I had my first child in 1989 by C-section. Four weeks later, my left leg was hurting so badly that I could hardly walk. I went to the hospital and was told I had a blood clot in my left leg (DVT) and had to stay in the hospital for one month.
This was hard for me, especially with a new baby. In the hospital, they would not let me get out of bed until my third week. When I was able to leave, the doctor told me I had to be on warfarin and could never have a job standing up or sitting down for a long time.
Since then, I have had five blood clots in my left leg, four in my right leg, and a pulmonary embolism. I had an IVC filter placed about five years ago. The filter was full of blood clots and they had to go in and remove them.
I can’t stand up or sit down for long because my legs will start hurting and increase my chances of getting a blood clot. My left leg is bigger.
I am on rivaroxaban now, which is a better medicine, but the cost is the main problem. Three years ago, I tried to spread my medication over days. I ended up with another blood clot in my left leg and was hospitalized for four days. Rivaroxaban needs to be available at a lower cost.
Resources
Savings Programs for Anticoagulants
Know Your Risk
Signs and Symptoms
