DVT Pain Management

Managing Post Thrombotic Pain

After having an extensive blood clot in the left side of my lower body (belly button to ankle) I have had a range of post thrombotic pain to deal with on a fairly regular basis. However, I recently had a pretty bad bought of pain that last for about four days that left me fairly immobilized, bed bound and full of pain killers. Now that I've somewhat recovered from the worst of it I'd like to share my experiences of what it's like to deal with this condition and what I do, and what you can do to help you get past the worst of a flare up.

What Causes Post Thrombotic Pain?

Post thrombotic pain is experienced by most people usually after a moderate - severe blood clot (although this can happen with mild clots too). When a blood clot develops in the vein or artery is has the potential to damage the wall and valve which will interrupt the flow of blood around the body and cause a whole host of nasty symptoms you'll have to contend with. The first flare up of post thrombotic pain can be experienced straight away if the clot did a lot of damage or it can develop over a couple of years as the initial damage worsens. 

As it turns out around 50% of people (average of multiple sources) will develop some form of post thrombotic pain within the first two years of having the clot. Unfortunately for those of us who suffer from post thrombotic pain it's not going to leave us, however there are things you can do to prevent a flare up or at least manage the pain to tolerable levels when it does.

Managing Chronic Post Thrombotic Pain

Support Systems:

The first thing you need to do to manage your daily pain is to find yourself a doctor who understands your condition well, or is willing enough to go through trial and error with you if you don't have the option to see a pain specialist. As my blood clot was not diagnosed on time it has done a lot of damage and I don't have private health care to see a pain clinic (my condition currently isn't bad enough to warrant NHS referral yet) my doctor and I have taken the time to work out a plan and we review it every six months to check tolerance levels (I got a little addicted to morphine during my hospital stay and we have to keep any eye on things) and things like liver function etc. So, in short if your current doctor isn't willing to help then keep searching for one until you find someone to support you.

Once you have found a doctor who will work with you then you'll need to have an assessment to see what you will actually require to be comfortable. You would of had an assessment when you were discharged from your initial blood clot and more than likely prescribed compression stockings (above/below knee or "gauntlets" for your arms) and pain killers if needed. However, this set-up will only last you for a few weeks at best and you'll need to come up with a longer term plan to manage those daily symptoms.

Chronic Symptoms

In my experience the symptoms that you experience on a daily basis can vary but for me the one constant symptom is a throbbing pain in my thigh and calf. The other symptoms (see below) will come and go and will tend to all build up shortly before a flare up.

Symptoms for chronic/daily life include:

• Pain: stabbing, throbbing, aching, pinching, "squeezing" sensations
• Cramping: mainly at night for myself but they can happen at any time
• Pressure and swelling: this tends to be worse at the end of the day but can happen at any time
• Itchy skin, discoloration and other skin conditions: due to restricted blood flow you will experience this sooner or later
• Ulcers: an advanced situation of the prior skin conditions and they can take a long time to heal and need careful medical attention

Acute Pain/Flare Ups

Flare ups of post thrombotic pain can happen at anytime but there will sometimes be a reason for this. For example you may have pushed yourself too hard when exercising, injured yourself, or had a change in medication. Examples like these are easy to spot and are easier to manage because you know what the cause is and you can manage the symptoms accordingly. However, flare ups that come out of the blue and much harder to manage and you may feel like your "flying blind" as the saying goes; unexpected flare ups, especially particularly bad ones, should be looked at by a doctor just in case you have developed a new clot that needs immediate treatment.

Many of the symptoms you'll experience during a flare up will be the same as your chronic ones but they will be stronger and more painful. However, you can experience any of the above symptoms even if you don't usually get them which is why it's important to get yourself checked if you get something out of the ordinary.

Medications and Tools/Tips

Once your doctor has done their examination they'll talk to you about what your options are but for the most part you'll be looking after yourself and getting into a "groove" with your medication can make your life so much better and easier to deal with. Depending on your situation you'll more than likely need some pain killers, compression stockings and ways of managing pain when they don't work: see below.

There are many pain killers available to you and your doctor will start you off (probably) on the minimum dose of a recommended type and then review you in a week or two to see if you need adjustments made or if another medication needs to be introduced. For example my current regime is to be on a controlled long-release opiate based pain killer which I take first thing in the morning along with my other cocktail of drugs for various other aliments and that lasts me for most of the day but if I'm having a bad day I will take a quick release pain killer to tide me over until my next dose in the evening. When it gets to 6pm I will have my Warfarin (anticoagulant) and then take an antidepressant at 7pm which actually helps with my nighttime pain and helps me sleep better too; the antidepressant was an experiment suggested by my doctor as a new study had come out suggesting the interaction with certain pain and the antidepressant will help some patients and I'm glad to say that I am one of those and I have been able to reduce my opiate intake.

Compression stockings are my best friend when it comes to relieving discomfort and pain on a daily basis. I have to wear above the knee compression stockings that go all the way up to the top of my thigh. The reason I love compression stockings is because they do the work for my broken vein valves by helping my body get the blood out of my leg and back to my heart and reduces the swelling too. I know compression stockings aren't the best looking garments but believe me when you are in pain and need some immediate relief you'll be hobbling to those stockings asap! If you don't like the standard ones that your doctor can provide then ask for your compression grade and measurements and check out a local medical store or pharmacy as they can usually make them to order in a variety of designs and tones. 

If pain killers and compression stockings aren't doing the whole job for you then I would recommend you try the following:

• Elevation: let gravity do the work for you and sit/sleep with your leg raised
• Massage: I tend to massage around my ankle and calf as that's where I get the most pain but massaging anywhere that's hurting can help to improve the circulation and reduce any swelling you may have
• Walking: going on a short walk can again help get the blood moving around
• Distraction: when all of the above aren't helping then try the good old distraction method which is as simple as it sounds. Go call a friend, watch a movie, craft (I knit), cook, read a book, basically do anything as long as you are not focused on your pain. 

So these are all of the things that I do or have done over the last five years to help manage my post thrombotic pain. Thankfully I'm fortunate enough that these options work most of the time for me, however if you're still struggling with your pain then go see your doctor and review your options.

If I have missed out anything or you have any other tips you use then please let me know in the comments and I'll add them into the article here. 

Sources

• Stop The Clot
• NCBI
• Netdoctor

Car Insurance Premiums and Disability

My car insurance was up for renewal this month and low and behold my premiums had gone up yet again so I did some shopping around on a couple of comparison websites to try and find a better deal. After a lot of searching and calling up various insurance companies I made the decision to stay with my current provider and accept that my premiums have gone up.

