Glad you went to your doctor.

Mine was Coumadin Warfarin which was inexpensive, did require regular monitoring to get my INR level right, and left me tired and cold. If you've ever tried to wade through waist-deep water ... that's how I felt all the time. Like everything I did took so much extra effort.

I've got a genetic predisposition toward clotting, so my blood clots quickly normally. I was on quite a high dose of Coumadin for the first few month to dissolve the clots, and was advised to exercise but the suggestion was that I should walk a lot, and if I did go for a bicycle ride, I was to choose quiet roads and ride with someone who could ring an ambulance if I happened to fall.

Then about 6 months later they lowered the dose to bring my blood clotting level to what most people consider normal. And finally about 6 months later, they took me off the Coumadin ... thank goodness. Within about a week, I felt like myself again!

Now, every time I fly or go in for surgery, I need a whole series of Clexane injections.

I was specifically worried about going through the experience you did because I immediately remembered how your situation played out and I know a few other people (including my bro) who were in that same boat.

They discussed a number of drugs with me and specifically dismissed warfarin both for the monitoring aspect (which cancels out a lot of the cost advantage) and side effects.

Presuming this stuff is doing what it's supposed to, I like it. Side effects have been a nonissue and even though there still is some residual pain, I feel good enough it's hard to believe there's anything wrong with me.

I'm glad to hear that the one you're on is working for you ... that's excellent! I went for a couple follow-up ultrasounds just to be sure, you may need to do the same.

Have they said anything about precautions while travelling?

Years on, my left ankle still swells sometimes. So one of the things I do is to wear my compression stockings from time to time. For example, if we do a long-ish ride, and then go to an event after where I'll be sitting still for a while, I'll pop on compression stockings. Same if I know I'm going to be standing for a long period of time.

I think [MENTION=4588]Machka[/MENTION] may have saved a life.


-Tim-

They didn't, but that's because I'm so active that it may not have occurred to them that I sit down (I don't even sit at work -- I have a standing desk and never use a chair).

Their main concerns at this point seem to be about triggering internal bleeding and they've scheduled other a couple other tests to follow up on some stuff they saw in my blood to make sure there's nothing serious lurking in the background. They will definitely give me another ultrasound to see how things are going -- my understanding is that will be in 3 months or so.

I'm hoping that the fact that I like to keep my blood pumping will facilitate dissolving those clots. I asked the docs if they could give me a silver lining to going through this (e.g. improved lung or secondary circulation function, fixes some other problem, etc.). Unfortunately, they couldn't think of a good way to spin this. The best thing that's come of it so far is it's given me an excuse to watch a particular video again because I totally feel like this guy.

I think so too.