Oh yay, blood clots!

[bull]

I mentioned in passing a few times here recently that I had a sore leg for a couple weeks around the time my car got painted. I found out that it was due to a superficial blood clot in my right leg; not life-threatening. Just to make sure, my doc ordered an ultrasound done on my leg and goodie, goodie, they actually discovered three clots in my right leg; one at the top and one at the bottom of the superficial vein mentioned above and one in a deep vein down by my ankle (which is life-threatening). So now I have to sit around (more) with my leg up taking a bunch of blood thinning medication hoping that the clots will dissolve and I'll live another day. Actually, I remember asking my doctor about my leg swelling years ago and he wrote it off as poor circulation due to leg trauma (wasted ankle from football and wasted knee due to motorcycle wreck) and now that I think about the symptoms I'll bet you money I've had a blood clot in my ankle for years. I'm not too worried about this but I think it's going to be a good excuse to take better care of myself once I get past the worst of it. I would appreciate your prayers and thoughts though. I might not be around here much for a while.

[69bronzeT5]

That sucks man. Probally not much coming from me but I hope you get better Curtis. Good luck

[71 Bee Man]

I mentioned in passing a few times here recently that I had a sore leg for a couple weeks around the time my car got painted. I found out that it was due to a superficial blood clot in my right leg; not life-threatening. Just to make sure, my doc ordered an ultrasound done on my leg and goodie, goodie, they actually discovered three clots in my right leg; one at the top and one at the bottom of the superficial vein mentioned above and one in a deep vein down by my ankle (which is life-threatening). So now I have to sit around (more) with my leg up taking a bunch of blood thinning medication hoping that the clots will dissolve and I'll live another day. Actually, I remember asking my doctor about my leg swelling years ago and he wrote it off as poor circulation due to leg trauma (wasted ankle from football and wasted knee due to motorcycle wreck) and now that I think about the symtoms I'll bet you money I've had a blood clot in my ankle for years. I'm not too worried about this but I think it's going to be a good excuse to take better care of myself once I get past the worst of it. I would appreciate your prayers and thoughts though. I might not be around here much for a while.

They thought there was a chance I had a clot in my calf due to a sporting injury, but it turned out to just be muscle damage.

Good luck with it all. They told me it's an arduous process to eliminate a would be clot, but more tedious than anything.

Best wishes.

peter

[Rack]

Get well soon, Bull. You're charger is closer to gettin' done so you've got to stick around long enough to get it done.

Then of course you have to be around to enjoy your charger for awhile.

And then you'll have to stick around to... well, you get the point.


Take that stuff serious, Bull. Good luck.

[Dans 68]

I would appreciate your prayers and thoughts though. I might not be around here much for a while.

You have them. Don't go anywhere for a while, though...I may need 383 4-speed expertise shortly....   

In all seriousness, my prayers are with you. Get well quickly.

Dan

[Shakey]

Hey Bull - can I have your Charger when you die?   

I know you have two daughters and they won't be interested in it so you can will it to me and I'll flip it on e-bay and we'll have a big party in your honour!  Sound good?   

[TruckDriver]

Get well Curtis. We need you around here to keep up with Bronzey's posting habits








Seriously, get well.

Pete

[PocketThunder]

Bull your situations reminds me of the movie Dumb and Dumber when Lloyd Christmas says to the old lady in a wheelchair "dont you go dieing on me".  So i was looking for a picture of the old lady in the wheel chair on google and this came up a couple pages later.  I thought it would suffice... 

Note: you know, that almost looks like Troy (Troy) in the back with the hat on backwards.    Are there sandy beaches in Ohio?

[The70RT]

Hang in there and listen to the doc. Get well man 

[Brock Samson]

 Bull:
I developed the same condition back in the early '90s after i banged my ankel on a bed frame moving into a new Apt. I suffered with the condition "Thromboses" for approx three years, sometimes it hurt really bad and the entire vein in my leg would swell and stiffen and i couldn't bend my leg,.. here's the deal, i went to five different doctors who only managed to put me on the blood thinner, comadin (sp?) but couuldn't suggest a course of action to bring me any relief,.. sometimes these peanut sized clots would travel up and down my leg up to my thigh,.. it was very painful and slowed my walking to a very slow rate, i spent months with my leg elavated at work and at home...
It was scary as i was told it might be fatal and i might require vein stripping...
Here's the good news though,..
I finally found a M.D. Who is still my primary care physician,.. who after examining me, asked if I smoked,.. I had to admit I did, up to two packs of marlboros a day.. he then suggested i quit smoking as it impedes blood flow to the extremities... welp, i quit, and two weeks later the clots dissapeared.