Why Did My Car Insurance Premiums Go Up? 

Well, if you're a previous visitor to my blog then you'll know that I have an on-going Deep Vein Thrombosis that lives in my left leg and I'm at a greater risk of clotting due to Heterozygous Factor V Leiden (see below for more information). Now, having spoken to multiple insurance companies it turns out that due to my age, existing medical conditions, and adapted automatic drive vehicle (plus a few other factors) the insurance company needs to make sure that they are going to recover their costs should I be involved in an accident - this seems a fair point.

As it turns out my premiums have increased by approximately 14% (around £5) per month and a good chunk of that was to do with inflation anyway, and I can easily manage that which is why I have avoided any extra hassle by staying with my existing provider. Before I accepted any changes to my policy I did check on the following points:

What Should I Check For If My Premium Has Increased?

1. One of the first things you should do is to check your policy documents and see if you are required to inform your provider of any changes to your medical status. Assuming you do then they will tell you if your current situation may increase your premiums.
2. Make an appointment with your GP or family doctor and assess whether or not your medical needs will have any impact on your driving. If they do then you'll work with your doctor and insurance company to reach an agreement. If your medical needs do not impact your ability to drive then your doctor can issue a letter to your insurance company(s) confirming that you are fit to drive.
3. Have a second conversation with your preferred insurance company and advise them that your medical needs have been assessed. Assuming that you are fit to drive your car insurance premium cannot be increased on this aspect alone and you should be treated like any other driver, however if your vehicle has been specially adapted then you may have an increased premium based on the vehicle, not yourself.

If your insurance company tells you otherwise my recommendation is to seek the advice from your lawyer or use any of the services offered by the Citizens Advice Bureau or local disability charities.

Final Tips

DO make sure you do have a good shop around and don't be afraid to ring up companies and discuss your individual needs with them. Most places are more than happy to do this as you are a potential customer bringing in revenue.

DON'T be fooled by an insurance company specifically catering to disabled drivers as you'll often find that their insurance premiums are higher anyway. If you feel one of these companies can provide you with a competitive service make sure you double check your policy details before purchasing so that you definitely don't get caught out. 

More Information

• What is Heterozygous Factor V Leiden?

Warfarin For Deep Vein Thrombosis

Well, it's certainly been a while since my last post but that's mainly because I've been doing a lot more things due to my improved health. For a while I was on my Clexane injections which was improving my condition along with my own rehab program that I've been doing and that improved my health to some extent. However, for the last month or so I've been moved across to Warfarin as my clot has now stabilized and it has been the best decision me and my doctors have made in the last 18 months.

Warfarin comes in tablet form so I no longer have to do twice daily injections which means that my overall pain has reduced (it's now only in my leg) and my haematoma have disappeared. Although there are some side effects and complications with Warfarin they definitely out weigh the side effects of Clexane.

With Warfarin I have to be careful with the types of food that I eat and even avoid certain foods as vitamin K can really effect how it's absorbed and used by the body. Things like sweet potato, dark green leafy vegetables, egg yolks and cranberry juice are a nightmare for your INR which is the value the doctors use to monitor how thick your blood is. 

As a women you'll also find out that Warfarin will make your periods a lot heavier than they used to be. Fortunately there are certain contraceptive options that can help to control your periods by introducing more progesterone to your body which will decrease the amount of active estrogen, therefore making your periods lighter. 

Two Years Later

It's now been some time since I have made the shift from Clexane to Warfarin and it has been a rocky road trying to get a stable INR where I'm not visiting the hospital every two weeks to have a blood test. I have to say that my anticoagulant nurses have been absolutely amazing at what they do and I couldn't have done it without them as they actually take the time to know you and to make an investment in your health. I trust these ladies so much that although I have moved out of the area I still make the 30 mile trip every time just to have them look after me.

One of the things that I have learned over the last two years is that you really have to pay attention to what you are eating every single time you eat. Going about your day and not concentrating on your diet can make your life a nightmare when you have to take Warfarin. Not only will your blood tests be more frequent but you'll also be putting yourself at risk by either having too thick blood and at risk for a blood clot, or you'll be suffering from random bleeds and risk a hemorrhage; I have experience 'bleeding skin' before where you have dots of blood simply make their way through you pores because you are bleeding internally somewhere (a bunch of capillaries in my case but it could be much worse).

I also discovered that not being truthful (or even simply forgetting) with your nurses can lead to problems as well. Having an altered INR score (higher or lower than your target) is one of the most frustrating things you can go through because you will be taking up your valuable time - as well as the nurses and other patients - trying to figure out what you have done differently that week (bearing in mind Warfarin works on a 3 day schedule with your body) and then debate whether or not to adjust your medication and when to see you next to check your INR. To avoid this you need to take note of what you are eating and drinking so that you can plan this with your nurses; it's ok to change your diet (eg. going on holiday) or go out drinking as long as they know about and can help you manage your medication and keep your next test as far in the future as possible.

I have (touch wood) now been on a happy schedule of every 6 - 8 weeks where I am now in control of my diet, I'm losing weight again, and I get it eat a wide variety of food doing so. This has been about 18 months in the making but had I listened to my nurses to start with and took the time to document my food and alcohol (on the rare occasion) I would have reached this point much much sooner.

New Year New Start

First of all I would like to say a huge thanks to all of you who have been stopping by to read my blog and leave comments, I really appreciate it. I haven't been here for quite sometime but that's because I've been writing about a whole bunch of health related topics over on Squidoo and HubPages.

This blog post is really just an update with what's been going on in the last 6 months or so (really nothing too exciting). I'm still on Clexane but my hematologist is thinking about getting my onto Warfarin in the next few months which will be a huge relief because my tummy is so bruised from the injections.

My hair loss is improving and I've started to get some nice growth back. I think I was suffering so much from it due to a combination of Clexane and stress and now that my stress levels are reducing and my body is getting used to the Clexane it's starting to revert to normal.

My weight is still an issue and I'm still overweight by about 50lbs so 2013 is going to be all about the weight loss and getting into a healthy range. In January I managed to lose a few inches and about 2% body fat but I really need to up the intensity a bit and really focus in on my diet. The main motivation being that it will be easier to walk and I will be able to reduce the amount of Clexane I have to take as it is mainly calculated through your weight.

In January I had my IVC Filter removed as my clot has become nice and stable. The procedure meant that I was in hospital for two days and an extra day off work to recovery (that was a nice day off). However, when I went to have the filter out they didn't sedate me this time and it was not a great experience. I was expecting to just feel a tiny tug here and there but it was as if my guts were being pulled up through me and there was a horrible pain in my next but I was strapped down so I couldn't do anything about it. If I have to have that procedure again I'm going to be sedated like the first time.

