8.04.2011

this is the song that never ends...

...it goes on and on my friends...

i spoke with the NP from EP (ha.) about the swelling in my arm since my pacemaker was implanted. the last time we spoke, the ruling was the increase from 1 baby aspirin a day and a trial blood thinner to just 1 full aspirin a day (325mg vs 81mg).

it helped some, not enough. the verdict is i'm either throwing intermittent clots (since my ultra sound the other day didn't show a stable one) or it's due to my subclavian vein being notably small. it could be causing insufficient venous return.

the game plan:
increase to 2 full aspirin a day until monday. i'm to watch and document episodes of swelling.
if that doesn't work, we'll go back on a blood thinner (most likely plavix)
if thaat doesn't work, we'll go onto coumadin. the reason we're waiting until almost last ditch for that one is due to me being only 24 and still having a relatively active life. she doesn't want me having to worry about diet, activity, etc if we absolutely don't have to.

those are our pharmacological efforts that we're using as diagnostic methods really. should they not work, we know it's def insufficient return due to vein size and there being the two wires in there.

to fix that? we're lookin at invasive methods. either removing one lead and using a different route for that one; taking them out from an internal route and placing them on the outside of my heart; and the last option being a subclavian vein balloon angioplasty.

i'm really really hoping for the pharmacological methods to do the trick. i was REALLY trying to make it one semester of school without being sent to the cath lab or the OR!

EDITED TO ADD:
oh, i also went and had my CT today to R/O a pulmonary embolis. i knew i didn't have one, but due to being so short of breath lately and this whole swelling debacle, they wanted to just double check and have assurance. they got it; no PE! it was confirmed, once again, my veins are shot though. it took longer to get an IV in than the to get the whole scan. oiy.

1 comment:

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