Major Health Scare

littlemushroom

I was admitted to the hospital Monday night with two large pulmonary embolism, one in each lung. I was released this afternoon. 

I was diagnosed with pneumonia Monday morning after going to Prompt Care with shortness of breath. They did a breathing treatment, took chest xrays, and prescribed an inhaler and antibiotic for the pneumonia they saw in one lung in the chest X-ray. They said if I got worse to go to the ER.

That night, I had a panic attack and after that could not get my breathing back to normal even after two hours. My H and I debated going to the hospital because we were pretty sure the issue was my anxiety, but in the end I decided to go. Even once we got there, we sat in the car for a half hour deciding if I really wanted to go in.

The doctors said I was very lucky that I went in that night.They did a CT Scan and confirmed the PEs. I didn't have pneumonia at all. What the doctor saw on the xray at Prompt Care was actually one of the PE. They didn't see the other one in my other lung.

The cause? My hormonal birth control and being sick for two weeks straight where I was more sedentary. I am only 35. 

It was so scary and even the doctors were surprised it happened to me given my age. I always knew BCP could cause clots, but didn't know anyone it had actually happened to. It is very scary knowing how close I was to not going to the ER when I did because we thought it was due to my anxiety and the pneumonia I thought I had couldn't have worsened that drastically in 12 hours. What would have happened if I had decided to go home and sleep instead?

I have so much stuff to research and learn about now it is overwhelming. Just had to get all that off my chest. It feels great to be able to breathe again. I just need to be grateful everything worked out this time and try not to think about what could have so easily happened instead.

ILoveBeachMusic

So glad to hear you will be better. How scary!! I think it is always better to ere on the side of caution. Take care of yourself!

Jells2dot0

Oh my! So smart of your to go get that check out.

During my chemo, I felt "off" and went to the ER. I had several emboli in one of the chambers of my heart. I was immediately put on blood thinners and taken off BCP. It was all caused by the surgery to place my port in the end. The clot formed in the port then shot out when I had saline injected in. Once my port was out, they did a test to understand my clotting factor. I'm low risk, so I went back on BC. But, I was put on daily baby aspirin.

Did they put you on thinners or aspirin? Did they do that test to see if it will be a further issue down the road? 

Best wishes to you!!!

scrunchythief

Thank goodness you went and are ok! Does that research have to be done right away or by you right now?  It just sounds like you could use a break to just recover.  Sending thoughts and prayers your way!

Also, in case any one's lurking, a psychologist I used to research for said he's never heard of a (single) panic attack lasting longer than an hour.  So if it lasts a good bit longer than that, it's probably something else, and you should probably seek medical attention. 

WinstonsGirl

So glad you're ok.  I hope you're feeling better

SP29

Yikes! Glad you went to the ER!

It's crazy how it can happen. I know of two young women (early-mid twenties) who developed blood clots, with the only cause being BCP (one in the leg, but up in her thigh, not the calf, and the other a pulmonary embolism). The one with the clot in the thigh was having pain with walking, thought she had sciatica, tried physio treatment, it didn't improve so she went to the hospital and they found the clot. The other woman was in the middle of wedding planning. One day she felt short of breath, her family told her, "oh you're just stressed out from wedding planning!", but she though no, I'm going to the hospital- good thing because they found a PE. 

Unfortunately xrays do not show PEs well- CTs are always used for the definitive diagnosis. And the CT is usually order if symptoms continue to persist and other treatments aren't working. 

A new onset of shortness of breath is always a reason to go to the ER!

littlemushroom

Jells2dot0 said:

Oh my! So smart of your to go get that check out.

During my chemo, I felt "off" and went to the ER. I had several emboli in one of the chambers of my heart. I was immediately put on blood thinners and taken off BCP. It was all caused by the surgery to place my port in the end. The clot formed in the port then shot out when I had saline injected in. Once my port was out, they did a test to understand my clotting factor. I'm low risk, so I went back on BC. But, I was put on daily baby aspirin.

Did they put you on thinners or aspirin? Did they do that test to see if it will be a further issue down the road? 

Best wishes to you!!!

That is so good you got checked out when feeling off. I am going to struggle with whether my "off" feeling is something to be concerned about or just a panic attack coming on. Luckily, they said based on the location of my clots that I am not at risk for one going to my heart or causing a stroke. They will always hit my lungs first, so I just need to watch for shortness of breath.

I am on actual blood thinners. They actually had to do a round of TPA (a really strong thinner usually given to stroke patients that actually dissolves clots) because my right ventricle was working twice as hard as it should have been and could have caused heart damage. I am on Eloquis now and will be for around three to six months. The CV Dr said I was top three of the worst case he had seen, but the pulmonologist said he had seen way worse so that's something.

They didn't do the test to see if I was predispositioned to clots because it wouldn't have changed anything. If I am not and don't have another episode then great. If I am and do have another episode, the treatment is the same (on blood thinner the rest of my life). They did say when I go through menopause they wouldn't recommend hormone replacement for me due to the severity of my clots this time.

scrunchythief said:

Thank goodness you went and are ok! Does that research have to be done right away or by you right now?  It just sounds like you could use a break to just recover.  Sending thoughts and prayers your way!

