Ask A Guy Who Survived a Pulmonary Embolism Anything (Pic)

[sandcar3]

How were the hospital 'macros?' Did you have anyone smuggle in some proteinz and creatine? lol

The hospital food was garbage and very small portions. Luckily they did not have me on any dietary restrictions (rare for someone in the ICU) so my wife was bringing me in outside food all the time.

[Kaduceus]

Just quickly read through the wiki page on FVL and certainly they tested me for that the first time around, as well as this time. I don't remember hearing any of my doctors talking about it though so I will ask them about it on my next visit.

keep me (us) posted... very curious about your clotting disorder.... srs

[basement iron]

Good luck man. Take it easy hopefully they can pinpoint it.

If not its worth seeing someone who practices Chinese medicine and acupuncture. Worked miracles for me when western medicine couldn't figure out what was wrong with me and just gave me medication after medication.

Sick of this banal nonsense.

Medicine is medicine. Alternative medicine is a nonexistent made up branch of medicine. Treatments either work, work to some degree, or don't work at all. There is nothing else.

Acupuncture is nothing more than a placebo. Period. It can work to relieve subjective symptoms just like any other placebo. That's as good as it gets. It won't do a god damn thing for issues such as what the OP is experiencing.

[basement iron]

Seriously not a bad idea, it does sound like their answer at this point is to keep me on blood thinners for the rest of my life; alternative medicine is something I will look into too.

Stick with the science based medicine instead of woo.

Good luck to you. Hope they find the cause.

[retiredrunner]

Get better soon fellow old brah..

[d2ce]

Are you on coumadin? Were you on blood thinner when it happened?

[sandcar3]

Are you on coumadin? Were you on blood thinner when it happened?

Yes on Coumadin now. No was not on Coumadin (or anything) when it happened.

[d2ce]

Hang in there OP. I've been on Coumadin since I was 21. The doctors couldn't pinpoint why I got clots either (got one in my leg). I eventually developed high cholesterol (not sure if it was related), but it was a trend of blood related issues.

Look into Red Reishi Mushroom extract. It's good for you liver, but it also does a lot to "return your body to it's natural state". I recently started taking it and my cholesterol levels improved and my leg (from the clot) no longer swells when I run or work out on it.

Talk to you DR first if you decide to try it, but it's been a great Chinese Herb for me.

[GDPONE]

Damn dude youre a lucky guy. This is one of my bigger fears being im so fat and all. Like there are some bastards just laying in wait in some part of my body waiting to let loose.

[sandcar3]

Hang in there OP. I've been on Coumadin since I was 21. The doctors couldn't pinpoint why I got clots either (got one in my leg). I eventually developed high cholesterol (not sure if it was related), but it was a trend of blood related issues.

Look into Red Reishi Mushroom extract. It's good for you liver, but it also does a lot to "return your body to it's natural state". I recently started taking it and my cholesterol levels improved and my leg (from the clot) no longer swells when I run or work out on it.

Talk to you DR first if you decide to try it, but it's been a great Chinese Herb for me.

Thanks for the tip bro I'll look into it.

[RyGla]

how much easier are you able to breath, in comparison to before?

[sandcar3]

Damn dude youre a lucky guy. This is one of my bigger fears being im so fat and all. Like there are some bastards just laying in wait in some part of my body waiting to let loose.

Thanks man. Some things to look out for if you think you might have clots, pain in your legs particularly in your calves. My left leg got very swollen and heavy feeling (felt like I had weight wrapped around it when I was walking) I also had an itching sensation on the back side of my knee. The right leg though I also have clots in and didn't really have any of the same symptoms there.

As far as the lungs go, there was some pain in my chest, but mostly it was the lack of being able to catch my breath. I would walk 5-10 steps and would have to sit down and could only get enough oxygen if I was breathing through my mouth. Could also only speak a few words to a sentence before breathing heavy.

[sandcar3]

how much easier are you able to breath, in comparison to before?

