The time that it takes pulmonary embolisms to go away and the time that it takes to heal from a pulmonary embolism are different.  Blood clots in your lungs and DVTs cause damage.  The damage is what causes symptoms.  Blood clots in your lungs can cause heart damage, lung damage, and psychological damage.  A deep vein thrombosis can cause vein damage and valve damage.  Both of these conditions may cause your to become less active.  Lowered activity causes deconditioning and fatigue.

Symptoms of your blood clots will last longer than the clot itself.  Bodies often dissolve clots pretty quickly.  After the clot is gone your body goes to work healing the damage.  Healing can take a long time and may include fatigue, pain, and clot symptoms.  Talk to your doctor about your healing and your symptoms as it is possible that he or she can help you have a less irritating recovery.

While your blood clots are gone, the damage is not gone.  Be patient and keep your doctor informed about your recovery.  Gradually increase activity as you are able.  Most survivors find the symptoms have greatly improved 1-2 years post diagnosis.  Remember that your body is healing from major trauma.  Think about how tired a cold can make you for weeks after the cold is gone.  Now remember that a cold causes much less damage to your body.

This week, doctors have shared another risk factor for pulmonary embolisms, DVTs, and other types of venous thrombosis.  The good news is that we now have another risk factor that we can avoid.  The bad news is that the risk factor is a critical treatment for many patients.  Glucosteroids, one of which is cortisone, have been found to increase the risk of having a venous blood clot by two to three times.  Even more problematic is that the form of the steroid doesn't matter.  Inhaled, injected, or swallowed, all glucosteroids increase the risk of a clot (although some forms are more risky than other forms).  

Doctors are already cautious about using glucosteroids due to their lengthly list of frequent, serious side effects.  This caution should continue.  The risk of clots is the highest after beginning a new steroid regimen.  The risk continues throughout the steroid use and then for at least a year after the steroid is discontinued.

The important thing to learn from this study is that every patient needs to discuss this risk with his or her doctor.  It would be a good idea to discuss the risk of the steroid, other risks that the patient has, and possible ways to lower the risk of clotting.

To read more about the study see http://ow.ly/jYWTF 

Picture By Kevin Dufendach [CC-BY-3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons