Factor V Leiden
The PCP Who Dismissed My Concerns Was Dismissed By Me: Kay’s Story
After having provoked blood clots from hip surgery (the symptoms I experienced included leg pain, shortness of breath, and chest pain) I asked my primary care physician if she would order bloodwork to determine if I have a clotting disorder. I was detailing my family members with similar issues: my mother had an unprovoked pulmonary…
I Was Overcome With Intense, Debilitating Chest Pain: Nina’s Story
I had been feeling unwell for several weeks. I had swelling and pain in my legs and other random symptoms. I had bought almost every leg cream in an attempt to get some sleep at night. All that was pushed aside when my daughter went into labor unexpectedly just a few days before my husband…
I Almost Left the ER: Lucy’s Story
In October 2020 at age 28, I woke up at 5 a.m. with back pain. It felt like I pulled a muscle. Throughout the day, the pain got worse. It hurt to sit or lie down. By the next morning, I was vomiting from pain and decided to drive myself to the emergency room. The…
My Symptoms Felt Like Indigestion: Amy’s Story
In March 2016, I had only been on estrogen-based birth control for a few months and decided to take a four-hour road trip with some friends. A few days after, I started to feel like I had heartburn. At first, my symptoms felt a lot like indigestion — pressure in the chest, but not painful.…
I Begged Them to Look at my Lungs for Clots: Renee’s Story
I had two episodes where I was walking through my house and felt something in my chest. I felt clammy like I was about to pass out. After the second episode in March 2020, I went to the doctor I told her I thought I had blood clots. I felt something dragging through my chest…
I Was Diagnosed with Factor V Leiden When It Was New: Lisa’s Story
In March 1989, I was a sophomore in college and on spring break in Florida when my left calf became extremely swollen and I could barely walk. I also had severe pain in between my shoulders and had shortness of breath. A friend took me to the ER, where I stayed for almost two weeks.…
He Passed Away on the Way to the Hospital: Brian’s Story
As told by his wife, Allison In January 2017, my husband Brian and I had been married for one year, and I had just given birth to our son seven weeks earlier. Brian started mentioning that he had bad calf pain. For a man that never complained, this was odd, but I didn’t know to…
It’s Important to Listen to Your Body: Dan’s Story
On Valentine’s Day 2013, I woke up with what I thought was a stomach virus. A few hours later, I was in the ER with a diverticulitis attack that split open my intestine and spent 10 days in the hospital. A few months later, I had another diverticulitis attack, but I caught it early and…
If You Know Something Isn’t Right, Get a Second Opinion: Matt’s Story
I was at the Walmart self-checkout. I had been feeling sore and had a hard time catching my breath all day, and I collapsed in the self-checkout. I came to, and people were standing over me. I say I’m all right, but my pain is getting progressively worse. I ended up driving myself to the…
We Assume He Had Factor V Leiden: Landon’s Story
As told by his sister, Kenzie We made a family trip from Texas to Colorado at the end of July 2022, which is an 8-9 hour drive. Landon had asthma that was triggered by cedar. Since the trip, he had some allergy symptoms but associated that with the cedar. On August 5, 2022, my brother…