So, that's pretty much everything that's been going on for the last couple of months really. I'm going to try and get on here more frequently now, at least once a month to give you more updates on what's happening. As normal if you have any questions leave me a comment or e-mail me from the contact us tab.

Deep Vein Thrombosis Doppler Scan

It's been 8 weeks since my last Doppler Scan and I'm furious with my hematologist! I'm supposed to see him every 6 weeks and I haven't seen him since April 2012. I went back to my GP and she hasn't been able to get hold of him either. I can't fault my GP on anything though, she has been brilliant in organizing my scan, blood tests, and making sure that I'm OK general.

I went to the hospital on Monday to have my Doppler scan and it was really painful the way they did it this time. The technician had to squeeze the veins down to test the blood flow which was fine on my right leg but horrible on the left. I don't think she realized that the left leg femoral vein is completely blocked, either way she had to do her job and test the veins. 

From what I could see on the screen the vein looked the same, there were no new blockages but there also wasn't any new blood flow either which is frustrating. My GP is calling tomorrow with some more details once they've had a chance to look at it.

If you're new to this blog then I'll give some related links so that you can catch up with what's going on:

• Causes of Deep Vein Thrombosis
• Symptoms of Deep Vein Thrombosis
• How to Prevent a Deep Vein Thrombosis
• What is Post-Thrombotic Syndrome
• What is Venous Insufficiency of the Legs
• Treating Post-Thrombotic Syndrome

Treating Post-Thrombotic Syndrome

Nearly 50% of patients who go through a deep vein thrombosis will suffer with post-thrombotic syndrome. Post-thrombotic syndrome causes pain, swelling, skin changes and ulcers if not treated and it can eventually become quite nasty if left untreated. 

Invasive PTS Treatment

At the moment there is no surgical treatment available in the United Kingdom for patients with post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). However, treatments are available in the United States of America; surgeons go in, strip the vein and repair the damaged valves and early reports have suggested that approximately 95% of patients who have this treatment are relieved of their symptoms. 

You can find out more information in the article What is Post-Thrombotic Syndrome where I talk about the surgical options.

Non-Invasive Treatment for PTS

As there are no surgical options available to me in the UK my doctor and I are looking at non-invasive treatments to try and relieve some of my symptoms. At the moment I am wearing compression stockings to help return the blood to my heart and avoid swelling in my lower limbs. We have also just started using Arnica Montana cream as a new treatment: research has shown us that the anti-inflammatory qualities help to reduce swelling and pain in PTS patients. I have only been using this treatment for a few days but I will provide an update to let you know if the treatment is working.

You can find some more information in the article Treating Post-Thrombotic Syndrome.

Arnica Cream 50g

This is the cream that I am using at the moment. It has a nice smell to it and is non-greasy so it absorbs very easily into the skin. Because I have such a large clot I'm finding that I have to use quite a large amount (about a 50p size) to get good coverage of the area but since it is non-greasy and smells nice I don't really mind.

Exercising With a Disability

Hospital Discharge

When I first came out of hospital I was very weak. I decided that I needed a program that would make me strong enough to go back to work so I had a search around on YouTube for something that I could do sitting down if necessary and without weights if I was too weak. I found Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred and ordered it from Amazon.

Review of the 30 Day Shred

I wrote a review of the 30 Day Shred over on HubPages. I talk about my experience with the program and how it helped me to get back to work. I'll also give you a link to the DVD on Amazon so you can get a copy for yourself.

Amazon

Related Links

• Review of 30 Day Shred
• Exercising with a Disability

What is Clexane Used For?

I've had a couple of people asking me what my injections are for (I have to do them at work sometimes) and then I get the follow up questions of, what, why and how. This little article will explain what it is, what it is used for, how you use it and what the side effects are.

What is Clexane

Clexane contains a medicine on enoxapain and is part of a group of medicines called Low Molecular Weight Heparins. It works by preventing blood clots from forming in the blood and also by stopping existing blood clots from getting any bigger which helps your body to break them down and stop them causing damage.

What is Clexane Used For

Clexane, as mentioned before, is used to treat clots that are in the blood, and to prevent clots when you have unstable angina, after operations or long periods of bed rest due to illness, after you have had a heart attack. It is also used to stop blood clots forming in the tubes of your dialysis machine and during pregnancy if you are at risk for clotting.

Clexane Dosage

Depending on your need for Clexane will depend on your dosage. See below for the following descriptions:

1. Treating blood clots that are in your blood
1. The usual dose is 1.5mg for every kilogram of your weight, each day
2. Normally taken for at least 5 days
2. Stopping blood clots forming in your blood in the following:
1. Unstable Angina
1. The usual amount is 1mg for every kilogram of weight, every 12 hours
2. Normally given for 2-8 days.
2. After an operation or long periods of bed rest
1. The usual dose is 20-40mg each day, depending on your clotting risk.
2. Low-medium risk you are given 20mg each day, the first injection will usually be given 2 hours before your operation.
3. If you're at a higher risk you will be given 40mg each day, the first injection is normally given 12 hours before your operation.
4. If you are bedridden due to illness, you will normally be given 40mg of Clexane each day for 6-14 days.
3. After you have had a heart attack
1. Clexane can be used for 2 different types of heart attack called NSTEMI or STEMI.
1. NSTEMI type of heart attack
1. The usual amount is 1mg for every kilogram of weight, every 12 hours for 2-8 days
2. STEMI type of heart attack
1. If you are under 75 years old 30mg of Clexane will be given as an injection into your vein and an injection under your skin (dosage 1mg for every kilogram of weight), every 12 hours for up to 8 days.
2. If you are over 75 years old you will be given an injection under the skin every 12 hours (0.75mg for every kilogram of weight)
3. Stopping blood clots from forming in the tubes of your dialysis machine
1. The usual dose is 1mg for every kilogram of weight which is added to the tube leaving the body at the start of the session which is normally enough for 4 hours. However, your doctor might give you a further 0.5-1mg if necessary.

How Do I Use Clexane

If you are going to self-inject you will be taught how to by your doctor or district nurse.

Before you inject yourself be sure to check the syringe for damage and make sure you know the amount you're injecting. Here's a short video demonstrating how to do the injection:

What Are the Side Effects

There are a variety of side effects that you can get with Clexane just like with any other medication. Here is an article detailing the Side Effects of Clexane.

