Where the heck was 953 nut this time?

[953 nut 63,904]

Round two of 953 nut’s medical mishaps is almost over.

 

When I was discharged from the hospital a week and a half ago a new medication, Eliquis, was prescribed. We filled the prescription and headed home in anticipation of the impending snow storm. Having just undergone two surgeries I did not go to the shop and bring the 418-C with snow plow up to the house as I normally would have, we would just have to allow the snow to melt.

Eliquis is a blood thinner and the entail dosage instructions from the doctor were double the normal dosage for the first five days. On the second day I began to feel a bit weak but didn’t give it much thought. At about 2:00 AM I felt very weak and threw up some BLACK stuff (that is a sign of internal bleeding) but being a MAN I shrugged it off and returned to bed. About 6:00 AM I had my wife call 911.

Our steep, unplowed driveway was impassable and the EMTs and paramedics came up on foot lugging all of their equipment. One of the EMTs knew a fellow about a mile away who has a Kubota side-by-side 4 WD with locking differentials who responded to this early morning plea. The Kubota got me down to the ambulance and the took me directly to a medivac helicopter. Twenty minutes later I was at the trauma center and receiving transfusions.

The Eliquis had triggered a previously undiagnosed ulcer in my small intestine to bleed. Less than an hour from my arrival at the trauma center I weas on the operating table, the ulcer was being clamped off as even more transfusions were being administered. Further testing revealed the blood vessel to the ulcer was also bleeding and a second procedure stopped that.

After an additional week in the hospital I am now in a rehab center to regain some strength and glad to be alive.  

 

 

[ri702bill 11,133]

Glad to hear you are doing OK...

Elequis is the least "offensive" of the blood thinners - both Warfarin & Coumadin require frequent blood tests to dial in the dosage. Elequis usually only needs one (speaking from my own experience here). My wife had esophageal cancer and had similar unpleasant side effects similar to yours upon leaving the Hospital.... It is a learning curve.

[pfrederi 19,773]

Glad they got you in time.  Blood thinners are dangerous stuff...  Get well and stay that way!!

[Ed Kennell 44,623]

59 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Blood thinners are dangerous stuff.

   The serve thier purpose preventing blockages, but do create bleeding problems.    After my internal bleeding problem in December  I stopped all my aspirin and blood thinner meds that I had been on for 30 years.    After two months off all meds, my blood test this morning showed all is OK.

 

These bleeding problems are some scary stuff  especially when you are snowed in.    So thankful help was able to get to you in time Richard.     

 

[stevasaurus 23,565]

Scary stuff Richard !!  I think you were lucky this time, glad you are on the mend !!