| Last Updated June 29, 2005 |
My TOS :
Woke up one morning with a numb hand and forearm. Did not get better, if anything, worse, over the next hour, turning bluish and swollen. I only had a minor pain in my neck and thought maybe i pinched a nerve. Went to the ER, thinking i was completely over-reating... but was admitted immediately for a Left Subclavian Vein Thrombosis. Had the balloon and water therapy they give to clean out heart valves and stayed in the hospital a full week on heparin drip (liquid coumadin, blood thinner.) Pain immediately after the procedure, but it was gone the next day. Followed by 9 months of daily coumadin that has to be monited by blood tests weekly. I finished that regime in late July. I am now taking 81 mg aspirin (baby aspirin) as a preventative measure to clotting again. NEXT STEP, have my first rib resected, due to a narrow space between the first rib and clavicle, that caused the clot in the first place. (didnt help that i was on birth control and smoking too!) Off the birth control immediately. Still smoking but will quit one month before surgery! Promised my nervous mother! Surgery scheduled for Nov. 11 2004. Will update post-surgery.
Post Surgery Update: Changed jobs, so i had to wait until December 4 to get my surgery. Didnt quit smoking completely before surgery, but was down to less than half a pack... Post-op very painful until they switched me from Morphine, which did not work on me at all, to percocet and then, pain was managable. Went home next morning, as my new insurance would not allow me to stay 2 days (SIGH!) Thought i would just take the weekend and be back at work Monday. HA HA HA. I ended up staying home one full week, though i probably could have managed going in one day sooner. Its now almost 5 months post surgery. no problems. No pain. Numbness and odd sensation in inside of upper arm from the surgery (trans-axillary) when touched, but nothing i would complain about and it continues to get better each month. Scar is 3-4 inches in armpit and continues to fade. Still taking 81 mg preventative dose aspirin as a precaution, but i feel great and i would recommend the surgery to anyone who is in danger of getting another clot that could go to the brain or lung this time and kill you! Worth the peice of mind alone to have the surgery. GOOD LUCK!
Dr. David Kamelhar, NYC (pulmonary doc) Dr. Moise Haimov (vascular surgeon