Bruising

I will mention one of the main side effects though as it is such a big one: bruising. I have included an article that elaborates on things you can do to Decrease Bruising with Clexane. I've also included some links to Arnica products as I've found that these help a lot with reducing bruising when it rears it's ugly head. Home Remedies For Bruising -Click Here!

Arnica Products If you're a user of Clexane just remember that you will have good days and bad days with this medication. I can sometimes go a week with the perfect injection every time (straight in, no blood, or bruising) but then I can also suffer from hypersensitivity to the needle, hematoma forming and extensive bruising all at the same time. So as the Dalai Lama says Live One Day at a Time and all will be well.

So You Don't Think You're Disabled: Accepting Help When You Need It

It Used to be so Easy

Coming home from work, hopping in the shower, going out to meet some friends for a drink. Does that seem like a regular Friday night? It seems simple, right? Wrong! That used to be a simple series of tasks but that's now a serious set of tasks that will leave me exhausted for a few days afterwards, even more so if I didn't ask for help. I don't think of myself as disabled but I still need help.

What's Different

Since coming out of hospital 2 months ago I have come to realize that I can't take things for granted anymore, I need help with everything I do now and from what I've been told it isn't going to get any easier. Even the things I can still do for myself have to be slowed down and calculated so that I don't screw up and hurt myself or become exhausted.

Things like hopping in the shower now have to be broken down into at least two parts as I can no longer wash my hair and shower at the same time. If they both need doing on the one day then I will do one in the morning and one at night but either way I need help getting into and out of the shower and having my hair washed. There's no shame in asking for help even with personal things like hygiene, there are always ways of keeping your dignity. For example, for getting into the shower I undress, put on my bathrobe and then I'm helped into the shower/bath where I can then draw the curtain and remove my towel and getting out is just the reverse of that. As for washing my hair I think of it as a pampering session, I get to have a head massage every single time. Until I can get a walk in shower that's the way it's going to be and there's not much I can do about it so I accept it and deal with it. 

What is My Point ...

Ask for help when you need it. There are not only physical sources of help but also financial. For example, I'm struggling to work full-time so I'm applying for financial aid through the government. This will allow me to pay all my bills and work part-time without making myself worse, I can focus on getting better and stronger and if I can go back to full-time then the benefits will stop because I can manage by myself again but until then that extra money will help a lot.

There are also other things you can apply for such as:

• Mobility allowance
• Blue badges
• Specially adapted vehicles 
• Careers
• Careers allowance
• Housing benefit or reduced council tax
• Special equipment

The list is endless. If you're in the UK I would suggest stopping by direct.gov.uk to see what you might be eligible for.

Sexy New Compression Stockings: Rehab Update Days 37-42

Where did the week go?

I have no idea where this week has gone! I've spent my week days going to work and then coming home to writeand research. I've got a couple of other pages you might be interested in:

• Squidoo: Bobski606 (Build Squidoo Lenses and Get Traffic!)
• HubPages: Bobski606

Both of these pages are supplementary works to articles I post on here, I also add in some extra stuff too. Squidoo is more of a bibliography of all my works, there are links to important pages and topics from here as well as supplementary articles that expand knowledge. As for HubPages, I share recipesas well as including addition information (I'm working on a hematoma series at the moment).

I'm also research a lot of things at the moment too. I'm working on improving my page ranking and blog status as well as optimizing for product sales and improving my Adsense earnings with Google too. Aside the money making aspect of blogging I'm also research a lot of invisible illnesses. Like I said previously I'm working on a hematoma section mainly with HubPages and Squidoo, I've also just started looking into eating disordersas well so you can expect a few posts on those topics. If you want to find out some more information on any of my topics you can look around on Squidoo or HubPages via the above links and you'll find a lot more information there.

Sexy Compression Stockings

My Mediven Stockings

I went to orthopedics yesterday to pick up some brand new compression stockings. These ones are so much better than the TED ones I got at the hospital. You can see in the picture that they're tan so when I put them on they look like tights so I can go ahead and start wearing skirtsand dresses again.

Although it doesn't look like it in the photo those little stockings actually go all the way up to the top of my thigh. You can see that they start off really small so getting them on, especially to the top, is like going on a mission from God. It takes me about 20 minutes to get them on first thing in the morning - I have to get my bathroom schedule timed right so that I'm not desperate by the time I've got them on and comfortable.

Talking of bathroom schedules, wearing stockings and using the toilet is actually a lot harder than I thought. In order to 'go' I have to pull the stockings down slightly before I sit down, unfortunately with these stockings as soon as you move them down they roll down all the way to the knee. That's OK on my right leg (the good one) but it creates a lot of pressure on the inside of the thigh on my left leg and causes the clot to hurt quite a bit. I'm currently working on a strategy to get them down without rolling but it's actually quite tough to do. Give me enough time and I'm sure I'll work something out, I'm sure it will also get easier as I lose weighttoo, because then there will be less leg to worry about.

more hospital appointments

I've got the hospital again this week and another GP appointment the day after. The hospital appointment is with the M.E clinic, I'm not sure how I feel about that at the moment. I'm really hoping the fatigue and feeling the Sh$t is down to the clotting issue and not M.E/CFS but I guess they're the specialists and will tell me if I've got it or not.

The GP appointment is for a whole variety of things. I've been getting some chest pain on my left side (and no people it's not a heart attack) and I want to talk to her about medical exemption and also getting a Blue Badge (disability badge for driving) and applying for DLA (Disability Living Allowance) - it's expensive being sick!

A pain in the leg

Ha! I bet you though I was going to say something else then didn't you? Well, no, as normal it's about this delightful clot that's decided to take up residency in my left leg. I'm not sure whether it's down to the new compression stockings or not by my left leg has been giving out more pain than normal. I'm reluctant to go back up to 4 tablets a day as I'm down to 3 at the moment but if it keeps getting worse then I'll either have to cut back on work or up the pain meds - to be honest I'd rather up the pain meds than stop working again, it keeps me sane and I also need the money to by more meds with, oh the irony!

I've got a scan coming up in a few weeks - another one of those loverly Doppler scans where they put all the jelly on your leg and it just wont come off unless you have a soak in a really hot bath. Oh, well, I'll just have to take loads of baby wipes and hope they work that time. Anyway, I'm hoping that the pain might be due to muscle and nerve re-growth rather than the clot getting worse. Not much I can do about it now though.

Auditory Hallucinations

I'm still getting these weird sound hallucinations now and again. I seem to get them most when I'm really, really tired, like now. If I close my eyes then I'll start to here music or just sounds until it gets too loud and jolts me into a more conscious state.

