Bloodclots

Well I had my panniculectomy October 13th. It went well. Suddenly last thursday my left leg started swelling up.  I went to my dr. appt on friday morning. He said it was just edema that I must be doing too much. Go home and elevate my leg. So I did. During the night friday night/saturday morning I got an ocular migraine. Haven't had a migraine in any form since my RNY. Leg still swollen and hurts to walk. Had a friend take me to the er. Diagnosis? DVT in left leg and ocular migraine. DVT was automatic admission to hospital.  My plastic's dr never came to see me. Not once. They put me on coumadin and lovonox. Migraine was dealt with easy peasy. Then wednesday came and suddenly my drain started smelling foul. The color and viscosity changed. The hospital dr. wanted to release me and I told him not until he personally examined my drain and put it in writing that he felt I was able to be released. He did the exam and decided to keep me, run my labs yet again and do a cat scan on my abdomen. That all happened yesterday morning. Labs are good. Don't show an infection. My temp is subnormal as always. Scan results say either I have a small abcess or fluid build up. Can't tell.  My hospital dr. says since I have appt with plastics guy friday he'd keep me in and just release me right before appt. then they'd keep the room open for me in case plastics dr wanted me re-admitted. Then the hospital dr called me this morning right before my release and said he called the plastics dr who said since my drain was still at thirty, and he wouldn't take it out till it was under thirty for two days, that my coming in was a waste of my time.  This is the same man who said my blood clots were only edema.  

I am so pissed right now.  I have been released and am at home. I have appointments with my plastics dr. pcp dr, and pain management dr all for next week. I have my feet up tho my left leg is very swollen. I can barely walk. My drian smells foul. I can barely sit next to myself. I am just sitting here seething with anger. I loved my plastics guy until last friday when he said I only had edema.  Even then, as a non-professional I was worried about clots.  The ultrasound/doppler of my leg shows its blocked from the top of the thigh to the middle of my shin.  Thats a lot!!!

My blood is thinned according to my labs. So i'm not so worried about the clots at the moment. My biggest concern is the possiblity of infection. If nothing else the smell is horrible. I have no idea what to do. The plastics guy says its normal for a three week old drain to change smell and sometimes smell rotten. I don't know if anyone else has had a smelly drain without infection but I am worried.

Im glad you have your doctor apts coming up soon. Hope all works out and your feeling better in no time. Keep us all updated.  Hugs

Poor thing. I understand your anger. It is so frustrating when we are trying to be proactive about our health and the providers drop the ball. My husband was also misdiagnosed when he had a blood clot. They totally missed it, but thankfully he did not suffer any ill effects. I think your plastics guy needs a big fat ear full. I'm in just the mood--want me to call him!! :) We do have a resident clot expert whom I am sure will chime in here soon. He's been through it so I'm sure he'll have something to add.

We recently had a thread about someone who had some changes to the smell of their drain and I seem to recall it was at about 3 weeks. So maybe there is some truth to that, but I don't recall them not being able to stand the smell just sitting there. I hope you have an appointment Monday, Tuesday latest to have that drain looked at. No sense in sitting there with no treatment if there is an infection brewing and you could be on some antibiotics especially given a possible abscess. The whole thing would have me seeing red too!

Hang in there. Keep an eye on your temperature and call someone asap if you get to feeling poorly, even without a temp.

I'll pray for a swift resolution for you!

Denise

Sorry to hear of your ordeal honey I can totally relate. I went into the hospital with blood clots in september, mine ended up in my lungs and gave me a Pulmonary Embolism. Getting to the ER was the best thing both of could have done, probably saved my life and yours to. It is a little odd to get blood clots that many days out from a procedure, I was 15 days when mine hit I think yours was 14 if my math is right. My Pulmanologist said mine was a perfect storm of sorts with different factors involved. My former weight of 540, how much weight I lost, the procedure I had done, how many drains (5) after plastics, my family history & I had really bad Edema when I was heavy, just kind of mild now. So there are alot of different factors involved, some of these may have been yours to I don't know. I was wearing my compression stockings walking doing the foot excercises & stuff and still got'em go figure.

Sounds like the hospital has you on the right track with meds though, I was on Heprin for 8 days, coumadin as well and my INR was still only 1.6 but they released me and went to hospital to get it checked every couple days till it was better. Seven weeks later they finally got my INR where they want it at 2.4 after upping my coumadin every week.

That's too bad your PS didn't visit you in hospital kind of crappy of him to say the least. I had two do my surgery and neither one really endeared themselves too me but one of them always did visit me in the hospital everyday I will give them that. I had popped a couple stitches too at some point but got those cleared up, was on antibiotics for 3 weeks total. How long did they tell you, you would have to be on the coumadin I have to take it for 6 months total then go back on the baby aspirin and fish oil.

Not sure what to tell you on the drains, I had mine for 6 weeks total had 3 of them replaced in the hospital cuz they got clogged up beyond repair. I though towqrds the end they might have been a little funky smelling but I think that was just because I could not shower the entire time I had the drains in so hard for me to tell.

