# GWS ColinJ.. DVT/Pulmonary Embolism



## potsy (21 Aug 2012)

..As some of you will know Colin has been ill for a few weeks now, he has just been in touch and is currently in hospital and being being treated for DVT (deep vein thrombosis)
I'm sure you will join me in wishing him a speedy recovery, will update when I can if he doesn't get online himself soon.


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## Kiwiavenger (21 Aug 2012)

Christ not good! 

Get well soon mate


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## Aperitif (21 Aug 2012)

Yes. Get well soon Colin.


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## mcshroom (21 Aug 2012)

Yep, Get Well Soon Colin. 

Not a nice illness


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## Arch (21 Aug 2012)

Get Well Soon Colin!

You'll have to get home, Hebden Bridge must be due another flood for you to report on soon....


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## phil_hg_uk (21 Aug 2012)

Get well soon colin


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## fossyant (21 Aug 2012)

Bloody hell. Hope he is OK - he was mentioning about pain in his leg on the CC run to Jodrell some months back - possibly his chest infection has caused it to rear it's head.

Pass on our best wishes.


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## Lee_M (21 Aug 2012)

Don't know him but GWS. Friend of mine was rushed into hospital over the weekend, he had a DVT beginning of the year, and it seems to have moved and he collapsed with a pulmonary embolism :-(

Out of hospital now though


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## coffeejo (21 Aug 2012)

GWS, Colin.


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## Night Train (21 Aug 2012)

Crumbs, yes, get well soon, Colin! 

When I was in a leg cast I was offered daily injections to prevent DVT. I hated the injections but I am glad I accepted them.


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## defy-one (21 Aug 2012)

I don't know him,but get well soon!


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## The Jogger (21 Aug 2012)

GWS Colin, just think, hospital food! You'll come out a lighter man


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## Maz (21 Aug 2012)

Get well soon, Colin.
If there's one poster on here whose posts I always read from start to finish, it's Colin's...always got a fascinating story to tell!


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## smokeysmoo (21 Aug 2012)

GWS Colin. Wishing you a speedy recovery Sir


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## roadrash (21 Aug 2012)

best wishes for a speedy recovery


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## GrasB (21 Aug 2012)

That's not good at all. GWS Collin!


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## Scoosh (21 Aug 2012)

Thanks, potsy - and wishing a speedy recovery  to ColinJ 

Who is going to organise the 'Hebden Bridge to visit ColinJ Ride' ?


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## martint235 (21 Aug 2012)

I didn't know he was ill either. GWS Colin!


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## DCLane (21 Aug 2012)

Ouch! 

Hope you're much better soon and flying up the hills.

Is anyone nearby to send him bike-related reading material?


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## Hacienda71 (21 Aug 2012)

Get well soon Colin


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## Crackle (21 Aug 2012)

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.


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## Banjo (21 Aug 2012)

Stop skiving and get back into those hills. GWS


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## summerdays (21 Aug 2012)

Best wishes for a speedy recovery ColinJ.


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## Headgardener (21 Aug 2012)

Get well soon Colin. My dad ended up in hospital because of a DVT luckily he came out again two weeks later.


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## colly (21 Aug 2012)

Sorry to hear you're not well Colin. Hope you make a full and speedy recovery.


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## Pat "5mph" (21 Aug 2012)

GWS Colin, your post count is suffering here!


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## dellzeqq (21 Aug 2012)

That makes sad reading. Get well, Colin.


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## Rob3rt (21 Aug 2012)

That's a shame to hear! Get well soon!


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## 2PedalsTez (21 Aug 2012)

Best wishes and a speedy recovery


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## Svendo (21 Aug 2012)

Crikey, hope you get fixed up soon Colin.


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## Silver Fox (21 Aug 2012)

I don't know him but enjoy reading his posts. Speedy recovery Colin.


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## Baggy (21 Aug 2012)

Nasty business - poor Colin. Best wishes for a speedy recovery from me and Chuffy.


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## dave r (21 Aug 2012)

I had noticed I hadn't seen any posts by Colin lately, but didn't realize he was ill. Gws Colin.


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## PaulB (21 Aug 2012)

Which hospital is he in? Calderdale? 

Get well soon, Colin.


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## potsy (21 Aug 2012)

I'll pass on all your good wishes tomorrow, am sure it will cheer him up 
He had posted a few times on his status about his recent health issues.


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## Fab Foodie (21 Aug 2012)

Bummer 
Get well soon ColinJ.


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## Arch (21 Aug 2012)

potsy said:


> I'll pass on all your good wishes tomorrow, am sure it will cheer him up
> He had posted a few times on his status about his recent health issues.


 
Oh, oh, you should print this thread out, in a big font so that you need several sheets of paper, then tape them together end on end and fold them zig zag, and go in, hold it up and let all but the top one drop in a huge concertina of good wishes.


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## accountantpete (21 Aug 2012)

Best wishes - hope they are keeping you entertained in there.


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## Nearly there (21 Aug 2012)

Get well soon Colin J


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## Nigel-YZ1 (21 Aug 2012)

Get well soon


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## snorri (21 Aug 2012)

ColinJ, the man who put Hepden Bridge on the map, well my map anyway!
Get well soon ColinJ


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## Judderz (21 Aug 2012)

Get well soon Colin, had a DVT 8 years ago and again last October, now on warfarin (blood thinners) for life, (and it's not free prescriptions either )


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## rich p (22 Aug 2012)

Blimey CJ, get well soon matey.


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## HLaB (22 Aug 2012)

GWS Colin!


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## skudupnorth (22 Aug 2012)

Bloody heckers like ! Get well soon Colin,we need our hilly fix !


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## MissTillyFlop (22 Aug 2012)

Oh god, really sorry to hear that. Hope you're well soon xxx


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## MrJamie (22 Aug 2012)

Get well soon


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## CopperCyclist (22 Aug 2012)

Get well soon, hope the hospital has wifi!


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## redcard (22 Aug 2012)

Get well soon, Colin


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## GetAGrip (22 Aug 2012)

GWS Colin J!


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## yello (22 Aug 2012)

potsy said:


> ..As some of you will know Colin has been ill for a few weeks now


 
No I didn't know.

Best wishes pal, hope you're back and about soon.


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## Pennine-Paul (22 Aug 2012)

Get well soon Col


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## Stephenite (22 Aug 2012)

Get well soon ColinJ


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## Peteaud (22 Aug 2012)

Wish you a Speedy recovery.


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## vernon (22 Aug 2012)

Here's hoping for a speedy resolution and having you back on two wheels soon.


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## Chromatic (22 Aug 2012)

Get well soon!


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## Archie_tect (22 Aug 2012)

Hope you're soon back on your bike Colin... let us know how you're getting on as soon as you can.


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## Edwards80 (22 Aug 2012)

Speedy recovery sir!

Hopefully you'll be at full fitness for the next Jodrell Bank run !


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## Durian (22 Aug 2012)

All the best and hope you'll be turning those pedals again soon.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (22 Aug 2012)

cheers for the heads up Paul. Get well soon big C.


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## tyred (22 Aug 2012)

Get well soon.


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## Steve Malkin (22 Aug 2012)

Sorry to hear about this Colin, I hope you make a speedy recovery and look forward to reading all about it in your next 10,000 posts!


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## Ajay (22 Aug 2012)

Get well soon Colin, there are cafes going out of business without your forum rides' custom!!


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## dan_bo (22 Aug 2012)

Best wishes Col.


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## ArDee (22 Aug 2012)

Colin J, hope you have a speedy recovery, get well soon


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (22 Aug 2012)

i've been in touch with the big man....he says thanks to all those who hsave wished him well. he has no access to the internet at the hospital. he's seeing the dr now and will let us know what the verdict is.


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## Keith Oates (22 Aug 2012)

Really sorry to hear this Colin. I hope the recovery is quick and the bike rides are not too far away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Sandra6 (22 Aug 2012)

Hope you're back on your feet (and your bike) soon Colin.


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## Glenn (22 Aug 2012)




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## fimm (22 Aug 2012)

Sorry to hear this - hope you get well soon.


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## theclaud (22 Aug 2012)

Crikey. Wishing you a full and speedy recovery, Colin.


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## asterix (22 Aug 2012)

Best wishes from me, too.


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## sdr gb (22 Aug 2012)

Get well soon Colin. Hope your back on your bike soon.


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## oldfatfool (22 Aug 2012)

Only just read this, Hope the prognosis is good, and get well soon, Col

(though how you get DVT with all the walking you do...........)


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## Littgull (22 Aug 2012)

Apologies for blank posts earlier on - due to a computer glitch.

Simply wanted to add my best wishes to Colin for a speedy recovery.


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## longers (22 Aug 2012)

Put my best wishes on the printout too please. I'll go halves on some grapes too.


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## PpPete (22 Aug 2012)

Only just seen this
Best wishes for a speedy recovery Colin.

Pete


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## ianrauk (22 Aug 2012)

Best wishes for a speedy recovery Colin.


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## Archie_tect (22 Aug 2012)

He can't have grapes.... pass them here.


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## Panter (22 Aug 2012)

GWS Mr J, best wishes to you


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## postman (22 Aug 2012)

My best wishes also.


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## summerdays (22 Aug 2012)

Archie_tect said:


> He can't have grapes.... pass them here.


I'm sure he would like some cake instead?


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## Speicher (22 Aug 2012)

Best wishes and a big




from me.


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## subaqua (22 Aug 2012)

GWS big un .


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## potsy (22 Aug 2012)

summerdays said:


> I'm sure he would like some cake instead?


If anyone wants to send me the cake I'll make sure it gets to him safely 


Update- scan on his leg has found a clot, this was the 'least bad option' as the treatment is simple.
Chest scan next 

Hope I was meant to be sharing this with you all


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## Doseone (22 Aug 2012)

Best wishes for a speedy recovery Colin.


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## TonyEnjoyD (22 Aug 2012)

GWS ColinJ

Wife had that 10 years ago, daily Heparin injections into the thigh not nice at all...and the surgical stockings, man they did nothing for me!


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## summerdays (22 Aug 2012)

Thanks for the update.


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## TVC (22 Aug 2012)

Is there space to squeeze in another one - Get well soon.


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## MacB (22 Aug 2012)

thanks Potsy and send my best to Colin


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## theloafer (22 Aug 2012)

Best wishes for a speedy recovery Colin


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## cyberknight (22 Aug 2012)

Wishing col a speedy recovery , can you get the nurses to give you a spin on one of these so you do not get withdrawel symptoms ?


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## potsy (22 Aug 2012)

He is hoping to be home on Thursday, but will be in and out for a few weeks by the sounds of it.
He also says thanks but no thanks to any offers of cake  think he's using this time to get slim


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## skudupnorth (22 Aug 2012)

potsy said:


> He is hoping to be home on Thursday, but will be in and out for a few weeks by the sounds of it.
> He also says thanks but no thanks to any offers of cake  think he's using this time to get slim


That means we can eat his cake !


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## phil_hg_uk (22 Aug 2012)

We could club together and get him a CC jersey in Small then he will have a target to aim for


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## Dayvo (22 Aug 2012)

All the very best, Colin!

Hope you're soon back in front of the mirror and being vain in a different way!


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## Baggy (22 Aug 2012)

potsy said:


> He is hoping to be home on Thursday, but will be in and out for a few weeks by the sounds of it.
> He also says thanks but no thanks to any offers of cake  think he's using this time to get slim


I'm not _quite_ sure I believe he said that, potsy, what have you done with the cake?  
Thanks to you and brompton for the updates, let's hope he is out on Thurs. Does that mean his chest scan was ok?


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## Smurfy (22 Aug 2012)

I've only met Colin once, but here's wishing a speedy recovery.


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## ttcycle (22 Aug 2012)

oh poor ColinJ- all the best for a speedy recovery. GWS!


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## Wobblers (23 Aug 2012)

I hope you're very quickly back on your feet and back on the bike Colin.

GWS!


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## growingvegetables (23 Aug 2012)

GWS


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## BrumJim (23 Aug 2012)

I think I'm the only name on this thread from this forum that's missing. I'll have to put that right:

Get Well Soon, Colin. Hope you can get back on your bike soon.


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## 4F (23 Aug 2012)

Get well soon Colin


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## RecordAceFromNew (23 Aug 2012)

potsy said:


> He also says thanks but no thanks to any offers of cake  think he's using this time to get slim


 
Colin you can PM me if potsy is fibbing... GWS!!


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## potsy (23 Aug 2012)

Baggy said:


> Does that mean his chest scan was ok?


Seems he's staying in for at least 1 more day for more tests and scans.


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## MacB (23 Aug 2012)

Come on folks, this thread is about Colin and wishing him all the best...I know it's fun to lambast a large and slow moving target....such as 'That Cakethief Potsy' as I've heard him referred to....but he gives us plenty of opportunity elsewhere


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (23 Aug 2012)

spoke with the big fella tonight, he's going to be in for a few days at the minimum for reasons he doesn't want to go into. he has asked me to pass on his thanks and gratitude for the 'get well soon' messages and will reply when he can get onto the internet.


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## marshmella (23 Aug 2012)

Another get well soon message, all the best for a speedy recovery Colin.


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## potsy (23 Aug 2012)

bromptonfb said:


> spoke with the big fella tonight, he's going to be in for a few days at the minimum for reasons he doesn't want to go into. he has asked me to pass on his thanks and gratitude for the 'get well soon' messages *and will reply when he can get onto the internet.*


Judging by his ride reports I bet he's working on it now


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## guitarpete247 (23 Aug 2012)

I know you'd said you was a little unwell. I hope you're back in the saddle before too long.


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## Fnaar (23 Aug 2012)

GWS. 

-----------------------------------
Sent mobile phone stylee


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## Yellow Fang (23 Aug 2012)

Get well soon Colin.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (25 Aug 2012)

i've been speaking with colin regulalry. tonight he asked me to let you all know that he will be in hospital until at least wednesday. he's quite poorly and waiting for test results. he says that the gws messages are really nice and help bouy up his mood and he'll thank you all when he can get to the internet. for those who have his number i think a gws text would be very welcome.


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## ianrauk (25 Aug 2012)

Thanks for the updates.


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## topcat1 (26 Aug 2012)

He does put Hebden bridge on the map, all the best Colin


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## fossyant (26 Aug 2012)

All the best mate when you get to read this. Maybe that pain in your leg you were suffering was linked to this and you can get fixed up and be doing the miles again soon. Take it easy, Potsy will be eating all your cake though, so you will easily catch him on the hills. LOL.


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## Ian H (26 Aug 2012)

Good luck and a speedy recovery.


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## Cubist (26 Aug 2012)

Jeez, get well soon Colin old boy.


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## Baggy (27 Aug 2012)

Just topping up the get well messages.
Thought of Colin yesterday as was looking at my Dog-Fang chain catcher and realised if I'd not stumbled across his fitting advice it would still be on back to front!


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## dave r (27 Aug 2012)

Any one know how he's doing?


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## Nihal (28 Aug 2012)

Just saw this,get well soon ColinJ


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (28 Aug 2012)

dave r said:


> Any one know how he's doing?




more than likely will be in hospital for another week. still waiting test results and has more scans and tests todo.


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## coffeejo (28 Aug 2012)

Thanks for keeping us updated.


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## zizou (28 Aug 2012)

get well soon


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## dave r (28 Aug 2012)

bromptonfb said:


> more than likely will be in hospital for another week. still waiting test results and has more scans and tests todo.


 
Thanks for that.


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## totallyfixed (28 Aug 2012)

Should have posted before now to say our best wishes for a quick full recovery, but been on holiday plus some problems of our own, anyway, good luck Colin.


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## gavroche (29 Aug 2012)

Same goes with me. I don't personally know him but hope he soon gets well and able to ride again.


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## ColinJ (30 Aug 2012)

I'm just out of hospital!

Thanks so much for your GWS messages. I only just got the chance to read these but I was told about this thread and it meant a lot to me.

I'm really knackered, so I will be brief ...

What I thought to be bad chest infection actually turned out to be a big blood clot in my lungs. I didn't find this out until after I realised that I had developed a DVT in my left leg (not the one that was playing up on rides) - the leg went numb, purple and swollen. I'd been in denial about my chest problem, but one look at my leg scared me straight round to the local health centre. The doc immediately sent for an ambulance and I have been in hospital for 9 days since then having scans and blood tests. The bad news is a massive clot in my chest and one in my left leg. The good news is that the scans didn't show any other problems and the clots are treatable!

_*I'm on Warfarin for the clots and really hoping for a good outcome. I don't want to hear any Warfarin/clot horror stories though folks so please leave me in blissful ignorance if you know something that I don't! *_

The lung problem started a month before the bad leg, so I'm not sure what happened and neither are the doctors. (Normally, a DVT in a leg might migrate to the lungs.)

To be realistic, I will probably not be riding a bike again this year. If all goes well, I will build my fitness back up with hill walking and on my gym bike.

I have lost quite a bit of weight, and intend to carry on doing so until I am slim again.

Hopefully, I will be back to full fitness in time for the spring flattish seaside century ride for 2013!

I will still pop into the forum from time to time, but maybe not as often as pre-illness.


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## potsy (30 Aug 2012)

Great to hear you are out of hospital Colin, take it easy and get back to full fitness soon


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## skudupnorth (30 Aug 2012)

Welcome back Colin,any idea when you will be fit again ???


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## vernon (30 Aug 2012)

Welcome back to the forums. I found that the hour or two where I thought I had a DVT scary enough. God knows how I'd have coped knowing that I had one. Having a DVT discounted and cellulitis confirmed was a relief to me.

Hope that your fitness returns more quickly that you'd planned.


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## Littgull (30 Aug 2012)

Great to hear you are out of hospital and now have a clearer diagnosis and treatment plan.

As you have mentioned Colin, there are other less intense options to cycling to build your fitness back up.

Looking forward to more forum rides with you in a few months time.

All the best Colin.


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## GetAGrip (30 Aug 2012)

Hey Colin, glad to hear your now back home! Fitness will come back to you before long, but, it's important you rest and just concentrate on getting well first. Wishing you a speedy recovery and am sure you will be spending some of your time back on this forum very soon (couldn't find a smilie with grapes)


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## fossyant (30 Aug 2012)

Glad you are out. 

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2


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## growingvegetables (30 Aug 2012)

Wow - glad you're out. Aye - and good luck with the treatment.


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## summerdays (30 Aug 2012)

Good news to hear you are out of hospital


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## oldfatfool (30 Aug 2012)

Good to see you back Col. If you want any company hill walking so long as there is a cafe involved I would be up for a stroll


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## potsy (30 Aug 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I have lost quite a bit of weight, and intend to carry on doing so until I am slim again.
> .


The lengths some people go to just so they don't have to change their avatar


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## ianrauk (30 Aug 2012)

The forum is a better place for having you back Colin.


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## PaulB (30 Aug 2012)

Colin, we like to do one of several walks that go from HB to Tod or vice-versa. There are many options and what we do is to drive to HB with no regard to the clock. If we have more than 20 minutes to wait, we walk TO Tod and get the train back from there. If the train is only a few minutes away, we catch that train TO Tod and walk back from there. There are some relatively flat options of about 6 miles and medium ones of about 8.5 miles and a few high-level routes of up to about 12 miles. You have many options but if you'd like some company, let me know as I am always up for one of these.


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## DCLane (30 Aug 2012)

Welcome back - and here's hoping for a good recovery.


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## Alun (30 Aug 2012)

Glad you're back at home Colin. Take it easy!


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## KateK (30 Aug 2012)

Glad to hear you are out of hospital - close call or what?!!!! Hope the recovery goes well and best wishes.


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## MacB (30 Aug 2012)

ianrauk said:


> The forum is a better place for having you back Colin.


 
^This, and very much so


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## phil_hg_uk (30 Aug 2012)

Good to hear you are up and about again colin, look forward to riding with you again


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## ComedyPilot (30 Aug 2012)

Bloody hell fella, hope you get on the mend soon................


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## Shaun (30 Aug 2012)

Glad to hear you're on the mend Col ...


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## Lisa21 (30 Aug 2012)

Iv only just seen this or id have wished you a speed recovery a lot sooner. Look after yourself and gws


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## 400bhp (30 Aug 2012)

Just come across this thread (never ventured into this cafe place before today).

Get sorted asap and get back on that bike sharpish (of course following doctor's orders)


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## Pat "5mph" (30 Aug 2012)

So nice to have you back! To aid a speedy recovery it is well known that a daily dose of Cycle Chat lifts the spirit - commuting is to be avoided though 
Take it easy, GWS Colin!


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## Scotmitchy (30 Aug 2012)

Welcome back. Remember that rest, rest and a bit more rest will see you n the road to recovery. Let your body take time to heal itself, and keep taking the tablets.


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## coffeejo (30 Aug 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I'm just out of hospital!
> 
> I have lost quite a bit of weight, and intend to carry on doing so until I am slim again.


So you don't want your cake then?


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## postman (30 Aug 2012)

Now the serious part,get your Hospital form in,i am with Simply Health before that it was known as Leeds Hospital Fund,i got over £400 after my stint in January,but i know health is better than money.So get well soon.


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## dave r (30 Aug 2012)

Glad you're out of hospital Colin, best wishes for a speedy recovery.


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## colly (30 Aug 2012)

Welcome back Col.


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## Svendo (31 Aug 2012)

Hi Colin, Good to hear you're on the mend. Bet you're glad to be out of hospital.


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## Nihal (31 Aug 2012)

ColinJ
I was sure not to add an "r" in the "J" this time.GWS


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## ColinJ (31 Aug 2012)

Just to clarify, folks ...

I'm 'out' but I'm certainly _not_ yet 'about'! My walking range is currently only about 20 yards and an ascent of a single flight of stairs has me fighting for breath so I'm now occupying a friend's spare room, a few feet from the bathroom, and avoiding stairs when at all possible!

When I am up to it, I'll try walking 250 metres to a local cafe and back but even that level of exertion could be weeks away.

After that, I'll start doing some short walks along the Rochdale canal towpath to gradually build up my legs again. My muscles have already started to atrophy, and it is going to be a while before I can start to build them back up.

I am going to have another CT scan of my lungs in 6-8 weeks time and if that shows that the clots have gone and the doctors say it is okay, only _then_ I will start some gentle hill walking. It would be nice to have some company when I can manage a decent walk. Perhaps I will organise a CC forum walk or two then! 

I'm going to be on Warfarin for at least 6 months and it has been made clear to me that I should try to avoid cuts and bruises during that time because of the risk of uncontrolled bleeding. I won't want to take the risk of even a minor bike accident during that time, so I probably won't get back on my bike until Spring 2013. I do have a gym bike at home though, so once my lungs work properly again, I can get to work on my cycling muscles without fear of falling off the bike!

I have to have another blood test in Halifax on Monday to refine my Warfarin dosage, but after that I can get the tests done locally as required.

***************************************

I'd suggest that any of you who have not heard of DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) or PE (Pulmonary Embolism) should take a few minutes to read about them because the information could save your life! I left it way too long to get my chest x-rayed because I was convinced that all I had was a nasty chest virus. It wasn't until my leg gave up on me that I realised what was going on. I hadn't even thought to mention the sore leg to my GP until it went swollen and changed colour!


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## GlasgowGaryH (31 Aug 2012)

Take it easy and it's good to see you back on the forum


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## potsy (31 Aug 2012)

I'd be up for a CC forum walk Colin once you are well enough, obviously there would have to be coffee and cake involved 
Keep us posted on your progress, won't be the same without any of your forum rides for the forseeable


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## Smurfy (31 Aug 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I'm going to be on Warfarin for at least 6 months and it has been made clear to me that I should try to avoid cuts and bruises during that time because of the risk of uncontrolled bleeding.


 
Time to grow a beard to avoid shaving cuts?

Wishing you a speedy recovery, and hopefully the next scan will show no clots.


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## PaulB (31 Aug 2012)

ColinJ said:


> After that, I'll start doing some short walks along the Rochdale canal towpath to gradually build up my legs again.


 
Be careful of them dastard bucks on the third bridge east of Todmorden. Seriously, they are evil. And please read my previous post on this thread and let me know if this is of any use to your good self.


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## Cubist (31 Aug 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Just to clarify, folks ...
> 
> 
> After that, I'll start doing some short walks along the Rochdale canal towpath to gradually build up my legs again. My muscles have already started to atrophy, and it is going to be a while before I can start to build them back up.
> ...


Colin

As soon as you're up to it give us a shout.... reckon a walk along the towpath will beat riding it anyway. Not sure we ought to walk towards Tod though. Som e strange folk over that way.


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## ColinJ (31 Aug 2012)

PaulB said:


> Be careful of them dastard bucks on the third bridge east of Todmorden. Seriously, they are evil.


I think they are actually gastard beese, and yes, I have encountered them before! 


PaulB said:


> And please read my previous post on this thread and let me know if this is of any use to your good self.


Thanks, yes - when I have the lungs and legs for a good walk!

Actually, I know a lot of splendid circular local walks. Some of my favourite ones return through Heptonstall and there is a nice cafe there. 

A good longer gentle walk is to catch the number 900 (?) bus up to Blackstone Edge and walk back along part of the Pennine Way past Stoodley Pike and then gradually descend to Hebden Bridge. It's about 9 miles with nearly all of the ascent done on the bus.


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## ColinJ (31 Aug 2012)

Cubist said:


> Colin
> 
> As soon as you're up to it give us a shout.... reckon a walk along the towpath will beat riding it anyway. Not sure we ought to walk towards Tod though. Som e strange folk over that way.


I think I'll do the towpath walks solo! I'll only be doing them to build my strength up and I can think of much nicer alternatives in company.

Anyway, it certainly seems like a forum walk might be popular! TBH - I'd toyed with the idea of suggesting one even before I got ill, but never got round to it!

Only catch is, if the docs are right and it is 8 weeks before I'm starting to recover, we would be getting towards November and the weather might let us down.

Well, it is something for me to look forward to. We'll do it when I'm ready, whenever that happens to be!


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## Cubist (31 Aug 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I think I'll do the towpath walks solo! I'll only be doing them to build my strength up and I can think of much nicer alternatives in company.
> 
> Anyway, it certainly seems like a forum walk might be popular! TBH - I'd toyed with the idea of suggesting one even before I got ill, but never got round to it!
> 
> ...


You're on. November on the bus to Heptonstall should be on everybody's bucket list anyway.........


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## Dayvo (31 Aug 2012)

Blimey! It sounds like _Last of the Summer Wine_! Walks, cake and coffee etc. Can I come along, too? 

Take your time, Colin, and I hope you make a full recovery!


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## postman (31 Aug 2012)

Watch out for them ruddy cyclists on the tow path,they will run anyone over.


