My experience was in the summer of 2021. I woke one Sunday morning feeling shortness of breath, and I continued my day with increasing difficulty breathing.
On Monday, I went to an urgent care clinic. They did not do a CT scan, they assumed because I was overweight and out of breath that it was asthma. I was sent home with antibiotics and an inhaler, but neither helped. I called the clinic and they put me on hold forever and eventually said they would call me back, but they didn’t!
I called my primary care physician and she wanted me to come into her office. I had to get a ride because I was feeling lightheaded and didn’t want to attempt to drive. My friend noticed my breathing problem and she called a paramedic friend. He spoke with me and immediately called an ambulance.
At the hospital, I waited hours upon hours before being seen. I could tell I was getting worse and insisted I get help.
A CT scan revealed I had massive blood clots in both lungs and possible damage to my heart. The doctor asked how I survived this! He told me that if I had gone to sleep that night, it possibly would have been my last.
I’m always on alert for possible future clots and I’m anxious about falling since I need to be on blood thinners for life. Why this happened, no one can tell me.
I appreciate NBCA for putting faces with experiences similar to mine. It’s comforting to know I can be a survivor and have a life after this.
Thank you for letting me share, it’s my life story now!
Resources
Living Your Best Life on Blood Thinners
Facebook Support Group
What is a PE?