I'm still researching this topic so when I've got some more information I'll do a post on it for everyone.

So, there we have it. I'm still alive, working and researching whilst listening to the imaginary band in my head - maybe I should sample their music and stick it on YouTube!

Related Posts

• Auditory Hallucinations
• Compression Stockings

What is a Hematoma?

My Experience with Hematoma

Up until recently I had no idea what a hematoma was let alone what to do if I ever got one. This particular article will go through my experience with hematoma and how I deal with them whenever they crop up. There are loads of different types of hematoma so I have included a link at the bottom of the page that explains all about them.

The particular type of hematoma I most commonly get it called a subcutaneous hematoma and I get them on my tummy most of the time. I also suffer from scalp hematoma from time to time as well if it's hot or if I've hit my head.

So What is a Hematoma?

A hematoma is defined as blood or a clot that has left the blood vessel. The most common form of hematoma you will know of is a bruise. However, with the hematoma that I get there is often a lump, swelling and pain at the site.

The picture on the right is my most recent one and it is really sore. It is black in the middle and turns yellow as it expands. You can't really see it on the photo but there is a great big lump in the middle.

Why Do I get Hematoma?

The reason I get hematoma on my tummy are due to my Clexane injections that I need to do twice a day. Not fun I know, but it's the only way of keeping me alive at the moment. I have to use Clexane to thin my blood to prevent clotting and to also help to break down the massive clot that I have at the moment. You can find out more information about this in the 'Related Links' section below.

How Does a Hematoma Affect Me and Are They Painful?

Hematoma are a pain in the a$$ to be completely honest but I have to deal with them because they are a by-product of my injections. They can often get very sore to the touch and I sometimes can't wear my nice clothes because the band that goes on my tummy will rub the affected area and can sometimes cause it to bleed again.

As you can see in the photo I'm wearing sweat pants. That's because the one that I have right now is the worst one yet, it hurts to even put the soft band of those huge sweat pants on it. I'm thinking about wearing a dress to work because then I wont have to worry about the band digging in when I sit down. 

Bending down or lifting heavy can cause them to hurt too. Basically anything that puts pressure or stress on the area will aggravate it and then it will take longer to go away.

Doing and injection when you have a hematoma can start to get difficult too. The reason there's a bruise /lump there in the first place was because it wasn't a great injection site to start with - there was little pain but I obviously nicked a blood vessel whilst I was there. This now means that I wont be able to use that area at all until the blood has cleared and the swelling has gone down, which means I am now at a great risk of developing more hematoma as my injection sites have decreased and there will be less time between sites.

How Do I Treat a Hematoma?

The worst thing you can do is to rub an injection site, especially if you think you've got a bleed there. Clexane is a blood thinner so at ground zero (the injection site) the tissue and blood will be at it's thinnest. I would also advise against pushing on a bleeding site as this can create a harder lump, if I'm bleeding for more than a few seconds then I put a piece of tissue over the area so it can soak up any blood without putting any pressure there. If, however, I have a serious bleed and it wont stop after 10 minutes then it's a trip to the emergency room as something has gone horribly wrong and I will need some help clotting.

If the hematoma crops up a few hours later or the day after and it's sore I've found that putting a cool cloth on the area can help to decrease the pain. One thing you don't want to do is to have a hot bath or shower, stick to warm/cool temperatures as this helps to keep the blood vessels at their regular size - if they don't have to dilate or anything then all the better.

The best thing I've found in general is just to leave them alone, try not to aggravate it with any heat, pressure or stress and it should do it's thing and go away.

If you're concerned about the size or pain level of your hematoma then I would highly recommend seeking medical help as it might need to be removed via surgery if it is causing internal issues.  

How Long Does a Hematoma Last For?

Depending on the size will depend on how long it wants to stick around for. If you have a tiny little lump with no bruising then it'll most likely be a couple of days. If, however, you have a stonker of a hematoma like the one in the picture then it will probably hang around for a couple of weeks before it even thinks about disappearing.

So there you have it, my experiences with hematoma. Like I said before, if you're concerned about your hematoma, go see your doctor.

Related Links

• Types of Hematoma 
• Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolisms, Part 1
• How to Decrease Bruising with Clexane
• What is Heterozygous Factor V Leiden

Wasted Day or Time Spent Recovering - Rehab: Day 31

I've had a bit of a mixed day today - good news, bad news, strenuous activity, resting. I had the day off work to go to the hospital today for my check up with Dr Mannering but that'll be my last one with him as he is leaving the hospital in 3 weeks. My care is being transfered to Dr Kasmi another hematologist who was looking after me when I was in hospital.

Scan and Blood Results

The good news is that my blood results where right were they're supposed to be at the moment but I still had to go for a another test because they changed the clexane dosage. The bad news is that I'll have to be on them for at least another 3 months before they'll even consider the warfarin - I'm sorry tummy, it looks like we'll be stabbing you for quite a while yet.

More good news: my chest pain isn't related to my filter. The pain I've been feeling over my breastplate is muscle fatigue from the crutches and the pulmonary embolism recovery. I had my chest and heart listened too and there's no fluid, crackling or wheezing going on so it's all within the normal parameters. Obviously if I get some really bad pain or breathlessness I need to go straight to A&E even for a bad asthma attack as a clot in my lung could've moved.

On to the scan. Dr was pleased with my mobility and swelling results but the scan results weren't great. The reason the filter is staying in is because the clot hasn't changed dramatically. Like I said in a previous rehab post the clot has a trickle of blood flow in the middle of the femoral vein but that's about it. They can't go in with a clot busting drug because the clot is too old and I would risk having a serious internal bleed if they went ahead with the procedure.

What Next?

I'm scheduled to have another scan in 6-8 weeks to check on the progress of the clot and to have another blood test. In the meantime I'll be getting some better compression stockings to help with the venous insufficiency, meeting with Dr Kasmi and generally trying to get stronger and fight off this fatigue. If I need anything in the meantime then my GP will be looking after me.

Soo, the Title?

The reason for the title is because I had planned to do a few productive things with my day off but as it happens my little trip to the hospital really tired me out. I don't know what was so different this time but I got home, had lunch and could barely keep my eyes open. I went to bed for 4 hours managed to make some dinner and since then I've just been completely knackered. At least I've only got 4 hours work tomorrow then I'm off till Tuesday because of the bank holiday - when you're on rehab hours you don't have to work bank holidays or weekends.

Amazon Shopping

I love Amazon too much. Here's a little contextual widget for some related products. I wonder what it will come up with?

