Question:
I wanted to know if anyone got a filter put in before surgery
I know it's not common, but has anyone had a filter put in before surgery as a precaution without having a clotting history? — melindameyers (posted on June 24, 2005)
June 24, 2005
Melinda: Back in 1985 I had a broken ankle which resulted in a cast and
off my feet for awhile. Within a week from having the cast off I had a
pulminary embolis and was in critical care in the hospital for almost two
weeks. This incident is what prompted me to have my surgeon know about it
in July of 2000 when I had surgery. He said he would put in a Greenfield
Filter to prevent clots from traveling to my heart or lungs. I did have a
difficult surgery with many comman complications such as low oxygen levels,
low vitamin levels, needed blood etc. Within three weeks of being released
from the hospital and trying to recover from this surgery I was rushed to
the hospital with a pulminary embolis despite haveing the greenfield
filter. I was completly baffled as to why this had happened. In Nov. of
2003 I underwent additional revision surgery by this same doctor. My
biggest and utmost fear was another pulminary embolis and he was aware of
my fears and told me they would give me blood thinners in the hospital,
compression stockings, blood thinnners comeing home from the hospital. I
did have this revision surgery. It was not as complicated as the first
surgery. I recovered more quickly in the hospital and upon coming home
with lovenox shots to give myself as well as coumidin to take. With 24 to
48 hours of coming home I started bleeding from the rectum and this scared
me. I called immediatly and was told to stop all blood thinners and to
just take a baby aspirin daily and to see my general doctor in the area
where I lived the following Monday. I did. Each day I took the baby
aspirin and did what the surgeon said. I went back to see him and he
assured me to just take the baby aspirin, the damage the blood thinners
could do to me was not good. I tried to recover and each day got worse.
Eventually I could not take three steps without being extrememly winded.
My husband rushed me to the hospital with yet another pulminary embolis.
This was now a total of three that I had had and two since haveing this
filter inserted. My surgeon never did give me direct answers as to why
this happened. Needless to say with his attitude and all that had happened
to me I have had very serious reservations about ever going
back to him. When you are in the hospital with this happening so many
times and realize you have three children to raise you have just got to
convince yourself that there is a beginning and a end to which you will do
to lose wieght. Perhaps this was a direct signal that I had done enough
and was very fortunate to not be dead. Since that time I have been on
coumidin daily. I go at least once a month to have my blood tested and
dosage adjusted accordingly. I have done well since. Apparantly I am just
one of those people who have thick blood and need to be on coumidin daily.
I have many frustrating days trying to figure it all out but am scared to
do more. I have many people tell me to not give up, to keep on going, my
surgeon has definatly done something wrong but I have reservations when I
think about the embolis's I have had. My advice to you is to talk
seriously about this to your doctor. I know many people who have had this
done and it was a great thing but in my case I just don't know what
happened. I am just lucky to be alive.
— Sarah B.
June 24, 2005
Melinda: Back in 1985 I had a broken ankle which resulted in a cast and
off my feet for awhile. Within a week from having the cast off I had a
pulminary embolis and was in critical care in the hospital for almost two
weeks. This incident is what prompted me to have my surgeon know about it
in July of 2000 when I had surgery. He said he would put in a Greenfield
Filter to prevent clots from traveling to my heart or lungs. I did have a
difficult surgery with many comman complications such as low oxygen levels,
low vitamin levels, needed blood etc. Within three weeks of being released
from the hospital and trying to recover from this surgery I was rushed to
the hospital with a pulminary embolis despite haveing the greenfield
filter. I was completly baffled as to why this had happened. In Nov. of
2003 I underwent additional revision surgery by this same doctor. My
biggest and utmost fear was another pulminary embolis and he was aware of
my fears and told me they would give me blood thinners in the hospital,
compression stockings, blood thinnners comeing home from the hospital. I
did have this revision surgery. It was not as complicated as the first
surgery. I recovered more quickly in the hospital and upon coming home
with lovenox shots to give myself as well as coumidin to take. With 24 to
48 hours of coming home I started bleeding from the rectum and this scared
me. I called immediatly and was told to stop all blood thinners and to
just take a baby aspirin daily and to see my general doctor in the area
where I lived the following Monday. I did. Each day I took the baby
aspirin and did what the surgeon said. I went back to see him and he
assured me to just take the baby aspirin, the damage the blood thinners
could do to me was not good. I tried to recover and each day got worse.