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## marshmella (31 Aug 2012)

Good to see you back on the forum Colin


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## ColinJ (31 Aug 2012)

Oh, and I'd like to add ...

This experience has restored my faith in (some parts of) the NHS. My dying parents both received some shoddy treatment in hospitals in the Midlands, but I don't have any complaints about the care I received in Halifax. The staff were kind and professional. (Yes, I _did_ see the joke when one consultant shouted across the ward _"Has Colin started taking his rat poison yet?"_! )
I was pretty humbled by the bravery of some very seriously ill patients that I met. I was almost reduced to tears by one of them. It wouldn't be right to mention any details, but he was a super bloke and he was an inspiration. I'll never allow myself to get seriously worked up about trivial problems again!
Look after yourselves folks! I'd piled on weight and was leading a very sedentary life except for occasional bursts of frantic activity on forum rides. I think that is what did for me - day after day sprawled in front of my computer or TV and then over-stressing my body on hard 8 hour rides to try and make amends. _'Little and often'_ beats _'Go mad once or twice a month'_!


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## guitarpete247 (31 Aug 2012)

Just spotted you're posting again. Good to hear from you and hear about your improving recovery. Take it gently under docs guidance.

We all need to be aware of the strains we put on our bodies as we get older. Don't know about you but I'm 56 soon. 


ColinJ said:


> _........ 'Little and often'_ beats _'Go mad once or twice a month'_!


 
If I have any time off I tend to try to build my distances up again. It seems this is probably the best thing I should be doing.

Get Well Soon and (we) hope to be hearing more of your improving progress over the coming months.


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## Pat "5mph" (31 Aug 2012)

Don't blame yourself, Colin: any of us can get sick at any time, it's just the way life goes.
Relax, concentrate on getting better. All the best!


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## ColinJ (31 Aug 2012)

guitarpete247 said:


> Just spotted you're posting again. Good to hear from you and hear about your improving recovery. Take it gently under docs guidance.
> 
> We all need to be aware of the strains we put on our bodies as we get older. Don't know about you but I'm 56 soon.


I'm 56 right now! Age wasn't the problem though. Until this illness, I hadn't seen a doctor in 25 years and would have described myself as being in good health apart from being 40-odd pounds overweight.

My blood pressure is fine and I've had a heart scan and CT scans from pelvis to chest which showed nothing wrong apart from the clots.

It's a bit scary how suddenly this happened and one of the reasons why I am going into so much detail about my condition is to alert other CC members to the dangers. I wouldn't want any of you to end up like this if it can be avoided! 

I'm going to take this as a very serious warning that I am not 21 any more and can't keep neglecting my body and expect to get away with it!


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## Wobblers (31 Aug 2012)

It's good to see they've let you out the madhouse hospital!

The good news is if they didn't think the Warfarin would do the trick they'd never have let you out, so absolutely no horror stories from me (not that I know of any in the first place... ).

Hope you're back to normal quickly.


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## dave r (31 Aug 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I'm 56 right now! Age wasn't the problem though. Until this illness, I hadn't seen a doctor in 25 years and would have described myself as being in good health apart from being 40-odd pounds overweight.
> 
> My blood pressure is fine and I've had a heart scan and CT scans from pelvis to chest which showed nothing wrong apart from the clots.
> 
> ...


 
Nice to hear from you Colin, how are you feeling? Your in the same position I was in 2008 when I went down with Angina, for years I had hardly seen the doctor, if I did see him it was usually because I was accompanying the Mrs or the kids, and thought I was in good health.


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## I like Skol (31 Aug 2012)

I don't know how but I missed this thread completely for 10 days!!! I've already done my GWS but one thing I can agree on here is the need to look after ourselves. I cycle to work for 2 reasons and neither of them is to save money. I enjoy it and as I am 40 next year I know I have passed my best years of being naturally healthy so REGULAR cycling is a good way to stay fit and control my weight.
My wife sometimes puts me under pressure to cycle less because cycling to work robs us of about 20 minutes of family time in an evening but I keep telling her I am not doing it for entirely selfish reasons but because I want to be around for a bl**dy long time to be with her and the kids until we all reach a ripe old age. My father is now in his mid 70's but has really not had great health for the last 20yrs and I don't want that for me.
Colin, as a single bloke you really are statistically at risk. I am sure I would fall into the same lifestyle as you if it weren't for my family. Anyway, your extended cyclechat family are here to keep an eye on you so make sure you get back to fighting fit and get riding that bike


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## alecstilleyedye (31 Aug 2012)

gws colin…


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## ColinJ (1 Sep 2012)

dave r said:


> Nice to hear from you Colin, how are you feeling? Your in the same position I was in 2008 when I went down with Angina, for years I had hardly seen the doctor, if I did see him it was usually because I was accompanying the Mrs or the kids, and thought I was in good health.


Well, it's pretty scary for one's health to go downhill so rapidly, and if I'm honest - I'll remain pretty scared until I get my breath back and my leg starts to feel okay again!

I still get the dry cough which fooled me into thinking that I had a chest infection. I don't feel too ill as long as I lie in bed or stretch out on a sofa with my leg horizontal. As soon as I put my leg down, the blood starts to pool in it, especially if I put weight on it.


I like Skol said:


> I don't know how but I missed this thread completely for 10 days!!! I've already done my GWS but one thing I can agree on here is the need to look after ourselves. I cycle to work for 2 reasons and neither of them is to save money. I enjoy it and as I am 40 next year I know I have passed my best years of being naturally healthy so REGULAR cycling is a good way to stay fit and control my weight.
> My wife sometimes puts me under pressure to cycle less because cycling to work robs us of about 20 minutes of family time in an evening but I keep telling her I am not doing it for entirely selfish reasons but because I want to be around for a bl**dy long time to be with her and the kids until we all reach a ripe old age. My father is now in his mid 70's but has really not had great health for the last 20yrs and I don't want that for me.
> Colin, as a single bloke you really are statistically at risk. I am sure I would fall into the same lifestyle as you if it weren't for my family. Anyway, your extended cyclechat family are here to keep an eye on you so make sure you get back to fighting fit and get riding that bike


Well feel free to explain to your wife what has happened to me, and explain that regular exercise should stop you going the same way. I reckon that the big gaps between my rides were a big factor in these clots forming.


alecstilleyedye said:


> gws colin…


Cheers - I'll do that, or die trying! (Perhaps I should rephrase that ...?  )


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## Svendo (1 Sep 2012)

Hey Colin, it's really nice to read your posts and thoughts again. There are some nice cute geese at the bottom of Hollins road near mine, one white goose with a crooked neck and a slightly slow grey and white one with a big red blobby thing on it's nose. Change from the usual canada geese. They seem to hang out with the ducks as I think the Canada Geese bully them for being special!
One tip from a work colleague who is on the old rat poison, try not to sneeze or blow your nose too hard.


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## oldfatfool (1 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Only catch is, if the docs are right and it is 8 weeks before I'm starting to recover, we would be getting towards November and the weather might let us down.


Can't beat a stroll on a crisp autumn/ winter morning especially if cake is involved


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## Speicher (1 Sep 2012)

A very big




from me. Get well soon.


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## MacB (1 Sep 2012)

Colin could you just verify for us, as I know some on here are concerned. Were the hospital able to rule out the possibility of this being something you picked up from Potsy?


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## 400bhp (1 Sep 2012)

Do you work Colin?


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## 400bhp (1 Sep 2012)

MacB said:


> Colin could you just verify for us, as I know some on here are concerned. Were the hospital able to rule out the possibility of this being something you picked up from Potsy?


 
Aww, that's mean.


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## andy1 (1 Sep 2012)

Doh!!!! completely missed this thread!!! , i was aware of your illness but not this until you reappeared on the forum.
However i would like to wish you all the best and a speedy recovery.


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## ColinJ (1 Sep 2012)

Svendo said:


> One tip from a work colleague who is on the old rat poison, try not to sneeze or blow your nose too hard.


Apart from mild headaches, the first sign that the drugs are doing something is that I am seeing small spots of blood in the tissue every morning when I (very carefully!) blow my nose.


oldfatfool said:


> Can't beat a stroll on a crisp autumn/ winter morning especially if cake is involved


Crisp winter days are great - it's the damp grey ones that I hate!


Speicher said:


> A very big
> View attachment 12237
> from me. Get well soon.


Thanks! I've been feeling a bit fed up today, but cheering myself up by watching some of the Vuelta stages that I missed while in hospital - good old ITV Player!


400bhp said:


> Do you work Colin?


I've been living off an inheritance for the past 20 months while trying to make money online, but have not been taking it seriously enough. This is going to become a major issue soon, so I need to get serious about it ASAP. I think this health scare might be what I needed to shock me out of the rut I was in.

I can't see me starting a new career at my age (nearly 57) and I can't pay my way on the kind of minimum wage jobs that I _could_ get so I need to do something different that pays reasonably well. I'm a fairly intelligent, literate, numerate engineering graduate so I really ought to be able to come up with an idea that pays me the £2k/month that I need. _(Surely?)_

I was speaking to a woman from Leeds who made £23k in her first year working online from home, while looking after her baby, so I know it is possible. I just need to stop thinking so much and actually start _doing_ something productive!


andy1 said:


> Doh!!!! completely missed this thread!!! , i was aware of your illness but not this until you reappeared on the forum.
> However i would like to wish you all the best and a speedy recovery.


Thanks Andy.


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## Andrew_Culture (1 Sep 2012)

I made a living for ten years working online, it's a broad church


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## pubrunner (1 Sep 2012)

topcat1 said:


> He does put Hebden bridge on the map, all the best Colin


 
Not just Hebden Bridge, but the whole of Yorkshire !

All the Best, Colin !


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## I like Skol (1 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I was speaking to a woman from Leeds who made £23k in her first year working online from home, while looking after her baby, so I know it is possible. I just need to stop thinking so much and actually start _doing_ something productive!


 
My god Colin, you're not pregnant are you? That would explain a lot!


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## ColinJ (1 Sep 2012)

Andrew_Culture said:


> I made a living for ten years working online, it's a broad church


That's encouraging! 


pubrunner said:


> Not just Hebden Bridge, but the whole of Yorkshire !
> 
> All the Best, Colin !


Cheers!


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## ColinJ (1 Sep 2012)

I like Skol said:


> My god Colin, you're not pregnant are you? That would explain a lot!


If I am, it's an immaculate misconception!


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## bicyclos (1 Sep 2012)

Goodness, Im as slow as my sprinting reagrds this thread

I can only wish you the best for a speedy recovery and keep positive and focused. You can put me down for a CC forum walk when the time is right, sounds like a good idea.

Take care Colin


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## Andrew_P (2 Sep 2012)

GWS missed this as been on my Hols, is this the same Colin who runs from the BP machine, how did you cope with 9 weeks being attached to one (hope my memory serves me right on the BP machine!)

Look after yourself and gently eas back in to the steps!


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## ColinJ (2 Sep 2012)

LOCO said:


> GWS missed this as been on my Hols, is this the same Colin who runs from the BP machine, how did you cope with 9 weeks being attached to one (hope my memory serves me right on the BP machine!)
> 
> Look after yourself and gently eas back in to the steps!


Thanks.

BP = Blood Pressure? Er, I did have an unpleasant with my first BP reading because I didn't realise how the machines worked and thought the damn thing was faulty and was crushing my arm! 

I was only in hospital for 9 days, not 9 weeks - thank goodness! 

It took me a while to work out that the reason my arms were aching was having my BP taken 2 or 3 times a day.

One thing I don't have to worry about is high BP - all the readings were fine. In fact, everything looks fine apart from the damn blood clots!

Another blood test in the morning and possible change of Warfarin dosage.


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## Kestevan (4 Sep 2012)

Bloody hell Col, only just seen this thread. Get well soon mate.

Sounds like all being well you'll be back on the bike round about the same time as Mrs Kes gets the use of her leg back. We should round up all the CC cripples and organise a nice _flat* _spring recovery ride....

*You know, one with no hills; smooth, not lumpy..... strange concept for you but you've got some months to work on it


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## postman (4 Sep 2012)

Are you sure Colin wants a visit.We could go see Nora instead.


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## ColinJ (4 Sep 2012)

It is so damn frustrating having to spend so much time immobilised when I want to be out walking or riding in what is left of the summer!

My leg muscles have lost a lost of bulk and nearly all of their strength but there isn't much I can do to build them back up while I wait for the clots to be dissolved. 

I am limited by the pain in my leg if I stand for more than about 30 seconds, and I still get breathless if I move about too much. Still - I think I can feel a slow improvement. Trips up and down stairs are still a struggle so I am only making them once or twice a day for a change of scene from lying around in/on my bed, but at least I am recovering quicker now. Last week, I was fighting for breath and my heart rate was going crazy after walking up the stairs. Now, I'm just breathing heavily for 30 seconds or so and then start to relax again. 

I think the Warfarin is doing its job! Yesterday's blood test showed that it was working a bit too hard so my dose has been reduced by 1 mg a day to keep me in the target range of 'INR'.

I'm starting to enjoy food again, and have regained my interest in CycleChat, the Vuelta and reading my cycling books and magazines. All good signs - I'm thinking about positive things again rather than having morbid thoughts about illness and death! 

I'm looking forward to the proposed forum *walk* in November, all being well.

_Once again - thanks for the all the GWS messages. I've been getting them by text and 'PM' as well as in this thread. _


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## coffeejo (4 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> It is so damn frustrating having to spend so much time immobilised when I want to be out walking or riding in what is left of the summer! [...] I'm starting to enjoy food again, and have regained my interest in CycleChat, the Vuelta and reading my cycling books and magazines. All good signs - I'm thinking about positive things again rather than having morbid thoughts about illness and death!


 
It must be hard being so frustrated and cooped up but I'd say that's also a good sign that you're on the road to recovery.


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## 400bhp (4 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> It is so damn frustrating having to spend so much time immobilised when I want to be out walking or riding in what is left of the summer!
> 
> My leg muscles have lost a lost of bulk and nearly all of their strength but there isn't much I can do to build them back up while I wait for the clots to be dissolved.
> 
> ...


 
Onwards and upwards Col - keep yer pecker uip


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## The Jogger (4 Sep 2012)

Good stuff Colin, wishing you a speedy recovery............


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## Arch (4 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I'm looking forward to the proposed forum *walk* in November, all being well.


 
You know, depending on NT's leg status then, I/we might be up for a forum walk!


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## simon.r (4 Sep 2012)

Colin, all the best for a full and speedy as possible recovery.

(Only just seen this thread, not been on CC much recently for various reasons).


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## Scoosh (4 Sep 2012)

> _*I'm on Warfarin for the clots and really hoping for a good outcome. I don't want to hear any Warfarin/clot horror stories though folks so please leave me in blissful ignorance if you know something that I don't! *_


Is this referring to anyone from CC ? 

Great to hear you are doing better  and we need your posting skills elsewhere too !


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## dave r (4 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> It is so damn frustrating having to spend so much time immobilised when I want to be out walking or riding in what is left of the summer!
> 
> My leg muscles have lost a lost of bulk and nearly all of their strength but there isn't much I can do to build them back up while I wait for the clots to be dissolved.
> 
> ...


 
Colin its nice to hear your making progress, the fact that you are getting frustrated is a good sign that things are getting better.


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## ColinJ (4 Sep 2012)

Thanks all!

Yes - I think frustration is a good sign, especially when it replaces fear! 

I've finally caught up with the backlog of stages from the Vuelta, courtesy of ITV Player. Looking forward to the rest of the race and then the Tour of Britain and World Championships to come.


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## Dangermouse (5 Sep 2012)

Hi Colin, I dont know you but I hope you make a full recovery seeing as DVT isnt to be taken lightly in any sense, enjoy the ToB and WC mate.


Pete


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## Night Train (5 Sep 2012)

Arch said:


> You know, depending on NT's leg status then, I/we might be up for a forum walk!


We should do this!

Good to hear you are home and frustrated. The frustration being a positive sign of not having given up on enjoying yourself.
I hope your progress continues and you are fully well again soon.


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## MontyVeda (5 Sep 2012)

I didn't even realise you were poorly 'til today Colin... good to know you're on the mend.


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## Arch (5 Sep 2012)

Night Train said:


> We should do this!
> 
> Good to hear you are home and frustrated. The frustration being a positive sign of not having given up on enjoying yourself.
> I hope your progress continues and you are fully well again soon.


 
Maybe we should keep hold of the wheelchair for a while. Imagine a posse of CCers, trying to push Colin in a wheelchair cross country, and demanding that he enjoy the experience! (which would inevitably involve him tipping out at least once!)


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## subaqua (6 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I'm just out of hospital!
> 
> Thanks so much for your GWS messages. I only just got the chance to read these but I was told about this thread and it meant a lot to me.
> 
> ...


 
I can give you a warfarin good news story

saved wifeys life and that of my youngest son before he was born.


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## beanzontoast (6 Sep 2012)

Very late coming to this thread - hope you get well soon, Colin.


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## ColinJ (6 Sep 2012)

subaqua said:


> I can give you a warfarin good news story
> 
> saved wifeys life and that of my youngest son before he was born.


That's the kind of story I *do* want to hear! Three cheers for rat poison Warfarin! 


beanzontoast said:


> Very late coming to this thread - hope you get well soon, Colin.


Thanks!

I've noticed a stronger pulse in my left leg today and the discomfort level when I walk on it has reduced so I hope that is a sign that the DVT is starting to dissolve away. I'm having a chat with my GP later today to discuss progress, blood tests and prescriptions.

I'll give it another week or so and then start walking about more to try and get some strength back in my legs. They haven't been this scrawny since I was a skinny student 30-odd years ago!


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## potsy (6 Sep 2012)

How much weight have you lost Colin?


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## ColinJ (6 Sep 2012)

potsy said:


> How much weight have you lost Colin?


It was about 10 pounds when I was in hospital but I haven't weighed myself since I came out. (I'm staying at a friend's house and there are no scales here.)

I can tell you that I have lost at least 3 inches off my waist because a belt that was previously at its endstop had to be taken in 3 inches to stop my trousers slipping down!


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## potsy (6 Sep 2012)

You'll be needing a whole new wardrobe for 'Colinj's 2013 forum rides'


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## ColinJ (6 Sep 2012)

potsy said:


> You'll be needing a whole new wardrobe for 'Colinj's 2013 forum rides'


Well at least those pesky lycra shorts should no longer be too tight by then!


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## Rob3rt (7 Sep 2012)

Glad you are feeling a bit better mate! Hopefully things keep improving at a nice rate


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## Arsen Gere (7 Sep 2012)

Best wishes Colin. 
On the good news front my mate Big Ron (6' 5 and 18 stone) had exactly the same problem. They took him in with chest pains, diagnosed some infection or other and pumped him full of antibiotics. They kept saying he's a big fell give him more. It wasn't until the consultant saw him still in agony that he instantly diagnosed a clot. Dropped him some warfarin and he was much better in an hour. That was twelve years ago, he's nearing 60 now and fit as a lop. I used to sit next to him when he weighed all his food at work out what doses he had to take. I guess things have moved on in that time and treatments will have improved. I see him out on his bike regularly, he swims too and you would not know he had been ill. It took him about a year to fully recover but once he got over the first month or so he was back to work. Quite remarkable really considering the state he was in.


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## ColinJ (7 Sep 2012)

I like Big Ron's story! 

Yes, they are careful to work out the right Warfarin dose these days - too little and it is not going to be doing what it should be for you; too much ... well, it is rat poison - _you don't want to be taking too much!_ 

I'm definitely improving. I know it sounds a small thing, but I just managed to get out of bed, make myself a cup of tea and carry it back up to bed without collapsing! 

I tried doing that before I went into hospital and almost blacked out when I got to the kitchen. I then took 5 minutes to recover enough to make the tea, and had to shuffle back up the stairs one tread at a time. I was too wasted to drink the tea when I finally got back to bed!

I think I will try sitting on the doorstep in the sunshine for a while later this afternoon. I have hardly been outdoors for 6 weeks and need to get some sunlight on my skin. 

I realise now how much I took my good health for granted. When I have it back, I hope I appreciate it more and will do my best to preserve it. No more late nights drinking beer while watching TV, and long days slumped in front of a computer and not taking exercise breaks. 

I want to lead my hilly forum rides from the front, not _'coordinate'_ them from the back!


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## phil_hg_uk (7 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I like Big Ron's story!
> 
> Yes, they are careful to work out the right Warfarin dose these days - too little and it is not going to be doing what it should be for you; too much ... well, it is rat poison - _you don't want to be taking too much!_
> 
> ...


 

Good to hear you are starting to feel a bit better colin  I must admit your situation has prompted me to up my cycling a bit and I am making more of an effort to change my eating habits and I have gone down 2 belt notches in the last month.

I look forward to seeing you out on a forum ride next year zooming past me


----------



## ColinJ (7 Sep 2012)

phil_hg_uk said:


> Good to hear you are starting to feel a bit better colin  I must admit your situation has prompted me to up my cycling a bit and I am making more of an effort to change my eating habits and I have gone down 2 belt notches in the last month.
> 
> I look forward to seeing you out on a forum ride next year zooming past me


Keep it up!

I knew I was having to work way too hard when I was out on my bike because I was too heavy and unfit for what I was trying to do. The rest of the time I was a full-on couch potato!

*I'm hoping that a lot of people stop and think about what has happened to me, and consider whether they need to change their lifestyles too. It happened to me, so it can happen to you too, folks! *

I had absolutely no warning signs that this was happening - in mid-July I did a hard, hilly 100 km forum ride to Otley. Less than a week later, I couldn't breathe properly and was becoming seriously ill!


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## phil_hg_uk (7 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Keep it up!
> 
> I knew I was having to work way too hard when I was out on my bike because I was too heavy and unfit for what I was trying to do. The rest of the time I was a full-on couch potato!
> 
> ...


 
I am sure it will have some effect on a lot of people as they get on towards their 40' and 50's.

I started cycling again in 2006 because I deciced that my life style of sitting on my arse smoking 20 - 30 fags a day and drinking a lot was probably going to kill me eventually, and that as I was getting into my 40's I was rapidly approaching the time when that was going to happen, so I could either carry on trying to kill myself or do something about it.

Also another contributing factor was when my brother-in-law died of lung cancer in the early 2000's and he was only 52 and didnt even smoke at that time.


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## Night Train (7 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I'm definitely improving. I know it sounds a small thing, but I just managed to get out of bed, make myself a cup of tea and carry it back up to bed without collapsing!


I can really appreciate that 'small thing'.
Though I was only injured and and at relatively little risk it was often the tiny advances that felt amazing.

Keep it up and keep improving.


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## potsy (7 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I want to lead my hilly forum rides from the front, not _'coordinate'_ them from the back!


 
There's a first time for everything 
I've made that quote my sig to remind you


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## ColinJ (10 Sep 2012)

I finally came home from my friend's house today. I had been feeling better and thought it was time to be a bit more independent again.

I was going to make myself something to eat when I got home but became distracted by the fact that my fridge had frozen up. I spent some time defrosting it and then realised that I was feeling knackered so I just had some cold snacks instead. I evidently haven't made quite as much progress as I thought I had! Never mind - I'll just have to take it easy and not rush into doing more than I'm well enough to tackle.



potsy said:


> How much weight have you lost Colin?


I can now answer that question - I was 16 st 1 lb when I was taken ill (down from my peak of 16 st 8 lbs) and am now 14 st 12 lbs. Unfortunately, several lbs of that loss is from my muscles which are nowhere near as strong as they were, but I have definitely lost a significant amount of body fat. I've lost nearly 4 inches off my waist. At least _some_ good has come of this illness!


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## Baggy (10 Sep 2012)

Glad to hear you feel well enough to come home Colin, but do make sure you take it steady! Defrosting is far too rock 'n' roll!


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## Arch (10 Sep 2012)

Baggy said:


> Glad to hear you feel well enough to come home Colin, but do make sure you take it steady! Defrosting is far too rock 'n' roll!


 
It's no good Baggy, you can't tell 'em. I leave NT alone for 5 minutes, he's jacking up Land Rover axles...


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## Night Train (10 Sep 2012)

I've been in the workshop taking apart a BMW K100 gearbox.


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## ColinJ (10 Sep 2012)

Baggy said:


> Glad to hear you feel well enough to come home Colin, but do make sure you take it steady! Defrosting is far too rock 'n' roll!


Ha ha! I have to laugh, otherwise I'd cry ... I never thought I'd see the day when defrosting a fridge would push me to my physical limits! 

It has certainly given me an insight into how frail, lonely pensioners must live their lives. I've struggled to open packets when I couldn't find the scissors; I couldn't carry a 12 pound rucksack round here because it was too heavy for me; having to ask my friend to make me a cup of tea because I couldn't handle another trip down the stairs; not being able to do my own washing and shopping; sitting around the house all day just waiting for someone to come round to talk to me and help me out ...


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## Baggy (10 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Ha ha! I have to laugh, otherwise I'd cry ... I never thought I'd see the day when defrosting a fridge would push me to my physical limits!
> 
> It has certainly given me an insight into how frail, lonely pensioners must live their lives...


Although not as serious as DVT, I've (so far) twice had illnesses that were physically debilitating, the first time I was able to go back to my parents' house to be looked after, but the second time was living on my own and had the same kind of insight - cooking was too much effort, I'd be desperately thirsty as i couldn't face going to the kitchen for a drink, was unable to walk down the street or go shopping without a friend escorting me etc and lost confidence in my capacity to handle the outside world.

Luckily that's now just a memory (as I'm sure it soon will be for you!) but it still acts as a reminder to me to not take anything for granted health wise, and prompts me to have a bit more consideration for my elderly relatives and neighbours, even when they're driving me round the twist!


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## ColinJ (19 Sep 2012)

I'm using this thread as a kind of online diary so I can (hopefully!) look back later and remind myself of how my recovery went, so here is a quick update ...

My breathing is _much_ better. I don't have any problem with long conversations any more, whereas when I was in hospital I tended to get breathless when I talked for more than a few minutes.

I can now walk (slowly) up and down stairs a few times without collapsing afterwards.

The pal I stayed with when I came out of hospital invited me round for a meal the other evening and I managed the 50 metre walk to her house fairly comfortably and got home okay afterwards.

The leg with the blood clot in it is still swelling up if I stand or walk about on it for more than a few minutes but it was packing up after 30 seconds a few weeks ago, so that is actually good progress.

I am not yet able to walk to the nearest shops or cafe which is my next big target, but hopefully I will manage that some time in October.

I am still frustrated at how slow the progress is, but a month ago I only just had enough breath to stagger 20 feet to the bathroom so I'm not going to complain!