Related Posts

• IVC Filters
• DVT Prevention
• Compression Stockings
• How to Decrease Bruising with Clexane
• What is Heterozygous Factor V Leiden - the reason for my injections and clots
• What is Post-Thrombotic Syndrome
• What is Venous Insufficiency 

Tiredness, Heat, Pain and Down Right Ignorance - Rehab: Day 30

I have been so tired this week it's starting to become a bit of an issue. Thankfully I've got the day off to go to the hospital so I can take it easy for most of the day. I over slept this morning but luckily work aren't really bothered what time I get on the phones as long as I'm in the building by 10am. I sat and had breakfast at my desk while arranging my meetings for this afternoon (they all went well btw).

The heat is still an issue for me. I wore a coat out this morning because it was raining but by the time I got to the office I was sweating buckets! And don't get me started about the bus journey into work! I got on a busy bus which was mixed with older people and young people but it clearly states on the bus "please give up your seat to the elderly or disabled people" now fair enough none of the oldies got up but here I am hobbling on to a busy bus with two crutches and a massive limp and no one moves or even offers. I had to stand for the 20 minute bus journey watching and feeling my leg swelling and getting hotter because some healthy people didn't want to stand. Fair enough if they were ill but I'm starting to wonder about society and humanity at the moment. If I don't classify as disabled on a bus then other people haven't even got a chance.

Got a little bit side tracked there, I was talking about the heat... It's making me more dehydrated at the moment which isn't good. I'm still drinking about 6 pints of water a day but not really going to the bathroom an awful lot like I was when it was cold, hence the dehydration theory. I managed to find some cooling tops today but it's mainly my legs that are the issue because of the compression stockings. I'm going to be on the look out for a long skirt to see how that goes instead of trousers.

As for the pain part of that title I've been experiencing pain in my knee caps of all places! I think the pain in my right knee is because I'm putting a lot more pressure on it than normal but as for the left, I'm not sure. I've got a load of questions to ask the hematologist tomorrow so I'll make sure to put up a Q&A later with the results of my appointment.

Talking of appointments, I had my referral letter through for the CFS/M.E department with an appointment in 2 weeks. I've been thinking that I'd rather go to the assessment session and be told that I'll get better once my clotting is fixed, now go away, than to cancel the appointment and find out that I have full blown CFS/M.E and I really need those sessions. Either way I'll know in a couple of weeks.

Hair Loss And How To Treat It

Hair loss is not a fun thing to go through. My clexane injections are causing my hair to fall out in clumps, about 20-30 strands at a time. Luckily my hair seems to grow fairly quickly so this rate is manageable but if it gets any worse I'm going to think about getting my hair cut short seeing as I'm going to be on this for a while - I spoke to a friend of mine who's a nurse and she said 6 months is the minimum for heparin (clexane).

*UPDATE: so it's been a few years of living with occasional hair loss and I have to confirm that the best thing to do for my hair is to have it short. I've found that having longer hair (especially when it's thick) puts more strain on my scalp and hair follicles so more will fall out when I go through what I call my malting stage.  

I often switch up my shampoo and conditioner brands about every six months to also reduce the stress on my scalp.  I have found that if I stay with just one brand (doesn't particularly matter who as long as it's a quality brand like Bed Head or Tresemme) my hair will need washing more as it gets greasier but once I switch I'm back to my normal regime. 

One other easy tip I would recommend doing for people with longer hair is to switch to a spiral hair toggle rather than the traditional elastic hair band. I've found the spiral toggles to be a lot more forgiving to hair and I rarely have more than two or three strands come out compared to the ten or more I used to experience. 

Treating Hair Loss: What Is Alopecia And How To Treat It 

I picked up some of my prescriptions today which put me in a bit of a low mood. The doctor has prescribed clexane on repeat and I'll have to pick up my next dose in July so no drinking on my birthday like I had planned. On the up side I was able to pick up my pain meds today so I've got a few weeks of those before getting a refill - these wont be put on repeat as I need a consult each time.

Another side effect I'm experiencing is thinning of my skin, it's ever so slight but it's causing hypersensitivity and I'm easily bruised. I noticed that I have some bruising on my palms from my crutches even though the handles are padded up. I'm going to find some extra foam padding to strap around it, I might even find it at work.

The heat is unbelievable for me at the moment, I'm feeling it a lot more than usual. I was sweating in the office even with the air conditioner on, I think it's because of the compression stockings and padded gloves that I wear (for walking with the crutches) but even at home with light clothing on I'm struggling. I don't know if that's a symptom of what I'm going through or whether that's what heat is supposed to feel like. I've always struggled with the cold but rarely with heat so I'll mention it to Dr Mainwairing and see what he thinks. *Edit: turns out this is just something to live with now, I'll do some more research on blood thinners and the heat and come back to you.*

Tiredness is still an issue even though I managed to get in nearly 10 hours last night. It was really difficult to wake up this morning, I felt like I had been hit by a bus it was that bad but luckily I was kicked out of bed by Mr HouseWife when he came in to do my injections.

Asthma has been getting a bit better now that I've been remembering to take my meds for it. I think I'll start leaving it next to the injection box to remind me that I need to do it twice a day as well. My chest was  a bit tight today though but I think the pollen count was higher than normal and that normally effects it. I'm sure once my endurance and respiratory fitness increases I'll start getting back to where I was before the hospitalization.

Compression Stockings - Rehab: Day 28

It's been a bit of a random day today. To start with I had to go to a local hospital to get accessed for some new compression stockings, that was fine until the bust company decided to change their times and routes so that no one knew how to get to this particular hospital. I ended up getting off at my regular stop for work and walking to the hospital - it's fairly close so it wasn't too much of an issue but still fairly far for someone in my condition.

As for the appointment itself it was really, really quick. The guy took my measurements and said that my new super strong stockings would be ready to pick up in a few days.

Work was tiring today. I'm running off of 5 hours sleep, which is not good. The insomnia was playing up last night and I didn't get to sleep until gone 3am even though I got into bed at 11pm and should of had 9 hours sleep. I managed to be on the phones for a couple of hours today but I needed some substantial breaks because my brain felt like it was turning into mushy fog. I've got a meeting with my supervisor on Wednesday to review my hours so I'll see what he has to say and take it from there.

I got home this afternoon, after making a quick detour to the pharmacy for some more painkillers (I have to go back tomorrow as they didn't have the correct dosage), to receive a call from the GP's receptionist. She said that there was another clexane injection prescription waiting for me, which is not great news. They must of had some time to go over my Doppler scan and blood work and decided that I need  to be on those damn things for a bit longer. I was hoping that it would be warfarin but it looks like I'll still be stabbing myself on my birthday so no drinking for me.

