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‘The Back Pain That Saved My Life’: NBCA Podcast Episode Highlights Life After a Near-Fatal Blood Clot

The National Blood Clot Alliance this week released a powerful new episode of its Taking a Breath podcast featuring board…

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Curriculum

NBCA and CDC Renew Online VTE E-Learning Course Offering No-Cost Continuing Education

The National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA), in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is pleased to…

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Advancing blood clot awareness, prevention, diagnosis & treatments to #stoptheclot. Submit your story @ link below ⬇️ Our podcast: Taking a Breath 🎙️

📚 NBCA Journal Club | Upcoming Session At the

📚 NBCA Journal Club | Upcoming Session

At the National Blood Clot Alliance, advancing blood clot awareness and education means staying at the forefront of research.

That’s why we launched NBCA’s virtual Journal Club, a forum that highlights impactful thrombosis and thrombophilia research and features direct discussion with manuscript authors and leading experts. While designed for healthcare professionals, these sessions are open to anyone interested in blood clots.

🗓 Tuesday, January 21

⏰ 3–4 p.m. ET | Zoom

🔍 Focus Article: Antithrombin Testing and Treatment in Pregnancy: Their Real-World Relationship to Clinical Outcomes (Published in Thrombosis Research, September 2024)

This session will review key findings and explore their implications for clinical decision-making and patient outcomes in pregnancy.

👉 Register: Link in bio.

#stoptheclot #nbcajounalclub #bloodclots #antithrombintesting #pregnancy #bloodcloteducation

💼 Strategic Giving Alert 💼 New federal tax r

💼 Strategic Giving Alert 💼 New federal tax rules taking effect in 2026 may change how much of your charitable giving is deductible — particularly for donors with higher taxable income.

For those who may be affected, making gifts before December 31, 2025 could mean a greater tax benefit while advancing the causes you care about most.

And for all donors, year-end planning is a powerful way to maximize impact. Options like bunching donations, using donor-advised funds, or taking advantage of employer matches can help your generosity go even further.

No matter how or how much you give, thoughtful planning helps ensure your support creates the greatest possible impact — for you and for our mission.

Learn more → Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #YearEndGiving #SmartGiving #Philanthropy #FinancialPlanning #BloodClotAwareness #FederalTaxRules

❤️‍🩹 Dan survived his pulmonary embolism,

❤️‍🩹 Dan survived his pulmonary embolism, but survival was only the beginning.

When he left the ICU, he had little information and no clear picture of what recovery would involve. His right lung was still collapsed, and even walking across a room left him struggling to breathe. People questioned his handicap pass because he “looked fine,” even though blood clots — and their lasting effects — are often invisible.

The emotional toll followed. Nightmares, PTSD, and a constant fear of recurrence became part of daily life.

Searching for answers, Dan found the National Blood Clot Alliance. Through NBCA’s education and support community, he learned what had happened, what recovery could look like, and how to manage fear and advocate for his care. Just as importantly, he found people who understood.

That support helped Dan begin to heal — physically, mentally, and emotionally — and gave him purpose.

Today, Dan is a volunteer, advocate, and member of NBCA’s Board of Directors, working to ensure no one faces blood clots alone.

This is the power of community and awareness, and it’s made possible by supporters like you. Your donation helps survivors find answers, families navigate fear, and lives be saved.

💛 Your donation helps survivors find answers, families navigate fear, clinicians recognize the signs — and prevents tragedies before they happen.

Donate: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #BloodClots #BloodClotSurvivor

"On December 15, 2022, I sprained my ankle and was

"On December 15, 2022, I sprained my ankle and was checked at urgent care for a possible break. I was told that I had no break, but that I should not put any weight on my ankle for five days.

After that, I was able to put some weight on the ankle, but I started having an immense pain and burning sensation in my leg.

By Wednesday, December 21, our area had an arctic blast with strong winds, and I was having chest pain and trouble breathing. Nothing I did felt comfortable. I went into work on Thursday, December 22, barely breathing and thinking it could be an asthma or chest congestion.

I made an appointment with my doctor for the following day, Friday, December 23, and could barely catch my breath. As I walked into the office, my doctor’s nurse happened to be at the front desk and immediately put me into a wheelchair. She took my oxygen level, saw how low it was, and wheeled me back.

My doctor ordered an EKG then asked for the ambulance to take me to the ER. In the ER I was diagnosed with a DVT on the left sprained leg and a saddle pulmonary embolism.

They transferred me to another hospital and kept me in cardiac intensive care because I was experiencing heart strain. The staff later told me that the severity of the clot and my age of (38) became a teachable moment.

I found out after that I have a protein S deficiency, which increases my risk for blood clots. This, along with my ankle injury, the estrogen-based birth control I had been taking, and my family history of clots, created a 'perfect storm.'