_*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_
*And now, a public health announcement ...*
_If you develop unexpected pains, swelling or discolouration in a leg, it could be due to a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis - a.k.a. a feckin big blood clot!) _

_If you develop a dry, hacking cough which lasts more than a few days and you become very breathless for no apparent reason, that could be due to a pulmonary embolism (a.k.a. a feckin big blood clot in/around a lung!). I can tell you from personal experience that this is defintely **not** a situation where a 'HTFU/MTFU' attitude is going to help you - *GO AND SEE YOUR DOCTOR, ASAP!* _
_*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_ _*****_


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## ASC1951 (20 Sep 2012)

Someone I used to work with had a DVT in his mid 20s after he was hit in the thigh by a cricket ball. He had to wear a compression bandage and take daily warfarin, but he has lasted a further 40 years and counting .....


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## ColinJ (20 Sep 2012)

ASC1951 said:


> Someone I used to work with had a DVT in his mid 20s after he was hit in the thigh by a cricket ball. He had to wear a compression bandage and take daily warfarin, but he has lasted a further 40 years and counting .....


I was told that a DVT could be caused by something as trivial as a bruise. Pretty shocking really when you realise how serious the consequences can be!

I'm glad that your former colleague is still with us, though I am hoping that 6 months of Warfarin treatment will be enough for me.

One reason why I am keeping this thread going is to try and prevent other CycleChat members going through what I am, or worse ...

The other reason is that I was getting lots of messages asking how I am doing, so it makes sense to keep you all updated in one place.

I am looking forward to cycling at a much more sensible weight in 2013!


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## ASC1951 (20 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I'm glad that your former colleague is still with us, though I am hoping that 6 months of Warfarin treatment will be enough for me.


I think it might have been enough for him if he had been sensible. Instead he treated the DVT as an excuse to give up exercise and carried on drinking and smoking for another thirty years. He only saw the light in his mid 50s, by which time it was far too late to reverse any of the damage.



> I am looking forward to cycling at a much more sensible weight in 2013!


It is depressing how many conditions are caused or made worse by being a lardy lump.  Everything from tiniitus to ingrowing toenails.


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## Saluki (20 Sep 2012)

Glad to hear you are on the mend. 
Good advise about the DVT. A friends mother was taken to hospital with a DVT and her life was never the same, mind you she was quite aged and frail to start with.

I did not know that DVT could be caused by something as simple as a bruise though. That has quite shocked me.


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## Christopher (20 Sep 2012)

Get well soon Colin! I seem to have posted above on the wrong thread, I will delete it!

After you are well we can go up Shibden Wall aka Lee Lane, just north of Halifax: a cobbled 1 in 4 climb. You'll love it! I only just got up it in 26x25 on a tourer. After the first third of the climb there is no respite from the gradient and no escaping the cobbles, you just have to grind up.


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## ColinJ (20 Sep 2012)

Causes of DVT

I think that my problem developed due to a combination of excess weight, eccessive alcohol intake, long periods of time sat at a computer, dehydration and possibly genetic factors (my mother suffered a couple of DVTs so there might be a family tendency to suffer them).


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## ColinJ (20 Sep 2012)

Christopher said:


> Get well soon Colin! I seem to have posted above on the wrong thread, I will delete it!
> 
> After you are well we can go up Shibden Wall aka Lee Lane, just north of Halifax: a cobbled 1 in 4 climb. You'll love it! I only just got up it in 26x25 on a tourer. After the first third of the climb there is no respite from the gradient and no escaping the cobbles, you just have to grind up.


Thanks.

I think it will be a few (hundred!) days before I'll be ready to cycle up 25% cobbled 'walls' again!


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## ColinJ (20 Sep 2012)

Oh - another thing ...

Large amounts of vitamin k in your diet can increase the tendency to clot. A lot of the vegetables that I really like and was eating large amounts of are high in vitamin k. Veg such as broccoli, peas and lettuce. I didn't realise that it was possible to eat too much of that kind of thing. I do not want to reduce my intake of those vegetables so I am going to look for other vegetables that thin the blood and try and balance out the effects.

I have been told that cranberries and cranberry juice are a big no-no when on Warfarin.

Alcohol intake should not exceed the government guidelines. I'm playing safe and have cut it out altogether while I am on Warfarin. If I start again after recovery, I will stick to those limits.


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## summerdays (20 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> have been told that cranberries and cranberry juice are a big no-no when on Warfarin.
> s.


 
I think Grapefruit might also have drug interactions, I know my parents had to cut down their consumption of it - my Dad is on Warfarin permanently.


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## ColinJ (20 Sep 2012)

Grapefruit is not a problem for me - I hate it!

I've had a few people tell me that they have to take Warfarin for life and get on alright with it but I don't like the idea of potentially falling off my bike while I am taking it because of the risk of excessive bleeding so I hope I can finish after 6 months.


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## Saluki (20 Sep 2012)

If you are on Warfarin you should not drink Aloe Vera either. Just in case you are a devotee of Aloe and didn't know.


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## Night Train (20 Sep 2012)

Thanks for the update and the DVT information.

It is good to know you are improving.
If you need any help, I am now car mobile again and could come over. I will need to book the car into a service at Murt's soon so I could pop over and visit if you like.


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## ColinJ (20 Sep 2012)

Night Train said:


> If you need any help, I am now car mobile again and could come over. I will need to book the car into a service at Murt's soon so I could pop over and visit if you like.


It's nice of you to offer but I have my 'support team' in place, thanks. I'm glad to hear that you are on the mend too!

As soon as I am fit to go to a cafe I'll be happy to meet up with any CCers passing through Hebden Bridge and (hopefully) not too long after that I will organise the forum walk that I mentioned a few pages back.


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## Arjimlad (20 Sep 2012)

Hope you are feeling better soon, Colin, back on the bike 'n all.


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## davefb (20 Sep 2012)

friend had a dvt about 3yrs ago( well not true, was a pulmanary thrombosis).. hospital misdiagnosed, (sent him away with an asthma inahler, he'd NEVER had asthma, the issue was the surgery he'd had 7 weeks before, probably) and he was dead within 3 days...... cousin also died thru one whilst pregnant.... another friend had a long term clotting problem and died a few years back ( christ he wasn't even 40,been on warfarin or similar for "ages",but liked a bottle of port :-/)..

genuinely glad you're okay...


( other half had one after a plane trip, we assumed it was her diabetes when she was short of breath and not feeling well, *luckily* it cleared after they saw a clot in her leg, then administered some drug)


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## jonny jeez (20 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> It's nice of you to offer but I have my 'support team' in place, thanks. I'm glad to hear that you are on the mend too!
> 
> As soon as I am fit to go to a cafe I'll be happy to meet up with any CCers passing through Hebden Bridge and (hopefully) not too long after that I will organise the forum walk that I mentioned a few pages back.


Hey Colin, I had no idea you were unwell. Very glad to see you up and about the place.

Veggies are bad for you? ...I cant wait to tell Mrs Jeez that, she loves a bit of chocolate.


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## ColinJ (20 Sep 2012)

Arjimlad said:


> Hope you are feeling better soon, Colin, back on the bike 'n all.


Thanks. It will be months before I'm cycling again though.


davefb said:


> friend had a dvt about 3yrs ago( well not true, was a pulmanary thrombosis).. hospital misdiagnosed, (sent him away with an asthma inahler, he'd NEVER had asthma, the issue was the surgery he'd had 7 weeks before, probably) and he was dead within 3 days...... cousin also died thru one whilst pregnant.... another friend had a long term clotting problem and died a few years back ( christ he wasn't even 40,been on warfarin or similar for "ages",but liked a bottle of port :-/)..
> 
> genuinely glad you're okay...
> 
> ( other half had one after a plane trip, we assumed it was her diabetes when she was short of breath and not feeling well, *luckily* it cleared after they saw a clot in her leg, then administered some drug)


Yikes, that's terrible!

This is why I'm writing so much on CC about these health problems of mine - so many people don't know the risks of blood clots or what to watch out for. I had been very badly short of breath for a couple of weeks before I realised how serious the situation was and sought help. I thought I'd caught a weird chest virus and would get over it in due course the way I normally do when ill ...

In theory, something could _still_ go wrong and I could have a heart attack or stroke but I'm trying to put those risks out of my mind because there isn't much I can do now other than take the pills and do what the doctors tell me to do (or not to do!). If something bad _does_ happen to me, my sister will come on here and tell you about it, but let's please just assume that is _not_ going to happen!


jonny jeez said:


> Hey Colin, I had no idea you were unwell. Very glad to see you up and about the place.
> 
> Veggies are bad for you? ...I cant wait to tell Mrs Jeez that, she loves a bit of chocolate.


Cheers.

I'm not saying that veggies are bad, just that perhaps I'd gone a bit OTT with the greens and not balanced them out with enough other vegetables. My health apart from this problem seems to be very good and that is largely due to a healthy diet and what exercise I did get between excessive spells sat in front of PC & TV screens!

Chocolate in sensible amounts can be quite good for you. Unfortunately, 500 grams of chocolate is not really a sensible amount to chomp through in an evening ...!


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## Arch (20 Sep 2012)

User14044mountain said:


> I hope things keep improving. I'm really pleased you are sharing your experiences with us. Sadly I suspect some of us will encounter these problems over the next few years and fore-warned is fore-armed.


 

No, no, pay attention, it was in his leg, not his forearm.


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## Scoosh (20 Sep 2012)

You're getting better ! 

Keep going slowly and steadily - you know it makes sense (and is intensely frustrating ).

Continued Best Wishes.  (<--- that's a 'Stranger-hug' ! )


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## Davidc (20 Sep 2012)

Good to hear you're getting better Colin, hope it goes on to a complete recovery.

Can I reinforce what you've said about the need to get to the doctor if you feel pains or unwell. 4 years ago I only went to hospital with chest pains because my wife insisted I did, and then drove me there. I'd had a heart attack! If I hadn't gone then I'd either be much worse off now probably disabled, or dead.


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## Pat "5mph" (21 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Chocolate in sensible amounts can be quite good for you. Unfortunately, 500 grams of chocolate is not really a sensible amount to chomp through in an evening ...!


Oh ... chocolate 

Good to read your health is improving a bit every day!


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## ColinJ (21 Sep 2012)

Arch said:


> No, no, pay attention, it was in his leg, not his forearm.


I was getting mysterious pains in my biceps while I was in hospital.

I thought to myself _"Great - now I'm getting clots in my arms too!"_ 

I eventually realised that the new pains were caused by having my arms crushed 3 times a day by a blood pressure cuff!


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## Andrew_Culture (23 Sep 2012)

Davidc said:


> Good to hear you're getting better Colin, hope it goes on to a complete recovery.
> 
> Can I reinforce what you've said about the need to get to the doctor if you feel pains or unwell. 4 years ago I only went to hospital with chest pains because my wife insisted I did, and then drove me there. I'd had a heart attack! If I hadn't gone then I'd either be much worse off now probably disabled, or dead.



Same happened to my father in law, turns out a large portion of his heart had died due to painless heart attacks!


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## ColinJ (23 Sep 2012)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Same happened to my father in law, turns out a large portion of his heart had died due to painless heart attacks!


Blimey - I'd never heard of _painless_ heart attacks - there's another thing to worry about! I thought that heart attacks always made themselves very obvious.


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## Andrew_Culture (23 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Blimey - I'd never heard of _painless_ heart attacks - there's another thing to worry about! I thought that heart attacks always made themselves very obvious.



Sorry  My father in law is an avid consumer of fatty meats and zero exercise


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## ColinJ (23 Sep 2012)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Sorry  My father in law is an avid consumer of fatty meats and zero exercise


I'm a born worrier! Fortunately, fatty meat-eating is not something I need to worry about. In fact, my diet is pretty good, especially since alcohol won't be featuring in it until I get better.

I'll definitely be adopting a more sensible pattern of exercise than the nowt-nowt-nowt-_hard hilly forum ride_-nowt-nowt-nowt ... that I'd got into over the past year or so!


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## Andrew_Culture (24 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I'm a born worrier! Fortunately, fatty meat-eating is not something I need to worry about. In fact, my diet is pretty good, especially since alcohol won't be featuring in it until I get better.
> 
> I'll definitely be adopting a more sensible pattern of exercise than the nowt-nowt-nowt-_hard hilly forum ride_-nowt-nowt-nowt ... that I'd got into over the past year or so!



Great, I wanted to be clear that you and he are very different, even now he sneaks lumps off fat onto his plate, it crazes me!


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## middleagecyclist (24 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Blimey - I'd never heard of _painless_ heart attacks - there's another thing to worry about! I thought that heart attacks always made themselves very obvious.


So called 'Silent MI's'. Often diagnosed because the pt has come in with symptoms that have occured after the MI such as shortness of breath or lethargy. The evidence can be seen on the ECG for weeks/months/years and in blood tests for a couple of weeks or so. Often occur in people with nerve damage such as those with diabetes.

Anyway, let me add to those already given and hope you GWS.


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## ColinJ (24 Sep 2012)

potsy said:


> How much weight have you lost Colin?





ColinJ said:


> I can now answer that question - I was 16 st 1 lb when I was taken ill (down from my peak of 16 st 8 lbs) and am now 14 st 12 lbs.


Sorry potsy, I'm now ... er, 14 st 6 lbs!  (The lightest I've been since 2007.)


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## potsy (24 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Sorry potsy, I'm now ... er, 14 st 6 lbs!  (The lightest I've been since 2007.)


Blimey Colin, you are wasting away  
Get some pies down your neck!!

Seriously, it will be great to see you fighting fit next year, don't think there will be many on here who have seen such a phenomenon  just hope we can keep up.
I am doing my best to get slim with you, started again 3 weeks ago and have shed 7lbs so far


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## ColinJ (24 Sep 2012)

potsy said:


> Blimey Colin, you are wasting away
> Get some pies down your neck!!


I am eating less than I was before but I'm not starving myself - I just don't need as much food because I'm only doing a total of about 250 metres walking a day and 5 or 6 trips up and down stairs! I'll ramp up the food intake when I am able to start moving about more.

The main reason I'm shifting the weight is the total lack of alcohol!


potsy said:


> Seriously, it will be great to see you fighting fit next year, don't think there will be many on here who have seen such a phenomenon  just hope we can keep up.


There are only one or two people on CC who know me from the C+ forum days which is when I was last fit, so I think you lot will get a shock, assuming that all goes to plan!


potsy said:


> I am doing my best to get slim with you, started again 3 weeks ago and have shed 7lbs so far


Good man! Now we just need to get to work on Alun ...


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## Dayvo (24 Sep 2012)

potsy said:


> I am doing my best to get slim with you, started again 3 weeks ago and have shed 7lbs so far


 
You should get out to the shed more often, Potsy, and leave some more weight there! 

Glad Colin is motivating you to lose weight. And pleased to see that he's becoming a lightweight (although not in ideal circumstances). Keep getting better, CJ!


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## ColinJ (28 Sep 2012)

Well, the good news continues ...

A friend suggested that I walk with her to the nearest cafe today. I was nervous about it because I worry about dislodging the blood(y!) clots, but decided it really was time to get out of the house. I took it very easy, resting 3 times in the slow 300 metre walk, and she was propping me up as I walked to take some of the weight off my bad leg, but I got there in the end!

We spotted her sister chatting to one of my mates at the cafe so we sat with them and had coffee and cake.

One small step for this man, one giant poke in the eye for the clots!  



(And as part of my ongoing campaign to raise awareness of DVT and pulmonary embolism, I think the fact that I am making so much of a little stroll to a local cafe after well over a month of immobility should tell you how nasty these problems are! If they don't kill or maim you, they certainly make life very uncomfortable for a long period of time - take steps to ****AVOID AT ALL COSTS*** *(pun intended)!)


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## NormanD (28 Sep 2012)

Speedy recovery there CJ  little by little my friend.


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## longers (28 Sep 2012)

You'll have finished Millstone Grit seeing as you've got all this free time.
If you want owt else to read just let us know eh?


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## ColinJ (28 Sep 2012)

longers said:


> You'll have finished Millstone Grit seeing as you've got all this free time.
> If you want owt else to read just let us know eh?


Oh, hello stranger! You don't seem to be on CC much these days - is life treating _you_ well?

As for _Millstone Grit_ - sorry - it got buried under other books again, but I will make sure it resurfaces! I just finished another book, so I'll now finish reading MG off ASAP. Did I lend you John Peel's biography? I remember lending books to various CC members but can't remember who got what!

Now that I know I can get to a cafe, if you fancy riding over for a coffee some time let me know and we can meet up and exchange books! It would be nice to see you again. (If you are too busy, I'll post the book.)


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## Typhon (28 Sep 2012)

Just read through this whole thread. I'm glad you're recovering from your illness Colin and I hope that you fully recover and return to your old level of fitness very soon.

What's frightening about this illness is not just how suddenly it can come on but how it can affect someone who was a keen cyclist before. You've made comments about your lifestyle not being the healthiest but really, most people in their 50s take no exercise whatsoever and are severely overweight. Even if you did only do two big cycle runs a month, that's still two more than most people and you were not that overweight to begin with.

Like you I stress a lot and although I am a lot younger I had become concerned with a poor lifestyle and the effect it would have on me in the long run. I have made some big changes this summer namely taking up cycling & rowing, eating heather and _trying_ to stress less. So I hope that both of lifestyle changes will make a big difference for us in the future.


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## ColinJ (28 Sep 2012)

Honestly Typhon, it was pretty damn terrifying how quietly this sneaked up on me.

It sounds stupid, but I was totally convinced that I just had a nasty chest infection and that I would get over it without needing to see a doctor.

It took a sleepless night curled up in the foetal position and fighting for every breath with my heart doing 150+ bpm to finally convince me that I needed help.

Seeing the CT scan showing the main clot in my lungs scared me. I am going to try and get hold of copies of my scans at the end of this and I will post them as a warning to others to listen to the advice issued for long-haul flights etc.


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## Typhon (28 Sep 2012)

I don't blame you. In all honesty I would have done the same in your situation. If you haven't been ill in years and are generally fit and healthy it's only natural to pass off those symptoms as something minor.

DVT isn't something I've ever really thought about about from long haul flights but I will keep your advice in mind in the future.


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## dave r (29 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Honestly Typhon, it was pretty damn terrifying how quietly this sneaked up on me.
> 
> It sounds stupid, but I was totally convinced that I just had a nasty chest infection and that I would get over it without needing to see a doctor.
> 
> ...


 
I did the same thing, when I first had angina in 2008 I thought I had a chest infection, I only went to the doctor when It didn't clear up and I suddenly realized I only had the pain when I pushed the heart rate, sprinting away from a standstill climbing hard etc, when I did go I was half expecting to just be given antibiotics to clear it up. 
Its nice to hear you're making progress Colin, the trip to the cafe sounds like a step in the right direction. Once you've recovered you'll be leaving me behind on the hills on the forum rides then?


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## ColinJ (29 Sep 2012)

dave r said:


> I did the same thing, when I first had angina in 2008 I thought I had a chest infection, I only went to the doctor when It didn't clear up and I suddenly realized I only had the pain when I pushed the heart rate, sprinting away from a standstill climbing hard etc, when I did go I was half expecting to just be given antibiotics to clear it up.
> Its nice to hear you're making progress Colin, the trip to the cafe sounds like a step in the right direction. Once you've recovered you'll be leaving me behind on the hills on the forum rides then?


I was pretty surprised to find out that you'd had heart problems Dave! If I can recover as well from my health problems as you have from yours, then I will be very pleased.

As for leaving riders behind on climbs ... It would be nice not to be at the back on my forum rides, but I doubt that I'll ever be as quick uphill as some CC members. I might be able to cause a few problems riding into headwinds though - skinny little climbers tend not to be so good with them!


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## dave r (30 Sep 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I was pretty surprised to find out that you'd had heart problems Dave! If I can recover as well from my health problems as you have from yours, then I will be very pleased.
> 
> As for leaving riders behind on climbs ... It would be nice not to be at the back on my forum rides, but I doubt that I'll ever be as quick uphill as some CC members. I might be able to cause a few problems riding into headwinds though - skinny little climbers tend not to be so good with them!


 
I was lucky, I had and still have an active lifestyle, manual work and lots of cycling, that meant we got it early, on the stress test they did just after the diagnosis the angina was kicking in at around 80-85% effort, if I had had a sedentary lifestyle I doubt I would even know about the silting up arteries today, the first I would have known about it would be years in the future when I did something a bit more energetic than usual and keeled over with a heart attack, the arteries would have been even more silted up. Until the heart starts complaining, the angina, theres very few symptoms to tell you something is wrong, theres a subtle down turn in physical and mental condition that most people would just put down to aging and thats about it. Six or seven years before the angina I had stopped doing the Cov Road Club's fast veterans ride, fifty-sixty miles, maybe more, at an average between sixteen and eighteen miles per hour that could rise to nineteen , I had been a regular for years, doing two or three Sunday mornings a month but I stopped enjoying it and it had become hard work, I suspect the arteries had already started to silt up even then.


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## longers (1 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Now that I know I can get to a cafe, if you fancy riding over for a coffee some time let me know and we can meet up and exchange books! It would be nice to see you again. (If you are too busy, I'll post the book.)


 
I wasn't angling for the book back but a brew sounds good, I'll do my best to get over as it's been a while!
I'll also rustle up Margrave of the Marshes.

In the meantime = carry on getting better.


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## gb155 (1 Oct 2012)

I might be over your way soon Colin, did someone mention cafe???


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## ColinJ (1 Oct 2012)

longers said:


> I wasn't angling for the book back but a brew sounds good, I'll do my best to get over as it's been a while!
> I'll also rustle up Margrave of the Marshes.
> 
> In the meantime = carry on getting better.


I found the book again, and sure enough, it _had_ found its way to the bottom of a pile of others. I am reading the rest of it now so I should have finished it soon.


gb155 said:


> I might be over your way soon Colin, did someone mention cafe???


Let me know when that is Gaz, and I will hobble out to meet you!


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## ColinJ (1 Oct 2012)

Aaaargh - I made the mistake of going online and searching for information on DVT & pulmonary embolism! The trouble is, the people (or surviving family/friends) of people who had seriously bad outcomes tend to shout louder than the thousands who made full recoveries...

I read some stories that I now wish I hadn't read and they have damaged my peace of mind. I'm trying to remind myself that I already knew that things could still go wrong for me, but it keeps popping back into my head every time I get breathless or feel the pressure of the clots in my chest, which is several times an hour!

One thing that I have decided is that if the doctors recommend that I stay on Warfarin for life, I am going to get one of the new 'INR' measuring machines so I can do my own blood tests on a regular basis, and try and regulate my clotting levels using diet alone. Foods containing high levels of vitamin k increase clotting and there are others that reduce it so in theory, clotting control ought to be possible without drugs, and it so happens that I really like the foods in question and they are very nutritious.

Anyway, I've got my b-in-law here for a few days and that is nice. He nipped out to the shops yesterday and came back with some yummy salmon steaks, the kind of thing I love but can't afford to buy very often for myself - hmmm! 

There is a break in the rain here today so I think it is time for another cafe trip, this time with my guest. I came to the conclusion that I need to be walking a bit more now, because sitting around too much is probably a major cause of my original clots and I don't want to form more!


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## dave r (1 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Aaaargh - I made the mistake of going online and searching for information on DVT & pulmonary embolism! The trouble is, the people (or surviving family/friends) of people who had seriously bad outcomes tend to shout louder than the thousands who made full recoveries...
> 
> I read some stories that I now wish I hadn't read and they have damaged my peace of mind. I'm trying to remind myself that I already knew that things could still go wrong for me, but it keeps popping back into my head every time I get breathless or feel the pressure of the clots in my chest, which is several times an hour!
> 
> ...


 

Its a major mistake looking up your illness on the web I've done it myself, from what I'm reading on here you're doing OK, you just need to keep rolling along.


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## potsy (2 Oct 2012)

Colin, can you rename your album to 'Colinj's ever shrinking' now please


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## ColinJ (2 Oct 2012)

potsy said:


> Colin, can you rename your album to 'Colinj's ever shrinking' now please


Ha ha! My guest has been buying lots of yummy supplies for us the past few days so I haven't lost any more weight since the last report, but he is off on Thursday and I'll be back to more mundane food like porridge and salad (in separate meals!).


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## phil_hg_uk (2 Oct 2012)

Potsy just so you know "Salad" as mentioned in colins post is the green part of the kebab you usually throw away


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## ColinJ (4 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Ha ha! My guest has been buying lots of yummy supplies for us the past few days so I haven't lost any more weight since the last report, but he is off on Thursday and I'll be back to more mundane food like porridge and salad (in separate meals!).


He spotted 200g Galaxy bars for £1.19 in the local Co-op last night! He bought one 'classic' bar and one of the ones with caramel filling inside each piece of chocolate, so it was 1,000 Calories worth of chocolate each last night! Oh, and toasted cheese sandwiches for brekkie today instead of my usual healthy porridge ... 

Just before b-in-law left today, he told me that he thought I'd improved in the 5 days that he was here. I think so too! I walked into town with him today on the way to the station. That was as far as I could manage but I at least I got another cafe visit in _and_ ... I did my own fruit and veg shopping at the local market on the way back. It has been 2 months since I last managed to do that!

The couple who run the veg stall said that they had been very worried about me. I've been a good customer of theirs for about 10 years and the last time they saw me, I could hardly breathe and was deathly pale. They know about my cycling and so were pretty shocked to hear how sudden and serious this illness is/has been.

I shopped for myself, but was still too weak to carry the bag home - a friend did that for me.

Baby steps, but I'm getting there ...

************************************************

Now then - I think I've _finally_ worked out where my clotting problem came from ... (_It only just occurred to me yesterday. How could I spend 9 days in hospital wondering about the cause, and not think of this ...?_ _D'Oh!_ )

*Background*: A gradual reduction in my cycling from 2006 to 2012. From 5,000+ miles of cycling a year, 4 or 5 rides a week to 1,000 - 2,000 miles a year, 1 ride every 7-10 days. Weight increase from sub-13 stone to 16 stone-plus. Alcohol intake up from 10 pints of beer a week to 25+. Excessive time spent sitting down in front of PC and TV screens.

*The final trigger*: My legs had got fat. Round the house, I wear baggy tracksuit bottoms. Going out, I wear trousers which last fitted me comfortably when I weighed 1.5 stone less than my peak, so they are tight around the top of my legs whenever I sit down in them.

At the end of April/early May, I had a 5 day holiday in Wales and getting there and coming back each involved a 45 minute train journey, a 2.25 hour coach journey, and a 3 hour drive. I was sitting down with my legs stationary and my overtight trousers digging in to the top of my thighs and cutting off the blood supply to my legs for about 6 hours each way.

