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philo
Trad climber
boulder, co.
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 30, 2009 - 06:27pm PT
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A funny thing happened on the way to my son's 10th birthday.
For 8 of his past 10 birthdays my son has been out of town. This year I was finally going to spend his day with him. YEAH! He specifically requested a climbing party. I thought that was way cool so it was all set up. I was so excited that he wanted to do my thing. Then the day before his day everything changed. I ended up getting rushed to the hospital ER with an excruciatingly painful blood clot in my calf. All the medicos were scurrying around acting like I was about to croak. Which I was told was really quite possible. Once started on a blood thinning regimen I was told to be extra careful about bumps, scrapes and cuts. I thought, yeah sure. I am an old Black Canyon dirtbag. What constitutes "being careful"? So I spent a day gardening and landscaping. Big mistake! The next day I looked like I was on the losing end of a prize fight. Holy crap I thought they were not kidding. So my question is how long should I expect to be the accidental hemophiliac? As it stands it seems that just one 5.10 sticker bush in the Black would be enough to bleed me out. And how long should I expect the PAIN to last? Even on the good stuff I am losing sleep to the pain. Anyone in TacoLand have any background information they would consider sharing. Or should I just sell all my gear and take up Canasta?
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Jun 30, 2009 - 06:37pm PT
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Phil,
No experience, but hoping you get well soon!
Rick
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jun 30, 2009 - 06:40pm PT
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hey there philo... oh my... this is awful... say, is this due to a temporary medication, or do you need this for permanent now...
all i know (which is not good and does not fully apply to you) is that my dear friend from texas, after taking a long flight across seas, came back and had a terrible pain in her chest... turned out it was a blood clot and she died outside on the ambulance!!!! (she did however have two larged cancer tumors that had not been detected yet, so they may have contributed to the blood clots, not just the plane ride---but these deep vein trhombosis stuff are just as deadly)...
say, i am so very glad you were taken care of and that you are still with u...
say--folks do not know this, and i did not either... but even folks that have had a "so called" simple accident, can die from that deep vein thrombosis... it is very sad, as the recovery can look so good, otherwise...
in south texas a young football player died from a blood clot, just a few days after he was home from an injury to his leg...
i thanked god everyday that my son was well, after his two football injuries--i had never known such a thing...
god bless you... say, please let us know how you are doing, once you figure this all out...
sure do hope that you will still be a wonderful climbing machine!
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Gene
climber
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Jun 30, 2009 - 06:41pm PT
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Been there, Philo, after a knee reconstruction. Developed clots in my feet and upper leg. Had to get shots in my ample tummy for a few weeks and then a year or two of Cumadin, both blood thinners. At first I felt like a peach - if you looked at me cross-eyed, I'd bruise. At times I felt I had a stigmta the way I bled from scratches. Over that now. Don't sell your gear. Just look at it for a while until the MD says OK.
Don't get in a car accident like I did. Having survived a knee rebuild and DVT, I am now getting over rotator cuff surgery from the accident. Dumb child was texting when she plowed into us.
Best,
gm
EDIT: I was back climbing with the doc's blessing while still on Cumadin.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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Jun 30, 2009 - 06:41pm PT
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Best wishes for a speedy recovery but shouldn't you be asking your doctors? 'We' don't exactly have access to your chart.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jun 30, 2009 - 06:45pm PT
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hey there say, philo...
say, i forgot to add that my neighbor still takes the blood thinner, but hers is due to a heart condition... she does some gardening, but surely is not a climber... but she can bleed easy...
perhaps you will not always have to take this??? what did your doc say? ...
wow, sure hope time will change things...
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John Moosie
climber
Beautiful California
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Jun 30, 2009 - 07:16pm PT
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I have had 3 blood clots diagnosed. A grouping in my arm when I had to have intravenous antibiotics to fight a bone infection. One in my lungs ( which nearly killed me as part broke off and I had a mild stroke, thankfully it happened in the hospital and they gave me this med that broke up clots immediately. I can't remember what it is called, but it cost 10,000 dollars a dose, youch.. How they diagnosed the stroke was the left side of my face was sagging and I was slurring my speech. I now have weakness on my left side. ), and one in my leg. ( I had another clot in my leg this winter but didn't go to the doc, plus I have had another in my arm ) So I believe that I have had 5 times when i have had clots, though only 3 were diagnosed. The best guess that docs gave me was that it was an inherited condition, but I could not afford the tests and the conclusions sort of didn't matter as the treatment was the same. At least to my understanding. Except if it is not an inherited condition and is a result of some trauma, then they sometimes believe it is okay to come off the blood thinners.
