Self pitying whine... I guess I'll be doing du's...

[PamNY]

I'm sorry to hear about this. I do know a few people who are handling Coumadin pretty well -- not one has ended up in ER. I'm sure it will work out, but I can sure understand your disappointment.

[NbyNW]

So glad you went to your Dr. and figured out what was going on before it developed into something serious!

Any lifestyle change can be frustrating, especially the unwanted ones. Hope you get your dosages dialed in soon and figure out a new normal that makes you happy.

[shootingstar]

I'm sorry to hear Roadie, that this development is just making life for you more complicated long term.

Stressful!

Hang in there.

[OakLeaf]

Aw Roadie, I'm so sorry that happened to you.

Hang in there.

[tctrek]

Thank God that it was found before that clot moved somewhere it shouldn't go. Please don't lose your joy because of this... you can find a way!

[maillotpois]

Wow - scary stuff. Indeed, it is great the clot was found before more damage was done.

Having more experience than I'd have liked with blood clots I was on coumadin for 6 months as well. There's a statistically higher chance for me to clot again since I have clotted once already, and I'm quite appropriately paranoid about chest pain these days. If I clot again, it is coumadin for life. I would suspect you're in a similar boat - get through the 6 months and then see how you do off of it. However, with the pacemaker is that enough of an increased risk factor where they might want you on for life?

I got through the 6 months. It was tough but doable. I didn't spend a lot of that time on the forum because I missed riding so much that it made me sad. Though my immediate reaction to the whole thing was similar to how you sound - mad at having to change my exercise routine (for me, I had to miss Death Ride that year). I had to keep reminding myself how very lucky I was that my PEs were diagnosed before they led to a stroke or worse. So try to see the silver lining in it all - though I know that's tough.

Oh - and I didn't have any problems on the coumadin. Get yourself an emergency bracelet, though, so if you are in an accident or something people know why they can't stop you bleeding.

[tribogota]

that altogether sucks.
I am just telling you my not so horrible story of coumadin which I have been on since april, I have over anticoagulated and underanticoagulated, but eventually got the dosage right. Mostly I eat green 2-3 times a week, and did that so that the dosage would be set to that, then I ate too many veggies and dropped to 1.34, then they upped the coumadin to compensate for the veggies, etc. etc. I still cut myself frequently, you know, grating something, or pulling something open, but they coagulate anyway, even if it is slower than usual.
the bracelet is a really good idea.
I still don't cycle or run from the hip fracture (hope to start next week though), and only swim, so cannot help you on that one.
I hope I don't have to anticoagulate the rest of my life, cause I would like to get pregnant! (like is an understatement here)

[MomOnBike]

OK, remember you work in an ER. You see the bad stuff. It skews you.

I'll be on Coumadin for the rest of my life. DVTs and a constellation of PEs will do that. I miss my leafy greens, actually I crave kale, but I do what I have to do and not let it stop me. So will you.

[emily_in_nc]

That sucks.

Just to make you feel a leetle better though, perhaps, my grandmother was on coumadin for the last 20-25 years of her life, at least, due to heart issues. Once she got the dosage adjusted, the biggest annoyance was having to go to the dr. to check her levels every three weeks, which she had to plan (and travel) around. Other than that, not many problems, and certainly no ER visits.

She lived until 94. May you do the same!

[Jolt]

That sucks! When your battery runs down, is there any way they could put the next pacer (or I should say the leads, since those are what's in the vein and apparently irritated it) somewhere that it won't create that problem? Of course, they'd also have to take out the subclavian leads that are currently there which could be pretty difficult...