I reckon some small DVTs could have formed in my legs then. Not enough to cause any serious leg problems at the time, but enough to start a chain of events which eventually threatened my life.

*Development*: So, I now had DVTs developing in my leg(s). I was unaware of this, so I carried on with my stop-go lifestyle, lots of beer, lots of sitting around with blood pooling in my legs around the nascent DVT(s).

Eventually, it was time for another hilly forum ride. I planned a spectacularly tough route, which was actually way above my fitness level.

July 15th - Otley, or bust! I was not feeling right from early on in the ride. I was struggling to ride and talk at the same time. It was hard, hard, hard and the ride half killed me. Unbeknown to me at the time_ - literally! _

_*Crisis*_: July 19th - A 19 mile local ride exhausted me, and my breathing was becoming very poor.

July 22nd - My breathing was deteriorating rapidly but I still thought I could _MTFU_! The same 19 mile ride had me gasping for breath as soon as I got to the foot of the first hill. Something was _very_ wrong.

*Outcome*: I collapsed a few days later. I am pretty sure that part of the DVT had broken off due to the strain of the Otley ride and moved on to my lungs Pulmonary embolism, fighting for breath, and a near-death experience including blacking out, collapsing and spending 3.5 hours unable to move on my bathroom floor!

*Suggestion:* The next time you travel, listen to doctors' advice about the risks of DVT! Move your legs about, get up and walk around if you can, and maybe wear support stockings during your journey. *Don't end up like me* ...


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## ttcycle (4 Oct 2012)

Glad to read of the gradual improvements Colin.

Take it easy and good luck with it all.


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## phil_hg_uk (4 Oct 2012)

Well at least you are still alive and nearly kicking colin 

A couple of weeks ago I got a call from someone asking me if I looked after a certain website and I thought ay up it one of them domain name hijackers, so I was a bit wary. It turns out one of my customers I have been doing business with for about 8 years had had a heart attack and died while sat at his computer a couple of weeks before.

He was a chauffeur and picked execs up from airports etc, the only way he was found was because he didnt answer the phone for a couple of days when one of the drivers rang him so they got the police to kick in his door an found him just sat there at his PC.

It is a shame because he was a nice chap and I always got in very well with him, turns out it seems he has no relatives and didnt leave a will so there is no one to sort out his affairs which is a great shame


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## ColinJ (4 Oct 2012)

phil_hg_uk said:


> A couple of weeks ago I got a call from someone asking me if I looked after a certain website and I thought ay up it one of them domain name hijackers, so I was a bit wary. It turns out one of my customers I have been doing business with for about 8 years had had a heart attack and died while sat at his computer a couple of weeks before.
> 
> He was a chauffeur and picked execs up from airports etc, the only way he was found was because he didnt answer the phone for a couple of days when one of the drivers rang him so they got the police to kick in his door an found him just sat there at his PC.
> 
> It is a shame because he was a nice chap and I always got in very well with him, turns out it seems he has no relatives and didnt leave a will so there is no one to sort out his affairs which is a great shame


That _is_ a shame! Being single, it is the kind of thing that I worry about.

When I was lying on my bathroom floor, I had a real sense of being seriously ill. I've felt ropey at times in the past, but never had that feeling before and I definitely didn't like it! I hadn't even got dressed that morning and I had visions of my worried family getting the police to break down my door, and them finding my fat, naked corpse on the floor - not good. I remember thinking that if I got through this, it was time to take better care of myself. (And to start wearing PJs again! )

I was quite touched when the market veg sellers told me that they had been around some of the other stalls asking if anybody had seen 'the big cyclist' recently!


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## phil_hg_uk (5 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> That _is_ a shame! Being single, it is the kind of thing that I worry about.
> 
> When I was lying on my bathroom floor, I had a real sense of being seriously ill. I've felt ropey at times in the past, but never had that feeling before and I definitely didn't like it! I hadn't even got dressed that morning and I had visions of my worried family getting the police to break down my door, and them finding my fat, naked corpse on the floor - not good. I remember thinking that if I got through this, it was time to take better care of myself. (And to start wearing PJs again! )
> 
> I was quite touched when the market veg sellers told me that they had been around some of the other stalls asking if anybody had seen 'the big cyclist' recently!


 
I have thought about the whole been found dead thing and I guess living by myself it is inevitable, they will have a job getting in here though as all my doors and windows have quite high security locks on them.

The previous owner of this house died in the back bedroom and they had to take out one of the rear windows to get her out. Lucky for them the windows were falling apart then.

I often dont find out about customers dying for quite a long time. One of my customers collapsed one xmas and turns out something ruptured in her brain and she died 2 weeks later, I was only round her house talking to her a few weeks prior to that. The only reason I found out at all was because her boyfriend contacted me to shut down her website as she had an online shop I had written for her.


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## ColinJ (5 Oct 2012)

phil_hg_uk said:


> I often dont find out about customers dying for quite a long time. One of my customers collapsed one xmas and turns out something ruptured in her brain and she died 2 weeks later.


Nasty!

The first time I read your post, I thought you meant that the poor woman was lying around and suffering alone for two weeks - that would have been horrific, and is the kind of thing that worries me. Last year, I sometimes went upto 7 days without speaking to anybody so I could potentially have suffered for that length of time before anybody tried to get hold of me, and they would probably have taken a few more days to get worried enough to take action. People are used to me sometimes taking a couple of days to return calls or text messages. Fortunately, when I fell ill I recovered enough to make a phone call before collapsing into bed.


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## totallyfixed (6 Oct 2012)

Regarding your post in "your/my ride today" [forget which it is] I think you are wrong and underestimate what you will be able to manage. I'm not saying this to make you feel better [I'm a northerner] but if you can walk 500 meters then you will manage 5 miles easily, plus add on the fact that you have lost weight and you will fly. Getting well again is almost always an exponential curve so the pace will pick up as the body gets stronger, I guess one of the most difficult things you face [as I thought it would be for me] is keeping the calorie intake down whilst being relatively inactive and that of course includes alcohol, but you already know that. 
As it happens I actually lost weight from anxiety and sleepless nights and I wasn't exactly overweight to begin with! Stick with it Colin and when you feel able to ride again you have an invitation to came and stay with us for a weekend .


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## ColinJ (6 Oct 2012)

totallyfixed said:


> Regarding your post in "your/my ride today" [forget which it is] I think you are wrong and underestimate what you will be able to manage. I'm not saying this to make you feel better [I'm a northerner] but if you can walk 500 meters then you will manage 5 miles easily, plus add on the fact that you have lost weight and you will fly.


The truth is that I am not going to get back on a bike until I have already coped with a few decent hilly walks, so that will definitely be true!

I'm looking forward to riding in the hills again at a sensible weight. I'm almost down to the weight I was in 2007 when I cycled down to Coventry, and back again a week later. They were both very hilly rides of about 225 km (140 miles) and I felt fresher after them than I have been doing on my forum rides recently. I was still at least 1.5 stone overweight though, so when I get down to 12-and-a-bit stone again and get some decent rides in, I really think that I will be flying. Should be good ...



totallyfixed said:


> Getting well again is almost always an exponential curve so the pace will pick up as the body gets stronge


Yes, once the blockages caused by the clots have cleared away. It is hard trying to explain what this condition feels like. I imagine it is what breathing at high altitude is like - I can be breathing deeply, but only about 20% of the usual amount of oxygen is getting into my bloodstream so I get out of breath doing the simplest of tasks. I can't push myself harder to get fit because I can't risk dislodging parts of the clots, which could have absolutely catastrophic results.

I'm doing what I can for now, and once the clots have gone, I'll really get stuck in!



totallyfixed said:


> I guess one of the most difficult things you face [as I thought it would be for me] is keeping the calorie intake down whilst being relatively inactive and that of course includes alcohol, but you already know that.


It was easy at first because I was so ill that I barely had the strength to eat! The friend who was shopping and cooking for me knew that I must be bad because I normally eat twice what she does, but for a month ate half what she was eating.

I'm eating more now I'm feeling better, but I'm trying to remind myself how few calories I am burning while I am ill.

I won't touch alcohol again until I am fully recovered, and even then I will make sure that I don't slip back into my old pattern of several beers a night in front of the TV.


totallyfixed said:


> As it happens I actually lost weight from anxiety and sleepless nights and I wasn't exactly overweight to begin with!.


Blimey - there wasn't much spare fat on you, that's for sure!


totallyfixed said:


> Stick with it Colin and when you feel able to ride again you have an invitation to came and stay with us for a weekend .


Very nice of you, but unless my finances suddenly improve drastically, I won't be coming down to the Midlands again until Christmas and I won't be cycling on that trip.

I am hoping to make a late spring/early summer visit in 2013 though and I should be cycling then. I'll do what I did this year and time my visit to fit in with one of your Rutland forum rides, and I may plan one of my own down there for the weekend before or after. Possibly, I'd pinch the route of the Cotswold Challenge century from Meriden - that was a nice ride.


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## Hip Priest (6 Oct 2012)

Only just seen this thread and read the last few pages. It sounds like you've been through the mill a bit Colin, but I'm glad you're on the mend. My in-laws live in Trawden and now I always think of the Trauma of Trawden when we visit!


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## ColinJ (6 Oct 2012)

Hip Priest said:


> Only just seen this thread and read the last few pages. It sounds like you've been through the mill a bit Colin, but I'm glad you're on the mend. My in-laws live in Trawden and now I always think of the Trauma of Trawden when we visit!


Thanks.

I hope you take your bike and go for a ride while you are there! Why not tackle the middle bit of the ToT route and ride out to Widdop reservoir, and call in at the Coldwell Activity Centre cafe on the way back?


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## Scoosh (6 Oct 2012)

> Baby steps, but I'm getting there ...


 

Great news, Colin and I'm really pleased for you.  Keep at it !  (gently )


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## potsy (6 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Blimey - there wasn't much spare fat on you, that's for sure!
> .


Compared to dr_pink though 

Great to hear you're both recovering well, look forward to riding with you all next year


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## ColinJ (6 Oct 2012)

potsy said:


> Great to hear you're both recovering well, look forward to riding with you all next year


Thanks. (We'll wait for you at the top of the hill! )

If you carry on the way you are going, you'll have to set a target of 7,300 miles next year! (20 miles a day.)


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## potsy (7 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Thanks. (We'll wait for you at the top of the hill! )


 Fighting talk.


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## Poacher (7 Oct 2012)

Strewth, Colin, I'd read that you were ill, but didn't know _how_ ill. Abject apologies for taking so long to wish you a GWS - I very rarely venture into CC Cafe, because I might never escape. Keep taking it steady - as you've said, little and often beats massive and infrequent when it comes to exercise, and probably lots of other things besides. Thanks for posting details of your experience here; it's certainly given me a lot to think about, rapidly approaching 60, at least 4 stone overweight and with an unhealthy intake of alcohol.
I hope you'll be well enough to make it to one of TF's Rutland rides next year, if he's mad enthusiastic enough to organise some - it'll do you a world of good to leave at least one other rider in your wake as you power uphill.


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## ColinJ (7 Oct 2012)

Poacher said:


> Strewth, Colin, I'd read that you were ill, but didn't know _how_ ill. Abject apologies for taking so long to wish you a GWS - I very rarely venture into CC Cafe, because I might never escape. Keep taking it steady - as you've said, little and often beats massive and infrequent when it comes to exercise, and probably lots of other things besides. Thanks for posting details of your experience here; it's certainly given me a lot to think about, rapidly approaching 60, at least 4 stone overweight and with an unhealthy intake of alcohol.
> I hope you'll be well enough to make it to one of TF's Rutland rides next year, if he's mad enthusiastic enough to organise some - it'll do you a world of good to leave at least one other rider in your wake as you power uphill.


Thanks Poacher.

The reason that I am going into so much detail about my condition is because there seems to be a lack of awareness of how easy it can be to get a DVT and for that to move to the lungs and form a pulmonary embolism. The paramedics who took me to hospital said that had lots of cases to deal with every year, and many people did not realise what was wrong with them until the last minute.

My lungs had nearly stopped working but I was still convinced that I was just suffering from a nasty chest infection. It was only my left leg suddenly looking and feeling like it was going to fall off that convinced me otherwise.

I found discussions about DVT over on BikeRadar and one person posted that his wife had died from her pulmonary embolism - it is a very serious condition. 

Before my treatment started, it was fairly obvious that I was ill. Hardly any oxygen was getting into my blood so I was deathly pale as well as horribly breathless. My sisters were startled when they saw me because they thought the same as me - that I looked just like our dad did before he died, aged 84 - I am only 56!

Now, you probably wouldn't notice anything was wrong until I started to move around. I can talk without getting out of breath and I have some colour in my cheeks again but I still haven't managed to shop for myself in 2 months, despite living only about 350 metres from the shops.

I am actually more scared now than I was to start with. Then, I felt so ill that I was just relieved to be getting treatment but I have had months thinking about what is going on inside my chest and it worries me. I get sensations that are not pleasant and which I never got before I became ill. Every one of them is a reminder that a good outcome to this is not guaranteed, though I have been reassured that I 'should' be okay!

Anyway ... I can't do much other than take my two little pills every night, do what I can for myself and rely on family and friends to help me out. It is the thought of getting back on my bike next year and actually enjoying the hills again that sustains me! I was reading some old diary entries to remind me what it felt like being properly fit, sub-13 stone and it felt gooooooood!

Right - time to get myself some lunch and settle down to watch the end of today's Paris-Tours race on Eurosport.

Thanks all, for allowing me to unload my worries on this thead, otherwise I would be spending hours more on the phone to my worried sisters!


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## Scoosh (7 Oct 2012)

To (mis)quote Frasier :

"Hello, ColinJ. We're listening"

You've posted a very interesting and informative lot of posts here and one of them might save a fellow cyclist's life.  We can none of us be complacent about our health. 

Keep getting better, keep posting and keep picturing yourself flying up those hills !


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## mark st1 (7 Oct 2012)

Sorry i should of written it on here instead of someone elses thread. That has opened my eyes to how alot of people me included tend to ignore our bodys and dont get checked out as much as we probably should !

Hope you get well soon Colin


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## Auntie Helen (7 Oct 2012)

Colin, I hope your physical improvement continues. I know how frustrating it is when you're not yourself health-wise, plus how scary every new ache/pain can be.

I had bone cancer at 22 and acute kidney failure at 29. The kidney failure took over a year to recover fully from and I spent much of that time trying to work out if I felt better than yesterday or worse (i.e. was I relapsing, which I did once). Unfortunately these things are rarely linear - we all have good days and bad days - but your general trend seems clearly towards you getting better, as your BiL noted over five days.

At the mo I am waiting for the results of an MRI scan to check for a brain tumour (as I've lost some hearing in one ear). It doesn't help that I've been laid up for two weeks with a lurgi. The things aren't related but in one's illness and fear it's easy to invent more problems. My firm advice is to avoid internet searches of your condition (if the Internet were around when I had my bone tumour I would have discovered the 5 year survival rate was 14% and yet here I am, 19 years later, and the survival rate is now 75% anyway) and that would probably have made everything worse. Sometimes not knowing is heaps better!

Anyway, keep taking care of yourself and looking forward to the cycling in 2013 - looks like you're well over the worst now and it should all improve from here.


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## ColinJ (9 Oct 2012)

Oops, I forgot to check into my own thread! Well, strictly it is potsy's thread, but you know what I mean ... 



Scoosh said:


> To (mis)quote Frasier :
> 
> "Hello, ColinJ. We're listening"
> 
> ...


Thanks Scoosh.

I'd been getting a bit embarrassed posting so much about myself, but there again - if I had read similar accounts written by somebody else a year ago, I wouldn't have ended up like this! Hopefully, a few people will change their lifestyles as a result of reading about my illness, or at the very least spot the signs of it earlier than I did.


mark st1 said:


> Sorry i should of written it on here instead of someone elses thread. That has opened my eyes to how alot of people me included tend to ignore our bodys and dont get checked out as much as we probably should !
> 
> Hope you get well soon Colin


Thanks Mark.

My mum suffered from clots so it is possible that I have inherited the tendency from her, but I suspect that it is more a lifestyle thing in my case.


Auntie Helen said:


> Colin, I hope your physical improvement continues. I know how frustrating it is when you're not yourself health-wise, plus how scary every new ache/pain can be.
> 
> I had bone cancer at 22 and acute kidney failure at 29. The kidney failure took over a year to recover fully from and I spent much of that time trying to work out if I felt better than yesterday or worse (i.e. was I relapsing, which I did once). Unfortunately these things are rarely linear - we all have good days and bad days - but your general trend seems clearly towards you getting better, as your BiL noted over five days.


You've really been through the wars, Helen! I'm glad you made such a good recovery.

You are right about the ups and downs. I suddenly felt really down today, at first physically, and then emotionally because of how vulnerable that made me feel. I'm used to being a big, strong, healthy bloke but now I am weak, needy and poorly and I don't like it! Having said that, I know that I am lucky to have a condition which, though serious, has such a simple treatment. Apart from putting up with regular blood tests (another one tomorrow - ugh - I don't like needles! ), all I have to do is take a couple of Warfarin pills every evening, and wait to get better. (I hope!)



Auntie Helen said:


> At the mo I am waiting for the results of an MRI scan to check for a brain tumour (as I've lost some hearing in one ear). It doesn't help that I've been laid up for two weeks with a lurgi. The things aren't related but in one's illness and fear it's easy to invent more problems. My firm advice is to avoid internet searches of your condition (if the Internet were around when I had my bone tumour I would have discovered the 5 year survival rate was 14% and yet here I am, 19 years later, and the survival rate is now 75% anyway) and that would probably have made everything worse. Sometimes not knowing is heaps better!
> 
> Anyway, keep taking care of yourself and looking forward to the cycling in 2013 - looks like you're well over the worst now and it should all improve from here.


Oh, I'm sorry to hear that - I really hope that they don't find anything nasty - good luck!

Too late with the internet advice though - I was searching online again today. I'd been feeling that perhaps I am not going to be well enough to resume cycling early in the New Year as I planned, so I looked up the stories of a few people recovering from pulmonary embolisms to see how they were doing. Some people had suffered damage to their hearts and blood vessels, and suffered subsequent embolisms and DVTs. I'd been thinking that in 6 months time, a fit and healthy ColinJ would emerge, and it shook me to think that I might _never_ make a full recovery, or perhaps I might have to go through all of this again.

I've got to put that out of my mind. If it turns out bad in the future, so be it, but I do not want to spend the next 6 months worrying about it in advance!


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## ttcycle (9 Oct 2012)

Step away from the internet searches Colin!

You'll just have to take it one step at a time, piling worrying information on your plate right now is not going to help you. You'll be back on the bike- you just have to let yourself get well first.

Helen I hope that scan has a all clear result.


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## The Jogger (10 Oct 2012)

Colin, I think the best thing you can do is keep it in the day, follow the advice of the experts that are dealing with you, keep positive and don't hit the search button so much, instead think positive. 

I also find a bit of Buddhist meditation doesn't have help keep things in check. Not for everyone but available for everyone.

Hope all goes well for you Helen.


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## ColinJ (10 Oct 2012)

I just had my blood test and asked the nurse from the Warfarin clinic when the local NHS Trust expect to switch over to patients using self-testing machines. She laughed and said "How long is a piece of string?" With cutbacks in the budget, there was little chance of it happening any time soon.

The machines cost about £500 - £1,000 and the single-use blood sample slides cost £2 - £4, so I can see it would be expensive upfront, but the ongoing savings should be significant because it must cost a lot more than £4 for a nurse to take a sample and for that to be sent to a lab and analysed. 

Self-testing could be done more frequently than tests by nurse & lab which would mean that drug dosage could be more tightly controlled. It would also be less unpleasant for needle-phobics like me!

This is just a build-up to me asking the nurse how many patients would need the self-test machines and she told me that would be 'thousands' in Kirklees and Calderdale. I asked if that was an exaggeration and she told me that literally thousands of people in this area are being treated for clotting problems at any one time - it is clearly a very big health problem. I wonder what percentage of strokes and heart attacks are due to complications from clotting?


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## Ian H (10 Oct 2012)

It makes me feel ashamed of being depressed about my very slightly dodgy knee (being sorted out efficiently by the physio).


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## Cletus Van Damme (10 Oct 2012)

GWS mate


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## Scoosh (10 Oct 2012)

Slightly OT
Wow ! AH, you have certainly earned your moniker : 

*Ich bin Powerfrau !*

You sure are ! Serious Respect.


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## ColinJ (10 Oct 2012)

Okay, here's a much more positive update!

I was definitely feeling a bit sorry for myself yesterday, but started feeling better this morning once I'd got that pesky blood test out of the way. (I know that I'm a bit of a wimp, but I just dislike having needles stuck in my arm!) 

I'd run out of Warfarin and was all set to ask my long-suffering pal to pick up my prescription for me, but decided that it was time to start walking more than I have been so I went to get it for myself, accompanied by aforementioned pal.

(Sat down on a concrete bollard for a rest, halfway to the (ill-)health centre.)

Ha - for the second time (out of two prescriptions) they had made a mistake! Last time, they issued a top-up prescription which meant that I had to pay twice. This time, I insisted that they sort it out on the spot because I needed the drugs today, and I wasn't paying for their mistake again. The receptionist got a doctor to amend the prescription for me, and made a note on my records to try and avoid this happening again. (I have at least another 4 months worth of prescriptions to come.) 

I took the prescription across the road to the pharmacy.

(Sat down for a rest, waiting for prescription to be handed over.)

Walked to town square.

(Sat down for a rest!)

Got cash from bank machine, and bought 6 items from 2 shops - the first shopping that I have done for myself since the end of July!

Walked to a cafe with my pal and had the veggie breakfast option as a treat, and of course - sitting down and resting. (Last able to get there to that cafe in July.)

Headed for home. Sat down on a bench by the river to rest on the way.

A South American man living in Hebden Bridge makes stone sculptures in the local rivers. Some of them are pretty amazing. He had made some arches out of flat stones from the river. I can't see how he would be able to do that by himself unless he used something to support the stones until the key stone was inserted! He had also created columns of stones balanced one on top of the other, some of which looked so top-heavy that it was hard to believe that they had not been glued in place!

Walked the rest of the way home.

That's the most exercise that I've had since late July!

I've got my family up on Saturday, and Steve H is going to meet me for a coffee halfway round the _Hebden Bridge Star_ audax on Sunday. 

PS Slowerthanasluggishsloth - if the weather is nice in the next week or so and you are free, I'd like to take you up on your kind offer of a lift to a country cafe, and maybe a very short stroll. I'll PM you nearer the time!


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## ColinJ (10 Oct 2012)

Oops - I got my dates wrong ... I was already suffering ill health at the end of July, but didn't conk out completely until about the 2nd week in August. Still - it feels like a long time!


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## fossyant (10 Oct 2012)

Glad to hear you are progressing and being able to get out. Take it easy. Oh and don't get too worried about needles, no-body likes them !


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## SlowerThanASluggishSloth (10 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> PS Slowerthanasluggishsloth - if the weather is nice in the next week or so and you are free, I'd like to take you up on your kind offer of a lift to a country cafe, and maybe a very short stroll. I'll PM you nearer the time!


 
As I just happened to be passing I popped into the cafe and who should I meet but ColinJ!
I think I've already PMed my e-mail address, haven't I? That' probably a more reliable channel of communication.
If you carry on improving at this rate baby-steps will be a thing of the past and you will soon be a fully-fledged toddler. Keep taking the tablets!


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## ColinJ (10 Oct 2012)

SlowerThanASluggishSloth said:


> As I just happened to be passing I popped into the cafe and who should I meet but ColinJ!
> I think I've already PMed my e-mail address, haven't I? That' probably a more reliable channel of communication.
> If you carry on improving at this rate baby-steps will be a thing of the past and you will soon be a fully-fledged toddler. Keep taking the tablets!


Yes, I have your email address so I'll email you a couple of days before a favourable local forecast to see if you are free. (I know that we'd be in the car, but it's always nicer to look at the scenery when the sun is shining!)


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## potsy (10 Oct 2012)

SlowerThanASluggishSloth said:


> As I just happened to be passing I popped into the cafe and who should I meet but ColinJ!


Does he look like his avatar now stass?


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## ColinJ (10 Oct 2012)

potsy said:


> Does he look like his avatar now stass?


Ha ha - *the CycleChat cafe* - we'll be doing the _real_ cafe in a week or so!  

I might have a picture taken with Steve H on Sunday so you can judge for yourself!

(I'm only about halfway to avatar-like slimness, and slightly less so since my b-in-law bombarded me last week with chocolate, bread, cheese and other goodies that I normally resist!)


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## potsy (10 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Ha ha - *the CycleChat cafe* - we'll be doing the _real_ cafe in a week or so!


 
Need more sleep.


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## Calum (11 Oct 2012)

Colin!! Hello!!!

I haven't been checking the forum at all recently. - I was in China over the summer and i'm back in Bristol at the moment. (Not perminantly, I hope to move back to Leeds again depending on the job situation etc...)

I've just read through this entire thread and i'm totally gutted to hear that you've had such an awful few months. Let's hope this improving picture keep doing does just that and we see you back on the bike sooner rather than later! I expect i'll be back up north a fair few times in the next few months visiting friends, so i'll make sure to call in at Hebden for coffee and cakes! Also, if I drive up, a cruise through the Dales and a pub lunch might be in order!

Keep getting better and keep us all posted on improvements/updates.


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## phil_hg_uk (11 Oct 2012)

A bit of news regarding the customer who died I was telling you about earlier in the thread, I got a phone call this evening and someone has been appointed to sort out his estate. He is coming to see me regarding the stuff I used to look after for him, but his only relative is someone he has never met who is in his ninties in another country who will get around 1/2 a million windfall because he never left a will.


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## ColinJ (11 Oct 2012)

Calum said:


> Colin!! Hello!!!
> 
> I haven't been checking the forum at all recently. - I was in China over the summer and i'm back in Bristol at the moment. (Not perminantly, I hope to move back to Leeds again depending on the job situation etc...)


Oh, hi Calum! I was wondering the other day if you'd been off on TEFL duties! 


Calum said:


> I've just read through this entire thread and i'm totally gutted to hear that you've had such an awful few months. Let's hope this improving picture keep doing does just that and we see you back on the bike sooner rather than later!


I was pretty gutted too! 

Cycling will start again once I've cracked the walking problem.

