Thanks for all the responses and posting the different situations everyone experienced; it might be helpful to others who come down with strange leg/breathing symptoms. Mine started as (what I thought was) an extreme muscle pull in my calf about a week before Christmas. After a week of rest it didn’t feel like it was healing up, and it was swelling, so I went to the doctor. After an ultrasound and a chest x-ray (clear), I ended up in the emergency room for a few hours while getting the initial doses of heparin and warfarin. I’m now getting regular blood tests to fine tune the warfarin dose, and it seems the swelling and soreness are receding. I’m not experiencing and negative effects from the warfarin. Doctor said to expect to be on it for at least 6 months. And I haven't had any breathing difficulties.
One good thing about this – when the ER doctor was reviewing my vital signs before releasing me , he commented that he doesn’t see a lot of 30 year olds with blood pressure/heart rate/O2 levels as good as mine (55 years old). Weight is also good (about 15 lbs/7kg over my high school weight).
My doctor also had a few extra blood tests done to check for any other abnormalities in my biochemistry (indicators of other diseases or cancers), but I have no family history of cancer, ulcers, etc. Test results should come back this week. He’s not doing the genetic test right now since there’s no history of blood clots either.
Doctor wants me to get walking (I already do that at work since I’m outdoors half the day, bosses have let me kinda slack off the last few weeks
), but I’ll have to ask him about bicycling and how much I can do; I definately don’t want to overdo it and have a relapse or pulmonary clot! Damn, this sucks!!!