I managed to walk into the bed this afternoon with my bad leg so I'm now getting a big loverly bruise. I'm going to have to keep an incredibly close eye on that as I don't want another clot in that leg just for walking into the bed - sigh!

Anyway, it's 10pm here and I'm going to bed to get at least the 9 hours sleep that I need.

Knee Pain - Rehab: Day 27

Another lovely rest day, well, I say rest I mean not much walking but still quite busy. I slept in late - not great for my clexane injections but I needed the sleep - washed my hair, went shopping, worked on some old blog posts, watched a lot of House, got in the bath, and watched more House with some cake. All in all not a bad day.

Walking around today, especially around ASDA, I noticed that I've got some knee pain sneaking through the pain killers. It's on the inner side of my knee which suggests it has something to do with the clot as the pain is radiating from that area. I'm going to get Dr Mannering to take a look at it in the week and compare it to the scan I just had. In the mean time I'm just going to have to take the pressure off my leg when I walk and to use the crutches more effectively.

Since coming out of hospital I have found it quite difficult to wash my hair and shower/bathe all in one sitting. My strategy for the time being is to wash my hair one day and shower the next or do one in the morning and the other at night. I find that if I do them all in the one sitting it makes me feel quite ill. I don't know if it's the heat or the excursion that makes it difficult or something else entirely but the point is that I can't do it at the moment. I'm thinking about getting a bath seat so that I can sit down whilst I have a shower, that means I probably be able to wash my hair at the same time without spending too much energy.

Energy wise I'm feeling pretty good. I think the last couple of days of rest has done me good and I'm ready to go back to work tomorrow for 4 hours a day. I've also got to go and get fitted for some more compression stockings tomorrow and to see Dr Mannering the hematologist on Thursday for a check up and to review the Doppler scan on my clots as well as the IVC filter.  

I've been sleeping without compression stockings for the last couple of nights as well and it's not as bad as the last time I tried. The swelling is minimal in the morning and I seem to be sleeping a little better at night too. 

My injections are playing havoc with me at the moment. I've got little hematoma (little lumps at the injection sites) all over my tummy which are quite sore to the touch and a fair amount of bruising to go with that. I've had to stop doing them myself at the moment as all of the pain free sites are damaged so my partner in crime is having to do them on the really painful sites which means I normally end up bleeding or in pain for a while. I should be back to self-injecting in a week or so once the bruising and hematoma have healed up.

One of the other side effects of clexane is hair loss. I noticed this morning that I'm starting to lose quite a bit of hair when I brush (20 - 30 strands compared to the 2-5 normal) and I've got a couple of small bald spots near my forehead. Luckily I've only got 20 days left of clexane so I'm hoping that my hair will start to grow back once I switch over to Warfarin.

Have you ever suffered with hematoma? If you have leave me a message with any tips you might have.

Related Posts

• IVC Filter
• Compression Stockings
• Side Effects of Clexane

Coming off of Birth Control: 3 Months Later

THIS IS A PERSONAL AND SENSITIVE TOPIC RELATING TO WOMEN AND THEIR SEXUAL ORGANS SO I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND LEAVING NOW IF THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU ARE SQUEAMISH OR HAVE DIFFERENT MORALS OR OPINIONS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED SO KEEP READING IF YOU WANT TO,  OR  YOU CAN DISAPPEAR TO LOOK AT SOME PUPPIES

CC Courtesy of Shemer, Flickr

It has now been three months since I had to stop taking Microgynon 30 due to my blood clot. There seems to be plenty of information out there on the internet and from your doctors about going on to a hormonal contraceptive, but there really isn't anything concrete out there explaining what it is like to come off of them.

Changes to my Body

There have been plenty of changes recently that I can contribute to coming off of the pill, although some of them can also be attributed to treating my blood disorder (Heterozygous Factor V Leiden Mutation). Just because they are changes it doesn't mean that they are all positive, some of them are downright horrible and one of the main reasons why I went on the pill to start with when I was 14 so I'm having to find some alternatives that wont actually kill me.

Skin

One of the reasons for going on the pill was to clear up the terrible acne that I had when I was younger and it did, I only got the odd spot here and there around the time of my period and that was it. I was hoping that when I came off the pill my acne would have disappeared but unfortunately it hasn't. It has certainly got better but I still get a lot of outbreaks on my face and across the back of my shoulders. I'm going to leave it until Christmas so that my hormones can level and if it still hasn't cleared up by then I'll go and get some acne treatment.

Weight Loss

I'm not sure whether this is due to coming off the pill, starting my treatment or perhaps a combination of both but my weight is starting to come under control again. I no longer put on weight for no reason and when I set my mind to it I can lose weight fairly easily. At the moment I'm focusing on getting my energy levels back up and getting mobile again so when I can move easily I'll start proper exercise and take it form there.

Food and Cravings

Since stopping the pill my cravings and lust for food seems to have diminished somewhat. Believe me I still have cravings for ice cream and cake around my period but I can actually turn down chocolate and treats during the rest of the time. Great for natural weight loss I can tell you!

Libido

Now here is a sensitive subject. A lot of people complain that when they go on the pill they lose their libido and looking back that was certainly the case for me. I don't know if it was tied to the depression that I was going through at the time but since coming off the pill my libido seems normal. Before I almost felt emotionally dead (others I have spoken to said that was the case for them too) but I appear to be coming back to how I was before starting the pill. If you're struggling with depression and you're on the pill I would recommend either stopping it or switching to another form to see if that helps.

Moods

My moods and certainly starting to level out now. Although I will still sometimes cry or get angry if I can't get my shoes on but that is becoming a rarity and I am starting to feel happier and more human. I originally went on the pill to control mood swings but as I mentioned above I was feeling emotionally dead. Looking back I think it was just because I was a teenager and your hormones will be flying around anyway but as I've gotten older they naturally leveled out and I think the pill just shut down my stronger emotions. 

Sleep and M.E

I am sleeping so much better now. I'm actually getting days where I can wake up feeling rested, that is of course if the insomnia doesn't get in the way and I haven't had a bad episode with the M.E (mine seems to come through in phases). I've stopped napping during the day I given the right circumstances I can feel pretty good on 8-9 hours of sleep rather than the 12-18 hours that I used to get. Again, I don't know if this is from starting my treatment or coming off the pill but it is certainly something to consider if you're having trouble sleeping.

