I had been struggling to breathe for a long time, but always thought it was anxiety or asthma. I had told my doctor for months I couldn’t breathe and she always treated me as if I was crazy.
In August 2024, I started feeling really sick and had chest pain, I was tired and coughing a lot, so I went to a sick visit at my doctor’s office. She ran all kinds of tests and sent me home on antibiotics, thinking I had an infection.
A few days later, my usual doctor called and told me that he didn’t want to scare me, but to stop the antibiotics and go to the hospital as soon as possible. So that’s what I did and I was diagnosed with multiple pulmonary emboli and lung damage. I was 21 years old and had no risk factors.
I’m still fighting this struggle and have a lot of pain, but as of my last tests, my clots were gone.
I have medical PTSD from this experience, and I still struggle to breathe. It is scary to go through this.
Resources
Psychological Impact of Blood Clots
Signs and Symptoms
About Clots
