Met the clotting specialist today

I had my appointment at the Blood and Couagulation Clinic today to discuss the long term plan for managing my Factor V Leiden and the PE. I first met with a fellow. I had to look up just what being a fellow means and this is what I found: Fellows are the highest grade of membership of most professional societies. So I guess she is highly regarded. She did most of the patient interview, and I talked the most with her. I then met with her and the Dr I originally had the appointment scheduled with.

Both Drs seemed positive about the long term treatment. They discussed long term anticouagulation therapy and Dr Francis said I am too young to talk about being on coumadin "for life" He says he manages people on a yearly basis. If things are going well, we can continue the coumadin, If I start to have bleeding issues, then we would stop the coumadin.

I also asked about a filter. They told me filters are usually used in patients that can't tolerate the blood thinners. And as long as I am doing well on the blood thinners, they didn't feel the need for the filter.

I talked with both drs about the pain in my chest. They said that is pretty common after a PE and it is caused by my blood wanting to travel it's usual route, but that route is blocked by the clots. That is supposed to get better over time, as is the shortness of breath. Dr Francis said I should start to feel back to my old self in about 3 months...better than the 6 months I was told before.

And I can fly if I want to....Vegas, baby! Vegas!

And I asked about reoccurance. I didn't get a really straight answer...just that the FVL increases my risk, having had a clot increases my risk of another, and as we age our risk of clotting increases. They just cannot predict who will have another clot or PE. Dr Francis was pretty funny at one point. He said, "heck you are young, what are you ? 40 even?" I laughed and said 42 and he said too young to talk about doing things for life, you have many many years ahead of you. If I were to guess, I would say he is on his 60's, so I suppose 42 would seem young to him.

So all in all, it was pretty encouraging. My INR is 3.1, and my primary doc is keeping me on the 3.5 mg of coumadin. I am comfortable with that level, gives me a little peace of mind to have the INR on the high end of the range, rather than on the low.

Oh, and I get to have a lovely new piece of jewelery. The drs recommended that I get a medic-alert bracelet indicating I am on blood thinners. Guess that will take the place of the watch I stopped wearing a few years ago.

While I was waiting at the clinic, which is really a part of the Wilmont Cancer Center, I figured out just where I am on the sleeves of the hoodie and am ready to begin those again. When the first dr came in the exam room, she saw the knitting and said she was learning. She was impressed with the circular needles and even more impressed that I was working both sleeves at once. I didn't tell her about the missing armholes in the body....I let her think I am a knitting goddess lol