Also, in case any one's lurking, a psychologist I used to research for said he's never heard of a (single) panic attack lasting longer than an hour.  So if it lasts a good bit longer than that, it's probably something else, and you should probably seek medical attention. 

My annual gynecologist visit is in late February so I need to research different types of birth control to see what I want to switch too since I can't continue with what I was using. I also need to read all the info the hospital gave me about PEs.

lyndausvi

Oh my, how scary.  Glad you are doing better.

CMGragain

So glad you went to the ER!  God was watching over you.

Jells2dot0

littlemushroom said:

Jells2dot0 said:

Oh my! So smart of your to go get that check out.

During my chemo, I felt "off" and went to the ER. I had several emboli in one of the chambers of my heart. I was immediately put on blood thinners and taken off BCP. It was all caused by the surgery to place my port in the end. The clot formed in the port then shot out when I had saline injected in. Once my port was out, they did a test to understand my clotting factor. I'm low risk, so I went back on BC. But, I was put on daily baby aspirin.

Did they put you on thinners or aspirin? Did they do that test to see if it will be a further issue down the road? 

Best wishes to you!!!

That is so good you got checked out when feeling off. I am going to struggle with whether my "off" feeling is something to be concerned about or just a panic attack coming on. Luckily, they said based on the location of my clots that I am not at risk for one going to my heart or causing a stroke. They will always hit my lungs first, so I just need to watch for shortness of breath.

I am on actual blood thinners. They actually had to do a round of TPA (a really strong thinner usually given to stroke patients that actually dissolves clots) because my right ventricle was working twice as hard as it should have been and could have caused heart damage. I am on Eloquis now and will be for around three to six months. The CV Dr said I was top three of the worst case he had seen, but the pulmonologist said he had seen way worse so that's something.

They didn't do the test to see if I was predispositioned to clots because it wouldn't have changed anything. If I am not and don't have another episode then great. If I am and do have another episode, the treatment is the same (on blood thinner the rest of my life). They did say when I go through menopause they wouldn't recommend hormone replacement for me due to the severity of my clots this time.

scrunchythief said:

Thank goodness you went and are ok! Does that research have to be done right away or by you right now?  It just sounds like you could use a break to just recover.  Sending thoughts and prayers your way!

Also, in case any one's lurking, a psychologist I used to research for said he's never heard of a (single) panic attack lasting longer than an hour.  So if it lasts a good bit longer than that, it's probably something else, and you should probably seek medical attention. 

My annual gynecologist visit is in late February so I need to research different types of birth control to see what I want to switch too since I can't continue with what I was using. I also need to read all the info the hospital gave me about PEs.

That does make sense, re: the test. It made sense in my case because the test could tie the clot could have been caused my inactivity or it could be caused by my surgery. The results of the test showed it was definitely the surgery. I was on the heavy thinners and in the icu for several days then went on lovonox (injectable thinners) until they could take my port out. 

I really hope they can find an alternative BCP for you! I needed the hormones when I went into menopause and I would have been very unhappy without them. 

I also would not hesitate to go to the ER. I waited 4 months when having chest pains. I could have caught my cancer much earlier and prevented major heart surgery. 

thefanciestbeckler

Oh my goodness. That is so scary! I am glad that you made the decision to go on in to the ER. God was definitely watching over you.

MairePoppy

That's so scary. It's a good thing you decided to go to the ER. I hope you're feeling better soon.

glasgowtolondon

Eesh, scary stuff! How lucky you decided to make the decision to go in - its so easy to just stay home and think 'I'm sure its nothing, it'll blow over'. Just goes to show you. Hope you feel better soon and sending positive vibes from here!

OwlNurse

Wow, good for you for going to the ER!  Pulmonary emboli are so scary.  I'm frustrated for you that they mis-diagnosed you with pneumonia the first time!  There are a lot of times I'm not very impressed with x-ray interpretations.  Hoping you recover quickly, and hoping you can find another birth control that works for you, assuming they took you off your current one.

littlemushroom

Thanks for the positive thoughts everyone! I am doing well at home and working on building my stamina back up. It still surprises me how easily I can breathe sometimes.

princessleia22

Scary! Glad it turned out okay for you. That is one of my fears. A few years ago they tested me for clotting factor and it was really high (like 4 times what it should be). I'm also only 35, but dads side of family has big history of clots & strokes.  They recommended that I start taking baby aspirin daily, which I haven't been too great at doing. We did change my BC to a non-estrogen one (nexplanon). Gyno wants to keep me on some hormone BC if possible due to PCOS, and it's usually estrogen that causes the clotting risk. I've also had other doctors not too concerned because I had 4 major back surgeries and never had clotting issues with those. But, hearing your experience makes me think I should do better at taking aspirin like recommended. 

emmaaa

That's really scary! I'm glad you went to the ER and trusted your instincts. I hope you make a good recovery.

thisismynickname2

I'm so sorry you went through that!

I do know one woman who had a clot at age 22 due to BC. It was in her leg. Discovered it before anything more serious happened to her.