Definately be more outspoken with your doctors etc, this is your life you have live. It took something like this to shake some sense into me to be more outspoken about my well being and care with these doctors and surgeons.

I hope you feel better and keep us informed of your progress hon,

Take care
Bubba

That must have been so scary. I was afraid once I knew I had clots that would happen. I'm so lucky. What saved my life that day was my first migraine since I had my RNY two years ago.  I had lost two hundred sixty seven pounds as of the day of my surgery.

I don't know why I got the clots so far from my surgery. I think you are right, it was fourteen days. They did say the entire vessel was involved from the top of the thigh to the middle of the shin. They got my blood thinned but I have no idea what the INR number is.

I only had two drains. No family history of clots but lots of heart issues. My heart even at four fifty was great. I had to get a cardiac cath done for clearance for my RNY.  I wear my compression stockings at all times. I was walking but apparently not enough.

My anger at my plastics dr is not cause he didn't visit me, tho that would have been appropriate since I was under his care when it happened and he totally missed my blood clots the day before I went to the er. I am upset cause when they released me today he canceled my appt and said it would be a waste of MY time to come in unless my drain was under thirty for two days. He didn't want to see the images of the scan of my abdomen that could either be fluid build up or abcess.

I am weird and run a below normal temperature almost all the time. Thats where its at now. 96.2

I have to be on coumadin for three months at least. I have to go to lab once a week. which is gonna be fun cause its in another town. sigh, nothing worth doing is ever easy is it...

I have always been a great healthcare advocate for my family members and myself. I have no shame and will argue a point to the death...lol.  I argued with my RNY surgeon and still let him cut into me. He did a great job. He is a great surgeon, just a crappy person who likes to think he knows it all.  I have argued with him twice now...lol.  I argued with my old pcp and changed him that day. I don't have the patience or time to put up with idiots. My life is worth more than that. I wish there were other options in my area for plastics but I live in a small town and there are no other options within a driving distance with clots in my leg...lol.

I will keep everyone informed. I have to admit I felt so alone. My family wasn't able to come visit me due to various reasons, which I totally understand. It's just been difficult. At least my local hospital had a great staff. Wonderful nurses, even the student nurses. My IV held out, which in itself is a miracle...lol. I'm a terrible stick. My veins are a nightmare. They caught the clots immediately. They have me on meds for migraines that don't have nsaids in them. All in all i'm alive and doing ok. Just emotionally run down. Even when it all works out it does take an emotional toll.

Thanks for the support everyone!  I can't tell ya how much yall mean to me!

Hijack: I have a question--why is it that insurance can't be compelled to cover any of the blood clot hospitalization? It seems to me that there are enough other complicating factors other than the plastic surgery that you'd be able to fight it. I mean, a clot can form at any time, especially given your history of edema, family history, etc.  If you need an advocate, let me know. I love to battle this kind of stuff.

And I'm glad you've learned to be more outspoken and great advice to her to be more so. I watched my mother die in front of me because I thought that doctors were all mighty. They aren't. Not even a little bit. They are humans. And although it is a little intimidating to challenge them, it is way more intimidating to have someone picking out your funeral clothes. Glad you survived it Bubs.

My panniculectomy was covered by insurance and so was the hospitalization. I have medicare/medicaid. The panniculectomy was medically necessary and I was able to prove it.

I almost lost my father earlier than I did due to a misdiagnosis. He had his femoral arteries blocked and ended up with a triple bypass. His first doctor said it was due to him eating too much and he had gout. That didn't satisfy me. So I did research. I made him go to another dr. who called an ambulance immediately. That saved his life. For a few more years yet. He lived thru three more heart attacks. It was his tenth one that killed him.

I am so not ready to have anyone pick out my funeral clothes. I went thru the RNY because I wanted to live. I will do everything in order to see my first grandson born, he's due in February. I will challenge everyone and everything that wants to prevent me from watching him grow up. 

I am glad I survived it too. Thanks.  :D

I'm so sorry you've had to go through this alone.  I hope that things get better for you.  Please keep us updated on how you're doing.  Write as often as you want/need to.  This is a great place to get support and a big hug!

My thoughts and prayers that the rest of your recovery is uneventful.  I am so sorry your plastic surgeon is a blockhead.   If for nothing else than to reassure you, he should NOT have cancelled your appointment.

Your family may not have been able to come to see you and help you through this crisis, but please know you have many friends here who are with you in spirit and holding your hand through the keyboard!

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I agree about the plastic surgeon. I think he just didn't want me sitting in his waiting room telling everyone he missed my blood clot filled leg.

I am home now so my youngest son (23) is here taking care of me. He has mental and emotional issues. Dealing with the hospital was just too much for him. My oldest (25) has a baby on the way and just started his new job. He had no transportation as we live in a small town and the bus stops running at five.

I do feel lonely. I know I can come here and get the support I need. I did that with my RNY. I think the whole experience has just wiped me out emotionally and it'll take time to get back where I was. I am on antidepressants and that does help.

This is a great site and i'm so glad its here. I would have been lost without it when I had my RNY. Thanks for everything everyone!