This has been my "learning experience" for this week, and this topic seems as good a place as any to share it. For the last couple of weeks, I have been having a really hard time getting enough air, and even a little exertion (such as walking out to the car) would have me huffing and puffing as I went. Even so, I would have not gone to the hospital; but on Wednesday night, I started having pain in the right side of my chest, and muscle spasms along the rib cage whenever I tried to breathe. As long as I laid still in the bed, and only took small breaths, I could manage failrly well, and I thought that it would go away by morning. Well...... it didn't, and in fact, it was much worse. When it got to the point that I was gasping for air, and hurting too bad to even gasp, I realized that if I didn't get to the hospital, I was going to black out from loss of air. Bobby was about to haul me there by force anyway, he was so worried about me; so off to the emergency room we went. The first doctor said chest pain, it is pneumonia, and gave me an IV with antibiotics in it. The second doctor said that since I had NO actual symptoms of pneumonia, he thought it was a blood clot in my lungs; so they took X-rays and proceeded to test me for that. When that turned out positive; they also sent me for an ultrasound, and found blood clots in my leg as well. Now, I am on blood-thinners again; and that should stop any more clots from forming, according to the doctor. I was taking them before because of the atrial-fibrillation; but after the heart procedure stopped that problem, they told me that I could stop taking the Xarelto. I just did that in September; so it did not take long for the blood clots to happen. Short of having an experience like mine; I am not sure how you would know if you have blood clots; but now I certainly have a better understanding of the importance of having them treated if you do get one. They are supposed to release me from the hospital today, and I am certainly looking forward to being back home again !!
So scary, Yvonne! I worry about things like that happening to me...at least you have Bobby and insurance. I would wait too long I think if I felt bad. So glad you are going home though and everything is okay. Hugs and take care when you do get home, follow drs orders.
Yes it sounds like a really scary time you had there Yvonne, take care and hope everything goes well now.
Yvonne, I thank the good Lord your okay. I experienced the same thing in 2011. My one calf hurt and I was unable to walk across the kitchen without running out of breath, or blow into my flute, or even leave a short message on the phone. I thought I just needed to exercise but didn't get far walking even…almost didn't make it home. My chest didn't hurt though….nor my rib cage. My blood pressure was about 150 but skyrocketed to 190 while I was checking into the ER. My doctor confirmed I had a possible blood clot and told me to go home and put my feet up. Right I was in the hospital for a week with blood clots in both lungs that had traveled through the blood stream to my lungs and was threatening damage to my heart. I went home not feeling much better after my hospital stay but was given the blood thinners. A month later I felt better and stopped with the blood thinners. It started to come back right away and my blood pressure went up. I didn't want to go back to the ER nor back on thinners so I did something crazy…but worked. I don't recommend going against doctors orders!!….but I was stubborn and chanced it (could have killed me). I got on the internet and googled my blood pressure and pain in my calf, and shortness of breath. Immediately a forum popped up where a woman said (she even had the same blood pressure number) drink lots of water, put your feet up, and eat a nutritarian diet. I just happened to have been gifted a book from my daughter, who is a health coach and plant-based chef in Co, called "Eat to Live". She didn't even know my problems had returned or about the internet suggestion. I followed Dr. Fuhrman's (author of Eat to Live and has come out with an updated one) rules to a tee but loosely followed the recipes within reason. I made his nutritarian soup recipe to a tee though and had it every day. I made a large batch and froze it in individual portions. Within 3 days my blood pressure was normal, pain in my calf was gone, and breathing was perfectly fine. Needless to say, I realized for the first time just how our diet affects our health at our age. I got away with things when I was younger that I can't now. A year later, I became slack with my healthy lifestyle and began to feel the pain in my knee and could hardly walk. I began Aqua-fit (more energetic than Aqua-aerobics) and after 3 months I was as fit as a 20-something. I continued with a healthy diet and moved on the swimming on my own. Again, I was shown how important exercise is to our health at our age. Even just moving around.
That's both interesting and scary Lara, I don't really think about blood clots I must admit and didn't realise how common they can be, you seem to have helped yourself through healthy living, which as you say proves the importance of diet and exercise as we age.
First I want to thank Yvonne for tell everyone of her illness. I was having to tape my online mouth shut, and it was really hard, but it wasn't mine to tell. I have been so worried about her. I kept asking her if she was ok, but that stubborn little guru of mine wouldn't tell. She was in the hospital when she finally told me. The next time I see her I'm gonna give her lecture, but I'll sure hug her first.
I felt there was something wrong when she wasnt online as much, was almost getting ready to message her on facebook but then she popped in here for a bit on halloween so I didnt and today im reading what all she went thru!!
Thank you for all of the well-wishes, Everyone ! ! It would have been fine for you to tell people here what had happened, @Ina I. Wonder . Because of the pain meds they gave me, and probably just the general lack of oxygen, not to mention the pain that I was in, I was in no condition to talk or communicate. We did not tell anyone, and only Bobby knew I was here. Robin was gone for that important conference; so I told Bobby that unless things got serious, she was not to be disturbed either, and we would tell her as soon as she was returning home, which we did . I was not even able to focus to look at the iPad, or even talk on the phone; so I just thought that I would wait until I was better and could actually communicate with people before I even tried. By late Friday, I was doing much better, and by Saturday actually be online some, although still not anything where I needed to concentrate to write. It sounds like all I will need to do is take the blood thinner to prevent this happening again, and I am already doing the fitness center just about every other day, and eating healthy; so it should be okay, and now that it is healing, even my bad knee is moving better. I am finally home (had a wonderful shower, and looking forward to sleeping in my own bed again!), and Robin came over to visit. She ended up being back late last night, and I told her, no sense coming to the hospital, and I should be home today. The doctor said that I should do my regular activities while the blood clots are dissolving (like a bruise does), but not any exerting like going to the fitness center for about a week. He said by then my body should have healed itself, and it would be fine to go again.
Welcome home, Yvonne. You are such a special person to so many and we'd all miss you if you weren't here. Sounds like you have a good doctor and your doing what he says. Good girl
I am taking maintenance medication for high blood pressure that sometimes reach 190/100. The doctor was clear on his instruction that I should never fail to take the medication for I might experience a sudden surge. So now I am aware that a stroke can hit me anytime. As for other causes of stroke, the blood clotting is the most common. Specialists say that a clot that blocks a big vein like an artery can cause a stroke. With small veins, it is called TIA - transient ischemic attacks - that is considered mild but may become worse later. It's a good thing that your clots are discovered this early, @Yvonne Smith because it may cause you your life if not remedied. Good luck to the blood thinners.
I went to the doctor again today for the after-hospital visit, and she says that my heart and lungs sounded great, the swelling in the leg was gone, and she thinks that there is no problem with me resuming my visits to the fitness center next week. The blood clots should be completely dissolved by now, and I am not hurting anywhere, and not having shortness of breath either. Today, we went to the grocery store and I was walking around with no problems, and even my knee seems to be working better. She said that I will need to take the blood thinner for the next year, and then we can re-assess the situation if necessary. Since there are no side-effects from the Xarelto, I have no problem with taking that again, and now I will know that it is also protecting me from getting another clot. As I get in better shape physically with the exercising, that should help me, too.