Birth control
Grateful to Be Alive: Melanie’s Story
I am 53 years old, a busy business owner, wife, and mother. Being diagnosed with PE has rocked my world. I ran a marathon in May 2016. A month later, during my annual exam, my gynecologist suggested I take birth control to “get through menopause without having to deal with the nuisances.” A voice inside…
A Blood Clot in the Brain Changed My Life: Jen’s Story
I am a 33-year-old relatively healthy, active woman. I don’t smoke or drink. On August 19, 2016, I woke up with a headache that wouldn’t subside even with pain medication and acupuncture. The next morning, the pain was worse. I vomited and had a drooping eyelid, so I went to urgent care. Thankfully, the doctor…
Youth Doesn’t Equal Invincibility: Helen’s Story
The day my life almost ended was a picturesque, snow-dappled Saturday in December. I was a 22-year-old on an adventure, visiting Germany for the first time and staying with some old friends. I couldn’t wait to see what an authentic German “Weihnachten” had to offer. Little did I know, my life was about to be…
I’m a 22-Year-Old Nursing Student, and I Experienced a Blood Clot: Katie’s Story
It was just another day of college as I got up to go to my clinical rotation for nursing school. When I got home, I noticed a sharp pain under my left breast that, as the night went on, radiated to my back and up my left shoulder blade. Just to be safe, I went…
Back Pain was my First Symptom: Kassidy’s Story
Five years ago, at the age of 23, I developed dozens of blood clots in both of my legs, my pelvis, and my stomach. Two weeks earlier, I was experiencing daily back pain on my lower right side. My OB/GYN chalked the pain up to ovarian cysts, which had never been a problem before. I…
Trust Your Gut: Kaitlyn’s Story
In April 2013, I traveled to Japan to visit my brother, and then to California to visit my grandfather. When I got home from my two-week vacation, I woke up one morning with a shooting pain in my leg. I thought perhaps I slept wrong or I wore the wrong shoes at work the previous…
Surviving Made Me Stronger: DesiRae’s Story
In December 2015, I was a 32-year-old newlywed and my life seemed perfect. Three months earlier, Brian and I had our dream wedding in Sonoma, CA, and were planning our first Christmas together as Mr. and Mrs. Since we went home to the Midwest to visit our families over Thanksgiving, we decided to take a trip…
The Day that Haunts Me Still: Dawn Leslie’s Blood Clot Story
On Sunday, August 9, 2015, after two weeks of pain in my right leg that felt like a strained muscle, I finally went to an urgent care facility. The doctor looked at my calf and stated that it should not have been swollen for two weeks from a muscle strain. She was very clear that…
I Am a Survivor: Sarah’s Story
I have always heard it said, “pain is weakness leaving the body,” and as a Marine, I’ve always been one to push my limits, but nothing could prepare me for what was to come. I found enjoyment in long distance runs long after I completed my time in the Marine Corps and trained for marathons.…
A Knee Injury Turned Dangerous: Jamie Kreger’s Blood Clot Story
My story begins with a knee injury in October 2015. I was in an immobilizer brace for about four weeks. I was also taking birth control pills. I was 39 years old and very active. On November 6, 2015, I woke up and then passed out once I stood up. About twenty minutes later, I…