My doc advised against all outdoor activities. Especially no skiing or climbing. Nothing that could have a fall involved in it. He even wanted me to stop backpacking as the heavy pack could cause clots in my shoulders. Needless to say, I was very bummed. I have never been a super outdoorsman, but I do love the outdoors and it was hard to stop doing the things that I loved.
Eventually I discovered that I had sensitivities to the blood thinners, both coumadin and plavix, plus I was having trouble with intestinal bleeding and now I just take aspirin. I have to watch that also as it also irritates my intestines. I also try to ingest lots of natural blood thinners. Here is a good page for info on this.
http://www.ctds.info/natthinners.html
Because I came off the thinners and have decided to just risk it, I went cross country skiing this winter for the first time in 9 years. Yippie !!!
I with that I could help you more. Hopefully someone here will chime in as my info is old and I never really got a handle on the whole blood clot thing as I had so many other health problems to deal with.
One thing to note, some spiritualist say that problems with blood clots indicate an anger towards God. I can only tell you that I have noticed a seeming correlation between how pissed off I am at life and how often I get clots. The more pissed off I am, the more often they appear. This is just my experience and I am not advocating stopping medical treatment. My spiritual teachers advise using both spiritual help and medical help, especially in something as dangerous as blood clots.
John
Wow, I just read that gene went back to climbing while on blood thinners, with his docs blessings. All my docs advised against it. I will say this, I also noticed that I was more susceptible to bruises my first year on blood thinners. That might have something to do with finding the right dose and balance with the foods that you eat. Good luck bro.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jun 30, 2009 - 07:59pm PT
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hey there say, john moosie... oh my... what a story... say, i am very happy you got your ski trip!!!!.... what a hard thing to lay aside, too---the great outdoors... but you still have wonderful things here to share about what you have done in the past... and, somehow, you are STILL who you are, inside... :)
to philo and all:
you know, i have heard the stuff about "anger" too, hurting the body (not that THAT was your trouble) i am just sharing what i had heard too (and as to heart attack personality, too)...
i guess if you look at it like this... blood is like a river and if there are hard-core things that block the 'happy flow' things could knot-up inside...
there must be some kind of a chemical reaction that takes place that we don't understand---other than the inheritance part, as that can't be helped...
and injury traumas, too, can't be helped...
but it sure brings the fact to home, that our bodies are MUCH more complicated than they seem, though, the system itself seems it should be so simple:
one part, just helping the other part, work...
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jun 30, 2009 - 08:17pm PT
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be careful!
THC is said to be an excellent blood thinner, You could take a trip west and get a scrip.
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HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
Arid-zona
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Jun 30, 2009 - 10:27pm PT
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Philo:
Your condition is very serious and you should take it seriously. A DVT can result in fairly rapid death if a clot breaks loose. I assume you are on coumadin but you could be on some other drugs. If you are on coumadin (aka warfarin) you should make sure to eat the same number of leafy green veggies on a daily basis. The vitamin K in leafy greens will greatly affect the drug's efficacy and so if you eat varying amounts your providers will have a hard time adjusting the dose to a safe but therapeutic range.
You should likely avoid strenuous activity until you are cleared by your provider. Heavy exercise can potentially bust a clot loose which as I said would be bad. Likewise, you should avoid prolonged periods of inactivity such as long airplane flights, long uninterrupted car rides and continuous hours of posting on Supertopo. There are many DVT prevention activities recommended to help break up long periods of necessary sitting and you can find them easily by Googling around. I would get really serious about not sitting for more than 45 minutes without doing the DVT prevention exercises.
Make sure to follow up with your provider for long term care. You quite possibly have a coagulation disorder which would require long-term treatment and monitoring. Please do the research and ask the questions of your primary care provider that ensure you have the knowledge and understanding you need to continue living healthily. If you haven't scheduled a follow-up appt with your provider you should do that right now. Good luck man!
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Ezra
Social climber
WA, NC, Idaho Falls
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Jun 30, 2009 - 11:29pm PT
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High desertDJ said it all basically.
If you have insurance the genetic testing may be worth it, just for your kids knowledge.