I’ve had to change my lifestyle and habits, and I’ve had to deal with how this affected me emotionally. My advice to others is to advocate for yourself.”

More stories: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #StopTheClotStory #BloodClots #ProteinSDeficiency

Traveling this holiday season? ✈️🚗 Here’s

Traveling this holiday season? ✈️🚗 Here’s how to lower your risk of blood clots.

Long periods of sitting — on planes, trains, or in cars — can increase clot risk, especially if you’re pregnant, recently had surgery, have cancer, or a personal/family history of blood clots.

Protect yourself while traveling:

✔️ Stay hydrated

✔️ Get up and move every few hours

✔️ Do simple leg exercises in your seat

✔️ Wear properly fitted compression socks

✔️ If you take blood thinners, wear a medical alert and don’t forget to pack your meds

Happy holidays and travel safely!

#stoptheclot #holidaytravel #bloodclotprevention #vteprevention #dvtprevention #dvt #deepveinthrombosis #economyclasssyndrome #bloodclotawareness

🎀 Everyone at the National Blood Clot Alliance

🎀 Everyone at the National Blood Clot Alliance wishes you and your family a holiday season filled with love, light, and healing. We’re grateful to be part of a community that supports one another through every season, and we send our best wishes for comfort, peace, and hope in the year ahead. 🎀

"I had a pulmonary embolism on September 10, 2025

"I had a pulmonary embolism on September 10, 2025 at 24 years old.

A couple weeks before, I noticed the left side of my back and neck were hurting. I thought I was just sore from Pilates so I took ibuprofen and didn't think much about it.

On September 5, I got engaged in Las Vegas. I flew home to Oklahoma on September 7, and two days later I woke up with horrible pain in my left shoulder. Again, I convinced myself I had pulled a muscle. I went about my day like normal—work, Pilates, then home.

That night, when I tried to lie on the couch, I screamed in pain. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. I thought I was having a heart attack.

My fiancé rushed me to the ER. After multiple tests, I was diagnosed with blood clots in my legs (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT) and lungs (pulmonary embolism.)

I was transferred to a heart hospital, where I had an emergency thrombectomy to remove the clots. By the grace of God, I survived—but my surgeon told me I was one of the luckiest pulmonary embolism patients he had ever seen. Many people don’t make it.

Many many people die from them every day, so I consider myself insanely lucky.

I was later diagnosed with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), an autoimmune disorder that increases the risk for blood clots. My grandmother also passed away from a blood clot in her brain.

Today, I take blood thinners, get up from my office desk every hour to walk around, and wear compression socks.

Please be aware and don’t brush off symptoms like I did. I was incredibly lucky—but not everyone is."

👉 More stories: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #StopTheClotStory #AntiphospholipidSyndrome #APS #PE #DVT

This is the part of blood clots people don’t tal

This is the part of blood clots people don’t talk about.

When Dan Walsh was rushed to the ICU, his wife Nicole was home alone with their 2-year-old daughter. Because of visitor restrictions, she couldn’t be there with him — couldn’t hold his hand, hear updates, or know her husband was fighting for his life.

Even now, years later, the fear hasn’t faded — she still checks Dan’s breathing at night, carrying the quiet trauma of almost becoming a widow in her 30s and raising their daughter alone.

Blood clots don’t just affect one person. They leave a lasting imprint on entire families.

Your year-end gift helps ensure that families face these moments with critical resources, education, and support. Help protect more families like Dan’s: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #BloodClots

He was 31. He was told it was a pulled muscle. H

He was 31.

He was told it was a pulled muscle.

He was sent home.

What no one recognized were the warning signs of a life-threatening blood clot.

Dan survived — and now calls it “the back pain that saved my life.”

Too many people aren’t as lucky.

If you’ve ever been misdiagnosed, dismissed, or left without answers, you’re not alone — and this is why NBCA exists.

💛 Help protect others → Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #BloodClotPodcast #BloodClotSurvivor #BloodClotAwareness

Symptoms of a possible blood clot aren’t always

Symptoms of a possible blood clot aren’t always obvious. Leg pain, swelling, warmth, tenderness, or even a feeling that something just isn’t right can signal a deeper problem.

In these situations, patients can ask whether an ultrasound is appropriate. Knowing how ultrasound works and when it’s typically used helps people advocate for themselves, especially when symptoms are mistaken for a muscle strain or risk factors aren’t fully considered. Early imaging can be critical in detecting clots before they become life-threatening.

Learn how ultrasound detects blood clots — and how to advocate for timely diagnosis — at our January PEP Talk. Join us on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. ET.

👉 Register: Link in bio!

If you can’t attend the live session, register anyway to get the recording sent straight to your inbox.