Sort of hard to explain, my breathing was fine if I was sitting or laying, but as soon as I did anything, like literally speaking a sentence or two, or even just walking to the bathroom it felt like I had just finished a marathon or something.

After they cleared my lung my breathing returned to normal immediately. I did notice for the first day or two after any time I sneezed it just felt different, can't really explain the feel any better than that but now when I sneeze it feels more normal again.

[ryanisfootdrums]

It happens to all of us brah

you live long enough you are going to be taking pills everyday

I'm already on that time --- it isn't bad honestly

Pills for life crew checking in

[swimmer32]

It sounds like a genetic thing OP. Have they tested you to see how you're processing B vitamins? My wife is taking Folate every day, because he body doesn't process Vit B very well. Evidently that can lead to clotting.

[sandcar3]

It sounds like a genetic thing OP. Have they tested you to see how you're processing B vitamins? My wife is taking Folate every day, because he body doesn't process Vit B very well. Evidently that can lead to clotting.

Yep, I'm leaning towards something genetic too. Against anything genetic though is that no other member of my family has ever had any kind of clotting issues. So I'm thinking more of a mutation in me than anything truly inherited.

I haven't heard anything specifically from my doctors about Vitamin B. I just did a quick google search and apparently B12 helps lower homocysteine levels in the blood, and high levels of homocysteine do cause clots, so I guess I could see someone who can't process B12 being more susceptible to clots.

[Canadian_Lifter]

Damn bro, I'm glad you made it. It's a lot more serious than people think it is - comparable to a heart attack

Brb thrombokinase all over inside your lungs lololol (not srs)

[Canadian_Lifter]

It sounds like a genetic thing OP. Have they tested you to see how you're processing B vitamins? My wife is taking Folate every day, because he body doesn't process Vit B very well. Evidently that can lead to clotting.

Genetic defect would be like the left auricle throwing clots left and right (these usually go to the brain, causing cerebrovascular accidents)

Not sure if it's genetic rather than something just wrong with OP's body, physiologically

[octopus7]

bro, if you survived a pulmonary embolism, there is a reason for you being on this earth.

stay safe, make the most out of life

[wailshark]

Genetic defect would be like the left auricle throwing clots left and right (these usually go to the brain, causing cerebrovascular accidents)

Not sure if it's genetic rather than something just wrong with OP's body, physiologically

Lol que?
If there clots coming out of the left atrium they're usually due to rhythm abnormalities (most commonly atrial fibrillation), not genetics.

What everyone in this thread is talking about is genetic clotting factor abnormalities.

[Ratfish]

maybe go to vegas or buy some lottery tickets?

[sandcar3]

bro, if you survived a pulmonary embolism, there is a reason for you being on this earth.

stay safe, make the most out of life

The wife and I are trying to have a baby, I assume I'm still here to create our God-like offspring

[ocbp]

How does this happen OP? Genetic? ****ty diet? Curious

[sandcar3]

maybe go to vegas or buy some lottery tickets?

Ha! Power Ball is like 400 million right now, BRB buying a ticket.

[Flek]

So OP... what anticoagulant will you be on for your whole life?

[sandcar3]

How does this happen OP? Genetic? ****ty diet? Curious

So far no idea. Genetic seems like the most likely culprit though. My diet isn't strict or anything but certainly better than most people's so I don't think that is it.

[sandcar3]

So OP... what anticoagulant will you be on for your whole life?

Looks like Coumadin is the winner at this point.

[Scruffy77]

Spent 6 days in the ICU


oh god how much will that bill be.

[sandcar3]

Spent 6 days in the ICU


oh god how much will that bill be.

I'm curious to see it myself (will post once I see it), I did talk to my insurance company already and supposedly the most I would have to pay out of pocket for any given year is $3,000. I felt way better about everything once I heard that.

[Flek]

Looks like Coumadin is the winner at this point.

Did they try to sell you on to Argotraban? If I were you I would take a close look at Apixaban, which has recently hit the market.
OP I wish you all the best of luck and a speedy recovery. It will be a pain in the ass to be regularly tested plus "strict" diet... Stay strong!