Birth control
Today, I’m Blessed to Have My Health: Kimberly’s Story
I started having superficial clots (SVTs) in the early 1990s, which was attributed to birth control. Genetic testing was not available at that time. I joined a list serve (email group) to learn more. Fifteen years later, with occasional SVTs and genetic testing now available, I was diagnosed with one factor V Leiden gene (heterozygous).…
I’m Grateful for Every Healthy Day I Have: Julie’s Story
In December 2023, I finally got Covid. Not once, but twice with a rebound version. I was so sick I couldn’t move on the second round. For months, I worked with my GP to modify and add medications, trying to get my breathing better. Nothing worked, and I barely left the house for months. It…
I’m More Mindful: Lainey’s Story
I was being evaluated for chest pain by a pulmonologist who was treating me with opioids. The night before my diagnosis, I was participating in a group yoga class where I won a T-shirt for sweating the most. I had pools of sweat under me like it was a Bikram class, but the A/C was…
I Ignored My Body’s Signals: Kim’s Story
In 2015, six weeks after starting a synthetic, estrogen-based birth control pill for perimenopausal symptoms, and one month into an overseas trip, I experienced the first symptoms of what I now know to be deep vein thrombosis and multiple pulmonary emboli. Sadly, my years of experience as a critical care nurse did not help me…
Having a Blood Clot Will Not Slow Me Down: Barbara’s Story
In August 2023, I had my second bunionectomy. The first was in 2015 with no complications. This time would prove differently. Preparing for surgery, I was advised by the surgical team to curtail my activities in the following days. After surgery, I adhered to the instructions. I elevated my leg often and limited going up…
I Received the Diagnosis of Chronic Thromboembolic Disease (CTED): Christine’s Story
On June 16, 2022, I woke up early to get ready for a trip to a large car show when I noticed a sharp pain in my shoulder. Throughout the three-hour drive, I started to experience pain in my back when I breathed which lasted throughout the day. I did not experience symptoms the following…
Healing Physically Was the Easy Part: Chloe’s Story
In 2016, when I was a sophomore in high school, I started having trouble breathing. My primary care doctor couldn’t figure out what was going on. I kept getting worse until my mom finally requested a specialist. They saw that my pulmonary pressures were through the roof and they wouldn’t let me go home. After…
This is the Scariest Thing I’ve Ever Been Through: Rakeisha’s Story
My gynecologist put me on a contraceptive ring and I wasn’t even on it a full 30 days before it almost killed me. On May 17, 2024, I woke up, couldn’t breathe, and could barely take two steps without almost passing out! I went to the ER around 9 a.m., I explained my symptoms, and…
This Diagnosis Was Shocking: Lacey’s Story
At the end of June, I began experiencing symptoms that I initially attributed to a chest cold. Since I could still carry out my regular activities, like exercising and working, I didn’t pay much attention. However, after about a week, my condition worsened, leading to severe pain when I inhaled and difficulty breathing. The persistent…
My Experiences with DVTs and PEs have Changed my Life: Hannah’s Story
On September 8, 2021, when I was 24, I had an emergency appendectomy. Four days later, I went into the ER for extreme calf pain and tightness in my chest, as it felt like I couldn’t get a full breath. I was diagnosed with DVTs in my left leg and bilateral lower lobe pulmonary emboli.…