They'll test you for
Protein S and C deficiency
Factor V leiden mutation (activated protein C resistance)
Anti-thrombin III deficiency
Prothrombin 2010 mutation
Homocystenemia (what Tarbuster has)
That's all I remember off the top of my head.
Take the trauma bit seriously... avoid it.
You usually end up on Coumadin for 3-6 months with your first clot.
best
-e
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
way, WAY out there....(OMG)
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Jun 30, 2009 - 11:35pm PT
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Hope ya do ok, there, Philo...
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Phil
I had lunch with Crimpie today and she told me about this. . .
Man, you have been on a bad run. Please take care and
get better. A friend of mine had a similar thing happen,
and it seemed he was on coumadin (sp?) for a year, and then
the doctor let him off of it. Probably no two cases are alike,
but in any event, you've got lots of support here.
Steve the pollack
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Does the "one child aspirin/day" routine help with this? I believe that all men over 50 are supposed to take one, unless told otherwise, and that there's a demonstrated benefit, which must relate to strokes and heart attacks.
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philo
Trad climber
boulder, co.
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 1, 2009 - 11:15am PT
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Thank you all very much for the wonderful responses. I will fill in more info later today when I return.
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Cracko
Trad climber
Quartz Hill, California
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Philo,
Back in the late 70's, I was hospitalized with viral encephalitus, and while hospitalized in a coma, I developed plebitus and clotting in my left calf. This turned into deep vein thrombosis, and then pulmonary edema when one of the clots broke loose and lodged in my lung. Heparin and Coumidin were administered in the hospital and all was well. I remained on a Coumidin regimen for several months after that. In the end, I ended up with what is called chronic venous insufficiency which I have to this day. I've been wearing prescription pressure gradient support stockings for thirty years. I have had several other episodes of deep vein clotting and swelling (most notably after a trans-atlantic flight to europe, but otherwise have not had any lasting effects (other than the pantyhose!). A year after I recovered from pulmonary edema, I rode my bike from Canada to Mexico. In the years since, I have climbed Half Dome, El Cap, and a half dozen other walls; and remain a pretty active climber. My doctor seems to think that all this activity is probably good for my circulation as long as I keep wearing the support stockings. It just hasn't slowed me down.
Cracko
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dr. jay
climber
petaluma, ca
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do you know how you got the clot in the first place? usually they develop after a period of inactivity (long trip or extended immobilization) or trauma to the leg itself. sometimes there's a predisposition due to genetic factors--see above--or an underlying malignancy, but not always. as long as the clot stays in the calf you're allright, since 95% of the time they don't cut loose, but the problem arises when they extend upwards into the thigh and pelvis veins where they are much more likely to embolize. for an isolated calf clot you should expect 6 months to a year of anticoagulation (and all the lame limitaions that go along with it). the pain should get better once the clot stabilizes and your body is able to shunt the blood around the blockage so the pressure in the leg isn't so high. how long that takes is different for everyone, here's to hoping for you that it is very soon.
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philo
Trad climber
boulder, co.
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 2, 2009 - 11:59am PT
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You all are wonderful and your responses tremendously valuable to me.
Some of your stories are very scary and you have my admiration for what you have been through. Neebee you are as sweet as Tupelo honey and if I ever get to meet you I want to just wrap you up in a giant hug of affection and appreciation.
So this has all been bizarre to say the least. I just pulled through the injury to my 18 year old prosthetic knee when this happened. I was even planning a return to the Black. Now I am conflicted and don't know what leg to limp on. Research shows that one of the leading contributing factors to developing clots is knee replacement surgery. But not 18 years later and on the other leg. There was no trauma involved but it appears I do have one of the genetic anomalies that make for rapidly clotting blood. Which was nice for all those years in the Black Canyon where lacerations from pegmatite and sticker bushes would usually scab up before I got the anchor set. The only contributing factor (other than thick blood) that I can think of was prolonged inactivity. First the horrendous thunderstorm weather moved in. As a lightning strike survivor lightning always pegs my anxiety meter. So I hunkered down. Then the horrible news from China started dribbling out. Jonny was a friend for 9 years and I was torn up. It is kind of funny that anger was mentioned as a contributing factor. Jonny's passing made me mad as hell. I was tired of losing great people. This loss mad me angry. Between the weather and the woe I retreated into a physical and emotional hibernation for a week. I spent days on end sitting in an odd position while glued to the computer desperate for any news. That is the only thing I can conceive of that would have caused a clot to develop. Well due to the blood disorder I will be meeting with a hematologist/oncologist July 9th. Hopefully I won't require life long treatments simply because my blood is thicker than water. I am lucky that my doctor is herself an extreme athlete. She can tell that for 18 years I have taken great care with the artificial knee. She doesn't want me to stop living my life because of this. She just wants me to be careful. Anyway thank you all again. I will keep The TacoStand posted. Carry on.
