I figured I'd throw an update to my DVT recovery out here since it's been a while.  I've kicked the warfarin / coumadin habit.  I'm taking something called nattokinase now.  I don't think any of the meds I've taken have made a bit of difference.  Recovery has been painfully slow, but steadily progressing it seems... on or off any medication.  I've been getting out and taking more pictures.  I've been riding as often as the weather allows.  I don't lke riding to work in the rain, but luckily, it hasn't rained much at all this summer. 

It's been almost two months since I've started taking the warfarin.  My leg has hardly gotten any better.  Basically no permanent change for the better in two months.  I did have one week where I was able to run 3 miles straight 3 days in a row.  But that must have been a fluke.  I'm wondering now I even had a blood clot when I first went to the hospital, or if the clot had cleared itself up and they misdiagnosed me.  Both ultrasounds look surprisingly similar, and by the original doctors own admission, he was not the expert.  The expert was not on duty th

Had more blood drawn by the vampires today.  INR 2.3.  Exactly the same as it was last week.  At least I'm stable in some respects.  Don't have to go back for another 2 weeks.  I ran 1.5 miles today.  Not much calf swelling, so that's a good thing.  Hopefully I'll be working my way back up to 3.5 miles and shedding a bit of weight in the process.  Got the maintenance on the RC finished.  I'll do a howto on the fork maintenance for pegmonkey soon.  Kinda dragging now..

Ok, finally had a decent INR reading today.  2.3.  So.. if, according to the SOME of the doctors, I have NO clot.  Then why am I taking coumadin anyways?  The only reason they give is that statistically, if you're on it for 3 to 6 months, then you'll be less likely to get it again.  The clinical tests I found said there was no difference between being on it for 3 or 6 months.  So why do they want to keep me on it for 6 months and not just 3?  Hmmmmm..

I had another ultrasound today to determine the progress of my blood clot.  The technician was willing to talk about what they saw while the procedure was going on.  I agreed with everything they said and it jived with what I saw on the screen.  It looked to me like there was a part of the vein that had about a 50% blockage and another part that was like 10% blocked.  The clot is dissolving, which is a good thing.  However, I sat around waited for the radiologist to give me the "official" results of the ultrasound.  I got a completely different story

Got my INR results.  1.8  Now I'm supposed to take 7.5 one day and 10 the next.  Alternating days.  While I'm happy with 1.8, the goal is supposed to be at least 2.  I still can't wait to be off this crap.  Having another ultrasound done on the 15th.  If the clot is cleared up, I may just quit taking it. 

Got another INR test result today.  As you may recall, I was taking 5mg.. INR=1.3.  So the genius doc I WAS seeing told me to double my dosage against the advice of modern practices.  At 10mg my INR=3.2.  So, genius doctor says cut it back to 5mg.  Sooooo guess what my INR was today?  1.4.  Nearly the same as it was when I was taking 5mg before.  Isn't there a saying that goes something like.. insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?  Take a number.

I had my second blood test to determine my INR.  It was 3.2.  It's supposed to be kept between 2 and 3 and ideally at 2.5.  From what I understand it's pretty hard to hit it spot on.  However, the crazy doctor I was seeing, has apparently been picking a random dosage out of his ass.  I've been doing a lot of research on the subject, as I'm prone to do, and I've discovered some fairly up to date information and dosage calculators for warfarin use.  It seems the ER doctor and my previous primary care physician are all practicing old school techniques.&n

I've discovered something else I did "wrong" after pulling my calf muscle.  I was alternating ice and heat trying to get the swelling to go down.  I was thinking it was just a muscle pull, when it most likely was turning into a DVT as the vein began to clot.  I've been told that heat and ice are a big no no for treating a blood clot in a vein.  Ice will increase the clotting, and heat will make the clot migrate or break loose.  I was "only" doing that for 2 or 3 months.  sigh.  What I should have been doing was making myself walk o

Had my first doctors appointment with my new primary care doctor.  Wow, talk about a grouchy self righteous pompous old bag.  No wonder he's currently taking new patients.  I can't imagine anybody doing business with him for long.  He seemed more interested in chastising me for not admitting myself to the hospital for my initial treatment and far less interested in helping me or answering my questions.  He said I was "taking my life into my own hands".  I laughed and said, "I do it every day."  He said.. "oh..