Regarding my earlier purple arm post

After talking to my primary physician, he told me it was normal to have a swollen purple arm. I sat on it for 2 days and decided that it wasn't normal, went to urgent care. Had a d-dimer blood test which was elevated which indicates a probable clot. So then had to drive 45 minutes to a hospital that was able to perform the needed ultrasound. That came back positive, so now I'm having blood thinner injections in my belly every 12 hours, and a koumadin (sp?) tablet once per day. I'm less than thrilled about this, considering my pacemaker doc told me it was nothing to worry about after not having even looked at my arm. Ugh. Guess it just goes to show to follow your original gut instinct.

7 Comments

DVT

by pacergirl - 2010-06-19 07:06:53

Been there, done that, got the shirt.

I'm not kidding I had the same problem in 2005. Blood clot. They had me on clot buster and in intensive care for a week!

I did stay on the shots for a few weeks then moved to the pills. I now am on 1 adult aspirin a day and am doing fine.

Best of luck to you,
PG

Purple Arm Normal ~ ~

by Carolyn65 - 2010-06-19 09:06:23

If this purple arm is sooooo normal, why do not the rest of us with pacemakers walk around with purple colored arms? Run to find you a GP/PM Dr. who knows what they are doing, not just getting paid!

I woke up and got out of bed on a Sunday with a 'charlie horse' in my lower right leg. I just could not 'work' it out. I called my GP's office first thing Monday morn. & told the GP's. nurse. She said I could come in on Tuesday afternoon at the earliest. Not knowing it was not a 'charlie horse', I agreed & lived with the pain from Sunday morn until Tuesday afternoon. The GP almost sent me home because he could not 'figure' it out, but had a second thought, sent me to a surgeon across the street from the Heart Hospital of Austin. The surgeon's office did the 'dye' test and sure enough, a blot clot!

The surgeon's office wasted no time in calling & sending me over to the HH the same day to remove the blood clot the next day. I was in the HH for a week. When the surgeon released me from the hospital, he warned me not to ever wait for any time at all to get to a Dr. if I had that happen again. The surgeon also put me on Warfarin (Coumadin/rat poison) the rest of my life. The worst part of leaving the HH was I had to give my own self those shots of Lovenox for seems like months! My stomach looked like I had been in a brutal 'fight' and I lost!

Like I said, run, do not walk and find a GP/PM Dr. that knows medicine from being 'color blind'.

Let us hear from you and God Bless,
Carolyn G. in TEXAS ~ What a 'Bootiful' Texas Sundown ~

I'm Not That Shocked

by Pookie - 2010-06-19 10:06:12

I'm so sorry you had to go thru what you did, however, it does not surprise me as these days a lot of things are not explained to us prior to leaving the hospital.

I guess I'll just never understand why some of the medical professionals are not proactive instead of being reactive....

I know that your Urgent Care is around $40-$100, but then to be sent to the hospital...think of the cost, when at the beginning, if only the medical staff had advised you what things to look out for after your surgery, well, you get my point.

I'm just glad you went with your gut instinct and that is what I always tell all members here - go with what your gut is telling you as it's better to be safe than sorry.

Take care,
Pookie

On other thing......

by Pookie - 2010-06-19 10:06:25

Just out of curiousity....are you going to say anything to your pacemaker doctor???????????????????

Pookie

Thanks for responses

by DybHen - 2010-06-19 10:06:39

I will most likely say something, at least to his assistant which I see on Monday. His assistant is generally much more hands on and concerned about things, he, however, has been on vacation for nearly 2 weeks. It's interesting to read that you, Pacergirl, were in ICU, they sent me home. I have to get up at 5 a.m. and go back for another injection. At least I'm only 1 1/2 blocks from the hospital.

go with your gut

by Tracey_E - 2010-06-20 08:06:41

I'm so glad you were seen and are getting treatment!!!! Something definitely needs to be said to the two who blew you off so they know better next time it happens with another patient.

How they treat a clot depends on where the clot is and how big it is. Pacergirl's trip to ICU is the exception, not the rule.

my doctor said I was fine too

by rvrs7081 - 2010-07-10 05:07:08

Not for a blood clot, but low low pulse. It was around 28. But after an ekg, the dr. said I was fine...go on that trip. 122 miles later, I was getting a pacemaker. But later, got copies of the ekg which stated that there were major problems. Wish those doctors would stop just "practicing" on us.

You know you're wired when...

You trust technology more than your heart.

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