BACK IN THE HOSPITAL

WELL, I HAVEN'T BEEN ON THE MESSAGE BOARD FOR OVER A WEEK NOW, BUT I AM BACK. MISSED READING ALL OF YOUR POSTINGS!! I WAS 8 WEEKS POST-OP, HAD LOST 25 LBS, WAS GETTING MY ENERGY BACK AND WAS EXERCISING 3 TIMES A WEEK AND HAD RETURNED TO WORK. THEN I BEGAN TO HAVE PAIN IN MY THIGH THAT I THOUGHT WAS A PULLED MUSCLE, BUT WHEN THE PAIN ESCALATED TO THE POINT THAT I COULD NOT WALK WITHOUT PAIN, I KNEW IT WAS A BLOOD CLOT, SINCE I HAD HAD THEM BEFORE. AN ULTRASOUND AT THE HOSPITAL ER CONFIRMED MY SUSPICION AND I WAS ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR ANTICOAGULATION THERAPY. AS IT TURNS OUT, I FOUND OUT THAT MY BLOOD IS MORE PRONE TO CLOTTING THAN MOST, SO I WILL BE ON A BLOOD THINNER FOR LIFE. THIS REALLY SUCKS, BUT THANK GOODNESS THAT I AM AN RN AND HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO DEAL WITH THIS LITTLE BUMP IN THE ROAD. I AM OFF WORK AGAIN, WORRY THAT I AM NOT PULLING MY SHARE OF THE LOAD AT WORK, BUT HEY, WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? A CLOT TAKES A LONG TIME TO DISSOLVE AND BLOOD FLOW TO RETURN TO NORMAL. UNTIL THEN, THE PAIN WILL NOT LET YOU RETURN TO YOUR NORMAL ACTIVITIES. SO I JUST HAVE TO BE PATIENT WAIT FOR GOD TO LIFT THIS BURDEN, AS I KNOW HE WILL. SO, IT IS GOOD TO FEEL WELL ENOUGH TO BE BACK ON THE BOARD TODAY. AND....I HAVE NOW LOST 30LBS!!!!!! JANICE

So glad you are getting better. 30 pds is great. I joined Curves today so I am weak in the knees.haha Keep posting! Jane

Janice, Just wanted to say congrats on your WLS. A blood clot is a HUGE "bump in the road" I had a pulmonary emboliss in 2003 after my daughter was born by C-Section. Thank goodness you knew what you had and caught it before it moved. I had my WLS March 7th of this year (the day after my daughter's b-day!!) and I'm down about 60 lbs. now. YAY ME!! LOL But, anyway, I had a vena cava filter done before my WLS. I'm curious as to whether or not you had or didn't have one, if you had a history of blood clots. With my history, there was no question that I would have the filter done before my WLS. That was certainly a relief to know I wouldn't be at risk this time of another pulmonary emboliss. Anyway, just wanted to say congrats to you, and keep up the good work. As for nursing, I'll say you picked a GREAT profession. I was in nursing school about 7 years ago when I met my husband and decided he was more important. But, I finally got my head on straight and he agrees with me, I'm going back to school in the fall. Best of luck to you!!! Amanda Edwards

Hi, Amanda. So nice to meet you. I read your profile, and enjoyed the pix of your family. You asked me about the filter pre-op. Actually, this was not a consideration in my case. My last clot was 21 years ago. I had been put on hormones to help with some menstrual problems and within a week, I had a clot and was in the hospital on heparin. 18 years previous to that, after my first C-Section, I had thrombophlebitis, which is just inflammation of the lining of a vein. This comes before an actual clot, but has basically the same type of pain, one which I was still able to remember. So, I guess these two situations were isolated and far enough apart in time, that my md did not think it was a big risk. After all, after that first c-section, I had 3 more, plus a hysterectomy without any problems. I guess these reasons are why the filter was never mentioned to me. My PCP, who will be managing my blood thinner medication, said yesterday, that he thinks this would have happened even if I had not had surgery, knowing now that my blood clots faster than most. Maybe all of this is more than you wanted to know, huh? LOL! Anyway, Good luck with nursing school. MY only daughter is an RN and now my 25 year son starts at USM School of Nursing in August. Where are you going? Hang in there until you finish, cause we always need good nurses. Bye, Janice

Janice, I hate to hear about that. Hope you keep getting better and can return to normal activity. Your weight loss is going great. Becky

Janice... you are very lucky that you knew what was going on. Blood clots are very scary and it is one of my biggest fears still even now after 8 mos. We have missed you and congratulations on 30 pounds! That is exciting! Let me know if I can do anything for you!

Scarey, scarey! I am glad you are okay and congratulations on the 30 lbs!! You go girl! Smooch ARlies

Janice, I am so sorry to hear that, you had your surgery two weeks before me and I didn't know we still could have clots this far out. Take care and know that "even though you have a blood clot, it doesn't have you". Thank God you caught it before it did any damage. Take Care and take it easy!!!!!

Hey Sandra, thanks for the reply. Actually, the surgeons think that this clot was probably NOT related to my surgery, since I was 8 weeks out. Especially since I was active after surgery. The hypercoagulibility of my blood is most likely the culprit, which was only diagnosed the day after the clot was found. So, I think this event is not likely to occur often. In fact, I saw my PCP yesterday, who is managing my anticoagulation therapy, and he told me that he suspects that this would have happened even if I had not just had surgery. Anyway, I seem to be feeling a little better everyday!!! Thanks, JANICE