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Gene
climber
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Thanks for the update Philo. It really helps to have a doc the gets it. Sounds like you are in good hands and know how to take care of yourself. That's at least half the battle.
Best,
gm
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there philo... say, thanks for getting back with us all....
oh MY you sure had a list of many things leading up to this, and not for a good prize... the story of your friend, being the the hardest of all...
good to know about you finding the right doc... that is a tricky part...
say, cracko... what a hard-ride you had with all this... very glad to see you are still getting to pursue your life's trail, and in the way that your heart dictates...
extra note:
you know, philo, and gean (i think it was?) cracko and all:
some stuff you just never do learn in shcool... (kind of like being a mom, as i was for so long--you have to spy out the land and skill-it-out)... well, you guys are soaking-in knowledge (unwanted though it may be)... but say... you will sure be able to help many other folks later that never even heard of this stuff...
too bad we don't learn more of "watch and see" and "read the signs" and all the "what do ifs" for our bodies, in school... as, it can get down-right scary learning it on "the run"...
and worse yet, when we see our friends go through it, and don't know how to help... yet, every case IS different...
well... at least we can all cheer you on! and thus we will!!!!
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philo
Trad climber
boulder, co.
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 28, 2009 - 03:26pm PT
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Well I am on a minimum 3 month blood thinning regimen. Which, now that I have to be careful about nose bleeds and head bumps, has shot my tough guy persona out the window. But it has given me a new cartoon idea.
Vampires on a diet liking me because it's "Blood Lite"
I really hope that the genetic blood disorder that has been identified does not mean I have to be thinned for ever.
On an up note I have been out climbing again.
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stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
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Jul 28, 2009 - 03:33pm PT
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You can also get compression tights to wear for when you have long periods of sitting (long flights, etc).
Said tights have also shown some effects in reducing muscle soreness after long, high-intensity activity. I've got a pair that I sometimes use after 4+ hour bike rides. Seems to help.
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philo
Trad climber
boulder, co.
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 28, 2009 - 03:43pm PT
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And thank you all for the concern and support. Y'all ROCK!
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ec
climber
ca
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Jul 28, 2009 - 03:55pm PT
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Philo,
My 16y/o was diagnosed with DVT a couple of weeks ago. 'Out of the blue... 'Just like you, three months of Arixtra injections after an initial coumadin regimen. He had no pain, however a couple of weeks before school was out, we noticed one calf was larger than the other...After freaking out, like "don't do anything!" we just make sure he doesn't sit on his ass too long and keep him from activities that may more easily incur a bleeding injury.
 ec
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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Mar 11, 2010 - 01:46am PT
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Philo: I'm curious as to how you are doing. I was just diagnosed with DVT after going to emergency recently with a pain and swelling in my calf muscle. Ultrasound identified a blood clot in my peroneal vein behind my left knee. I suspect the clot may have originated this last August when I spent countless hours driving on a 2 week road trip to Oregon & Washington from the SF Bay Area. I first noticed a problem while in Portland and then it stiffened up while driving from Portland to Darrington. I took some Ibuprofin and it seemed to help, so we climbed at Darrington the next day. My calf stiffened up on the 2nd pitch of a 3 pitch route. Took some more Ibuprofin and hiked out but cut the climbing trip short after that. I continued taking Ibuprofin and stopped in Tuolumne for a day of climbing without much pain. Didn't have any problems until last week when my calf started tightening up and swelling again after gym climbing. This time it was so painful and swollen that I went to emergency. I'm on 5 mg/day Coumadin and self-injections of 80 mg Lovenox twice/day. I'm hoping this will only be a temporary set back and I'll be able to return to outdoor activities this summer. At 58 years old, I hope this is realistic.
