I’m 30 years old and have a complicated medical history. As a teenager, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and today I manage more than 20 different health conditions.
On April 20, 2021, I felt severe pain in my left leg. It was swollen, purple, and hot to the touch. I called my doctor, who told me to go to the ER right away because it could be a blood clot.
I remember thinking, “I’m only 25 — how could I have a blood clot?” But tests confirmed it: I had a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in my left leg, and scans showed blood clots in both lungs (pulmonary emboli). I was shocked and scared.
Because the ER wasn’t connected to a hospital, I was transferred by ambulance and started on a blood thinner through an IV. I spent a day there and was sent home on an anticoagulant called rivaroxaban. Later testing showed I have a genetic condition called factor V Leiden, which makes blood clots more likely. Some of my relatives had it too and sadly died from clots.
Six months later, I developed more clots in both legs. I spent six days in the hospital and learned that the first medication hadn’t worked for me. My doctors switched me to warfarin, another blood thinner that requires regular blood testing to make sure it’s working safely.
Because I was largely homebound, my mom helped me fight to get blood tests done at home. Insurance approved it, and now I use a small device to test my blood by pricking my finger—just like someone checking their blood sugar.
No matter how young or healthy you think you are, blood clots can happen to anyone—especially if you have a condition like factor V Leiden. I never thought it could happen to me, but it did. And I hope my story reminds others to listen to their bodies and speak up if something doesn’t feel right.