Joking aside, it has been a scary and humbling experience. My breathing is a lot better now, but I am often aware of strange pressures and twinges in my chest that I have never felt before so I am constantly on edge in case some little piece of clot breaks free and causes havoc in my heart or brain. I can live with (the thought of) sudden death (if you forgive the pun!) but dread suffering serious and permanent damage ...


Calum said:


> I expect i'll be back up north a fair few times in the next few months visiting friends, so i'll make sure to call in at Hebden for coffee and cakes! Also, if I drive up, a cruise through the Dales and a pub lunch might be in order!


That would be great! Just give me a few day's notice in case I have an appointment or something else organised.


Calum said:


> Keep getting better and keep us all posted on improvements/updates.


I'll do my best, so here's a short update ...

Yesterday's blood test showed my INR is settling in the desired therapeutic range so my Warfarin dose is being kept the same and the blood test interval relaxed to 3-weekly - _hoorah_!

I have decided that I will eat slightly less of the healthy green veg that I normally eat lots of, because it can counteract the effect of Warfarin. I'll eat more of different types of veg instead - e.g. carrots.


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## Calum (12 Oct 2012)

Well keep getting better please! My parents are off to France in mid-November, so i'm thinking of stealing the car and heading up to Yorkshire for a few days. A ploughman's lunch in the Dales might be a pleasant change of scenery (and remind me of why I need to head back up to that part of world!).


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## ColinJ (12 Oct 2012)

Calum said:


> Well keep getting better please! My parents are off to France in mid-November, so i'm thinking of stealing the car and heading up to Yorkshire for a few days. A ploughman's lunch in the Dales might be a pleasant change of scenery (and remind me of why I need to head back up to that part of world!).


Sounds great but if you remember back to that first forum ride we did together 4 (?) years ago, we already had snow and ice by that time of year! Maybe we will get a longer autumn and milder winter this time?


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## Calum (12 Oct 2012)

Wow yeah I remember it well. I think we rode up to Waddington? I was in my first year of uni at the time so it feels like a very long time ago indeed! It doesn't really matter if the weather is terrible though, we could drive up to a nice pub in Skipton for lunch and do a loop of the places we love to ride around. I expect you'd enjoy a day in the countryside you're used to riding around.


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## ColinJ (12 Oct 2012)

Calum said:


> Wow yeah I remember it well. I think we rode up to Waddington? I was in my first year of uni at the time so it feels like a very long time ago indeed! It doesn't really matter if the weather is terrible though, we could drive up to a nice pub in Skipton for lunch and do a loop of the places we love to ride around. I expect you'd enjoy a day in the countryside you're used to riding around.


I think the first ride with colly and bokonon was a bit more local than that, but we did ride to Waddington towards the end of that winter.

Time to get some sleep!


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## Calum (12 Oct 2012)

Indeed! I remember meeting Colly for the first time that winter (it was farking freezing!)

Sleep well sir!


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## Steve H (12 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Ha ha - *the CycleChat cafe* - we'll be doing the _real_ cafe in a week or so!
> 
> I might have a picture taken with Steve H on Sunday so you can judge for yourself!
> 
> (I'm only about halfway to avatar-like slimness, and slightly less so since my b-in-law bombarded me last week with chocolate, bread, cheese and other goodies that I normally resist!)



Not sure standing next to me for the photo will give a good comparison! I make most people slim!


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## potsy (12 Oct 2012)

Steve H said:


> Not sure standing next to me for the photo will give a good comparison! I make most people slim!


You even made me look short


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## ColinJ (21 Oct 2012)

Time for another quick report ...

I walked into town to meet Steve H last Sunday. I had to stop for a rest a couple of times on the way out but made it back without stopping. 

On Thursday, I walked to the local market and did my fruit and veg shop, needing just a 30 second rest before heading home.

On Friday evening, I walked to the shops and back, needing one stop each way.

This afternoon, I walked out in the sunshine to meet Pennine-Paul, bromptonfb + A.N.Other. I got there without stopping for a rest, did some shopping afterwards, and got home without needing a rest.

I'm able to stand for much longer in the kitchen when preparing meals. It was a real nuisance having to keep standing and sitting down again every 30 seconds.

Still painfully slow progress, but at least I _am_ progressing! 

My initial recovery timescale looks unrealistic. I think I will be very lucky to manage a decent walk by Christmas, let alone in November. If that is true, then that pushes back any cycling until well into the New Year. Oh well ... It will take as long as it takes!


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## colly (21 Oct 2012)

Glad you're making progress Col.  Keep on keeping on.


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## potsy (21 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I might have a picture taken with Steve H on Sunday so you can judge for yourself!


 
Not noticed a new avatar Colin


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## ColinJ (21 Oct 2012)

potsy said:


> Not noticed a new avatar Colin


I did take a couple of pictures which featured me, plus another of Steve and his bike by the old packhorse bridge. The pictures of me are not very flattering so I probably would have scrapped them unless I could use my photo editing software to improve them but I wanted to send Steve his picture. When I went to download it to my computer, I discovered that some kind person had tidied my bedroom office area while I was in hospital. As a result, my organised chaos has been replaced by disorganised tidiness and now I can't find anything, including the USB lead for the camera!


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## ColinJ (27 Oct 2012)

I was going to leave it another week or so before posting in this thread again but a few people contacted me today and asked how I am and it is easier to reply here than squeeze my replies into text messages!

_Overall, 'Two steps forward, one step back'_ is how I would describe it now. An hour ago, it might have been _'Two steps forward, four steps back'_ because I was feeling pretty poorly.

I did more walking this afternoon than I have managed since before going into hospital back in August. I felt stronger, my breathing was better and my bad leg lasted longer before it started to play up and forced me to rest. That's the 'two steps forward'.

The 'four steps back' was when I started to feel ill in the kitchen this evening. I don't know if I had overdone things this afternoon but I didn't feel at all good. 

I haven't said much in this thread about my heart - I've mainly written about my bad leg and shortness of breath. Well, my heart has also been affected. The docs picked up on it as soon as they saw my ECG on entry at A & E. They spotted an irregularity in the rhythm. When they saw the CT scan of my chest, they decided that it was probably caused by the main clot pressing against the side of the heart. Hopefully, the heart will not suffer any lasting damage and I'm sure that they will be checking it again once the clots have been sorted out. 

I'm feeling better now. My heart has settled down and I am resting, but it is a scary feeling when it plays up - let's call this evening 'one step back'!


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## Smurfy (28 Oct 2012)

Interesting article in the Daily Mail on Deep Vein Thrombosis and sitting down.

Best get out for a quick 35 miles tomorrow, rather than sitting down all day!

Maybe I should start giving blood again too, as I haven't been for a few years, and donating is supposed to thin the blood.


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## ColinJ (28 Oct 2012)

YellowTim said:


> Interesting article in the Daily Mail on Deep Vein Thrombosis and sitting down.


My GPs were a bit more on the ball than that woman's, but I made the mistake of downplaying my symptoms which delayed my trip to hospital by over a week and could have resulted in my death!

Perhaps I just wasn't paying attention before I got ill, but the only things I heard about the risks of DVT were when flying, and the suggestion to take regular breaks from the computer.


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## coffeejo (28 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> My GPs were a bit more on the ball than that woman's, but I made the mistake of downplaying my symptoms which delayed my trip to hospital by over a week and could have resulted in my death!
> 
> Perhaps I just wasn't paying attention before I got ill, but the only things I heard about the risks of DVT were when flying, and the suggestion to take regular breaks from the computer.


One of my friends just had twins via caesarian and now has DVT. She's got to have daily injections for the next three months.


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## ColinJ (28 Oct 2012)

coffeejo said:


> One of my friends just had twins via caesarian and now has DVT. She's got to have daily injections for the next three months.


Sorry to hear that cj. When I was in hospital, everbody got daily Heparin injections as a precaution against clotting but they took me off them once the Warfarin pills had started to work. They will probably do the same for her, surely?


----------



## ColinJ (28 Oct 2012)

PS I wasn't calling you Shirley!


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## coffeejo (28 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Sorry to hear that cj. When I was in hospital, everbody got daily Heparin injections as a precaution against clotting but they took me off them once the Warfarin pills had started to work. They will probably do the same for her, surely?


To be honest, I don't know. This is her first successful pregnancy after a long series of miscarriages so, naturally, they're far more focussed on having their boys safely snuggled up at home.


ColinJ said:


> PS I wasn't calling you Shirley!


 I suspect I've missed something, so I'll forgive you. Just this once.


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## ColinJ (28 Oct 2012)

coffeejo said:


> To be honest, I don't know. This is her first successful pregnancy after a long series of miscarriages so, naturally, they're far more focussed on having their boys safely snuggled up at home.
> 
> I suspect I've missed something, so I'll forgive you. Just this once.


Er ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo7qoonzTCE


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## coffeejo (28 Oct 2012)

You're a bad, bad, BAD man and I can't wait til you're better so I can  and  and


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## gb155 (28 Oct 2012)

Hurry up and get well, I'm back in tod and now I've a bike again too:0)


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## ColinJ (28 Oct 2012)

gb155 said:


> Hurry up and get well, I'm back in tod and *now I've a bike again too*:0)


Ooh, is it one of your original ones or have you cobbled one together from donated parts?

As for riding together ... I'd not only have to get back on a bike, I'd also have to get fit enough to keep up with you! Perhaps we need a handicapping system, like you having to tow a trailer with 20 kg of bottled water in it***? 

*** A mate once asked why I was so slow on the climbs on our Costa Blanca cycling holiday. We were coming back from a supermarket at the time, both of us carrying a 5 litre bottle of water in each hand. I handed him my 2 bottles and told him to imagine climbing with that total amount of extra weight on his body as fat!


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## Manonabike (29 Oct 2012)

I just saw this thread so I had no idea you were unwell.

I've read that you are out of hospital and on the mend.... good to hear that and I hope you get well very very soon.


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## gb155 (29 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Ooh, is it one of your original ones or have you cobbled one together from donated parts?
> 
> As for riding together ... I'd not only have to get back on a bike, I'd also have to get fit enough to keep up with you! Perhaps we need a handicapping system, like you having to tow a trailer with 20 kg of bottled water in it***?
> 
> *** A mate once asked why I was so slow on the climbs on our Costa Blanca cycling holiday. We were coming back from a supermarket at the time, both of us carrying a 5 litre bottle of water in each hand. I handed him my 2 bottles and told him to imagine climbing with that total amount of extra weight on his body as fat!


It's been 18 days since I last cycled, so I'll not be quick for a while :0)


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## ColinJ (29 Oct 2012)

gb155 said:


> It's been 18 days since I last cycled, so I'll not be quick for a while :0)


I think I will be lucky to be back on a bike within 18 _weeks_ ...


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## gb155 (29 Oct 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I think I will be lucky to be back on a bike within 18 _weeks_ ...


Ouch 

Maybe I'll be back this week, but I'm now struggling with man flu :]


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## ColinJ (8 Nov 2012)

Hi gang - it's me again with another _"I'm not dead yet, and those of you with similar health problems might find this information useful"_ report! 

The setback I mentioned in a recent post was actually worse than I thought it was at the time. I felt pretty poorly off and on for several days and started to feel very scared again. The thing is, the symptoms are pretty similar to having a heart attack - stabbing pains in the chest, feeling weak and ill, shortness of breath ...

I knew that if I contacted a doctor then they were 99% likely to send me back to hospital - what else could they do? If they told me not to worry, it was the kind of thing that recovering Pulmonary Embolism patients suffer but then it turned out that I actually _had_ had a heart attack, then they could end up in all kinds of trouble. It therefore seemed to me a case of deciding for myself whether I wanted to go back to hospital or not. I decided to take a chance and see how I felt after a night's sleep.

I still felt rough the next day, but less intensely so. I decided to go online and see if I could find people with the same problem as me - _PulmonaryEmbolismChat_, if you like! It didn't take me long, and what I read was very reassuring - it is apparently extremely common for this kind of thing to happen. One American patient had been in and out of her local 'emergency room' (A & E) about 10 times with similar symptoms over a period of months. In the end, the medics told her to try and relax and sent her home with anti-anxiety medication!

In case anybody reading this has similar health problems to me, take a look at the Pulmonary Embolism Support Group on DailyStrength.org. There is a wealth of experience there.

And now the good news ... 

I had a chat with the Warfarin nurse when she took my last blood sample. She asked how much exercise I was doing and told me she thought that I should be doing more than I was. Not going crazy and trying to walk for miles, but making an effort to get to my feet and move around more often. I've been trying to do that. 

I got over my bad patch, and have started improving again. Several times, I have managed to walk to the shops, do my shopping and walk home again without being forced to sit down and rest on the way. I'm also able to stand in the kitchen long enough to make simple meals, do the washing up and so on. I don't have to keep sitting down every 30 seconds or so. It may not sound much, but it was a damn nuisance when I could only manage to stand for half a minute at a time! 

The friend who helped me so much when I got ill, has been poorly herself this week. Nothing serious - just a bad cold and a sore leg, but enough to knock the stuffing out of her. It was great feeling well enough to go and shop for her instead of having to have her shop for me!

The results of my latest blood test came through. My INR has stabilised so I can carry on eating my healthy greens since I am having enough Warfarin to balance out the clotting effect of the vitamin k in them. I also only need a blood test once a month now - hooray!

I'm seeing the chest consultant at the end of the month and hopefully he will be satisfied with my progress. 

So - a forum walk is still some way off, and a forum ride a distance dream, but ... I'm slowly getting there!


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## oldfatfool (8 Nov 2012)

Keep up the good fight Col.


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## dave r (8 Nov 2012)

Keep rolling Colin, despite the setback it sounds like you're making progress.


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## totallyfixed (8 Nov 2012)

We will be heading up to Lancashire to get a new road bike built for dr_pink within the next 3 weeks so it would be good to pop in to say hello [finally got the insurance money for the bikes]. If that's ok let us know if there is anything we can bring you.


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## ColinJ (8 Nov 2012)

dave r said:


> Keep rolling Colin, despite the setback it sounds like you're making progress.


Yes, but it is at such a frustratingly slow pace. Mind you - it beats the alternative! 

I've started overtaking (some) people again when walking. My normal walking pace is quicker than most people's so it had felt very odd being overtaken by sprightly pensioners while I desperately hunted around for somewhere to sit down and rest! 

I marched round to the market today and the friendly stall holder remarked on how much more colour there is in my cheeks now. Back in August, pre-diagnosis and treatment, I had become a deathly pale colour, so little oxygen was getting into my blood!


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## ColinJ (8 Nov 2012)

totallyfixed said:


> We will be heading up to Lancashire to get a new road bike built for dr_pink within the next 3 weeks so it would be good to pop in to say hello [finally got the insurance money for the bikes]. If that's ok let us know if there is anything we can bring you.


A bike built in Lancashire ... at Paul Hewitt's perhaps?

It would be good to see you both again. Nice of you to offer to bring stuff, but I'm okay for everything, thanks. Well, if you had a spare sack of cash, that would always come in handy! 

We could meet up and go to a cafe. Just give me a few days notice because I will probably be arranging to meet up with Calum and SlowerThanASluggishSloth in November and it would be a shame to have a clash of dates.


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## totallyfixed (8 Nov 2012)

Will do, and not Paul Hewitt's, a lot closer than that, it's a bit special as one of it's functions will be hill climbing competitions. Hopefully you will get to see it as it will be built while we wait after a special fitting so we can spec it as dr_pink wants.
Great to hear you are getting better, my shoulder and neck still screwed, facing another altercation with the solicitors tomorrow .


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## Scoosh (8 Nov 2012)

Great to hear you are continuing to get better, Colin 

It's a long and intensely frustrating thing recovery - Mrs Scoosh is recovering from a shoulder 'incident' in August and the progress is (literally) painfully slow. She had been running 5ks and really enjoying them before the incident, now she might be able to jog lightly - by January !!! 

Like you, she has her up days  and down days  but the overall trend is upward - as is yours. 

Keep at it, keep being so encouraging to others - and thank you (again ) for all you are doing to assist many folk on CC. 


Oh - OK, then ....


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## ColinJ (8 Nov 2012)

totallyfixed said:


> Will do, and not Paul Hewitt's, a lot closer than that, it's a bit special as one of it's functions will be hill climbing competitions. Hopefully you will get to see it as it will be built while we wait after a special fitting so we can spec it as dr_pink wants.


A lot closer ... _interesting_! 

There is an article on Jack Pullar's hillclimb bike in Cycling Weekly today. He managed to get it down to 12.2 pounds by lopping off or removing a lot of parts, and drilling others. Kept gears on the back though for 'The Rake' and used a 39/25 for the top bit when his legs went.


totallyfixed said:


> Great to hear you are getting better, my shoulder and neck still screwed, facing another altercation with the solicitors tomorrow .


Good luck with you and dr_p's recoveries and getting the compensation!


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## ColinJ (8 Nov 2012)

Scoosh said:


> Great to hear you are continuing to get better, Colin
> 
> It's a long and intensely frustrating thing recovery - Mrs Scoosh is recovering from a shoulder 'incident' in August and the progress is (literally) painfully slow. She had been running 5ks and really enjoying them before the incident, now she might be able to jog lightly - by January !!!
> 
> ...


Cheers and I hope that Mrs S. makes a full recovery ASAP too!


Scoosh said:


>


Hmm, a, er ... _lollipop_?  (Searches for glasses!)


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## BigonaBianchi (9 Nov 2012)

get well soon mate


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## ColinJ (30 Nov 2012)

My latest update ... It's a _lonnnnnng_ one so I think I'll wait until the end of December or when something significant happens before reporting again! 

My INR level has stabilised at a good therapeutic level so I am able to go through to the second week in January before my next blood test. That is because my Warafarin dosage has been adjusted to compensate for the high vitamin k levels in my healthy 'greens'-rich diet. The important thing is to be consistent in what you eat and drink so the Warfarin can work properly. My advice to anyone on Warfarin is to speak to their anti-coagulation clinic and discuss the issue with them. I found that some staff at mine were fairly insistent that I should cut down on the greens, but I couldn't see the point in trying to fix one problem, only to potentially cause another by eating an unbalanced diet.

I am getting stronger. I can now walk about a mile before I have to sit down for a minute or two and I can carry 10-15 pounds of shopping in my rusksack while doing so. That is a big improvement on where I was at the start of November.

My left leg feels like there is still some clotting in it, but the swelling, discolouration and discomfort in it is probably only half what it was before.

Shortness of breath is much less of a problem. I still can't run up and down stairs or ride my bike, but I can now walk fairly briskly and cope with everyday life.

My heart is behaving itself _most of the time_! A month ago, it was still doing some very alarming things - I was getting bursts of irregular rhythm, or a very fast heart beat, even when just sitting down reading. That was pretty scary!

I am no longer getting the sudden severe stabbing chest pains. As you can imagine - they were _very_ scary!

My personality is returning to what it was before I got ill. That may or may not be a good thing!  A close encounter with death had left me weak, timid and fairly humourless. I'm now itching to do more walking and to start cycling again. I've got my sense of humour back, and I am also now getting bad-tempered about annoying things that I was too poorly to bother about a month ago!

Now then ... the big news is that I saw my respiratory specialist yesterday. I had a good chat with him and the overall assessment was that I should feel 'cautiously optimistic'. He said that clots normally clear up in 6-8 weeks of Warfarin treatment but mine were particularly bad so he isn't surprised that my recovery is so slow. As long as I feel that I am improving, that's fine.

I am due to come off Warfarin towards the end of February. The doctor has booked me a battery of extra blood tests a couple of weeks before that to check for any signs of residual clotting to see if it is safe for me to stop taking the drug.

I asked about what the long-term effects of this illness will be on me. He told me that it wouldn't become clear until I stop making progress. At some point, my fitness will either get back to where it was pre-illness, or I will discover that I have a more permanent problem. There is a good chance that an embolism as bad as mine will have starved parts of my heart and/or lungs of oxygen to the extent that they suffered infarction (necrosis, or tissue death!). If that is the case, my body may repair some of the damage, or some medical intervention may be possible to improve matters. We'll cross that bridge if/when we come to it!

Finally, I asked about exercise ... Is it safe to really push myself? The advice was to work as hard as I feel able to, as often as I want to, but (obviously) to back off if I start to feel ill or exhausted.

At one extreme, Frank Vandenbroucke died of a (cocaine-induced?) pulmonary embolism; at the other, Serena Williams returned to full competitive fitness after suffering one at the end of 2010. I am hoping for the best (coming back from my illness fitter and stronger than before), but I'm aware that anything is possible. Fingers crossed!

That's all for now, folks!


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## dan_bo (30 Nov 2012)

Nice one Col- keep it up!


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (30 Nov 2012)

No reason not to be on the bike really Colin? 1 mile walking = 4 mile steady cycling ish. Got to be worth a try to bimble on the mtb? You never know till you try.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (30 Nov 2012)




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## potsy (30 Nov 2012)

bromptonfb said:


> No reason not to be on the bike really Colin? 1 mile walking = 4 mile steady cycling ish. Got to be worth a try to bimble on the mtb? You never know till you try.


Ooh, 4 mile forum ride? Cake stop at the half way point?


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (30 Nov 2012)

Colin would fit a hill or two in....20%ers...


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## ColinJ (30 Nov 2012)

bromptonfb said:


> No reason not to be on the bike really Colin? 1 mile walking = 4 mile steady cycling ish. Got to be worth a try to bimble on the mtb? You never know till you try.


I am going to try my gym bike before Christmas but I'll leave the outdoor cycling for the NY. It's bloody cold and icy now, and I really do not want to risk falling off at this stage. A broken bone would be a real problem for me.

The doc explained that not having had bleeding problems with Warfarin is no guarantee that they won't happen in the future. There is always a finite risk, which is why they don't want to keep DVT/PE patients on it for life if there is any choice. If it is safe to take you off, they do, to eliminate that risk of bleeding. You come off when they decide that the risk of bleeding is greater than the risk of clotting.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (30 Nov 2012)

User14044mountain said:


> Thanks for the update, Colin. I'm glad you are making progress.....let's hope for the Serena Williams outcome rather than the Frank Vandenbroucke one.....and we'll expect tickets if you ever make it to centre court for the women's finals


He's got bigger moobs than serena......


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (30 Nov 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I am going to try my gym bike before Christmas but I'll leave the outdoor cycling for the NY. It's bloody cold and icy now, and I really do not want to risk falling off at this stage. A broken bone would be a real problem for me.
> 
> The doc explained that not having had bleeding problems with Warfarin is no guarantee that they won't happen in the future. There is always a finite risk, which is why they don't want to keep DVT/PE patients on it for life if there is any choice. If it is safe to take you off, they do, to eliminate that risk of bleeding. You come off when they decide that the risk of bleeding is greater than the risk of clotting.[/quote
> 
> ...


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## ColinJ (30 Nov 2012)

bromptonfb said:


> He's got bigger moobs than serena......


Wouldn't hers be _*w*_oobs? 



bromptonfb said:


> Fixie by summer then


Not living here. Somewhere like Rutland - quiet, well-surfaced roads - but without the hills ... maybe!


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## twentysix by twentyfive (30 Nov 2012)

Hey up - sorry to hear about your illness and glad to see you are on the upward curve now. Take care and keep on keeping on


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## totallyfixed (30 Nov 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Wouldn't hers be _*w*_oobs?
> 
> 
> Not living here. Somewhere like Rutland - quiet, well-surfaced roads - but without the hills ... maybe!


 
Good to hear Colin, the invite stands for you to come down anytime for a weekend of quiet pootling, we can pick you up from any station. We will see you next Thursday after picking up the mystery bike, we will call you when we are leaving the bike place, it's about 25 miles away. Anybody else around late afternoon 6th Dec? We could make it an early Christmas party in the cafe.


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## dave r (30 Nov 2012)

Sounds good Colin, sounds like you're coming along nicely, just don't get carried away and over do it.


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## Svendo (30 Nov 2012)

potsy said:


> Ooh, 4 mile forum ride? Cake stop at the half way point?


 
Like here, for instance?

Glad it's all going in the right direction Colin!


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## ColinJ (30 Nov 2012)

totallyfixed said:


> Good to hear Colin, the invite stands for you to come down anytime for a weekend of quiet pootling, we can pick you up from any station. We will see you next Thursday after picking up the mystery bike, we will call you when we are leaving the bike place, it's about 25 miles away. Anybody else around late afternoon 6th Dec? We could make it an early Christmas party in the cafe.


It would be lovely to do a Rutland ride before next summer, but it isn't going to happen. Even if my physical health permitted, my financial health wouldn't! Thanks anyway.

I might post a cafe invite up separately to see if we can get a few others to join us. 


dave r said:


> Sounds good Colin, sounds like you're coming along nicely, just don't get carried away and over do it.


I'll be okay for the first few longer walks and rides. The danger will be that they go well and I then try to do double the distance right away. I'll be sensible ... 



Svendo said:


> Like here, for instance?
> 
> Glad it's all going in the right direction Colin!


Thanks. Milly's has only just reopened after the summer flooding. I think the owners were on Look North yesterday talking about how difficult things had been for them.


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## coffeejo (30 Nov 2012)

Glad it's all looking brighter and chirpier than it was


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## Scoosh (30 Nov 2012)

Thanks for the update, Colin - and great to hear that things are go as well as can be expected. 

Keep taking it easy and ignore all those people who tell you "It's Christmas - of course you can have another [insert name of drink/ food]". You know you can do it - and it will set you up nicely for a much happier new year than was the case a short long few months ago !


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## ColinJ (30 Nov 2012)

Scoosh said:


> Thanks for the update, Colin - and great to hear that things are go as well as can be expected.
> 
> Keep taking it easy and ignore all those people who tell you "It's Christmas - of course you can have another [insert name of drink/ food]". You know you can do it - and it will set you up nicely for a much happier new year than was the case a short long few months ago !


Thanks! I'll be stopping with my sisters and they have already been asking what I want to eat and drink. I'll do the big Christmas meal but apart from that I will eat what I normally do. As for drinks - there is a selection of non-alcoholic ginger drinks on order for me.

(I am allowed to drink alcohol in limited amounts but if I can't have a few pints at a time then I'd rather do without. I like to be clear-headed or pleasantly sloshed, not halfway in between! )


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## dave r (30 Nov 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Thanks! I'll be stopping with my sisters and they have already been asking what I want to eat and drink. I'll do the big Christmas meal but apart from that I will eat what I normally do. As for drinks - there is a selection of non-alcoholic ginger drinks on order for me.
> 
> (I am allowed to drink alcohol in limited amounts but if I can't have a few pints at a time then I'd rather do without. I like to be clear-headed or pleasantly sloshed, not halfway in between! )


 
A bit off topic, I'm not sure but I don't think you do Facebook? I've been on there tonight and theres a page devoted to pictures of old Coventry, the Mrs and me have spend an hour down memory lane there tonight.