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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Mar 11, 2010 - 02:22pm PT
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bump for Philo
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ec
climber
ca
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Mar 11, 2010 - 03:27pm PT
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Bummer. Make sure that you wear a compression sock and get some blood work done to see possible causes (i.e., lupus, etc.). We go three to six months at a time with our kid. So far, his leg diam. has reduced, but he's not out of the woods yet...
ec
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Scraptee
Trad climber
Tacoma
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Mar 11, 2010 - 05:22pm PT
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I missed this the first time around but I'll chime in here. I developed a swollen ankle in Jan 06 after a long plane flight. Being big on self diagnosis I related it to some plantar fasciitis (also self diagnosed) and just dealt with it for a couple months. I noticed that I was getting our of breath on moderate hills on my bike rides that I would normally cruise up. Finally at my wife's insistence I stopped off at doc-in-a-box one Friday night. When the doc looked at my ankle and calf he asked a bunch of questions. When I said I had periods of breathlessness he told me to go to ER right away. I went home had dinner and a couple glassed of wine then headed over to ER.
They poked and prodded my for a week and put me on heparin, an anticoagulant. Turns out I had three good sized clots in my lungs and serious blockage in the back of my knee. I was told that I was lucky because I could have been dead walking around with it as long as I did. I ad no awareness of DVTs and figured I was way too healthy to have to deal with it. After they were happy that they found the happy median of making sure that I had enough anticoagulant to prevent clots but not cause bleeding problems I went home.
The blockage in the back of the knee hasn't improved so I'm on warfarin (I'm told that there is something better on the horizon) with no ill noticeable ill effects. I still cycle, but don't race and climb as much as possible. I took a good leader fall last summer and landed on my butt and heel. I was a bit nervous about internal bleeding but I heeled quickly and didn't notice any unusual hematoma action. I've been on the blood thinners for nearly 3 years now.
TT I climb with EC up here in the PNW. Send me a PM if you have any other questions.
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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Mar 11, 2010 - 07:41pm PT
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thanks ec, Gene, & Scraptee...I appreciate your support
On the basis of my blood test my doctor increased the Coumadin to 7.5 mg/day and continue the Lovenox 80 mg injections twice/day. I'm going in for another blood test on Monday. My doctor estimates I'll be on the Coumadin for 6 months.
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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Mar 11, 2010 - 10:02pm PT
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bump for philo
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John Moosie
climber
Beautiful California
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Mar 11, 2010 - 10:06pm PT
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I'm nursing a blood clot in my leg right now.
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 12, 2010 - 09:43am PT
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Hello Toulumne Tradster and all. I just caught these bumps. I am doing well thank you all very much. Turns out I have a genetic condition called factor 5 lydin which means I have abnormally thick blood to begin with. Six months of blood thinning protocol and I am back to abnormal. The medicos lose all sense of humor when they diagnose a DVT. But they have good reasons to be so serious. The ravaging effects of a clot rampaging through soft tissues like heart and lungs is pretty terrifying. It is a clear case of "better safe than sorry". The hard part is that with any clot the docs are going to think you are a long term risk factor and want to keep you on medicines for as long as possible. I had to argue that I was sure this was a one time circumstantial episode and I didn't need long term blood thinning. I did NOT like the meds! They made me feel stretched thin and (even more) fuzzy headed. The docs didn't put any credence in my claims of the negative effects of the blood thinners as they hadn't heard of others with similar accounts. But once I was off of them I felt much, much better. Though I have to admit that when that bugger kicked in it was an intense writhing in pain experience. Been there, done that, don't want to do it again. Good luck to you, get your blood thinning protocol stabilized, take care and pay attention to your body.
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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Mar 12, 2010 - 12:01pm PT
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Thanks for the info philo....Glad to see you're off the meds and doing well. Right now I'm still trying to achieve the right blood parameters with Lovenox injections & Coumadin. Long term, my doc recommended ~6 months on Coumadin after stabilizng my blood.
If you don't mind me asking, are you back to 'normal' outdoor activities like hiking & climbing? I see your avatar shows you ice climbing...are you ice climbing again?
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Mar 12, 2010 - 12:07pm PT
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Hang in there Phil.
We gotta have a healthy benefactor up in CO.
You can never tell when the Cozmic Banditos will come swooping in on your ass again!
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 12, 2010 - 12:52pm PT
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As a matter of fact I am heading to Ouray this weekend to kick ice and take names. Hang in there TT. Six months isn't that long. And in geologic terms it isn't even significant. Once stabilized you will be able to be carefully active.
Bruce the door is always open to youz dadz.
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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Mar 12, 2010 - 01:00pm PT
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cool...thanks for that reply philo. I was in Ouray in January for the Ice Festival...we had a blast.
