my experience with DVT and PE's

So here is an attempt to recap my experience with deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms. So the story begins on August 18, 2008. I went to sit down on the couch with my knee first and I had a shooting pain in my upper thigh. I didn't think much of it and went ahead and laid down to see if the pain would go away. After laying there for awhile, the pain did get better. Then once I stood up my leg felt a little strange. I went to use the restroom and noticed that my leg looked darker than my other one in the mirror. This is when I knew something was not right. I asked my hubby to come and look to see what he thought and he two said there was a color difference in my legs. My left leg was noticeably a blue/purple color. So we went off to the ER. We sat and waited forever! Then we finally got in and waited some more to see a Dr. They did a bunch of tests including a MRI of my back and a ultrasound of my left leg. We where in the ER for a total of 6 hours with the Dr's telling us nothing was wrong and it was a pinched nerve in my back that was causing the discoloration in my leg... so the discharged us. I came home and slept for a while and then when I woke up I called my OB/GYN and told him what was happening. He said to immediately get back to the ER. So off we went again. This time my OB had called ahead so they were expecting us and we did not have a long wait. They did another ultrsound of my upper thigh and found a massive clot. We were admitted at that point and started on a heprin drip. We had to wait again for a bed to open up. We talked to several Dr's and none of them really had seen this before. Such a sudden onset of clotting was or is uncommon. So they did numerous blood tests to see if there were any underlying conditions. I was also just 2-1/2 weeks postpardum. The c-section delivery also made me more prone to clotting and less treatable because of bleeding risks. The risks of bleeding increases and being on heprin to treat the clot is more dangerous. So after some discussion we decided to try thrombolitics to break up the clot. The Dr's tried it and they were able to clear some but not all of the clot. The clot in my upper thigh was hardened and they could not break through it. They also place a IVC filter while they where doing the procedure. The IVC filter was placed to late to prevent me from getting two pulmonary embolisms. I was having severe pain in my upper left side, right behind my shoulder blade. Later we found out that it was one of the PE's causing this pain. So at this point needless to say we were very scared and upset. This was hard being in ICU with a newborn and my 3 year old at home. I could not even see them because it ICU is not a safe place for children. My only saving grace was my strong and loving husband by my side. So after a few days I was coughing up blood and they couldn't figure out way or how much. The Dr's still had no answers on the blood work and the Dr's couldn't tell us what to expect and I was still coughing up blood. We finally got to talk with a pulmonary specialist and they discussed us being transferred to a better hospital. We decied that it was a good idea and we were transferred to Memorial Herman in Houston. It was such a blessing to be at a better hospital with more experienced Dr's. Right away we got some needed answers and reassuring thoughts. Everyone was super helpful and kind. We were immediatly feeling better. Meanwhile I am still on the heprin drip and coughing up more blood. So once we got to speak the Dr's they decided to try thrombolitics again but this time with lysis (clot busting medicine). The thrombolitics were sucessful and they were able to break through the entire clot. They even got through the clotin my upper thigh that the other Dr's could not get through. They also placed 3 stents to help hold the vein open. While they were in my vein they found that I have a rare condition know as may thurners syndrome. This was one of the causes of the clotting. When my bloodwork returned they found that I have a condition called factor V leiden. This is a blood disorder that is herititary and causes you to be more prone to clotting. So come to find out I had 3 conditions that made me prone to clots. 1. c-section (abdominal surgery), 2. may thurner's (artery pressing on vein causing it to be narrow) and 3. factor V leiden. Luckily I am only heterozygus for factor V and not homozygus (i only got the gene from one parent and not both). So after getting all this knowledge and the embolisms improved I was sent home on Lovenox injections. I had to stay on the injections until my blood got thereputic on warfarin. It took me about 2 weeks to get there. Now I am on warfarin and wearing a compression stocking on my left leg. At first my leg was pretty swollen and painful but the pain and swelling are much better now! I was having to use a walker and a wheelchair to get around for about a month but now I am able to walk normally agian. The plan is to stay on the thinners for 8 months to a year and wear the compression for 2 years. I am feeling much better now and things are looking good! I am very blessed and thankful to be here with my beautiful family. This was a very eye opening experience for me and it has changed my life in many ways. I definitely appreciate life more now and I count my blessings everyday.Thanks for reading and I will be posting updates as we find out more so check back soon.