International

It began with excruciating back pain and shooting pains up my left leg. I felt unable to walk. The week that I noticed my first symptoms, I was back and forth to urgent care and the doctors. They kept saying the same thing, “You have nerve damage” (sciatica). They gave me painkillers and told me…

On Christmas Eve 2023, I slipped on ice and broke my kneecap. I spent eight weeks in a splint and kept my leg elevated. Two weeks later, I experienced shortness of breath and chest pain suddenly. I went to the ER and was diagnosed with a submassive bilateral PE with right heart strain. I spent…

I am a healthy 23-year-old woman and had never experienced any real health concerns. I walk the same route every morning to work, but on this particular morning, I was out of breath almost instantly. When I sat at my desk, I was still unable to catch my breath. It felt like the air was…

I am a healthy 44-year-old mom, wife, and professional who has never had any health issues. But 2024 was an extremely busy year, and I was having a lot of stress and anxiety. In October, I started experiencing some minor pain in my shoulder. Within a few days, the pain had moved into my side…

In April 2022 here in New Zealand, my first pulmonary embolism was detected by chance. I mentioned a fluttery heart while having a routine flu vaccine. This prompted the nurse to check, and she discovered an irregular rhythm. The doctor then ordered a few tests, including a D-dimer. By that night I was in the…

I suffered a massive saddle pulmonary embolism as well as multiple smaller PEs, some of which are now chronic, in October 2022. My event was provoked by an unsuccessful vascular ablation that left my great saphenous vein partially open and Covid 19. Two years later, I still experience intermittent chest tightness and fatigue. After an…

It was February 24 2024, and I had overslept. My husband had joked the night before, “Let’s not waste tomorrow staying in bed. I’ve got the day off, let’s make the most of it!” But when I finally glanced at the clock, it was already 10:22. Oh no, I thought, he’s going to call me…

In 1994, I had my son prematurely at 24 weeks. They did a bunch of testing and found out that I had antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). I had another preterm baby at 25 weeks three years later. I was followed by a high-risk OB/GYN at the time but no other preventative measures were done while pregnant.…

I was walking my dog when I suddenly felt weaker with every step. I needed to sit down on the ground repeatedly throughout the walk. I had chest pains, shortness of breath, and I felt faint. I called my family and went to the emergency room. It turned out that my D-dimer levels were high.…

In April 2023, I had a spontaneous seizure at work. I was taken to the hospital and stayed for 10 days. On day 8, I had a lumbar puncture (also known as a spinal tap) to try and find the cause of the seizure. The following day, I woke up with an intense, sharp, left-sided…