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## ColinJ (30 Nov 2012)

dave r said:


> A bit off topic, I'm not sure but I don't think you do Facebook? I've been on there tonight and theres a page devoted to pictures of old Coventry, the Mrs and me have spend an hour down memory lane there tonight.


I've looked at FB a couple of times but just can't seem to get into it!


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## phil_hg_uk (1 Dec 2012)

Glad to hear things are on the up colin, take it easy and dont rush it I am sure you will be out on the bike again in the near future but wait until you are ready  we dont want you getting ill again.


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## ColinJ (1 Dec 2012)

phil_hg_uk said:


> Glad to hear things are on the up colin, take it easy and dont rush it I am sure you will be out on the bike again in the near future but wait until you are ready  we dont want you getting ill again.


Thanks Phil.

I am in the transition period. I couldn't physically cope with much exercise until now but I'm not yet fit and well enough to cope with a huge workload so I will just have to take it at the pace my body can handle - 'little and often' is what I need.

I'm going to the shops later. It's 30 minutes or so out of the house getting a bit of a walk in the sunshine. I've changed my shopping habits from buying a week's worth at a time, to only buying enough to see me through the day and the next morning's brekkie. This way, I have to go out most days.

*STOP PRESS!* 

I am just back from shopping with a friend. We both normally walk quicker than your average shopper so we are forever catching people up and having to overtake them. As you probably now know though, this has not been my experience of late!

We charged round to the Co-op and as we got there I realised that I wasn't out of breath, my heart rate was fairly sensible and my gammy leg wasn't hurting. We did the Co-op and another couple of shops and then carried the shopping home. Only in the last 100 yards or so did my leg start to throb a little.

That is _BIG_ progress ... I feel better than I have since my forum ride to Otley on 15th July which is just before I got ill. 

Hopefully that won't have jinxed me and I continue to get better, ready for my comeback walks and rides in Spring 2013!


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## summerdays (1 Dec 2012)

ColinJ said:


> We both normally walk quicker than your average shopper so we are forever catching people up and having to overtake them. As you probably now know though, this has not been my experience of late!


Each time I've been pregnant I have suffered very badly with sciatica and other muscular/skeletal problems to the extent that by the end of pregnancy what would be a 15 minute walk would turn into a 45 minute torture. And OLD people would overtake me (your comment reminded me of that feeling). Once I gave birth things would return to normal and then there would be that fantastic feeling the first time I overtook someone after struggling so long. I realise that it will be a longer recovery for you ... but enjoy that feeling as you start to feel that you aren't the slowest person around and not being so frustrated with your body.


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## potsy (1 Dec 2012)

I know Colin looks pregnant in some of the ride photos @summerdays but there's no need for that


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## coffeejo (1 Dec 2012)

potsy said:


> I know Colin looks pregnant in some of the ride photos @summerdays but there's no need for that


Coffee!! Keyboard!!


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## ColinJ (1 Dec 2012)

potsy said:


> I know Colin looks pregnant in some of the ride photos @summerdays but there's no need for that


Ha ha!

I'd rather _that_ photo didn't resurface until _after_ I complete my metamorphosis when I will post 'before and after' shots!


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## potsy (1 Dec 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Ha ha!
> 
> I'd rather _that_ photo didn't resurface until _after_ I complete my metamorphosis when I will post 'before and after' shots!


It's safely locked away, might even have deleted it


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## gbb (1 Dec 2012)

Glad to hear you're doing well Colin.


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## totallyfixed (7 Dec 2012)

potsy said:


> I know Colin looks pregnant in some of the ride photos @summerdays but there's no need for that


Not any more he doesn't! We had lunch with Colin in Hebden Bridge yesterday after picking up dr_pink's new bike. Colin, you are looking very well in spite of everything that has happened to you, keep it up and time now, as you said to start working those cycling muscles.
Hebden Bridge is looking amazing these days, even to the extent of leaving a rather expensive bike in the back of the car. There is every chance we might pop in again for a better look in a couple of weeks or so.
Sitting in the cafe with the snow falling outside [as opposed to inside] felt very seasonal, but the drive back, first to Holmes Chapel and then on to Rutland wasn't. What makes someone drive at over 80 mph in strong winds and heavy rain and only 20 feet or so from the car in front?


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## ColinJ (7 Dec 2012)

totallyfixed said:


> Not any more he doesn't! We had lunch with Colin in Hebden Bridge yesterday after picking up dr_pink's new bike. Colin, you are looking very well in spite of everything that has happened to you, keep it up and time now, as you said to start working those cycling muscles.


It's hard to maintain a sense of humour or optimism when feeling very ill and scared so I'm pleased to be finally getting my old 'spark' back!  

I loved dr_p's new bike. Hopefully, it can make a guest appearance at a hilly forum ride up here in 2013? 

I was supposed to meet a friend at the bottom of 'The Buttress' this afternoon - the monstrously steep cobbled path that I pointed out to you and dr_pink yesterday.

















I waited at the bottom for a few minutes but I was getting cold so I decided to start walking up the path to meet her. It would be tough, but I'd probably only get 30 or 40 yards up it before we met and came back down. However, unbeknown to me, she had decided to come down the hill by a different route without telling me, because the cobbles were covered in ice. (She didn't have her phone with her.)

As a result, I ended up walking all the way to the top. That's the hardest exercise I've been able to do since July, and do you know what ... *I didn't feel ill! *

My heart rate was proportional to what I was doing (rather than racing crazily, the way it was a month or so back) and I got just a little out of breath (rather than gasping for air). I felt unfit rather than ill! I don't mind 'unfit' because that is something I can sort out with some hard work, and now I feel well enough to start doing it. I'll gradually build up towards Christmas/New Year, take it easy for the festering festivities, then start ramping the exercise up in the NY with a view to doing a forum ride in the spring if at all possible.



totallyfixed said:


> Hebden Bridge is looking amazing these days, even to the extent of leaving a rather expensive bike in the back of the car. There is every chance we might pop in again for a better look in a couple of weeks or so.


It has certainly improved a lot since I first visited the town in the late 70s when it was still a bit run-down, with boarded-up houses and decaying mills.

If you do come back up, let me know. I might be fit enough to manage a moderate walk by then. (I'm booked up from the 20th to early in the NY though.)



totallyfixed said:


> Sitting in the cafe with the snow falling outside [as opposed to inside] felt very seasonal, but the drive back, first to Holmes Chapel and then on to Rutland wasn't. What makes someone drive at over 80 mph in strong winds and heavy rain and only 20 feet or so from the car in front?


The same lunacy that makes people cross double-white lines at speed and drive head-on into innocent drivers coming the other way?  I was pretty shocked to see the pictures of your smashed-up car and think you were very lucky not to have been maimed or killed. I hope that the injuries you did get heal soon!


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## dave r (7 Dec 2012)

totallyfixed said:


> Not any more he doesn't! We had lunch with Colin in Hebden Bridge yesterday after picking up dr_pink's new bike. Colin, you are looking very well in spite of everything that has happened to you, keep it up and time now, as you said to start working those cycling muscles.
> Hebden Bridge is looking amazing these days, even to the extent of leaving a rather expensive bike in the back of the car. There is every chance we might pop in again for a better look in a couple of weeks or so.
> Sitting in the cafe with the snow falling outside [as opposed to inside] felt very seasonal,


 
Sounds like your on your way back Colin, keep up the good work, I'll have to spend some time on the turbo or you'll be leaving me on the hills next year and not the other way round.



totallyfixed said:


> but the drive back, first to Holmes Chapel and then on to Rutland wasn't. What makes someone drive at over 80 mph in strong winds and heavy rain and only 20 feet or so from the car in front?


The same idiocy that has the driver of a small lorry sit a couple of feet behind a cyclist on an icy descent, it happened to me a couple of winters ago on St Giles Rd, houses on one side, open fields on the other side and containing a steep descent, the road never gets treated and is used as a rat run to a nearby industrial estate, that particular morning the road was covered with compressed polished snow and ice, I tip toed down it at about ten mph and rapidly became aware that I had company. These people are idiots and need removing from our roads.


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## ColinJ (15 Dec 2012)

Latest instalment of my 'online recovery diary' ... 

On Wednesday, I decided to see if I could walk to Mytholmroyd and back. No heroics - I didn't take any of the various longer, hilly options - just a level walk there, a cafe stop, and back to Hebden Bridge to do a quick trip round the shops. That was a total distance of 4 miles.

Outcome...? _No problem!_

There was still some minor tingling and swelling in the clotted leg but not enough to make me stop for a rest. I think that either some of the DVT is still there, or it did some lasting damage because the leg is definitely not 100%, but at least it is now 50-60% rather than 10%!

I did some sections of the walk at a very brisk pace to see how I coped. Again, I felt a bit unfit but I didn't feel_ ill_!

That was so encouraging that I decided to try a much harder challenge today - a walk up the hill to the village of Heptonstall. That is a walk that challenges your typical 'townie' so I was expecting to suffer, and was prepared to turn back if I had to.

Outcome of this walk ...?

Well, I did get very short of breath on the first part of the hill, but I was expecting that - _it is pretty steep_ - 15-20%, I'd guess! Let me dig up a few old photos ...





















There is a short footpath at about 25% at the top of that road, about 40 yards respite, and then it kicks back up to 10%+ all the way to the village.

I could only just speak when walking up that steep road, but had no problems chatting on the final stretch to Heptonstall.

After a quick cafe stop, I walked back into town, did some shopping and have just got home. My unfit legs are telling me that they have done more work in the past 3 days than they did in the 3 months before that, but it's good to get that tired feeling again after so much bed and sofa time!

I'm staying off alcohol until at least the end of February, maybe longer, and will try not to go OTT with food this Christmas/New Year so I _should_ (touch wood) start 2013 lighter than I've been for 4 years, and well enough to start getting some serious exercise in.

_(Can you tell that I'm pleased? ) _

*PS*

Tue 18th Dec: Walked along Rochdale canal towpath to Todmorden, shopped at LIDL and Morrisons, walked back to Tod station and from Hebden Bridge station with shopping. Total distance walked 10 km or 6.2 miles_. _


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## coffeejo (15 Dec 2012)

ColinJ said:


> _(Can you tell that I'm pleased? ) _


So you should be - that's great news


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## dave r (15 Dec 2012)

Well done Colin, just think tonight when you put your feet up you'll be able to say to yourself I've earned this, and that is a wonderful feeling.


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## Andrew_Culture (15 Dec 2012)

Best news I've had all day


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## Svendo (15 Dec 2012)

Hooray! walking up to Heptonstall's got to be a good test. (I'm going to have to have a go at that back route up to Lee Wood Road on the bike sometime)


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## Scoosh (15 Dec 2012)

> Best news I've had all day


Well Done, Colin - and well done also for the manner in which you have shared a lot of painful personal stuff with all of us on CC - Thank You 

You have made us all much more aware of some of the health hazards/ warnings we often choose to ignore and might even have saved a life or two ... 

Now we can genuinely wish you a Happy Christmas and an even Happier New Year !


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## ColinJ (15 Dec 2012)

Svendo said:


> Hooray! walking up to Heptonstall's got to be a good test. (I'm going to have to have a go at that back route up to Lee Wood Road on the bike sometime)


It's called Moss Lane. I've ridden up it as far as the footpath, but it would be something to ride up that bit too. It is very steep and it can be slippery, a mixture of cobbles and concrete. I think that it would be doable on a mountain bike, but you'd have to be very strong to power your way up it on a road bike fast enough not to lose your balance, have the front of the bike lift up, or the rear wheel slip.

I think that Moss Lane should have been chosen as the route for the local part of the Pennine Cycleway rather than _The Buttress_ which I recently depicted in this post. The Google StreetView car went almost up to the footpath at the top of Moss Lane - you can see the metal railings here next to the footpath curving round to the left as it gets steeper.


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## ColinJ (15 Dec 2012)

Scoosh said:


> Well Done, Colin - and well done also for the manner in which you have shared a lot of painful personal stuff with all of us on CC - Thank You
> 
> You have made us all much more aware of some of the health hazards/ warnings we often choose to ignore and might even have saved a life or two ...


I know that lot of people on CC will be quietly suffering serious illnesses in private, but I decided that I'd write about what I'm going through because it is largely preventable and/or curable providing that people know what to do, what not to do and what to watch out for.

As you say - this thread could help somebody avoid death or serious illness in the future, and if so it was worth the effort of writing all these posts. Besides, if I hadn't, I probably still be getting loads of phone calls and PMs asking how I am so I save time and energy keeping my CC pals up to date in one place. 



Scoosh said:


> Now we can genuinely wish you a Happy Christmas and an even Happier New Year !


Thanks for that. I feel that I can now officially say that I'd be surprised and peeved to _'wake up dead'_ from this illness! 

It was a bit touch and go at first, but I feel like I'm getting stronger every day now and have gone back to _'Plan A'_ - to get to my mid-80s or beyond, like my parents, grandparents and many other close relatives. Okay, it might not happen, but at least I'm no longer _scared_ of it not happening! 

In case I forget to do it later, _Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year_ to y'all too!

I'll eventually join some of you on more fine CycleChat forum rides, but I still like the idea of doing a forum walk. I'll mention that idea again when I feel up to doing 7 or 8 miles including a couple of decent hills. Maybe some time in late January, early February?


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## trio25 (17 Dec 2012)

Great news Colin! Won't be too long till you are back on a bike!


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## Pennine-Paul (17 Dec 2012)

ColinJ said:


> I still like the idea of doing a forum walk. I'll mention that idea again when I feel up to doing 7 or 8 miles including a couple of decent hills. Maybe some time in late January, early February?


 
I knew they'd be some hills involved somewhere


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## fossyant (17 Dec 2012)




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## Svendo (23 Dec 2012)

Hey Colin,

I just read THIS story and thought how it bolsters your warning for about greens for those at risk of DVT or who take anti-coagulants.

Merry Christmas, and stay off the sprouts!


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## Poacher (23 Dec 2012)

So how many sprouts is too many? I guess there could be many different answers to that.

Really glad to hear about your progress, Colin, and hoping to see you on another Rutland ride before too long (although I don't mind waiting - better late than never - hmmm, think that was said last time!). GWS, Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year!


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## ColinJ (23 Dec 2012)

Thanks chaps - I'd already spotted the sprouts story! I'm not going to let it put me off my 'greens' but I certainly won't be asking for second helpings this year. Pity ... I love sprouts!

In case I forget nearer the time - a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all, and thanks for the support since I got ill. All being well, I'll be out riding with you again soon (ish).


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## colly (23 Dec 2012)

Good news Colin. 
Have a great Christmas and hears looking forward to catching up with you sometime in 2013


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## dave r (23 Dec 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Thanks chaps - I'd already spotted the sprouts story! I'm not going to let it put me off my 'greens' but I certainly won't be asking for second helpings this year. Pity ... I love sprouts!
> 
> In case I forget nearer the time - a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all, and thanks for the support since I got ill. All being well, I'll be out riding with you again soon (ish).


 
Have a great Xmas Colin and an excellent New Year.


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## ColinJ (9 Jan 2013)

I don't want to post about every single health problem that I have so I'll leave it another couple of weeks before I report on my condition again, but I'll mention something that just amused me ...

I was just waiting to take my regular evening dose of Warfarin and was feeling a bit tired. It struck me that I seem to have been tired a lot since I started taking the drug and I haven't exactly been exerting myself, so I thought I'd do a search for 'side effects of Warfarin' and see if fatigue is one of them. (Apparently, it can be.)

Now why is it when faced with all sorts of ghastly possibilities including such joys as hepatitis, spinal cord infarction, leukocytoclastic cutaneous vasculitis (?), tracheobronchial calcification, retinal haemorrhage etc., the one thing that leapt out of my laptop screen at me and had on my feet and shouting _"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!!"_ was ...
















... *penile gangrene!!!!!!!!!!!  *

I'm going to have to take up some religion or other so I can start praying that I never suffer from that particular problem!


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## TVC (9 Jan 2013)

Penile massage, apparently that is the way to prevent the gangrene. You can either do it yourself, or get a friend to do it for you.


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## ColinJ (31 Jan 2013)

Time for another update, which is that ... _I should have kept my big trap shut!_ 

I made a really optimistic post on 15th December and things did indeed seem to be progressing rapidly. I'd read about how other people with my condition suffer significant setbacks and I'd had a bad setback myself back on 27th October which had scared me, but I thought that I'd put all that behind me. _I hadn't!_

I went down to Coventry for Christmas. I walked to Hebden Bridge station with my rucksack - no problem. I walked from Coventry station to my sister's house - no problem. I walked the dog with her - no problem. Went shopping with her - no problem. I began to think that I'd be doing some gentle turbo sessions in January ready for getting back on the bike in February - _dream on! _

I walked round to a friend's house on the Friday before Christmas. It's only about 1 km from my sister's. There is a short hill to go up which probably gains about the height of a house in about 150 m. I charged up feeling pretty good and sat down with my mate to chat away for a few hours, catching up on old times. Still no problem.

At the end of the evening, I stood up to go home and felt a twinge in my leg where the DVT had been discovered. It was enough to make me wonder was going on, but was not actually painful. I set off to walk back down the hill and within 30 seconds I was short of breath again and my pulse was racing. Damn!

And that was that - a few weeks worth of progress was wiped out in a few seconds. I can only assume that a bit of residual DVT went walkabout and got up into my lungs.

I've had my ups and downs since then but have gradually improved overall back to where I was mid-December, so I am about 6 weeks behind where I thought I'd be at the end of January.

Ho hum ... It's a blow to my former confidence that I would make a full recovery without the need for any intervention other than the Warfarin. Having said that, I am feeling okay today.

It looks like my recovery is definitely going to be a succession of _two-steps-forwards-one-step-back_ stages, so I'll just have to hope that I eventually get well again and try not to get too upset at these setbacks.

I have another appointment with the consultant at the end of March to discuss the results of a battery of blood tests which he has told me to have a couple of weeks earlier. I'll try and do a lot of gentle walking before then to get myself as fit as I can without over-stressing my body.

I still consider myself lucky though - I've read some real horror stories of young men and women keeling over and dying in front of their kids with this illness. Many don't even get the chance to try for a recovery.

Apparently, 75% of Americans do not even know what a DVT is! Another scary statistic - on average, one person a month gets off a long-haul flight at Heathrow and dies at the airport from DVT/PE. (I know that a lot of people pass through Heathrow, but it does make you think that the dangers of DVT when travelling are still not being taken seriously enough.)

I was going to say _"I'll do a CycleChat forum ride some time in 2013, or die trying"_ but it would be wiser to say _"I'll try hard to do a CycleChat forum ride some time in 2013, but if it isn't possible, there's always 2014"_! 

Oh, to end on a more positive note ... The weight fell off me when I got ill last summer because I almost stopped eating for a month. When I came out of hospital, I got my appetite back and started eating sensibly again, plus I was treating myself to a bit too much comfort food. As a result, by the end of the festive season I was pretty much back up to 15 stone. (I was 16.5 stone when I got ill.) Well, the good news is that I have the eating under control and am back down to 14.5 stone, and steadily losing weight. My target is 12.5 stone, so I am halfway there. I look and feel better for it. When I finally do get cycling again, I should have a slim body to work with and I'm looking forward to getting fit again.

Assuming nothing major happens in the mean time, I'll report back again in a month or so.


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## Andrew_Culture (31 Jan 2013)

Glad to hear you're finding the positives


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## oldfatfool (31 Jan 2013)

Bugger, sorry to hear about the set back col, was looking forward to a forum walk at least. Never mind, on the bright side, you have the weight bit under control, you are still alive and kicking, and most importantly it wasn't............








































... *penile gangrene!!!!!!!!!!!  *


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## ColinJ (31 Jan 2013)

_Off_ - I'm too scared to check for that!


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## Arjimlad (31 Jan 2013)

Thanks for updating us, Colin, sorry you had a setback !

Keep on following Doctor's orders and I hope you're back on the bike soon.

James


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## GetAGrip (31 Jan 2013)

Sorry to hear you've had a setback Colin! You do have a very positive attitude though  that, and following Dr.'s orders, the day of the forum ride/walk will hopefully be 2013. for you and take it easy for now


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## potsy (31 Jan 2013)

Shame about the setbacks Col, was keeping my fingers crossed you'd be back for April but I guess that looks extremely doubtful now 

Amazing how quickly the time has gone since your last forum ride, I'm sure the cafe at Waddington must have lost a lot of business


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## ColinJ (31 Jan 2013)

I must admit that I find myself wondering if I might have to go the whole of 2013 like this and through into next winter. That just depresses me no end - we are not even out of _this_ winter yet! 

I'm just going to have to go out and walk, even if the weather is grim. Sitting around the house all the time isn't good for me.


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## Arch (31 Jan 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Apparently, 75% of Americans do not even know what a DVT is!


 
Yeah, but the same proportion probably don't know where Canada is....


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## MontyVeda (31 Jan 2013)

have you considered video box sets Col? they can be a great friend who'll keep you company for days and weeks and.... years if you get the world's largest video box set.... Prisoner Cell Block H!


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## vernon (31 Jan 2013)

Arch said:


> Yeah, but the same proportion probably don't know where Canada is....


 
A major aid to solving that problem is knowing where America is located and 37% percent of Americans don't know that.


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## ColinJ (31 Jan 2013)

MontyVeda said:


> have you considered video box sets Col? they can be a great friend who'll keep you company for days and weeks and.... years if you get the world's largest video box set.... Prisoner Cell Block H!


I'm too busy watching "How to Make a Million Online" videos!

Lesson 1: Think _SMART_ and come up with the right plan. 
Lesson 2: Stop watching "How to Make a Million Online" videos!


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## MontyVeda (1 Feb 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I'm too busy watching "How to Make a Million Online" videos!
> 
> Lesson 1: Think _SMART_ and come up with the right plan.
> Lesson 2: Stop watching "How to Make a Million Online" videos!


 
working in internet marketing... I often think "God i wish I'd thought of that!" such as the bloke who sells stuff from Tesco and M&S to expats who can't get PG Tips in Phuket or Alpan in Alaska or decent socks and pants. Every morning he wakes up with shopping lists hanging out of his printer, goes to Tesco or M&S, fills several trolleys, puts it in a box and posts it. Makes 50p per item and spends around a grand each week in Tesco's alone... which must add up to one hell of a club card too


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## dan_bo (1 Feb 2013)

ColinJ said:


> ......... *penile gangrene!!!!!!!!!!!  *


 
I've had that- it's a bloody nightmare.


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## ColinJ (1 Feb 2013)

MontyVeda said:


> working in internet marketing... I often think "God i wish I'd thought of that!" such as the bloke who sells stuff from Tesco and M&S to expats who can't get PG Tips in Phuket or Alpan in Alaska or decent socks and pants. Every morning he wakes up with shopping lists hanging out of his printer, goes to Tesco or M&S, fills several trolleys, puts it in a box and posts it. Makes 50p per item and spends around a grand each week in Tesco's alone... which must add up to one hell of a club card too


A supermarket was situated opposite the hotel I used to stay at near Benidorm. They sold about 50% Spanish products, and the other 50% was mainly made up of British, German and Dutch products. The Spanish products were amazingly cheap, but 7 or 8 years ago they were charging about a euro for a tin of Heinz baked beans! There was a _*big*_ mark-up on all the expat/tourist favourites ...


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## MontyVeda (2 Feb 2013)

ColinJ said:


> ....they were charging about a euro for a tin of Heinz baked beans
> ...


 
Heinz completely over charge for a tin of bean over here too... I don't know what people get out of these expensive designer beans


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## ColinJ (2 Feb 2013)

MontyVeda said:


> Heinz completely over charge for a tin of bean over here too... I don't know what people get out of these expensive designer beans


I either buy cheapo own-brand beans or watch out for special offers. 'Oasis' in HB currently have 2*4-packs of Heinz for £3 which isn't too bad. I always put curry powder, garlic and chillis in my beans so it doesn't really matter what they start off tasting like!


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## MontyVeda (2 Feb 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I either buy cheapo own-brand beans or watch out for special offers. 'Oasis' in HB currently have 2*4-packs of Heinz for £3 which isn't too bad. I always put curry powder, garlic and chillis in my beans so it doesn't really matter what they start off tasting like!


 yes the curry powder is a good one... a nob of butter and splash of milk too for a creamier sauce.


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## ColinJ (2 Feb 2013)

I said I'd leave it a while, but _what the heck_ ... 

Some friends rang me this morning to ask if I could manage a walk. The sun was shining and I have been going stir-crazy so I said yes, though I was apprehensive at the length and severity of the proposed scenic route to the hilltop village of Heptonstall, which would be harder than anything I've managed since last July. However, I'd been feeling a lot better the last couple of days and if I don't take advantage of these good days, then I'm just going to end up stuck in the house, feeling miserable.

On the way up a steep path, we got into a bit of a heated discussion about Lance Armstrong and I found that I could get irate, _or_ walk uphill, but I couldn't do _both_ at the same time! It was quite comical actually, having to stop to rant about the lying, cheating swine because it was making me breathless. 

I got to test the camera in my new phone and am pleased with the results. I don't think I will bother carrying a separate camera on future rides and walks.







(That's good enough for my online ride and walk write-ups!)

We called in at 'Towngate Tearooms' in Heptonstall for lunch and then walked back down into Hebden Bridge.

My legs are now feeling tired and stiff, but in a _good_ way. I'm hoping that I won't have any delayed breathing problems from the strenuous walk because that's what puts me off doing more. I want to slowly ramp up the exertion level but don't want to end up scared and breathless every time I do so.

Maybe that forum walk can take place fairly soon after all? Give it another few weeks, and we'll see.


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## dave r (2 Feb 2013)

Sorry to hear about your set back, glad you've started to feel better.


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## trio25 (3 Feb 2013)

Rubbish news, but glad that you sound positive!


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## fossyant (3 Feb 2013)

Good that you are out again mate. Slow and steady, you need to get rid of the clot. You are making good progress.


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## Arch (3 Feb 2013)

fossyant said:


> you need to get rid of the clot.


 
Now, don't talk about Potsy like that....


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## potsy (3 Feb 2013)

fossyant said:


> Good that you are out again mate. Slow and steady, you need to get rid of the clot. You are making good progress.


Funnily enough he's not been the same since your Jodrell ride, think the lack of hills did for him


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## ColinJ (3 Feb 2013)

potsy said:


> Funnily enough he's not been the same since your Jodrell ride, think the lack of hills did for him


I blame that _fixed-friendly_ hill! 