Asthma

Strangely enough my asthma seems to have cleared up a bit. I have no idea what has caused it though. It could have been coming off the pill, starting my clot treatment or environmental, but given the fact that my flat has a leak from upstairs, growing uncontrollable mould and mushrooms I'm ruling out environmental. Either way, I'm glad I don't have to take as much medication for it anymore. 

Periods

These delightful visitors were the main reason for going on the pill. I suffer with very heavy, painful and long periods and going on the pill helped to control them - a little to well actually because they kept disappearing and scaring the hell out of me. However, since coming off the pill I have only had the one period and that was horrible. I had to change every 2 hours, could barely walk through the pain (don't forget I'm on 200mg of Tramadol everyday too) and I was constantly nauseous. Now, I don't know if that was because of the blood thinners that I'm on or whether that was just a natural period, or due to the fact that I hadn't had one for the last 2 months (and no I wasn't pregnant) I couldn't say. The only options that I will even consider are the coil and manning up and given the fact that I can't have a coil fitted until after Christmas (8 months from now) I'm going to have to man up anyway but we'll see how it goes.

Summary

So there we go, my 3 month update of coming off the pill. I'm still all over the place at the moment but I'm certainly not missing the pill and it's unwanted side effects and I guess I'll just have to man up through the horrible natural ones that I still get.

If you've had an experience of coming off the pill leave a comment and share your wisdom. 

Related Posts

• What is Heterozygous Factor V Leiden Mutation
• Causes of DVTs
• Coming off of Birth Control
• Top 5 Choices for Contraceptives

The Day of Rest - Rehab: Day 26

Today was absolute bliss. I did nothing! Well, that's a lie as I spent the day updating the blog, pottering around doing housework, eating, napping and watching House. The best thing though was that I was able to get my legs up for a good amount of time to get some swelling down.

I slept for quite a long time last night without the compression stockings on and the swelling was pretty good when I woke up. I've got a skinny little ankle at the moment and a big ol' swollen thigh where the head of the clot is. I can actually feel the clot if I follow the vein down my leg but it's really tender to touch so I don't do it all the time (ha, like I would anyway).

My feet have also been hurting quite a bit but they always do whenever I up my milage on them. A soak in the bath and a foot rub tomorrow will sort them right out - pass the lotion I need separate those muscle fibers!

I started on the 100mg Clexane injections and I'm not a fan of them - I miss the 80mgs which is odd seeing as they all hurt like hell. The needle is the same size of the 120mgs which is starting to become a problem. My stomach is black and blue and I keep hitting the muscle because I can't grab enough fat where I've lost weight. I might have to start doing them in my right thigh (still too much swelling on the left) on round on my sides but that will really hurt either way. I'm hoping that on Thursday Dr Mannering (hematologist) will tell me I'm on the last set of injections and that I can go on to Warfarin after otherwise I'm going to have some problems on the injection sites.

I'm going to start doing some yoga/stretching everyday and I long session at the weekends because my bad leg is tightening up again. This morning I couldn't straighten out my leg where the hamstring was so tight - it might even fix my foot pain.

Right, that's me done for the day. I'm off to watch some more House and get some more sleep.

Life Can be a Pain in the Clotted Vein - Rehab: Day 24

She Canny Take It Captain! (Pretend I'm Scottie from Star Trek [Original])

I've clearly done more than I can manage this week - I'm absolutely knackered! My pain has been right up this week and my sleeping patterns have been off the rail, for example, I woke up at 10 to 9 (8.50am) this morning when I'm supposed to be leaving at 9am to get the bus to work. Well, I can certainly say that I still got to work on time but I didn't have any breakfast so I had a tummy ache with my pain killers. Needless to say I am currently not a fan of Factor V.

Pain is a Bitch (OK you can stop pretending I'm Scottie now)

For those of you out there who suffer from any form of chronic pain (pain that's lasted more than six months otherwise it's known as acute) it can be very persistent, no fun and a really pain in the ass! I couldn't get comfortable last night and this evening my muscles are just seizing up left right and centre. I'm thinking of upping my pain meds for a couple of days as it's clear that I'm not as well as I thought I was, I'm still going to go to work (for one I need the money) but I can't be galavanting off all over town like I have done this week.

I've also been getting a bit of discomfort in my chest as well. I'm not sure if it's my asthma playing up or the filter. To be honest I have been very, very, very bad with my asthma medication this week, I haven't taken my long acting filter for at least two weeks and it might very well be catching up with me - SHAME ON YOU (ME)! I think it's best to start the inhalers again tomorrow to get that one sorted, at least I'll then know if it's asthma or the filter acting up then.

Actual Rehab

I'm going to be having a good ol' stretching session this weekend to lengthen out my muscles and do some work on my thoracic spine and maybe with a roller to work out some kinks in my back and legs. As for rehab this week I've mainly been focused on getting to and from work, so walking basically. I've been averaging about 2 miles a day if I go into town afterwards (as we've established that's not a good idea at the moment) but only about a mile if I only go to work. I have a neat little pedometer (like the one below) that sits in my pocket all day counting up my milage - they're actually pretty motivational as I set myself little goals to accomplish during the day.

Side Effects

I'm getting some more side effects from my meds so on Thursday I'll be reviewing with the hematologist about alternatives even though I'm fairly sure I'm stuck with the clexane injections for at least another month. Anyway, the side effects I've been getting are:

• Sore throat
• Lip, tongue and mouth slits/cracks
• Hair loss - starting to come out in clumps again (sad face here)
• Hematoma - lumps on the injection site that get quite tender when touched at all
• Bruising - I have a random bruise on my right (good) shin and I have no recollection of hitting it
• Bleeding - where I'm running out of space on my tummy I'm starting to nick the artery/vein areas and draw blood from the injection site, I'm thinking of injecting on my thigh but at the moment I can't grab enough fat to avoid the muscle with the current 120mgs but tomorrow's my last day of them so I'll try on the 100mgs.
• Mood swings - I think this is mainly to do with coming off of birth control (aaarrrrrggghhh)

Anyway, that's my little rant over. Go have a look on Amazon for funky stuff to buy (you might have guessed that I LOVE Amazon, it's just that I have soooo many vouchers for them) or go and check out some related posts if you really wanted to. For now though I am off to bed to see the wooden Indians (a phrase my Grandmother used to say when putting us to bed) and hope that Mr Insomnia doesn't pay a visit - I NEED SLEEP!!

Here are some things you might like from Amazon

 

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Related Posts

• Insomnia
• What is Factor V (5)?
• IVC Filter
• Bruising with Clexane
• How to Use Clexane
• Coming off of birth control
• Rehab: Core
• Improving Upper Back Pain