#StopTheClot #PEPTalk #BloodClotWebinar #Ultrasound #DVT #DeepVeinThrombosis

"It was after nine in the evening when my phone ra

"It was after nine in the evening when my phone rang. It was my best friend, calling a little later than usual. I had Married at First Sight on TV—my guilty pleasure—and was relaxing on the couch. Her cheerful voice came through as always, but this time her first words were different: “So, I’m calling you for medical advice…”. Those words would come to haunt me.

My best friend Susan and I had known each other since Girl Scouts. We graduated from high school together in upstate New York and stayed close even after she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. Just twelve hours after that phone call, Susan was gone. She died from a massive blood clot that had formed in her leg and traveled to her lungs, blocking blood flow and stopping her heart. She was only 35—radiant, funny, smart, and generous.

That night, she told me she’d been having chest discomfort for a week. It had gone away, then returned. As we talked, I tried to think through possible causes based on my experience working in the nursing field.

Could it be anxiety? Maybe her asthma is acting up? I asked if she’d used her inhaler, and she had. Could it be costochondritis—which means inflammation in the chest muscles or cartilage? I told her to try a little more ibuprofen.

A blood clot? Probably not, I thought. She didn’t smoke, wasn’t over 35, and saw her doctor regularly. No family history of clots. She wasn’t struggling to breathe and sounded fine. “Perhaps see how you feel in the morning,” I suggested.

But the next morning, the pain was worse. It hurt when she breathed in and out. She fainted getting out of bed. Susan died at the hospital around 9 a.m.

According to NBCA, about 273 people in the U.S. die every day from blood clots. Birth control that contains estrogen—like the pill, patch, or vaginal ring—can increase that risk. Susan was taking a combined birth control pill (one that has both estrogen and another hormone called progestin). Her healthcare provider had never mentioned that these pills could increase the chance of dangerous blood clots..."

Read the full story on our website.

Did you know that when you travel, there is an eas

Did you know that when you travel, there is an easy way to communicate in the event of an emergency that you take blood thinners?

The American College of Emergency Physicians advises people to wear medical ID jewelry if they have experienced blood clots, or if they take blood thinners, which can pose bleeding risks.

Many online sellers offer inexpensive, customizable medical ID bracelets, silicone wristbands like the ones pictured here, and necklaces.

The alert should include your major medical conditions, such as a history of pulmonary emboli (PE), medications you’re currently taking, such as your anticoagulant, and the name and phone number of an emergency contact.

Do you wear medical ID jewelry when you travel? Show us a photo or tell us in the comments!

More safe travel tips for blood clot patients: Link in bio!

#StopTheClot #BloodClots #MedicalAlertBand #BloodThinnerBand #TravelSafety

🎄Deck the halls with lifesaving information thi

🎄Deck the halls with lifesaving information this holiday season!

Looking for a meaningful gift for someone passionate about blood clot awareness? Consider our Stop the Clot® ornament!

This double-sided ornament features Buster on one side and the STOP CLOT acronym on the other — a unique way to spark conversations and spread awareness with family and friends during the holidays.

Looking for more holiday inspiration? Browse our shop for additional awareness-themed gifts!

Shop now: Link in bio!

#StopTheClot #BloodClotAwareness #BloodClots #Ornament

“Two weeks after hip labral repair surgery, my t

“Two weeks after hip labral repair surgery, my thigh became very sore. I assumed it was from new exercises in physical therapy, but a few days later my calf became painful also.

I was having a hard time getting around, so I called my insurance company's 24/7 nurse hotline in the middle of the night. After explaining my symptoms, the nurse told me to get to the emergency room within the next hour.

There I was diagnosed with multiple blood clots from my goin to my calf (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT) and in my lungs (pulmonary embolism, or PE) as well. The nurse on the hotline may have saved my life and I am so thankful for her.

I was prescribed apixaban and underwent testing to look for additional risk factors for blood clots. Luckily I had none, and I was able to stop taking apixaban after six months. I was told I would live with the side effects of post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) for the rest of my life, as the clot caused lasting damage to the valves in my legs.

I have learned that clots are a lot more common than I ever even imagined, and they are also a lot more dangerous. I used NBCA’s resources so I was as educated as possible when I went to my doctors appointments and knew what questions to ask.

I am grateful to be alive, but the health anxiety is very real. I now talk to anyone who will listen about the signs and risk factors for clots. I’m always surprised by how many people have been personally affected or know someone who has.”

More stories: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #StopTheClotStory #BloodClots #BloodClotAwareness #PostThromboticSyndrome

We want to make our community aware that Andexxa

We want to make our community aware that Andexxa — the medication used in emergencies to reverse the effects of blood thinners apixaban (Eliquis) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto) — will be discontinued on December 22, 2025.

