I'm going to be taking rat poison for the rest of my life.
Well, maybe not. The hematologist said that there might be some new anticoagulants coming on to the market in the next five years or so that might be more convienient than warfarin, which interacts with over 186 foods and medicines and requires that I get my blood checked at a minimum of once a month (right now it's once a week).
But having an unprovoked pulmonary embolism, particularly one as serious as mine in which both of my lungs were affected, puts me at high risk for having a fatal PE. The risk of bleeding on the anticoagulants is far less than my risk of dying from a clot in my lung(s). However, he did allay my fears of bleeding. Yes, I have a history of bleeding on anticoagulants. But I was post-operative then and my risk far higher. And indeed, my INR (the number that measures how long it takes for me to stop bleeding) has been higher this time around than it was seven years ago, and I didn't start hemorrhaging like I did then.
So, not the news I wanted to hear but it sounds like it's maybe not as bad as I'd feared.
Now we just wait to see if the 7 tubes of blood they took out of me tell them anything.
2 comments:
I'm glad the treatment isn't going to be worse than the disease!
Nope. Not worse (fingers crossed).
Though I hope those better anticougulants work out and come onto the market soon. Worrying about every damn thing I eat or take, or shaving or falling is annoying as hell.
(Hmm...yeah I'm a bit cranky today ;) )
Post a Comment