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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…