[BB1]

Your right foot needs more exercises. 

Try a Dodge Charger and call me in the morning. 

Speedy recovery.

[dodgecharger-fan]

Take care of yourself and listen to the doc. Be glad they caught it.


Doesn't alcohol thin the blood? 

[my73charger]

Take care Bull.  I'll be praying for ya.

[694spdRT]

Take care of yourself. Glad you found out as blood clots are nothing to ignore. A good friend was in the hospital for over a week with one. He is a frequent flyer with his business and the doctor told him it likely was from the long flights without moving.

[472 R/T SE]

One of my docs biggest fears when I got hurt.  I wore super tight panty hose and they installed a filter in the big artery at the top of my leg.  I think the same artery that was shot when Sean Taylor was killed.
I wasn't aware of clots not being life threatening.  I have poor circulation too, my feet are always ice cold and blueish color.  You?  The docs told me the same thing, that it's because of all the damage done to my spine.

You can't go anywhere yet.  I want to see if I can drive a manual now so hurry up and get that car done.

Hope you get to feeling better.

[Steve P.]

Hey Bull, you know the drill buddy. Do what you're told and do your own investigation. Like many of us have found out, one Dr. doesn't have ALL the knowledge. You're a great researcher. Get to it bro. Also keep your cell very handy just in case. Keeping your leg up while spending hours on the computer can lead to falling down when trying to get up.. 

I hear that getting frequent massages from the opposite sex cures all ills.   

Get well buddy. even if we didn't need you around here your family sure does...     

[dads_69]

Curtis, I'll try to keep this short. Your one of the few guys on this board that I get along with. You're number isn't up yet man, you have to much more to do in life. I'm not very religious myself, I only speak to the big man upstairs once in a while, he has enough crap to take care of in this crazy world we live in. Never met you, but I hope to someday, so get well buddy.
.........Somehow this icon just seamed right!

Mark

[BMOTOXSTAR]

Bull your situations reminds me of the movie Dumb and Dumber when Lloyd Christmas says to the old lady in a wheelchair "dont you go dieing on me".  So i was looking for a picture of the old lady in the wheel chair on google and this came up a couple pages later.  I thought it would suffice... 

Note: you know, that almost looks like Troy (Troy) in the back with the hat on backwards.    Are there sandy beaches in Ohio?

That really is Troy, I think that his old roomate must be the girl next to him, he must have been at the Beach in Cleveland next to the shoreway.

[bmoparmofo]

Wish you well, get better soon, my sister had the leg clot thing and she got over it, keep the faith man

[pettyfan43]

Hey Bull, We'll be thinking about ya and praying for a speedy recovery for you.

As for the board, like the guy says, We'll keep the light on for ya!

[bull]

Hey Bull - can I have your Charger when you die?   

I know you have two daughters and they won't be interested in it so you can will it to me and I'll flip it on e-bay and we'll have a big party in your honour!  Sound good?   

Sorry, I'm afraid you don't have the proper appreciation for the best model year or you would have one already. And I'm not so sure the party would be in my honor so much as a celebration. Would you be singing "Ding-dong the bull is dead"?

Seriously though, it's not such a bad thing unless of course it decides to detach itself and travel to a crucial part of my body. That would really suck but as long as I'm not working and squatting and playing hockey or something it should go away. Thanks for all the well-wishes and prayers. I'm sure it will be better soon enough. They've got me on that stuff where I give myself shots and then take pills to dissolve the clots. The doc said he hasn't had one die yet with this treatment so I guess that's good.

One of my docs biggest fears when I got hurt. I wore super tight panty hose and they installed a filter in the big artery at the top of my leg. I think the same artery that was shot when Sean Taylor was killed.
I wasn't aware of clots not being life threatening. I have poor circulation too, my feet are always ice cold and blueish color. You? The docs told me the same thing, that it's because of all the damage done to my spine.

You can't go anywhere yet. I want to see if I can drive a manual now so hurry up and get that car done.

Hope you get to feeling better.

It is from poor circulation which was brought on by a combination of injuries and time. I'm sure standing on concrete 8 hrs a day and then sitting for another 8 hrs in the evening is doing it no good. Once I get this dealt with I need to get out and move more. All clots can be life threatening but the ones in the superficial veins are not as dangerous since they don't have direct access to the deep veins that return blood to the vital organs. My feet aren't cold but my right one does have some small blue spots and the swelling. Oh boy, you want to try out a 4 speed with my car? That right there is giving me chest pains.