Emergency teams will still have options. The primary alternative will be 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs), which are already widely used in hospitals when rapid reversal is needed.

Reversal medications are used only in rare, urgent situations. Someone taking a blood thinner might need reversal if they experience life-threatening bleeding, are seriously injured, or require emergency surgery where the medication would make bleeding unsafe. In these cases, quickly counteracting the blood thinner helps doctors control bleeding and stabilize the patient.

We know medication changes can raise questions or concerns. Please remember:

1. Your current anticoagulant medication is not changing.
2. This update only affects the availability of Andexxa as a reversal agent.
3. In an emergency, PCCs remain an effective option.

If you have questions about your personal treatment plan, it’s always best to talk with your healthcare provider.

#StopTheClot

If you think you may have a blood clot, getting to

If you think you may have a blood clot, getting to the ER quickly can save your life. Knowing what to expect — and how to advocate for yourself — can make a critical difference once you arrive.

Our latest resource, written by Dr. Jeffrey Kline of @waynestate and NBCA’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Board, breaks down the warning signs of DVT and PE, what to tell the ER team, what tests you may receive, and the questions to ask before heading home.

👉 Learn how to recognize symptoms, push for timely evaluation, and navigate the ER with confidence. Read the full guide: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #MedicalMemos #BloodClotCare #ER #PatientAdvocacy

Ultrasound is one of the most accurate and lifesav

Ultrasound is one of the most accurate and lifesaving tools for detecting dangerous clots early, yet many patients never receive one. Why? Symptoms get dismissed. Risk factors are overlooked. And many people don’t realize they can — and should — advocate for this critical scan.

Kick off the new year with our first PEP Talk of 2026 on January 13 featuring Julie Cardoso, CEO of Universal Ultrasound. She’ll explain how ultrasounds find clots, what technicians look for, and how to advocate for timely imaging.

If you’ve had leg pain or swelling, a history of clots, increased risk, or want to be a more informed advocate, this session is for you.

👉 Date and time: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026 at 7 p.m. ET

🔗 Register: Link in bio.

@julie.at.umm
@universalultrasound
@uu_diagnostics

#StopTheClot #PEPTalk #BloodClotWebinar #Ultrasound

Every quarter, we take it back to the very importa

Every quarter, we take it back to the very important basics!

In this clip from last night's PEP Talk for newly diagnosed patients, clinician Diane Wirth explains what blood clots are and the connection between deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

🎙️ Watch the full recording to learn more: Link in bio.

Join us for our next PEP Talk on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. on how ultrasound can be used to detect DVT. Register: Link in bio.

➡️ Please consider sharing this post to help spread lifesaving information.

#StopTheClot #BloodClots #VTE #DVT #PE #BloodClotAwareness

🎙️ New Episode Alert! 🎙️ Season 3, Epis

🎙️ New Episode Alert! 🎙️

Season 3, Episode 4 of Taking a Breath: A Stop the Clot Podcast is now live on all major podcast platforms.

Yesterday, we shared a short video featuring Dan Walsh — blood clot survivor and NBCA Board Member — whose “simple back pain” was first misdiagnosed as a pulled muscle, but ultimately became what he now recalls as the back pain that saved his life.

Today, Dan opens up even more.

In this new episode, he shares the deeper parts of his journey:

- The self-advocacy he had to learn overnight
- The hours of late-night research just to understand what had happened
- The fear and mental health struggles that followed
- The long, winding path from trauma → recovery → purpose

Thank you, Dan, for your courage and commitment to helping others recognize the signs sooner and find the support they need throughout their recovery.

👉 Listen to his full conversation on our website or wherever you get your podcasts: Link in bio

#StopTheClot #BloodClotPodcast #BloodClotSurvivor #BloodClotAwareness

Sometimes a single story changes everything. What

Sometimes a single story changes everything.

What Dan Walsh thought was a simple pulled muscle turned out to be a silent, deadly blood clot. Hours after being sent home from urgent care, he was fighting for his life.

Dan survived — but he knows many families aren’t as lucky.

That’s why he’s paying it forward:

💛 Sharing his story

💛 Raising awareness

💛 Helping others recognize symptoms before it’s too late

His story is a powerful reminder of how quickly life can change and how lifesaving it can be when awareness reaches the right person at the right time.

NBCA is here for moments like these. Through education, support, and community, we’re here to help people find answers in their most vulnerable moments, and to prevent future tragedies.

🎥 Watch Dan’s story: Link in bio.

❤️ If Dan’s journey moves you, please consider supporting our work. Your gift helps us reach more families with the awareness and resources that save lives.

#StopTheClot #BloodClotAwareness #CharitableGiving #BloodClotAdvocacy

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