(I wonder whether some clotting was going on in my very painful right leg on that ride. Months later, the hospital sonologist/sonographer (person doing the ultrasound scan) only checked the most obvious part of my left leg and once he found a DVT he stopped looking for others. I asked why and he said that there was no point since the suspected DVT had been confirmed. the treatment would be the same no matter how many that I had.)


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## Night Train (6 Feb 2013)

Colin, I will be over your way Wednesday 13th in the morning to get my car serviced. Fancy a coffee/tea/cake?


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## ColinJ (6 Feb 2013)

Night Train said:


> Colin, I will be over your way Wednesday 13th in the morning to get my car serviced. Fancy a coffee/tea/cake?


There's a coincidence - I mentioned to someone this afternoon that various CycleChatters had called in to see me on cafe stops in Hebden Bridge recently and I remembered that you'd said you'd be coming over some time. 

Yes, I'm free - I'll move my 'fasting day' to Thursday to make way for the cake!


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## ColinJ (6 Mar 2013)

I managed to resist the temptation to post here for a whole month, but today was a significant day so I thought I'd update you! 

I met Night Train for a chat a few weeks ago when he drove over to get his car repaired just down the road from here. We had intended to go for a walk but wintry conditions had returned so we settled for the warmth of the cafe instead.

The weather improved over the next few days and the following week Slower Than A Sluggish Sloth came over to see me. We went for a walk which I thought would be about 4 miles, but it turned out to be 7 - my longest walk since getting ill last July. It was also the hardest, taking in not one, but two of the local hills! I needed a short rest before tackling the second hill, but it was obvious that my health and fitness are continuing to improve.

We went for lunch in Heptonstall, an old village on a hilltop overlooking Hebden Bridge.

As we walked back down, I got a call from bromptonfb who was riding over and wondered if I would be free to meet him. There was a brief 'handover' period, and then STASS drove off to meet some climbing pals, while bfb and I went to a local pub for a chat. We did our good deed for the day when we found an iPhone on the table next to ours. We handed it in at the bar and it was claimed about 20 minutes later by a grateful granddad with his grandson in tow.

So, I am being kept cheerful by seeing some CycleChatters and I am able to do more with each passing month. I think I am still some way off being ready to get back on my bike, but I decided that it was time to organise my first ever 'forum walk' - details in this thread. If you fancy coming along then just post in that thread and I will add your name to the list.

Scary symptoms - chest pains, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and a racing pulse rate - are becoming much rarer. From time to time, I can forget that I am still ill. I was upstairs when the postman knocked a week or so back. I ran downstairs and through to the front door to sign for my parcel and it was only when I closed the door that I realised that I was breathing very hard for such a small exertion.

That brings us to today ...

I just had a very spooky (but pleasing) experience having 7 tubes of blood taken from my right arm ... (I expected it to be 8, but one will be split for 2 tests.)

I am a complete wimp with needles and giving a blood sample in January really hurt so I was feeling apprehensive this time round. The nurse managed to get the needle in fairly painlessly, and I chatted to her while she went about her business. I was looking the other way the whole time because I fainted the last time I watched it being done! 

Suddenly, I heard her saying goodbye from the other side of the room. I turned round to see her heading out of the door. She had somehow managed to extract the blood, take off the tourniquet, remove the needle and tape a piece of cotton wool over the puncture wound without me feeling her doing it! I had thought that she was still lining up the tubes and had not actually started taking the blood. 

The blood samples will be tested for any signs of fresh clotting and to see if I have a gene mutation which increases my risk of clotting. I am still on Warfarin so there should not be any new clots forming, and I obviously hope that I am not a 'born clotter'! I will see my consultant in a couple of weeks time and be told what's what then.

The forum walk comes a couple of days later, and I will no doubt be reporting back here shortly afterwards. Ciao!


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## summerdays (6 Mar 2013)

I understand that hatred of the needle - I often have blood samples taken either lying down or at least sitting on the couch so I can lie down if necessary. She sounds a gem - I hope you have the luck to get her again next time


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## Minotier (6 Mar 2013)

It's easy for us all on the forum to sit at a keyboard and try to imagine how you are coping.
It isn't easy for you to hear about all our wanderings and mishaps whilst having to let your body repair itself and get back to as near normality as it can, hopefully a total recovery.
But be assured we all can imagine and in some cases know what it's like when you cannot do what you want to.
So we can all wish you a speedy return to the barmy world of throwing yourself on your bike down a ridiculous gradient or knacking yourself up by pushing that bit too hard.
Have faith and belief in your wish mate and it will happen, believe me. I have been through it and when that day comes it is the best feeling you can have.
GWS.


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## ColinJ (6 Mar 2013)

summerdays said:


> I understand that hatred of the needle - I often have blood samples taken either lying down or at least sitting on the couch so I can lie down if necessary. She sounds a gem - I hope you have the luck to get her again next time


Thanks. Yes, I stretch out on a couch to have the blood samples taken. I had one go at a clinic in Halifax and promptly fainted so we decided it was better for me and better for the staff involved to just have subsequent tests done at home. (I was too damn weak to travel for the first few months anyway.)

Being so squeamish is a bit embarrassing, but OTOH I was cracking jokes about being 3/4 dead when I was taken into hospital, and I have never once felt tempted to say 'why me?' so I suppose you could say that I'm weak in one way but strong in others.

I'm torn between wanting to come off Warfarin and being scared of losing its protection. If I do come off after seeing the consultant, then that should be the end of regular blood testing. In some ways though, I'd like to stay on the drug until I feel well enough to start cycling again. I only feel about 40% recovered now which is a reminder that all is not well, and I worry that clots could start forming once more. 



Minotier said:


> It's easy for us all on the forum to sit at a keyboard and try to imagine how you are coping.
> 
> It isn't easy for you to hear about all our wanderings and mishaps whilst having to let your body repair itself and get back to as near normality as it can, hopefully a total recovery.
> 
> ...


Thanks to you too, and to my other well-wishers. I would have found this illness very hard to cope with without the support of my family and close friends, plus many of you on CycleChat! 

I feel awkward having an entire thread devoted to me, but I do know that I have increased awareness of DVT and Pulmonary Embolism and that could help prevent other CycleChat members having to go through this, or worse.

I was shocked recently when my older sister told me that our mum had been on Warfarin for a couple of years for DVTs and I never even knew about that or what the condition was. (I think her clots were caused by varicose veins; I'm hoping that we don't have a family clotting gene, but I will find out in 2 weeks time.) It just goes to show how relatively low-profile the clotting problem is, despite its seriousness and how common it is.

It has been hard watching events pass by that I would have loved to have ridden. There is a discussion currently going on by PM between many of us who have ridden 'Spring Into The Dales' together in the past. I had thought that I'd be better by now, but here we are with only 6 weeks to go to SITD and I haven't ridden a bike since July 2012 so there is no realistic chance for me taking part this year. The best I could hope for would be to do what are normally my spring rides in the autumn instead.

I'm going to write a list of things to ask the consultant. One of them will be about how safe it will be for me to really push myself hard in the future, when I think that I am well again. I wasn't superfit before I got ill, but at least I was strong enough to take an awful lot of physical punishment. I don't want to give myself a heart attack by overdoing it when I finally start riding again! 

Anyway - it's good to hear that you have got over whatever health issues you had!


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## ColinJ (21 Mar 2013)

Well, I have waited 8 long, hard, scary months to type this ... I'm off Warfarin and am officially on the mend! 

I saw the consultant this afternoon and we had a chat about my recovery so far, and what to do next. My recent blood tests suggest that it _should_ be safe for me to stop taking the drug. There is always a small, but significant risk of haemorrhage when taking anticoagulants which is why we don't all get put on them for life. I'd rather do my best to avoid clotting risk factors and take my chances with that, than gamble with the possibility of bleeding on the brain!

It doesn't mean that I'm not at risk now. In fact, I could reclot once the Warfarin has worn off but I have asked for another d-Dimer test in 2 or 3 weeks time to pick that up if it happens. (Amazingly, this isn't suggested as standard in these here parts! I asked how any clotting would be detected without the tests and the doctor simply said that I would get ill again and it would become obvious! Given how horrific clotting was first time round, I'd rather not use myself as a lab rat, when a simple blood test can do it for me ... )

The longer I can go without clotting, the lower the risk becomes. Eventually, I would barely be at greater risk than any of you reading this.

The doc reckons that the swelling in my leg is something that will come and go. The walls of the veins and their valves were probably damaged by the DVT(s) and may never fully heal. I might end up with bad varicose veins. I can live with that. As long as I can get back on my bike and ride at a reasonable level, then I will be content.

So, it is _nearly_ time to move on to phase two of my recovery - back on the bike! I want to wait until the final blood tests are clear, and then start cycling again. I will build up very carefully because I am sure that my cardio-vascular system is nowhere near able to take a serious workload yet.

I will have good days and I will have bad days, but hopefully the _appalling_ days are behind me!

Thanks for the ongoing support, folks. 

(PS - my drink is an OJ - I'm staying off alcohol until I feel that I am fully recovered. I think I am only about halfway there so far.)


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## Speicher (21 Mar 2013)

Excellent news Colin!


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## coffeejo (21 Mar 2013)

That's great news, Colin!!


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## Poacher (21 Mar 2013)

Great news, Colin! Probably bad news for the local rat population, if they get your discontinued prescription.
When will you be back on the green veg?


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## Goldcoast (22 Mar 2013)

I'm relatively new to this forum but that's great news!


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## ColinJ (22 Mar 2013)

Poacher said:


> Great news, Colin! Probably bad news for the local rat population, if they get your discontinued prescription.
> When will you be back on the green veg?


I never went off the green veg - the anticoagulation clinic just adjusted my Warfarin dose to fit in with my diet, rather than my diet to fit the drugs, which is a much more sensible way to go about it!


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## Mo1959 (22 Mar 2013)

That's absolutely brilliant news Colin. Hope your next blood tests show that you don't need to continue the Warfarin and that you will be safe to start gentle cycling again.


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## Spinney (22 Mar 2013)

Great news! 



ColinJ said:


> I might end up with bad varicose veins. I can live with that.


 
Time to start wearing stockings....!!


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## dan_bo (22 Mar 2013)

Decent Col nice one!


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## phil_hg_uk (22 Mar 2013)

Thats good news colin, sounds like you will be getting back on the bike about the same time as some of us by the looks of this snow we keep getting.


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## postman (22 Mar 2013)

Good news ,slow and steady and you will get there.


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## Scoosh (22 Mar 2013)

That is great news to read at the start of my day !

Thank you and keep getting better.


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## Minotier (22 Mar 2013)

Brilliant news fella, onwards and upwards, steadily though!


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## PaulB (22 Mar 2013)

Great news. Is there anything you can do about the weather?


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## ColinJ (22 Mar 2013)

Thanks all!

Support stockings might become a necessity. In fact, I am surprised that the doctors didn't suggest them. I have now read that they can help prevent or reduce Post Thrombotic Syndrome (PTS) which is what they think I now have in my left leg.

Support stockings sound a bit old person-ish don't they? (Yes, I know that 57 sounds old to some of you!) Perhaps I will opt for the more athletic-sounding compression wear.  

I think my DVT(s) were caused by wearing overtight trousers for 6+ hours of travelling to and from a holiday in Wales. Some of you will also have witnessed the agonising leg pain that I had on a couple of forum/audax rides which I think might have been linked to wearing overtight cycling shorts/tights. (They used to fit, but my legs expanded as I got fatter! ) There are plenty of articles which suggest a link between some DVTs and tight clothing - read this.

Interestingly, other articles suggest that people with a low resting heart rate and an athletic lifestyle are up to 85% more likely to develop DVTs - read this.

So far I seem to be one of the lucky ones with the PTS, in that I am not in pain with it. 

As for the bad weather - I'm ignoring it and hoping that it eventually gets bored and goes away!


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## Mo1959 (22 Mar 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Interestingly, other articles suggest that people with a low resting heart rate and an athletic lifestyle are up to 85% more likely to develop DVTs - read this.


Hmm, don't like the sound of that. When I am totally relaxed usually mid forties or lower.


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## ColinJ (22 Mar 2013)

I would like to offer a toast to the memory of those brave cows that gave their lives, that I and other big clots might live (see History of Warfarin)!

_"You did not die in vain, bovine friends. PS I promise not to eat any of your relatives!" _


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## ColinJ (22 Mar 2013)

Mo1959 said:


> Hmm, don't like the sound of that. When I am totally relaxed usually mid forties or lower.


I use a kitchen timer now to prompt me to get up from the computer or TV every 30 minutes and walk about for a minute or two! I am also wearing loose clothing. I think that lycra shorts that fit properly would be fine, but mine ended up being 2 sizes too tight!

As for the resting heart rate - mine was about 40-45 but was as low as 34 bpm when I was fit.

I had lots of risk factors - low pulse rate, tight clothing, sedentary lifestyle, long journeys in cramped conditions, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, dehydration. Oh, and the taller you are, the higher the risk - I'm 6' 1".


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## potsy (22 Mar 2013)

Glad to read this Colin, be great to see you back on the bike again soon


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## coffeejo (22 Mar 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Oh, and the taller you are, the higher the risk - I'm 6' 1".


Potsy's ok then


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## Mo1959 (22 Mar 2013)

coffeejo said:


> Potsy's ok then


Ha, ha. Probably I'm ok too then barely being 5' 4" Do have a slow heart rate and sit at the computer far too long though. Lol


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## trio25 (22 Mar 2013)

That is fantastic news Colin, I look forward to reading about your return to cycling.


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## ColinJ (22 Mar 2013)

trio25 said:


> That is fantastic news Colin, I look forward to reading about your return to cycling.


I'm freezing my old blog - it didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it to and I lost interest in it anyway when my mum was dying. I did learn quite a bit though, so I am going to replace it with another site which I will start soon. I'll log my cycling progress there and see how far I can get. Watch this space, or rather - watch _that_ space!


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## fossyant (22 Mar 2013)

Great news


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## ColinJ (22 Mar 2013)

I just looked at the price of compression clothing! Blow it - I'll try and get some support stockings prescribed for me.


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## vernon (22 Mar 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Thanks all!
> 
> Support stockings might become a necessity. In fact, I am surprised that the doctors didn't suggest them. I have now read that they can help prevent or reduce Post Thrombotic Syndrome (PTS) which is what they think I now have in my left leg.
> 
> Support stockings sound a bit old person-ish don't they? (Yes, I know that 57 sounds old to some of you!) Perhaps I will opt for the more athletic-sounding compression wear.


 
I wore a surgical stocking for around five months after my bout of chronic cellulitis in an attempt to reduce the size of my swollen leg. It did the job though at times I thought that no significant progress was being made. My leg still swells occasionally if I spend protracted periods of time sitting down but reduces overnight.

Have a look around for alternative sources of compression wear. I use a Canterbury compression top/base layer and got it a a far cheaper price than cycling specific clothing.

Colin's appeal to folk to check out leg pains quickly is really really important. I put up with escalating pain for three days in the hope that antibiotics were combatting my cellulitis and ignored the fact that the swelling, acute pain and elevated temperature of my leg had spread from my ankle to my knee before I though that I needed further medical intervention. Thankfully my recovery was a lot speedier. I'd not wish the ensuing pain of cellulitis, or DVT for that matter - DVT was considered to be a possibility at the time on anyone.

The kids at school didn't know what I'd been absent for when I was hospitalised with the cellulitis and had 10 weeks off work and when they spotted the flesh toned stocking and asked what it was I told them that I'd had my lower leg amputated and that they only had caucasian tinted artificial limbs available at the hospital and that if I wanted an afro-caribbean tinted one that I'd have to pay £1500. They were furious and were all for organising a petition and going to the press.


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## Pat "5mph" (22 Mar 2013)

Excellent news, Colin, good to hear that you'll soon be back on the bike.
Nothing more frustrating than wanting to do stuff when your body says "no!"


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## ColinJ (22 Mar 2013)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Excellent news, Colin, good to hear that you'll soon be back on the bike.
> Nothing more frustrating than wanting to do stuff when your body says "no!"


At the moment, my body is saying "maybe, _soon_" rather than "yes, _now_"!


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## postman (23 Mar 2013)

Vernon said he wore a surgical stocking for five months.

i wore a surgical stocking in a Post Office once,--------------------------- i GOT five months.


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## phil_hg_uk (23 Mar 2013)

postman said:


> i wore a surgical stocking in a Post Office once,--------------------------- i GOT five months.


 
No those were fishnet stockings


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## postman (23 Mar 2013)

Another famous Cyclechatter.From around the same area as ColinJ




get those stockings.


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## ColinJ (23 Mar 2013)

I have just been reading some interesting research material about compression stockings. Apparently they increase the risk of certain problems such as skin necrosis and many doctors no longer routinely recommend their use. My left leg is rather tender and I don't fancy having it squeezed if it doesn't actually help.

There is a new type which uses a motorised pump to periodically massage the legs. That sounds to me like the benefit you'd get through exercise where the operation of your leg muscles would keep the blood moving. It's why you get swollen, sore legs from standing on the spot but not so much when walking about.

Anyway - I will carry on searching for useful information. The next thing on my list of topics is whether to take a low dosage 'baby' aspirin every day or two to reduce the clotting risk. That might just introduce the same bleeding risk that the Warfarin posed but I would like to know.


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## ColinJ (26 Mar 2013)

One thing I forgot to mention was that I asked the nurse at the clinic about my blood pressure. I'd assumed that it was okay because none of the doctors ever mentioned it. She said that it was fine - I think it was about 115 or 120 over 70.


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## ColinJ (28 Mar 2013)

Look, I was going to make a big thing of this - the action photos, video clips, inspiring music and so on, but ... _that can wait_. Maybe I'll go in for all of that when I do my first 'proper' post-DVT ride, but I'd just like to tell you that I made a snap decision this afternoon and started pedalling again!

Earlier on, I'd done a brisk walk up the tough cobbled 'Buttress' path, and then the steep road to the village of Heptonstall. I was taking careful note of how I felt, and realised that it was the best I've felt since last July so I pushed myself quite hard. In fact, I got carried away and it took a while for me to realise that the cold air being sucked into the deepest recesses of my lungs was actually hurting them. Given that they have taken a right battering from clots over the past 8 months, I thought it wise to stop and put on a buff, pulled up over my nose and mouth. That raised the temperature of the air that I was breathing and I was able to continue up the hill.

I walked back down the hill and did my shopping, then came home. Some time later, I decided to clear away some of the piles of junk that had accumulated in front of the gym bike that I have downstairs. At some point, I would be needing access to the bike when I decided it was time to start cycling again. And then it simply struck me - _"*I'm feeling good, so why not now?"*_

I didn't want to get changed into different clothes, nor put on shoes. I wanted to just hop on and start pedalling, there and then!

I was wearing a pair of sandals and my left foot slipped trying to get it into the toeclip. That sent a shockwave up my leg and my whole inner thigh throbbed where the DVT had done its damage. That was a little discouraging, but ... I just flipped the pedals over and started pedalling on the flats on the opposite sides to the toeclips.

I put a small amount of resistance on the flywheel, just enough to stop it running away from me. I was getting breathless at too high a cadence and it hurt my legs. I found that 80-90 rpm with a low resistance was fine, so I span away for 5 minutes and then stopped. I don't want to overdo things at the moment when my body is still very delicate.

So ... I intend to do 5 minutes every time that I make myself a cup of tea, amounting to about 30 minutes worth of light spinning a day. When that starts to feel too easy, I'll increase the resistance and/or duration of those efforts.

When the weather improves and my legs are a bit stronger, I am going to start riding my MTB up and down the Calder Valley Cycleway and Rochdale canal towpath. That's about the only _low traffic_ flat cycling round here apart from doing circuits 'round the block', which I will probably have a go at too.

Technically, I can start calling myself a cyclist again. It's good to be on my way back!


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## potsy (28 Mar 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I just flipped the pedals over and started pedalling on the flats on the opposite sides to the toeclips.
> 
> I put a small amount of resistance on the flywheel, just enough to stop it running away from me. I was getting breathless at too high a cadence and it hurt my legs. I found that 80-90 rpm with a low resistance was fine, so I span away for 5 minutes and then stopped. I don't want to overdo things at the moment when my body is still very delicate.


 
Shouldn't this be in 'your ride today'? 

Seriously, great news Colin, look forward to reports of your first proper comeback ride


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## ColinJ (28 Mar 2013)

User14044mountain said:


> Brilliant news Colin, well done. I'm really pleased - my guess is you'd still be able to beat Potsy


Ha ha - not while what used to be a pre-warmup warmup still has me breathing hard! I am desperately unfit, but I can work on that. It was being desperately unwell that I struggled to handle! 

PS I could only beat potsy for a few weeks back in early 2011. His daily-commute-powered legs soon trashed my hill-battered-twice-a-month legs!


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## ColinJ (28 Mar 2013)

potsy said:


> Shouldn't this be in 'your ride today'?


I think I agree!


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## roadrash (28 Mar 2013)

well done  just remember to take it easy


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## postman (28 Mar 2013)

Colin i might just join you,i have not cycled seriously since late November.I ate my way through Xmas,new year,two surpise birthday parties.This week i have knocked off three large bars of Cadbury's chocolate, a massive ice crean sundae yesterday.
I have at least a four inch spare tyre round the waist,i feel tired and sluggish and blown up.Sod this weather.The wind is just so cold.So you keep up the good works.
Oh and by the way i am going out tonight for a meal,another inch on the waistline.Bugger it.


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## Mo1959 (28 Mar 2013)

Excellent news Colin. Hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised by how quickly your fitness will return if you just carefully increase what you are doing every week or so.


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## sdr gb (28 Mar 2013)

Brilliant news Colin.
Hopefully, you'll be well enough to enjoy some outside rides if when summer arrives.


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## coffeejo (28 Mar 2013)

Colin., that's fantastic!!


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## phil_hg_uk (28 Mar 2013)

You have now had about as much training as the rest of us for SITD colin.


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## 400bhp (28 Mar 2013)

Keep it up fella

I want to see Potsy suffer on a future "hilly ride".

I also want to see Potsy and his new proper racing bike, not the shopping trollies he turns up with.


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## twentysix by twentyfive (28 Mar 2013)

Great news!! Little and often - but not too much - and you'll be well on the way for sure


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## potsy (28 Mar 2013)

400bhp said:


> Keep it up fella
> 
> I want to see Potsy suffer on a future "hilly ride".
> 
> I also want to see Potsy and his new proper racing bike, not the shopping trollies he turns up with.





Pedrosanchezo said:


> Poor Potsy is bullied by you lot.


 
Still picking on me pedro


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## 400bhp (28 Mar 2013)

Yeah yeah - where's this new bike then?


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## ColinJ (28 Mar 2013)

Mo1959 said:


> Excellent news Colin. Hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised by how quickly your fitness will return if you just carefully increase what you are doing every week or so.


I used to be able to get fit pretty quickly if I made a big effort. When I did my Costa Blanca training camps I used to do 700+ hard hilly miles over 13 days of cycling. It exhausted me, but after a week or two of recovery I'd be raring to go!

The thing is - I was younger then, I'd had at most a 3 month winter layoff, rather than 8 months off with a serious illness.

I'll be interested to see exactly what does happen now when I start getting some miles in!



sdr gb said:


> Brilliant news Colin.
> Hopefully, you'll be well enough to enjoy some outside rides if when summer arrives.


I'm starting to feel more optimistic about that. The _rides_ that is, _not_ us getting a decent summer this year!



phil_hg_uk said:


> You have now had about as much training as the rest of us for SITD colin.


If it were January now, I'd fantasise about a 2013 SITD comeback, but I can't see any sensible way for it to be possible this year with only 3.5 weeks to go! 



400bhp said:


> Keep it up fella
> 
> I want to see Potsy suffer on a future "hilly ride".
> 
> I also want to see Potsy and his new proper racing bike, not the shopping trollies he turns up with.


I'd be happy to get back the fitness I had in 2001 when I didn't use the granny rings on either of my bikes for a whole season. The lowest road gear that I used was 39/26 and I did plenty of steep hills that year.

It remains to be seen if my battered cardiovascular system will stand up to a decent workload, but I got the go-ahead from the doctors to try, subject to common-sense and backing off if something doesn't feel right.

I'd like to see potsy's new bike too! Hopefully, I will be up to organising a forum ride later in the year.



twentysix by twentyfive said:


> Great news!! Little and often - but not too much - and you'll be well on the way for sure


I nearly got back on the gym bike tonight, but then I decided to be sensible! My legs are still sore from charging up the 15-30% Buttress path this afternoon. I'll do a few more short spins tomorrow.


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## coffeejo (28 Mar 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I nearly got back on the gym bike tonight, but then I decided to be sensible! My legs are still sore from charging up the 15-30% Buttress path this afternoon. I'll do a few more short spins tomorrow.


Good move. Don't let your understandable enthusiasm get ahead of your body.


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## The Jogger (28 Mar 2013)

Well done and definitely a good idea to listen to your body


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## Scoosh (28 Mar 2013)

YAY COLIN ! 

Slow and steady will win.


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## theloafer (28 Mar 2013)

thats great news colin  just take care and as other,s have said listern to your body ..


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## ColinJ (28 Mar 2013)

The Jogger said:


> Well done and definitely a good idea to listen to your body


I gave myself a very convincing lesson in the dangers of _not_ doing do last summer! 

Severe difficulty in breathing - _check_!
Heart going crazy (150+ bpm when lying down) - _check_!
Pains in chest - _check_!
Unexplained swollen leg - _check_!
Fever - _check_!
Persistent unproductive hacking dry cough - _check_!
Send for doctor - _no need; I'll be okay in a day or two_!


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## dave r (28 Mar 2013)

Great news Colin, gently does it at first, don't rush back, build it up steady.


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## DCLane (28 Mar 2013)

Good news 

Little and often, that's the way.


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## ColinJ (29 Mar 2013)

I have done 2 x 5 minutes on the gym bike so far today and will do another 5 or 10 minutes while tonight's meal is cooking. I am already upping the resistance on the bike but won't push that too far because I am not getting properly warmed up in such short exertions. 

I found a quiet 1.1 km local road loop with about 10 m of climbing on it. 15 laps of that would be 16.5 km with 150 m of climbing or about 10 miles and 500 ft. When I get back on the road bike, I'll do that few times to get used to riding outdoors again, before going out and tackling my hilly 19 mile Cragg Vale loop - the one that almost killed me back in July!

I know this sounds stupid but I have been walking up the Buttress path for nearly 30 years and had never discovered a little snicket off it. Okay, I knew it was there, but I didn't know where it went to. Well now I do! Normally, when I walk to the Co-op, I take a flat route, part of which goes along the busy A646. I discovered today that the snicket brings me out onto some quiet back streets which eventually emerge opposite the Co-op. It is a nicer route to the shop, but more importantly, it gives me an excuse to head up this ...