[Charger_Fan]

How did I miss this thread?
Glad to hear it's not a life threatening clot, but still scary nonetheless. Don't be the first one to ruin your Doc's perfect record.

[Shakey]

Is he dead yet? 

I need a derby car for the Brooklin Spring Fair!

[A383Wing]

Hey Bull - can I have your Charger when you die?   

I know you have two daughters and they won't be interested in it so you can will it to me and I'll flip it on e-bay and we'll have a big party in your honour!  Sound good?   

Is he dead yet?

I need a derby car for the Brooklin Spring Fair!

Hey Shakey, I'll more than likely get banned for this, but your comments toward bull are uncalled for. You're a f---- ass for saying somethin' like that. I hope you can sleep at night while you are going through life thinking yer gonna get something for nuthin'. The guy has enough problems already without him thinking about what's gonna happen or not happen next. If you came and said something like that to someone on our forum, I would ban yer ass for life from ever posting on our forum again.

And I really don't care if he's yer best buddy or not, it just ain't cool to even think what you said. I've lost a lot of friends over the past few years, and seeing yer posts just reminds me more of them.

Bryan  (Hey bull, I hope ya get better soon, we have had some rough news from doctors here over the last year or so also, I know how ya feel)  

[69bronzeT5]

Hey Bull - can I have your Charger when you die?   

I know you have two daughters and they won't be interested in it so you can will it to me and I'll flip it on e-bay and we'll have a big party in your honour!  Sound good?   

Is he dead yet?

I need a derby car for the Brooklin Spring Fair!

Hey Shakey, I'll more than likely get banned for this, but your comments toward bull are uncalled for. You're a fukin' ass for saying somethin' like that. I hope you can sleep at night while you are going through life thinking yer gonna get something for nuthin'. The guy has enough problems already without him thinking about what's gonna happen or not happen next. If you came and said something like that to someone on our forum, I would ban yer ass for life from ever posting on our forum again.
 

I know I annoy members with my posting but still, I dont say crap like that. If there sick, I stop joking around and get serious

[A383Wing]

That was kinda my point about what I posted.

Bryan

[Shakey]

Hey Bull - can I have your Charger when you die?   

I know you have two daughters and they won't be interested in it so you can will it to me and I'll flip it on e-bay and we'll have a big party in your honour!  Sound good?   

Is he dead yet?

I need a derby car for the Brooklin Spring Fair!

Hey Shakey, I'll more than likely get banned for this, but your comments toward bull are uncalled for. You're a fukin' ass for saying somethin' like that. I hope you can sleep at night while you are going through life thinking yer gonna get something for nuthin'. The guy has enough problems already without him thinking about what's gonna happen or not happen next. If you came and said something like that to someone on our forum, I would ban yer ass for life from ever posting on our forum again.

And I really don't care if he's yer best buddy or not, it just ain't cool to even think what you said. I've lost a lot of friends over the past few years, and seeing yer posts just reminds me more of them.

Bryan  (Hey bull, I hope ya get better soon, we have had some rough news from doctors here over the last year or so also, I know how ya feel)  

No need for the blown gasket pal - only kidding around here, he knows it and so do you now.   

You can ask Curtis to share the PM I sent him after hearing the news if you like but I think this post should shed some light on the situation.

And don't worry about getting banned, I'd go to bat for you 'cause I like your style!   

[RD]

bull... take care of yourself and monitor that condition closely.  doc's will try and make light of such situations to not distress you as stress and anxiety can exacerbate the current condition.

I am not a physician, but my field of work I am very familiar with the many maladies of the human body.  Be very serious with your treatment.  If you are finding such clots now... they will most likely increase without a proper medication regimen and addressing appropriate dietary recommendations from either your physician or a nutritionist, I would recommend you consult a nutritionist.

Blood clots from the lower extremities (i.e. legs/calves/thighs/feet, etc.) can be superficial in relation to their location such as capillaries (in your case) or deeper within the muscular tissue (deep vein thrombosis).  I am sure they have done some type of MRI on your leg to ensure that no such major clots exist, which is good (if they did, i didnt read everything above, sorry).  When a clot dislodges and travels up the veins the first place it will hit will be your heart, which is not so much an issue as it will not be fed directly to your heart, but rather through the atria and ventricles and then pushed onto your lungs.  This is where it can be scary. A blood clot will cause a (courtesy of wikipedia): Pulmonary embolism (PE); which is a blockage of the pulmonary artery (or one of its branches), usually when a venous thrombus (blood clot from a vein), becomes dislodged from its site of formation and embolizes to the arterial blood supply of one of the lungs. This process is termed thromboembolism. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulmonary_embolism ]

be careful, monitor your standing and sitting activity, watch what you eat, maintain the appropriate medication regimen, and for God's sake make your follow up appointments so your doctor may be able to monitor your progress.

hope this helps.

