, I have no experience with clots but just want to say
thank God you survived to tell the tale! A year or two ago I
got an very unusual calf pain for no obvious reason and I
was in for tests very very quickly, no clot but never did
find what it was.

> I am lucky to be alive.
>
> 53 y/o male, T2, no known family history of any clotting dysfunction,
> and I develop a blood clot in the thigh that went to my

lungs. I

> survived the dreaded pulmonary embolism, probably by luck.
>
> The doctor felt there was no link to this and diabetes, only that it
> must be genetic. I am more suspicious. But, there may a

link to my

> mother. I have just learned that miscarriages may be

related to blood

> clots. My mother had a number of miscarriages. Still, she

lived to be

> 86, and died of smoking related lung disease.
>
> Could this be diabetes related? Since I live in a small, somewhat
> remote town, the extensive labs they took had to be sent

off, and

> take 2 weeks to return results. They are looking for an

undiagnosed

> condition or a genetic tie.
>
> Meanwhile, I have to do at least 9 months of blood thinners, and maybe
> for the rest of my life. It's a small trade off. I'm glad to be alive.

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Alan S - 30 Oct 2005 10:43 GMT

>I'm glad to be alive.

We're glad you are too. I hope you find what the cause was
so it doesn't recur.

Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.

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Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.

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Cheri - 30 Oct 2005 18:09 GMT

Sorry to hear it, and yes you are lucky to be alive. I hope you get some
answers to a very scary situation.

--
Cheri

>I am lucky to be alive.
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>Meanwhile, I have to do at least 9 months of blood thinners, and maybe
>for the rest of my life. It's a small trade off. I'm glad to be alive.

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mrslang - 30 Oct 2005 19:55 GMT

sorry to hear about your problem and glad you got out of there alive.
the body is a pretty complicated thing and it lets us know that from
time to time. hope you find the answers you need for peace of mind.

Sally

> I am lucky to be alive.
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Meanwhile, I have to do at least 9 months of blood thinners, and maybe
> for the rest of my life. It's a small trade off. I'm glad to be alive.

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Chris J. - 30 Oct 2005 20:07 GMT

>I am lucky to be alive.

I'm glad you made it!!!

>53 y/o male, T2, no known family history of any clotting dysfunction, and
>I develop a blood clot in the thigh that went to my lungs. I survived the
>dreaded pulmonary embolism, probably by luck.

>The doctor felt there was no link to this and diabetes, only that it must
>be genetic. I am more suspicious.

Hmmmm.... Isn't Deep Vein Thrombosis sometimes caused by inflammation,
which is also involved in diabetes?

>Could this be diabetes related? Since I live in a small, somewhat remote
>town, the extensive labs they took had to be sent off, and take 2 weeks
>to return results. They are looking for an undiagnosed condition or a
>genetic tie.

>Meanwhile, I have to do at least 9 months of blood thinners, and maybe
>for the rest of my life. It's a small trade off. I'm glad to be alive.

I hope you have a speedy recovery....

Best wishes;

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Tiger Lily - 30 Oct 2005 23:20 GMT

yipes

glad you are here talking to us
elaich..............take care and good luck with
those meds

kate

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> I am lucky to be alive.
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Meanwhile, I have to do at least 9 months of blood thinners, and maybe
> for the rest of my life. It's a small trade off. I'm glad to be alive.

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Loretta Eisenberg - 30 Oct 2005 23:31 GMT

Elaich, what a frightening experience you survived. and survived is the
operative word. I am glad to hear that you are here to tell the tale.

Are you on comoudin.

Loretta

--
In tribute to the United States of America and the State
of Israel, two bastions of strength in a world filled with strife and
terrorism.

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elaich - 31 Oct 2005 03:24 GMT

Ronetta@webtv.net (Loretta Eisenberg) wrote in news:1521-436549BC-926
@storefull-3234.bay.webtv.net:

> Are you on comoudin.

Yes, for at least 6 months.

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Dennis Rekuta - 01 Nov 2005 06:30 GMT

> I am lucky to be alive.
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Meanwhile, I have to do at least 9 months of blood thinners, and maybe
> for the rest of my life. It's a small trade off. I'm glad to be alive.

It is doubtful that it has anything to do with diabetes, but it might be
diabetic. When I was on dialysis, I had a lot of trouble with clotting.
I was on anywhere from 10 - 20 mg coumadin (blood thinners) daily,
subject to those weekly or bi-weekly INR tests to see if they had to
vary the dosage. I was off them as soon as I got my transplant.

Mr father's oldest brother died of an embolism as they were literally
discharging him from the hospital on an unrelated matter. His middle
brother had phlebitis in the legs and was hospitalized several times, as
was his sister. During the many operations he endured, they always took
the precaution of using those stockings that start inflating at the foot
and progress up the leg and then back again, like a rolling massage.
Towards the end of his life he was on coumadin. Before I could get
listed for my kidney transplant, the family risk was bad enough that
they tested both of us for Factor 5 in the blood, a serious genetic risk
factor for clotting. Neither of us had it. I am the only one in the
bunch with diabetes. Most of the people I have met with clots were not
diabetic.

Coumadin in generic form should be dirt cheap if you have to take it
long term. I use to amuse the kiddies by telling them I took rat poison,
and then showing them my prescription for warafin (generic). The only
downside is watching how much kale, broccoli and other vitamin K foods
you eat and some occasional bruising. Just don't use a straight edge
razor. ;-) Those INR blood tests for adjusting the coumadin level are
more of a nuisance, but some people are stable and don't have to get
tested that often.

Just take reasonable precautions, and take care of yourself.

Dennis (Type 2)

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