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Mason
Trad climber
Yay Area
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Mar 12, 2010 - 03:46pm PT
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Phil,
I have no knowledge of DVT however I had a question.
Were you by chance taking Vioxx at all? It's a drug for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
I just did a research project on biopharma and we studied about vioxx so just wondering.
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 15, 2010 - 10:59am PT
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It's true I had ended up needing to sell all my climbing gear to cover medical expenses. But folks have been really generous. They are even letting me try anew prototype ice axe. Check it out.
Let me know if you want a set. I know they are a little pricey at $6.95 each. But as the new rep I might cut you ST cats a pro-deal
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AstroArlo
Trad climber
Jackson, WY
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Mar 15, 2010 - 12:22pm PT
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Philo:
I'm an EMT and a DVT is a potential life threatening condition. If the clot breaks loose, it can move through your vascular system and cause a pulmonary embolism (a clot in the blood supply to your lungs) which can kill you as fast as a heart attack - 5 minutes or less! That's why the medical people were scared that you might croak! Paramedics can do something about a heart attack, but they can't do much for a pulmonary embolism. This is what NBC correspondant David Bloom died of in Iraq - from sitting in one position for a long time (beware those long flights to Australia - perhaps climbing at Mt. Arapiles is not such a good idea...lol!).
Clots and DVT are a potential common complication of orthopedic surgery (or other trauma), and some people develop them spontaneously. Patients are given anti-coagulation drugs as a precaution, usually this is Lovenox given as a sub-cutaneous (under the skin) shot in the belly area. They might also give a stronger anti-coagulant such as coumadin.
Coumadin is a very tricky drug - the docs have to find a balance between not coagulating enough (ie. turn you into a hemopheliac) and coagulating too much (die from a pulmonary embolism). So, they usually do frequent blood tests to check your clotting factors and adjust your dosage to keep it in the appropriate range.
Tell your doctor exactly what activities you are considering doing and follow his advice - your life depends on it.
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Gene
climber
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Mar 28, 2011 - 08:45pm PT
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They're back....
The leg went huge and very sore. The ultrasound found them. Oxycodone, Lovenox in the tummy, and Cumadin. I start the every-other-day blood draws tomorrow.
g
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 28, 2011 - 09:03pm PT
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Ah Gene I am sorry. Keep strong.
The memory of the pain is a scar.
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SCseagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Mar 28, 2011 - 09:16pm PT
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Sorry Gene...I was on Lovenox and warfarin during my chemo. My post chemo scan showed no clots (and even better no cancer) so I am off thinners. I hope all goes well with your clot therapy. The whole issue of clots in healthy people (and many very healthy people get them) has always astounded me. You would think healthy people wouldn't be prone to them. When I have been on long flights the airlines have always been very accommodating when I ask for priority boarding to get an aisle seat so I can get up and walk the aisles on a regular basis. We also stop more on our long car trips rather than "balls to the wall lets just get there. Susan
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Mar 28, 2011 - 09:54pm PT
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Holy Schitt, Phil!
I had to take Coumadin (Warfarin; rat poison) for almost 5 months last year after my tumble in Eldo, due to blood clots in my lungs immediately afterwards. The anticoagulation treatments are nothing to scoff at, or laugh about. You scratch a mosquito bite and bleed for half an hour; get banged too hard and bleed internally or overdo the medications before they are properly regulated, and you'll be taking a long dirt nap. I nearly croaked last May 8th from internal bleeding, and had to receive 2 units of blood and 6 of plasma to compensate the internal bleeding. That was after they removed 3 liters of fluid from my chest cavity!
So...be damned careful, my friend! Take all the meds they give you and get regular tests on your coagulation times. Really sorry to hear this, as I was hoping we could climb something together this Spring/Summer. Plan on at least 6 months of "down time." Doesn't matter how you were as a younger person, dirt bagger or not...that schitt can kill you, so TAKE CARE!!
Rodger
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fresh pow
Boulder climber
phoenix
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Mar 29, 2011 - 12:40am PT
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I am@a prehospital provider and would like to comment on your situation but I think HighDesertDJ summoned it up the best so far. Walk and stretch.
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2011 - 01:27am PT
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SCseagoat, glad to hear you are doing so well.
Holy Schitzizzle Rodger that sounds horrible. Glad you are well as well.
I am also glad I am through it and off the thinners.
