Three days after my 18th birthday, I experienced severe swelling in my left leg. I assumed I pulled a muscle as I went ice skating on my birthday, but that soon changed.
I went to school as normal and my teachers and friends noticed that my leg was purple and three times the size of my right leg. I went to the ER and was found to have a DVT from my waist to my ankle.
I was rushed in an ambulance to be transferred to an ICU in Boston and I underwent four procedures to remove the clot and place a stent. I still experience swelling in my left leg and pain, and I had to quit lacrosse since I’m on blood thinners for life.
It is believed that the estrogen-based birth control I was taking had contributed to my clots. Also, I was diagnosed with May-Thurner syndrome, a rare vascular compression of my iliac vein and artery, and factor V Leiden homozygous.
Being put on blood thinners definitely does impact you mentally and physically, but make sure you have a good support group and try and start new hobbies.
This experience helped me find my love for medicine. I now attend college for health science and biochemistry with the goal of becoming a vascular specialist and conducting pharmaceutical research.
Resources
Factor V Leiden
May-Thurner Syndrome
Living Your Best Life on Blood Thinners
