Filter Patient Stories by tags…

Birth control

Knowing Your Risk Could Save Your Life: Jessica’s Story

My name is Jessica Nichols and I am a 28-year-old female living in Cheshire, England. In December 2015, I had the shock of my life when I was diagnosed with a Pulmonary Embolism or blood clot in my lung. I woke up one Saturday with a very sore knee. However, I didn’t think much of it at the…

Read the full story

Finding Strength in Numbers: Brittney Berlingeri’s Blood Clot Story

We are all incredibly strong, remember that when the bad days outweigh the good ones. My name is Brittney Berlingeri and I am twenty-two years old. Over the summer, I was diagnosed with a pulled muscle that was then diagnosed as “pneumonia,” despite the fact that my D-Dimer test was elevated. I could not breathe. It was…

Read the full story

Know Your Risk for Blood Clots: Arianna’s Story

My name is Arianna, and I was only 21 when I got the worst unexpected news of my life. A couple days before, I had noticed I had what I described as an “air pocket” in the upper left side of my back that was uncomfortable and wouldn’t go away. Eventually it did and I…

Read the full story

Blood Clots Can Happen to Anyone: Tamara’s Story

In January 2015, I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and started estrogen-based birth control. Two months later, I married an active duty Marine and moved from Georgia to Virginia. Around that time, I started getting severe charley horse pains in my right leg that caused me to cry. I thought maybe I was…

Read the full story

Anna’s Story as Told by her Family

As dentists, we are continually updating our knowledge about oral cancer, bacterial endocarditis, diabetes, cardiac disease and all the many ways they intertwine with what we are planning for our patients’ oral health needs. We are also tuned into the signs and symptoms of stroke, heart at- tacks, high and low blood pressure, and a myriad…

Read the full story

I Can’t Believe This Happened to Me: Alyssa’s Story

My name is Alyssa and I was diagnosed with multiple pulmonary emboli (PEs) in January 2012 at the age of 21. I have finally gotten past the “I can’t believe this happened to me” stage and have finally adopted the “I can do something about this” attitude. My three-year anniversary of pulmonary emboli is coming up…

Read the full story

Words I Will Never Forget: Caitlin’s Story

My name is Caitlin and this is my blood clot and May-Thurner Syndrome (MTS) story. At 29, I was an active person, traveling a lot, playing sports, and chasing my nieces and nephews. One day, I thought I had pulled a muscle in my left thigh but shook it off with exercise. However, when the…

Read the full story

The Perfect Storm: Jessica’s Story

My name is Jessica and I’m so excited to share my experience with Team Stop the Clot. Less than a year ago I was sitting in a hospital bed thinking my life as an athlete was over. My pity party came to an end when I found this blog. Reading all of the Clot Buster…

Read the full story

I’m the Most Positive Person in the World: Colleen’s Story

My name is Colleen Meredith and my first experience with blood clots occurred my second year of college after having a lobectomy (a surgical procedure that removes a lobe of one of the lungs). I was on my university’s soccer team for my university, and I felt like I was always ill to the point…

Read the full story

No One Should Have to Wait Five Months for a Diagnosis: Carly’s Story

Up until my senior year of high school, I hardly had a worry in the world. Just like many other seventeen year olds, I was looking forward to my spring break, summer vacation, and beginning college. In April of 2012, my life took a turn for the worst. I began missing school because of unknown…

Read the full story