I’m a 29 yo F, have had several PE’s the last couple years, last one in October killed a lil chunk of lung (RIP). Anyways, since then, I’ve started having these episodes that pop up like 2 hours post exercise where my heart races (140+) my oxygen drops (90% ish), I breathe like 25-30/minute and I feel like I’m going to physically just die. Also, I’m just constantly low level short of breath at rest 100% of the time even the technically the last clot is long gone. Pulm, heme and cardio are all like “hm theres nothing wrong anymore now the clots gone so you shouldn’t be feeling this way” I pretty much I went from marathoning and ballet to feeling like an old lady on deaths door step. That’s the only way I can describe it. People are telling me it sounds like anxiety attacks, and maybe thats the physiological extent and I should look for treatment in that direction. But recently I actually went in to the ER about it and they had cardio put a heart monitor on me, saying it’s probably nothing but they want to rule out electric abnormalities. My docs are super hard to get ahold of but the closest thing I can figure out is POTS (basically you stand up and your heart needs to work way harder so your pulse elevates, you feel dizzy, SOB, tired all the time). I’m very sick of the heart monitor (gotta wear it a whole MONTH and it is destroying my summer fits. The cyborg chic vibes are not it.) Has anyone experienced onset of POTS or literally anything similar to this after a PE? My docs are lovely but have been not very helpful. I just wanna figure out what this is so I can get better and get through nursing school without having to lie down all the time from impending death feels.
Are you on blood thinners? Having heavy periods? I'm sure you've had a ton of bloodwork done. But I'm actually in the hospital because I came close to hemorrhaging during my Eliquis period, and my heart rate is super reactive. The nurses all get worried when I brush my teeth.
Also, are you getting enough electrolytes, etc.?
Yeah! I’m on eliquis as well! Periods are the absolute and total worst! And oh my lord are you ok? I mean I know there are people making sure you’re not dying but as someone who’s also been in the hospital lots…. Idk. You’re not alone I guess. It sucks balls and I’m sorry that scary horrendous thing happened to you. Can we all just get our blood to do what it’s supposed to do for like five minutes please and thank you
Yes, I’m okay! I had a feeling I was passing too much blood so I had my hemoglobin checked and when I found out it was dropping quickly, I went to the ER before it could get dangerously low. It was 11.9 Thursday and 7.6 yesterday, but they’ve stopped the bleeding and I had an iron infusion. I’m glad I came in when I did because it would have been traumatic to be feeling weak and dizzy at home. (Plus I wanted to come to my OB-gyn’s hospital.)
I hope your situation improves. I think all of this is quite a shock to our bodies. Crazy to think that not more than a couple of decades ago we wouldn’t have survived these things.