[bull]

RD, I can kind of tell it's an urgent treatment right now but that they aren't saying too much either. One of the clots is considered to be a deep vein thrombosis situation and that's bad, but the good news is it's a fairly common issue and there are some common treatments for it. They did an ultrasound on my leg and that's how they found the 2nd superficial clot and the one deep one. No MRIs as of yet.

I'm doing the best I can with the treatment but it's hard to just lie still all day with your leg elevated like you're supposed to.

[HeavyFuel]

I've always enjoyed your down to earth, no nonsense posts............I hope you get your health squared away soon. 

[70charginglizard]

Sorry to hear that Bull.
Hopefully it isn't to serious and the docs can get you all fixed back up pronto.

[skip68]

So Bull,
How is your health now?  Are the clots gone?  We havn't heard anything so I was concerned.
Mrs.Skip68

[bull]

So Bull,
How is your health now?  Are the clots gone?  We havn't heard anything so I was concerned.
Mrs.Skip68

Glad you asked. Lots to report since January so I'll keep it brief. In March you may recall I decided to lose weight and since then I've shed 65 lbs. I had another ultrasound done on my right leg about 6 1/2 months after they put me on coumadin (blood thinner) and all the deep vein clots were gone (good news). I still had some residual clots in one of the lesser veins but it was much improved and they saw fit to take me off the thinners at that time (early August). So right now I'm not on any medication, other than low-dose aspirin and fish oil tabs, and there is no sign of any dangerous clots. I'm hoping that continual pysical activity, such as riding my bike to work, will keep the blood flowing well. Someday I might have have to go back on the meds to thin the blood out but for now it's all good.

[Charger-Bodie]

Thats good to hear bull!! Keep it up.

[The70RT]

 ........................

[bull]

Thanks guys.

One thing I might add if I haven't before, just to clarify and maybe help others. The doctor doesn't really seem to know why I had this problem other than to say my right leg might be more susceptible to clots due to some trauma at the ankle in high school (football) and to the knee a few years after high school (motorcycle crash) which probably damaged some or all of the veins. In both cases the joints were laid over to about 90-degrees which stretched everything out too far I would assume. That mixed with thicker than average blood, being too sedentary (fixed that), getting older, tobacco use (fixed that), etc., caused my blood to clot. So you guys who might have some or all of these conditions please keep and eye on your health and get to the hospital quick if you experience any unexplainable pain in your extremities or any sign of stroke and heart attack.

[Dans 68]

   (beer is still o.k.?)

Dan

[ramit]

You are lucky because about 10 years ago when my wife was in her early 20's she almost died from a blood clot in her leg that broke apart and went to a lung.   It was pretty damn scary!   She had just had her appendix taken out and got the clot while she was still in the hospital and kept complaining about her leg being sore but they didn't do anything about it and sent her home.   A few days later she was saying that it felt like someone was sitting on her chest so we rushed to the emergency room.   We didn't realize how serious it was until after we got to the hospital.

[skip68]

Great news Bull! Also congrats on the weight loss, I know that can be tough! Take care of yourself!
Mrs.Skip68

[bull]

  (beer is still o.k.?)

Dan

Actually, yes and no. Wine is a better alternative but both will actually thin your blood. Wine just has less negative effects than beer.

[bull]

You are lucky because about 10 years ago when my wife was in her early 20's she almost died from a blood clot in her leg that broke apart and went to her heart.   It was pretty damn scary!   She had just had her appendix taken out and got the clot while she was still in the hospital and kept complaining about her leg being sore but they didn't do anything about it and sent her home.   A few days later she was saying that it felt like someone was sitting on her chest so we rushed to the emergency room.   We didn't realize how serious it was until after we got to the hospital.

Sounds like she's lucky too. Good thing you guys had the presence of mind to get to the hospital. Blood clots can detach and go to your brain, heart or lungs, and none of those is a good place for a clot.

Great news Bull! Also congrats on the weight loss, I know that can be tough! Take care of yourself!
Mrs.Skip68

Thanks.

[Steve P.]

That's great Bull.. Glad to hear it.    I thought about asking a while back, but didn't want to bring anything up that may have been bad news or painful for you.... 


Can we get a WINE smiley???   

