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FAQ: Is It Normal To Have Symptoms After The Clots Are Gone?

7/4/2016

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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.
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Cortisone And Other Glucosteroids Increase The Risk Of Having A Pulmonary Embolism.

4/11/2013

55 Comments

 
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Pill Bottle
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

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Migraine Linked To Blood Clots And Thrombophilia

1/23/2013

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Today, another study has been released that further supports the notion that migraine and blood clots are closely linked.  Glynn (2012) shares that the study observed a total of 145,304 females who were using contraceptives.  2,691 participants were affected by migraine with aura and 4,437 were affected by migraine without aura.  During the study, 7.5% of the women who suffered from migraine with aura who were using a newer generation combined oral contraceptive developed a deep vein thrombosis.  Only 6.3% of the women in the migraine without aura group developed a deep vein thrombosis.

More blood clot complications occurred in the migraine with aura group than in the migraine without aura group.  For this reason, migraine with aura needs to be discussed with your doctor as a risk factor for blood clots.  This is especially important for women using third generation contraceptives. (Yasmin, Ocella, and Yaz are examples of third generation combined oral contraceptives.)

This isn't the first study to link blood clots and migraine.  Ferrara et al. (2012) found a relationship between migraine and elevated levels of Factor VIII and Factor IX.  They also found that individuals with migraine were more likely to have either MTHFR or Factor V Leiden.  In 2011, Kutal et al had almost identical results in a similar study.  It seems safe to assume that there is a connection between migraine and thrombophilia.

Boyles (2008) points out, that we do not know for sure if thrombophilia is the link between migraines and blood clots.  There could be another factor involved.

No matter what the link is between migraine and blood clots, patients need to make sure that doctors are aware of the blood clot risks associated with migraine, especially in those patients who have multiple blood clot risk factors.


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