Eventually I could not take three steps without being extrememly winded.
My husband rushed me to the hospital with yet another pulminary embolis.
This was now a total of three that I had had and two since haveing this
filter inserted. My surgeon never did give me direct answers as to why
this happened. Needless to say with his attitude and all that had happened
to me I have had very serious reservations about ever going
back to him. When you are in the hospital with this happening so many
times and realize you have three children to raise you have just got to
convince yourself that there is a beginning and a end to which you will do
to lose wieght. Perhaps this was a direct signal that I had done enough
and was very fortunate to not be dead. Since that time I have been on
coumidin daily. I go at least once a month to have my blood tested and
dosage adjusted accordingly. I have done well since. Apparantly I am just
one of those people who have thick blood and need to be on coumidin daily.
I have many frustrating days trying to figure it all out but am scared to
do more. I have many people tell me to not give up, to keep on going, my
surgeon has definatly done something wrong but I have reservations when I
think about the embolis's I have had. My advice to you is to talk
seriously about this to your doctor. I know many people who have had this
done and it was a great thing but in my case I just don't know what
happened. I am just lucky to be alive.
— Sarah B.
June 24, 2005
Melinda: Back in 1985 I had a broken ankle which resulted in a cast and
off my feet for awhile. Within a week from having the cast off I had a
pulminary embolis and was in critical care in the hospital for almost two
weeks. This incident is what prompted me to have my surgeon know about it
in July of 2000 when I had surgery. He said he would put in a Greenfield
Filter to prevent clots from traveling to my heart or lungs. I did have a
difficult surgery with many comman complications such as low oxygen levels,
low vitamin levels, needed blood etc. Within three weeks of being released
from the hospital and trying to recover from this surgery I was rushed to
the hospital with a pulminary embolis despite haveing the greenfield
filter. I was completly baffled as to why this had happened. In Nov. of
2003 I underwent additional revision surgery by this same doctor. My
biggest and utmost fear was another pulminary embolis and he was aware of
my fears and told me they would give me blood thinners in the hospital,
compression stockings, blood thinnners comeing home from the hospital. I
did have this revision surgery. It was not as complicated as the first
surgery. I recovered more quickly in the hospital and upon coming home
with lovenox shots to give myself as well as coumidin to take. With 24 to
48 hours of coming home I started bleeding from the rectum and this scared
me. I called immediatly and was told to stop all blood thinners and to
just take a baby aspirin daily and to see my general doctor in the area
where I lived the following Monday. I did. Each day I took the baby
aspirin and did what the surgeon said. I went back to see him and he
assured me to just take the baby aspirin, the damage the blood thinners
could do to me was not good. I tried to recover and each day got worse.
Eventually I could not take three steps without being extrememly winded.
My husband rushed me to the hospital with yet another pulminary embolis.
This was now a total of three that I had had and two since haveing this
filter inserted. My surgeon never did give me direct answers as to why
this happened. Needless to say with his attitude and all that had happened
to me I have had very serious reservations about ever going
back to him. When you are in the hospital with this happening so many
times and realize you have three children to raise you have just got to
convince yourself that there is a beginning and a end to which you will do
to lose wieght. Perhaps this was a direct signal that I had done enough
and was very fortunate to not be dead. Since that time I have been on
coumidin daily. I go at least once a month to have my blood tested and
dosage adjusted accordingly. I have done well since. Apparantly I am just
one of those people who have thick blood and need to be on coumidin daily.
I have many frustrating days trying to figure it all out but am scared to
do more. I have many people tell me to not give up, to keep on going, my
surgeon has definatly done something wrong but I have reservations when I
think about the embolis's I have had. My advice to you is to talk
seriously about this to your doctor. I know many people who have had this
done and it was a great thing but in my case I just don't know what
happened. I am just lucky to be alive.
— Sarah B.
June 27, 2005
I had a filter put in also. I didn't have any clotting problems before but
my doctor said with the way my legs looked and felt I should have one put
in. My legs were swollen, discolored, and ached(poor circulation). I am
not worried about having it in there, it's just a safeguard to help prevent
clots from getting to our hearts. You can have cat scans and it won't
affect your readings either.
— Keli
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