[bull]

So what is my reward for busting my ass to lose 80 lbs. and quit tobacco since my first blood clot in January of 08? Well I just found out I've got another big F'ing blood clot in my right leg so now I'm starting all over with the coumadin and will likely be on it for the rest of my life. Sweet. Makes me want to gain 100 lbs on Carl's Jr. cheeseburgers and start chewing, smoking and drinking.

[Dans 68]

Keep plugging away, Curtis. You are heading on the correct path!    ( I had a mug of Fat Tire tonight with my Buffalo Wings...I am happy....)

Dan

[68X426]

Well that is the shits. Sorry to hear that the problem is back. No jokes, I'll be pulling for you and sending good vibes.

[Richard Cranium]

Best wishes & a speedy recovery.   

[Bob T]

Sorry to hear that. Best wishes for a speedy and fullsome recovery.
Well done though for losing 80lbs and getting off the smokes, willpower and a postive attitude can beat most things.

[440]

Sorry to hear Bull, Hope everything works out ok again. Congrats on the achievements you've already accomplished, it's something to be proud of.

Before you know it you'll be back to 

[adauto]

Blood Clots are noe joke thats for sure. I got a buddy that had a similar problem , turned into a damaged valve in the vein from a botched surguery. He loves wearing that compression stocking.  Now on the cumadin and getting blood checked every few weeks. Take care of yourself!

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Keep plugging away, Curtis. You are heading on the correct path!    ( I had a mug of Fat Tire tonight with my Buffalo Wings...I am happy....)

Dan

Man I wish I could get Fat Tire over here on the East coast.....tried it for the first time last year in Vegas & loved it! 

Curtis, keep it up bro.   The benefits of the weight loss & quitting smoking will outweigh this minor setback in the long run!!

[bull]

No sense whining about it I guess. It's kind of frustrating though; like watching a house burn that you spent a few years remodeling. It could be worse though.

Thanks for the well-wishes.

[TruckDriver]

Sorry to hear the Curtis :/

[twodko]

Well that is the shits. Sorry to hear that the problem is back. No jokes, I'll be pulling for you and sending good vibes.

X2

[Brock Samson]

 Curtis:
Though that ain't good it's a damn sight better I bet then if you were still puffing amd carrying the extra ballast.
Be proud of the work you've accomplished and see it through to drive the damn thing. 

[twodko]

Just curious here but how did you lose all the weight? I've got an ample extra 50lbs that needs to go away and its tough at 58. Was it some program, gastric bypass or just plain will power? Pardon me if this is too personal.

Tom

[71ChallengeHer]

Bull, You'll do great. Already losing weight and quit  smoking is a huge milestone for your health. If you need to talk send me a PM. I've been going thru a lot of health BS  too.

[bull]

Actually, FWIW, I was dipping tobacco not smoking cigarettes. I told my wife the other day I think I had been dipping for 30 years.

Just curious here but how did you lose all the weight? I've got an ample extra 50lbs that needs to go away and its tough at 58. Was it some program, gastric bypass or just plain will power? Pardon me if this is too personal.

Tom

Basically I realized I was 40+ instead of 18 and started acting my metabolism. It's trite to use the phrase "diet and exercise" but that's exactly what did it for me. I stopped eating out more than about twice a month, counted calories very carefully until I got a good idea what I should be taking in, focused more on fruits and vegetables in my diet and tried to walk or ride my bike 4-5 times a week. Basic stuff really but you have to really stick to it. It has to become your lifestyle.

[Tilar]

Well, I'll tell ya Bull... I've been dealing with the same crap since 1990. At one point I had a clot in my right leg that ran from the lower end of my right calf to my groin area. 3 weeks later and a lot of IV blood thinner it broke free. The Doc told me that when I felt it come loose to lay perfectly still because if it went to my lungs it was over. By the time it broke free, my right thigh was about the size of a beach ball.  Mine was caused by a tumor that grew and wrapped around blocking off the veins that bring blood back up from the legs.

Long story short, 21 years later I still have problems with my legs about every 6 months. I'm not on any prescription blood thinners, but I do take a full strength asprin every morning and I watch what I eat... I also wear compression socks most every day. (as much as I hate those bastards)

Deep vein thrombosis is no laughing matter, but on the same note Doctors tend to try to scare you with the worst possible outcome to get you to take better care of yourself. I wish I could ride a bike but mine has gone to the point that about 2 minutes on a bike is about all my legs can stand. Walking has got better over the years, but about 2 trips across a football field is all I can do without sitting down for a few minutes.  I stopped smoking in 05 and that has helped a lot.