Misdiagnosed
I Was Told I Had a UTI: Jennifer’s Story
If someone would have told me a year ago that my birth control pills were killing me, I would have laughed. At 25 years old, I was on the top of my game. Professionally, I had just started my dream job six weeks prior as a meteorologist at NBC 6 in Miami. Physically, I was…
I Had My First PE at 16: Cassie’s Story
Cassie Sheffield and her birth family were affected by blood clots, and discovered that the family has a genetic blood clotting disorder, Antithrombin (AT) III deficiency, that carries a high risk for blood clots. Cassie not only developed multiple pulmonary emboli in her teenage years, she learned that her mother and two brothers had AT…
I Was In Denial: Brianne’s Story
Brianne Paisley is pregnant and has Protein C deficiency. She had a large DVT in her groin during this pregnancy for which she self-injected with low molecular weight heparin, but is now awaiting the birth of her second child. My name is Brianne Paisley, and I want to share my story with anyone and everyone…
My Survival Was a Miracle: Jessica’s Story
Jessica Phillips survived a life-threatening PE right after giving birth to her fourth child. Her DVT symptoms were overlooked and a massive PE ensued, so her OB doctor introduced many changes in her practice to prevent DVT and PE after Jessica’s near death. On October 29 2010, I gave birth by C-section to my fourth…
Spent the Night Googling My Symptoms: Lauren’s Story
By: Lauren Hamentz My name is Lauren Hametz and I graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in May 2012 with a Masters degree in Secondary Education, although I am originally from Edinboro, PA. Recently, I stumbled upon Stop The Clot on Facebook, and immediately felt a strong connection to National Blood Clot Alliance. Why? In…
Her Death Taught Us Lessons: Deborah’s Story As Told By Her Twin Sister, Mary
Mary Bare wrote this story about the death of her twin sister Deborah from a pulmonary embolism. She is so motivated to spread awareness of signs and symptoms of DVT and PE and is using social media to do so via a Facebook page called Forever Deborah. My name is Mary Bare. My story is personal,…
No Matter How Young You Are, You Can Get a Blood Clot: Sara’s Story
I took what I thought was a routine flight to visit my family in Florida in October 2009. My leg had been bothering me a little before the flight, due to chronic Achilles tendonitis. When I got off the plane in Florida, my leg seemed stiffer than usual. The flight was uneventful, and since it…
Persistence Is Sometimes Needed to Get a Correct Diagnosis: Theresa’s Story
I was 30 years old and 6 months pregnant with my first child when I developed an acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT). I had no prior knowledge of clotting disorders and had been on birth control for 10 years before I conceived. It was a Thursday night when I first felt a tingling and slight…
I Began Coughing Up Blood: George’s Story
George’s persistence helped save his life after his first pulmonary embolism was misdiagnosed and his initial DVT was not treated. I reported for one of my 24 hour shifts as a Firefighter/Paramedic in November 2007. There was a carbon monoxide call that required me to be on a ladder for an extended time that meant…
I Refused to Accept Asthma as my Diagnosis: Laura’s Story
My story begins after I lost my dog, Lakota, from sudden internal bleeding, who was my pet and wonderful friend for 12 years. I was so upset at my loss that I wept for many hours; the type of weeping that caused my chest to heave. Later that night, I had severe cramping along the…
