In February 2021, at 28 years old, I was diagnosed with a 5.5- inch blood clot in my left vena cava. I was admitted to the hospital and the images revealed that the clot had been present and developing for more than a year and a half!
I also underwent knee surgery one month prior to this diagnosis, which was one of the contributing factors to my blood clot. After an extensive hospital stay, I was prescribed Fragmin, a blood thinner, that I had to inject twice a day.
Since that initial hospital stay, I was eager to find more answers, so I had several tests done and was finally diagnosed with a rare vascular disorder called May-Thurner Syndrome (MTS) as well as a narrowed vena cava birth defect.
Now I take much better care of my body through exercise, especially after learning about all of my risk factors that led up to my DVT. It was also helpful for me to read other patients’ stories on stoptheclot.org as I was learning how to live with my clot. Knowing others shared a similar experience that I could relate to was very helpful to my recovery.
My advice to others is make sure you are familiar with your own risk factors for blood clots and do not be afraid to ask for help. It’s okay to be vulnerable! We all need help sometimes.
Resources
- Join NBCA’s peer support community.
- Read more patient stories, or share your story with NBCA.
- Learn how you can get involved.