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stilltrying
Trad climber
washington indiana
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Mar 29, 2011 - 09:03am PT
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I have never had DVT but lots of other serious issues. I have been on Coumadin for over a decade. While it needs to be monitored and can cause problems I would not let it stop me from climbing or mtb biking etc. I have decked from 40 feet and although black and blue I had no internal bleeding etc. Keeping it in the proper range is necessary. The only time it really caused me a problem I was in the hospital and had to have platelets transfused as my blood was so thin it would not clot at all. This was caused in my opinion by a drug the cardiac surgeon insisted I take called Amiodorone (sp ?) Anyway as they were putting the bag of plateletes in me I called my EP and told him I refuse to take that drug any longer. Anyway be prudent but it is far from a game stopper. Wear a helmet, don't take foolish chances on lead and Climb On.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Mar 29, 2011 - 10:26am PT
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Wear a helmet...
I was still wearing my BD Half Dome when I took my spill, and I'm alive today, 'cause I was still wearing it!! Other than simple topropes now, i'll never again climb w/o one. Even so...i was knocked out for about half an hour before I regained consciousness. Then they started asking me questions: what's your name/ Do you know where you are? Do you remember what you were doing? etc., etc.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Mar 29, 2011 - 09:58pm PT
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Philo
You kneed to dilute that blood with more cervesa!!!!!!
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Mar 30, 2011 - 12:13am PT
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Steve-
Absolutely!
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 30, 2011 - 03:15am PT
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Well SteveDub, I'd drink a beer with you anytime.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Bumping this thread for another S-T climber recently diagnosed with DVT.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Good bump, Rodger. The number of old farts is increasing and we all share potential as we age for acquiring the same set of problems.
What is amazing is the number of lifelong healthy folks who suddenly develop conditions which are very serious...DVT among them, but also Congestive Heart Failure.
The man who says he's my doctor (he's really a paid pusher of pills) called what I have not DVT, but Venous Stasis.
The definition:
Venous stasis is a risk factor for forming blood clots in veins (venous thrombosis), as with the deep veins of the legs (deep vein thrombosis or DVT). Causes of venous stasis include long periods of immobility that can be encountered from driving, flying, bed rest/hospitalization, or having an orthopedic cast.
And here I sit at the table lots of the day typing and browsing! I do wear support hose now, and it has helped maintain the SIZE of my lower legs but they are a stoned bitch to get on. It's an inheritable thing, too...my sainted mom had to wear these and it's only recently that I've become comfortable sleeping with my legs elevated.
I hate the process of using Coumadin, what with the blood testing (not a big deal if one has no transportation woes, but always a Pain Back There).
I don't know of any way to avoid the experience, either. I think one is susceptible to these heinous venous problems through heredity.
I recall bivouacking under the Salathe headwall (on the Block) and having my legs' circulation cut down sharply by dangling them for the night...not a good idea! Sleep flat out, if you can on bivvy.
Because of that, I developed phlebitis (the Richard Nixon disease) which showed up a day after I'd gotten home from the climb. I had to take something to thin my blood, but don't remember what the doc prescribed. I was couch-bound for two days. Bloated, too.
My medical history includes TWO lung clots and one in the heart. I'm really on "borrowed time." They used to list Congestive Heart Failure under "cause of death" much more frequently than today. Today, it's so controllable, but only with testing of blood.
I'm skeptical of a new pharmaceutical being advertised on TV which claims to be able to help with no blood testing, but still, I wish my care provider would look into it, but it's the V.A., the glacier of the medical world when it comes to change and getting things done.
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jeff constine
Trad climber
Ao Namao
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LOL LOCKER DUDE!! ^^^, even a negative needs positive support. I wish you the best P-low. Heal up, i don't wish this kinda stuff on anyone's health list.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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My friend is now taking Coumadin as well as the shots acting as clot breakers. I'm wondering how long for Coumadin these days? I had to take it for a minimum of 3 months and no longer as my thrombosis was traumatically initiated.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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The medicos called me back to take a CAT scan for blood clots in my lungs 4 days after the accident; yes there were clots and I received the standard treatment with Coumadin. They overprescribed me and dam near killed me. See a much earlier post on this thread for the gruesome details.
Hope to see you and climb together this coming Thanksgiving, if my friend is OK.
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Lanthade
climber
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DVT killed my first wife. Helluva way for a 25 year old to grow up. So if you've got one take it deadly serious.
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