On New Years Day 2023, right as I was getting ready for bed, I started experiencing what felt like a strained muscle in the middle of the right side of my back.
I briefly mentioned it to my partner as we were going to sleep but I didn’t think much of it until the next day when I noticed I was still in pain and the pain had also started on my right side as well. That day, no matter what I did, I could not sit comfortably.
By that night, the pain had reached a very uncomfortable level, and it was starting to feel like something was putting pressure on my sides as well as my lungs. I noticed I was getting out of breath to the point where I could barely talk just going downstairs to the basement, which was not normal for me.
I tried for hours to fall asleep that night, but the pain was becoming unbearable. I called my mom, who is a registered nurse, and she said she thought I should go to the hospital because it sounded like it could potentially be blood clots.
I thought that couldn’t be possible, but I was in so much pain by 2 a.m. that I went to the ER. As soon as they triaged me and saw my heart rate was 166 and my pain was at a 10/10, they brought me back immediately because they suspected a clot.
After multiple tests, they were able to determine I had multiple pulmonary emboli in both lungs and one had formed an infarction, cutting off blood flow to part of my lung.
I was in the hospital on blood thinners for about three days and remained on them for a year after. They determined that the clots must have just formed because I had started birth control pills about six months earlier.
Months later, after my grandmother was hospitalized multiple times for clots, they decided to test her for genetic clotting disorders. It turns out we are both positive for factor V Leiden (heterozygous), which contributed to my clots along with the birth control.
I have learned that many people suffer from genetic clotting disorders that they aren’t even aware of until they get diagnosed. After my experience, it has been good to connect with a community of people who have had similar experiences and me and to hear and learn from their stories.
I am still suffering from the lasting effects on my lungs from the pulmonary emboli two years later, with continued shortness of breath. I am much more cautious now of long trips and other high-risk activities.
Listen to your body and do not ignore the symptoms no matter what age you are. If I hadn’t been urged to go to the hospital, I probably would have just let it go for longer than I should have which could have had more damaging lasting effects.