I could go all the way up the path, then turn left down the Heptonstall Road, then left again for the Co-op. The thing is - that turns a quick trip to the shops into a significant trek, and I know that I won't do it very often. The snicket that I mentioned goes off to the left up by the lamppost at the top of the photo. It only adds a couple of minutes to my walk to the shops, but that 30+% ramp really gets the old cardiovascular system ticking over nicely! 

Final message for today - I just spotted DVT Exercise Guide - Prevention of DVT, Exercises to Help Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis & Blood Clots, _*currently available free*_ for the Kindle and Kindle reader apps.

The small eBook gives a brief description of the dangers of DVT and then describes an exercise programme designed to protect long distance travellers against DVT formation.

TBH - I can't see many people doing all of those exercises on a crowded plane, train or coach but you could do a selection of them. You could also do some of the exercises during your office tea and lunch breaks, or while working at your computer. Many sedentary office workers are developing DVTs these days.

PS I would be extremely wary of some of the head/neck exercises! It would easy to do some damage to your neck so I think it might be better to limit yourself to slow, gentle left-right/front-back tilts and avoid the rotational exercises.


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## ColinJ (20 Apr 2013)

As you will have probably seen elsewhere - the Stoodley Pike forum walk went well! I've done another walk to Todmorden since then, and have also been doing 2 x 10 minutes on the gym bike most days.



ColinJ said:


> I found a quiet 1.1 km local road loop with about 10 m of climbing on it. 15 laps of that would be 16.5 km with 150 m of climbing or about 10 miles and 500 ft. When I get back on the road bike, I'll do that few times to get used to riding outdoors again, before going out and tackling my hilly 19 mile Cragg Vale loop - the one that almost killed me back in July!


The sun was shining today and I finally decided that it was time to get my bike out again!

I am still unfit, so I decided to be sensible and just ride 8 laps of that circuit. The tiny climb was okay for 4 or 5 laps but then I started to feel the strain going up it. I did a few little bursts of 40 kph/25 mph just for the fun of it, but I couldn't sustain that speed for long. Still ... it was my first outdoor ride since the end of July. I had to start somewhere, and that 8.8 km (5.5 miles) was it.

I had expected to feel very odd on the bike but I felt relaxed after just 100 metres of riding despite my 8.5 month break! I had no fitness, but the actual process of cycling felt natural and very pleasurable.


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## potsy (20 Apr 2013)




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## Pat "5mph" (20 Apr 2013)

Very well done @ColinJ !
Your bike is too clean, you need to do something about that


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## 400bhp (20 Apr 2013)

And already done more hills than potsy all year.


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## dave r (20 Apr 2013)

Well done


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## DCLane (20 Apr 2013)

Great news @ColinJ 

You're looking like your avatar photo now. Don't over-do it and hopefully there'll be a forum ride soon.


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## longers (20 Apr 2013)

Nice one Colin, keep up the good work!


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## ColinJ (20 Apr 2013)

Thanks everyone!



Pat "5mph" said:


> Your bike is too clean, you need to do something about that


That's my fair-weather, not-too-hilly bike. It doesn't have the super-low gears of my Basso, nor any mudguards.

When I first got the Cannondale, I did 100 mile rides on it including stretches of 15-20% climbing and was able to cope with its 39/29 bottom gear. I think I may be forced to lower its gearing now my veins are so fragile. Even though I'm not keen on them, I might put a compact chainset on. I'll wait and see how I feel when I'm fit again. 



DCLane said:


> You're looking like your avatar photo now. Don't over-do it and hopefully there'll be a forum ride soon.


My face is slimming down nicely. The old waistline is lagging behind somewhat, but at least it is now high-30s (inches) rather than high-40s!


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## potsy (20 Apr 2013)

400bhp said:


> And already done more hills than potsy all year.




That's only cos there are no hills around here 

Colin did hint somewhere earlier/yesterday that he was going to be on his bike today, so glad it happened and we can all look forward to him getting fitter and getting some of us lazy buggers cycling up some hills again


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## jazzkat (20 Apr 2013)

Way to go go!

You'll soon be flying up Cragg Vale and over Blackstone Edge!


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## coffeejo (21 Apr 2013)

That's great news.


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## GetAGrip (21 Apr 2013)

very very good news!


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## summerdays (21 Apr 2013)

Well done - how are you feeling this morning!


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## ColinJ (21 Apr 2013)

summerdays said:


> Well done - how are you feeling this morning!


Not too bad, actually - I was surprised how well I felt when I woke up. I will ride further next time and see how I get on with that. 

I think that the resistance I have been using on the gym bike is equivalent to riding quite quickly on the road so I wasn't having any problem riding slower on the flat. It was just the tiny hill that was making my legs suffer - I used to charge up the hill in the same gear that I was using on the approach to it, but I will have to change down for it until I get stronger. (It's a bit embarrassing to have to call it a hill because it only takes 10 seconds to ride up but it is doing the same damage to me now that a 30 minute climb would have done a year ago!)


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## Pale Rider (21 Apr 2013)

ColinJ said:


> ...I will ride further next time...


 
Is that wise?

I don't think the roadie mentality of 'harder, longer, faster' is appropriate for someone trying to rehabilitate themselves from a serious illness.

You will get nowhere without some determination, but in my non-medically qualified opinion, a balance needs to be struck.


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## ColinJ (21 Apr 2013)

Pale Rider said:


> Is that wise?
> 
> I don't think the roadie mentality of 'harder, longer, faster' is appropriate for someone trying to rehabilitate themselves from a serious illness.
> 
> You will get nowhere without some determination, but in my non-medically qualified opinion, a balance needs to be struck.


That's why I stopped when I did, yesterday. I wanted to do twice the distance but decided to be sensible.

The truth is that I have been ultra-cautious all the way through my recovery. I had people telling me to do more even when my heart was doing 150 bpm when I was just lying in bed! I ignored them and waited until I felt ready, which I finally do.

I am going to build up gradually. I did 5 miles before I do 10, and I will do 10 before I do 20. I will not do a hilly ride until I have already done a flat ride of the same distance. If I feel any ill-effects from what I am doing then I will back off for a while.

It has actually been hard holding myself back the past couple of months. In the early days of the illness, I was so bad that there was no question of me doing too much. Walking up one flight of stairs pushed me to breaking point. Recently though, I felt myself getting better and the temptation was to do too much.

You will notice that I have been organising forum walks rather than rides recently ... I am probably at least 2 months away from being able to cope with even the easiest of my normal ride routes so I have been walking instead. It might be longer before my cycling really picks up but I will not know until I try.

I specifically told my consultant that my dream was to be doing hard, hilly 100 mile bike rides again. He said 'go for it' subject to a sensible period of training and watching out for any ill-effects.

I am not going to be falling off my bike with exhaustion if I can help it. Tired is okay, damaged isn't!


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## postman (21 Apr 2013)

I have done ten days of a two week rest ordered by the Hospital and i am stir crazy already.Last two days i have been watching the wife riddle homemade compost.
Exciting eh what?

Good luck and best wishes Colin.

By the way i have been getting compliments on my new 'look'.I can now look people straight in the eye.Will be great when the double vision wears off when the double vision wears off.


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## ColinJ (1 Jun 2013)

I suppose it is time for another update here! I've been leaking out bits of news here and there, but I want to keep this thread going until I make a full recovery, or officially _don't_, so that anybody else who suffers these problems can see how the process goes.



Pale Rider said:


> [Overdoing things on the bike] Is that wise?
> 
> I don't think the roadie mentality of 'harder, longer, faster' is appropriate for someone trying to rehabilitate themselves from a serious illness.
> 
> You will get nowhere without some determination, but in my non-medically qualified opinion, a balance needs to be struck.





ColinJ said:


> I specifically told my consultant that my dream was to be doing hard, hilly 100 mile bike rides again. He said 'go for it' subject to a sensible period of training and watching out for any ill-effects.
> 
> I am not going to be falling off my bike with exhaustion if I can help it. Tired is okay, damaged isn't!


Okay, well, er, as I have mentioned elsewhere on the forum - I had a problem out on the bike last week. I ended up on my back at the side of the road with the world spinning round! Not good ... 

I felt that I was below par in the days before the ride, and I haven't felt much better in the week since so I was thinking about contacting my GP or consultant. Some people have said that I should have been on the phone to the local health centre straight away, but they do not have a clue what this kind of condition is like. There have probably only been a handful of days in the last year where I have been symptom-free. I would have phoned the doctor over 300 times by now if I did it every time I felt bad! The problem is how to work what is just 'bad' and what is *'REALLY BAD'*!

My otherwise steady recovery has been interrupted by 3 or 4 significant setbacks, on top of which there are random daily fluctuations. It is very hard to work out _what_ is going on. Scary things can be happening one minute - rapid pulse rate, heart rhythm problems, shortness of breath, a swollen leg ... 2 hours later and I can feel fine!

Recently, despite all that I had read about other people going through this process, I was beginning to think that I was now almost in the clear. Evidently I am _not_! Oh well.

I had decided that I'd get through this weekend and if I still felt rough on Monday, I would phone the doctor. Well, I have been waiting for blood test results since 25th April and today I finally got a letter from my consultant and the result is that they are very sorry, they have some bad news for me ...













... they f***ed up the tests and need to do them again! 

It's really annoying because if something is wrong, they might have spotted it 5 weeks ago. The good news is that if something has gone wrong since the original samples were taken, the new tests should spot it!

So, I'll book myself in for the tests next week and I'll ask the consultant to prioritise them because I don't want to wait 5 weeks to find out if I am clotting again. If I need to go back on Warfarin, I want it to be before things get serious. If nipped in the bud, a clotting problem doesn't have to be the end of the world, but I know from last year's experience what can happen if treatment is delayed too long!


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## Scoosh (1 Jun 2013)

Not doing too much, too soon is very difficult but there is no doubt at all in my mind that trying to do too much, too soon ends up taking far, far longer to full recovery than being 'impatiently patient' !

Keep taking small steps ...


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## postman (1 Jun 2013)

One step forward two backwards then Colin.Keep your chin up,that little light down the tunnel will get bigger and brighter one day.


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## Pedrosanchezo (1 Jun 2013)

Not the first time i've heard of blood tests going missing and being misplaced. They were probably looking for them for 4 of the 5 weeks. Here's hoping you get the results super quick this time round! Hope you get it sorted soon. The uncertainty must be the hardest part and would be the part i would hate the most.


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## ColinJ (1 Jun 2013)

Thanks chaps.

Since my previous post, I've been out for a walk in the sunshine up the steep hill to Heptonstall. Once I'd warmed up for 5 minutes I felt fine! Just goes to show ... 

It baffles me how I can feel really rough one minute, and then half an hour later after some fairly vigorous exercise, I feel perfectly okay again. This is the problem with judging how hard to push myself. If I don't stretch my limits, then I won't get fit again. If I push too hard, I'm going to end up conking out. 

One interesting fact I heard on 'The Human Swarm' documentary last week was that there are an extra 200 heart attacks in the UK every day when the temperature drops by only 1 degree C (this must be between some unstated temperature limits, but the general principle is simple). One reason is that the body's response to cold conditions causes the blood to thicken and become more 'clotty'. Well, I have been stubbornly refusing to put the heating on recently despite some pretty chilly evenings and I was thinking how cold my legs had been feeling ... From now on, I'm going to keep warm and drink more water so I avoid the other thing that causes thicker blood - dehydration. 

I've read that some of the things that I really like such as garlic, ginger, curry powder and chillis act as natural blood thinners so I am going to make sure that I keep eating plenty of spicy food. I also love green veg. rich in the 'clotting vitamin', vitamin k. I am not going to give up on my broccoli, iceberg lettuce, spring onions etc., but I will moderate my portions slightly and eat more carrots and other alternative veg. which won't make my blood thicker.


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## Scoosh (1 Jun 2013)

Everyone should be aiming to drink about 2 litres of water each day - and tea/coffee don't count , as they are diuretics, so if you drink 1 cup of tea/coffee, it should be 'replaced' with a similar amount of water !

Just ensure there is nothing blocking the way to the 'wee room' !


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## oldfatfool (1 Jun 2013)

Hope the blood test come back all clear Col (when they do come back ) 

Don't know if you are interested (or indeed if it would be sensible?) but I am possibly driving down to the Alps in Aug/Sept for 2-3 weeks camping and cycling in various locations. If you have a tent then you are more than welcome to join me, maybe a change of air/ scenery and some varied walking routes might do you good? (if you have a bike bag then might even be able to fit your bike in the boot.......or maybe that would be pushing it?)


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## ColinJ (1 Jun 2013)

oldfatfool said:


> Hope the blood test come back all clear Col (when they do come back )
> 
> Don't know if you are interested (or indeed if it would be sensible?) but I am possibly driving down to the Alps in Aug/Sept for 2-3 weeks camping and cycling in various locations. If you have a tent then you are more than welcome to join me, maybe a change of air/ scenery and some varied walking routes might do you good? (if you have a bike bag then might even be able to fit your bike in the boot.......or maybe that would be pushing it?)


It's a very nice and tempting offer but I will have to decline, thanks! I've got family visits planned over that period and have a rather pressing appointment with a Mr. Neeta Earnalot! I also don't think I'll be up to much travelling this year.

I'd certainly be up for something like the Raid Corsica or Raid Pyreneen one day if/when health & wealth permit!


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## oldfatfool (1 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> It's a very nice and tempting offer but I will have to decline, thanks! I've got family visits planned over that period and have a rather pressing appointment with a Mr. Neeta Earnalot! I also don't think I'll be up to much travelling this year.


 
No worries


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## Smurfy (1 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> ... they f***ed up the tests and need to do them again!
> 
> It's really annoying because if something is wrong, they might have spotted it 5 weeks ago. The good news is that if something has gone wrong since the original samples were taken, the new tests should spot it!


 
Sorry to hear they've mucked it up. At least you've now got a reasonable excuse to nag them for the test results.

Hope it's all good news when you finally get the test results.


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## dave r (1 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Thanks chaps.
> 
> Since my previous post, I've been out for a walk in the sunshine up the steep hill to Heptonstall. Once I'd warmed up for 5 minutes I felt fine! Just goes to show ...
> 
> ...


 
I've noticed that something is different when its very cold, I had Angina about 5 years ago, I've got 4 stents in my chest, and if I'm going to get any twinges it will happen on a very cold morning, usually if I've forgotten to warm up properly and tried to push hard to soon. I've always found the most tricky thing about getting fit is working out how much rest to fit in, exercise is good for us but not if we over do it.


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## ColinJ (1 Jun 2013)

I don't think lack of rest is the problem at the moment, Dave - this has been the longest period of rest that I have ever had!


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## dave r (2 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I don't think lack of rest is the problem at the moment, Dave - this has been the longest period of rest that I have ever had!


 
Training or getting fit should contain periods of rest, your body will need rest to recover from the training effort and make progress, if theres not enough rest in a training program you'll end up over training and get no benefit from the training.


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## ASC1951 (2 Jun 2013)

Scoosh said:


> Everyone should be aiming to drink about 2 litres of water each day - and *tea/coffee don't count* , *as they are diuretics*, so if you drink 1 cup of tea/coffee, it should be 'replaced' with a similar amount of water !


Urban myth - the diuretic effect of caffeine is absolutely minimal.
And normal daily intake of fluid for a healthy adult (which can include tea and coffee) is rather lower than that; about 1.2 to 1.5 litres.


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## ColinJ (17 Jun 2013)

Well, I just got back from another fun-packed 24 hour visit to an A&E assessment ward and it looks like I am now an official member of the 'Warfarin for life' club! 

I have a bilateral pulmonary embolism. No, not the original one - that is so 'last year' - this is a brand new 2013 version. Whoopee! Strictly speaking, bilateral pulmonary emboli - there are several in each lung. That explains my recent wobbles and shortness of breath.

The doctors do not know where the clots are coming from, but as one doc said, I seem to be pretty good at this clotting malarkey!

The one consolation is that I discovered the problem much earlier this time so recovery ought to be quicker.

I need a few weeks for the anticoagulants to do their thing, and hopefully I will then start making progress again.


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## hopless500 (17 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Well, I just got back from another fun-packed 24 hour visit to an A&E assessment ward and it looks like I am now an official member of the 'Warfarin for life' club!
> 
> I have a bilateral pulmonary embolism. No, not the original one - that is so 'last year' - this is a brand new 2013 version. Whoopee! Strictly speaking, bilateral pulmonary emboli - there are several in each lung. That explains my recent wobbles and shortness of breath.
> 
> ...


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## Archie_tect (17 Jun 2013)

Good to hear they've caught them early Colin... get well soon.


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## Hip Priest (17 Jun 2013)

Best wishes Colin. Take it easy.


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## ColinJ (18 Jun 2013)

Hip Priest said:


> Best wishes Colin. Take it easy.


Thanks. I am just nipping out to have a Heparin injection to help keep me safe until my new Warfarin regime has been insituted and my INR levels have settled down.


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## Rickshaw Phil (18 Jun 2013)

That's disappointing for you.

I'm glad they've caught it early though and hope that your recovery is better than expected.


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## oldfatfool (18 Jun 2013)

Bummer, hope it all settles down sharpish and you can move forward.


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## postman (18 Jun 2013)

Best wishes from me,keep your chin up.


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## ColinJ (18 Jun 2013)

Thanks, all. Just back from the jab, and I was feeling pretty rough in the waiting room, so I think that this was caught just in time; if my posts on CycleChat abruptly stop, however - it _wasn't_!


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## Alun (18 Jun 2013)

Best wishes for a speedy recovery, take care!


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## ColinJ (18 Jun 2013)

Miracles can happen, but I think it would be better for my head to assume that I won't be doing any hilly forum rides in 2013 ... Better to be pleasantly surprised by a rapid recovery than disappointed by a slow one!


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## dave r (18 Jun 2013)

Thats a bit of a bugger Colin but at least they spotted it quickly, best wishes on getting this little setback sorted quickly..


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## GetAGrip (18 Jun 2013)

Sorry to hear this Colin, Good that you knew the signs when 'it' hit again though! Credit to you being so positive about it ............... you little trooper you 
Take care and keep us informed of your progress


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## Scoosh (18 Jun 2013)

> I have a bilateral pulmonary embolism.


... sounds very unpleasant, if not rather dangerous . Take your recovery _very_ easily, don't rush it ... or you might not recover at all  !

GWS** Colin.



** = Get Well SLOWLY !


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## ColinJ (19 Jun 2013)

User14044mountain said:


> Is it too girly to ?


I'll take all the support I can get! 

I am having to fight all the negative feelings that I experienced through that long winter all over again. Right now, I am trying to relax in bed but my breathing is laboured, my heart rate is elevated and my mind is 'mushy'. It is very easy to get into a panic and the problem is that panic induces the same symptoms, so a terrible vicious cycle can rapidly develop. Repeat after me: _calm, calm, calm ..._

If lifelong anticoagulation definitely _is_ required then I am going to tell my GP and the anticoagulation team that I want to do my own INR blood tests at home. I would have to buy a meter for £299, which would be a good investment because I would be able to test myself as and when I feel it necessary, rather than only every 4-6 weeks which is what I ended up on last time. I would need a disposable finger pricker and a special slide for each test, costing about £4-5 a time, but I should be able to persuade my GP to prescribe them to keep my costs down.


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## fossyant (19 Jun 2013)

That's a bummer, but you've caught it in time for the meds to do their stuff much earlier this time. Get well soon !


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## dan_bo (19 Jun 2013)

^ that's the best that can be said of the situation Col- Steady steady!


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## ColinJ (19 Jun 2013)

While I was waiting in a side room at A&E, I told my sister everything I knew about clotting, DVTs, Pulmonary Embolism, Vitamin K (the body uses it as part of the clotting mechanism) and so on. I told her that I had been supposed to get a thrombophilia screen done to see if I had a genetic mutation which makes clotting more likely, and how anticoagulant drugs interfere with that test so the blood sample needed to be taken before my treatment started ...

Anyway, the hours passed and I was getting tired. It had been a stressful day and I needed sleep. A nurse appeared with a syringe in a plastic tray and announced that he was going to inject an anticoagulant into my belly fat. Yeah, yeah, been there, had that done, felt really squeamish ... I looked away, he lifted my tee-shirt, wiped the skin with that alcohol stuff they use, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw the syringe getting closer ...

Suddenly, my sister shouted "*STOP!!!!!!*"

The nurse leapt back in fright and I jumped up so quickly that I almost ended up impaled on the syringe anyway!

"_You forgot to get your thrombophilia screen done!_"

Oh, flipping heck, yes! We told the nurse and he wandered off to get a doctor to sign the test request.

I was going a bit loopy from fatigue and stress and started a very animated monologue in which I illustrated rather too realistically the kind of noises that I might have made if my condition had become critical. A sound of strangled gasping reverberated down the empty corridor. My sister was sitting by the open curtain to our side room and she saw a nurse sprinting full-speed along the corridor towards us ...

"_No, no, it's okay - it is only my moron brother playing the fool!_"

The nurse glared at her and went back to her duties.

Sis turned to me and barked "_Don't - you - ever - do - that - again!!_"

Oops!


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## dan_bo (19 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> While I was waiting in a side room at A&E, I told my sister everything I knew about clotting, DVTs, Pulmonary Embolism, Vitamin K (the body uses it as part of the clotting mechanism) and so on. I told her that I had been supposed to get a thrombophilia screen done to see if I had a genetic mutation which makes clotting more likely, and how anticoagulant drugs interfere with that test so the blood sample needed to be taken before my treatment started ...
> 
> Anyway, the hours passed and I was getting tired. It had been a stressful day and I needed sleep. A nurse appeared with a syringe in a plastic tray and announced that he was going to inject an anticoagulant into my belly fat. Yeah, yeah, been there, had that done, felt really squeamish ... I looked away, he lifted my tee-shirt, wiped the skin with that alcohol stuff they use, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw the syringe getting closer ...
> 
> ...


 

Never had you down as a pain in the arse Col!


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## ColinJ (19 Jun 2013)

dan_bo said:


> Never had you down as a pain in the arse Col!


I have a wacky sense of humour, but maybe A&E isn't the place for it! 

There were certainly some characters ahead of us in the queue, including a drunken English lad who was trying to have a conversation with a drunken French lad. The English lad said in terrible French that he could understand French but wasn't great at speaking it, and the French lad said zat eeees Eeeeeenglish, eeeeees, 'ow you zay, sheeeeeeet! At which point, the logical thing to do would be for the English lad to speak slowly in English and the French one in French, but they both continued in the wrong languages! Other people in the queue ended up trying to interpret for them.

It turned out that English drunk had been walking over the roof of a local swimming baths, as you do on a night out, when he clambered down onto a wall before falling off that into a locked yard. He hurt his leg. He then climbed onto a wheelie bin, back onto the wall, then back along that to the roof. He ended up staring at a 20 ft drop and thought better of it of it, wobbled back along the wall and fell off it again before falling off on the street side and hurting his other leg!

The French tourist had been playing post-pub football in a car park with some locals and had managed to wreck one of his legs!


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## colly (19 Jun 2013)

I've just caught up on your news Col. Sorry about the setback, don't let it get you down too much. You must be so frustrated after all the progress you've made.

Stiff upper lip and all that. Eh? What? That's the ticket.


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## Herzog (19 Jun 2013)

GWS!!

Puts my broken leg into perspective. I know how tiring recovery can be and wish you success


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## Herr-B (19 Jun 2013)

Bloody hell, a kick in the balls when you really didn't need it. GWS, still, again.


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## ColinJ (19 Jun 2013)

Yes, it is a pain becoming fragile just when I was getting my strength back, but if I can get through the next month or two okay then I should be able to do more cycling again.

I should only need to take a short break from the bike and I am still walking okay. The first embolism was horrific, but if this one doesn't get any worse than it is now then I should cope.

I have an appointment with my GP tomorrow to discuss my care plan.


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## classic33 (19 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I have a wacky sense of humour, but maybe A&E isn't the place for it!
> 
> There were certainly some characters ahead of us in the queue, including a drunken English lad who was trying to have a conversation with a drunken French lad. The English lad said in terrible French that he could understand French but wasn't great at speaking it, and the French lad said zat eeees Eeeeeenglish, eeeeees, 'ow you zay, sheeeeeeet! At which point, the logical thing to do would be for the English lad to speak slowly in English and the French one in French, but they both continued in the wrong languages! Other people in the queue ended up trying to interpret for them.
> 
> ...


See, thats what A&E Departments are for. Cementing relationships, whilst regailing others with stories of your heroism.
Just think of what you'll be missing if you never see the inside of one again. Now they're closing the local one.
Best o'luck with the recovery.


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## Baggy (19 Jun 2013)

Buggeration! Sorry to hear this, everything crossed for you that it doesn't get any worse and that you are soon on the road to recovery - think it's the best approach you're taking to look at it as a setback and not back to square one


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## Saluki (19 Jun 2013)

Sorry to hear of your setback. Sending best wishes to you for a good recovery.


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## Scoosh (19 Jun 2013)

Saluki said:


> Sorry to hear of your setback. Sending best wishes to you for a good recovery.


 
Sorry @Saluki - that's not enough these days. 

He needs a  too !


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## jann71 (19 Jun 2013)

Hope your feeling better soon xx


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## Scoosh (19 Jun 2013)

jann71 said:


> Hope your feeling better soon xx


 
See @Saluki - xx is very acceptable ! 

... for Colin, of course ...


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## Pat "5mph" (19 Jun 2013)

Just reading of your set back @ColinJ good this time it was caught early, giving you a chance of a speedier recovery.
Not too speedy though, as @Scoosh said, to take it easy for a bit seems best.
Maybe take up knitting until you're fit for the bike again?  The whole of CC could do with winter socks ... we'd pay you in home baked cake


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## deptfordmarmoset (19 Jun 2013)

Sorry to hear your return to cycling has been delayed, Col. Anyhow, I don't know how to say this but I think I ought to warn you: it looks like Scoosh is trying to set you up with that Norfolk lass, Saluki. If he's right, you're going to miss those hills


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## DCLane (19 Jun 2013)

Not good news - I hope you're better soon.

It sounds like you need a good woman to take care of you ... wonder where you'd find one ...


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## rich p (19 Jun 2013)

Feck me Col, are you still alive? I thought you'd carked it ages ago!
GWS


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## ColinJ (19 Jun 2013)

Thanks all!

I do feel better having the support of so many CycleChatters on this thread and in real life.

I think I will ask a mod to add a mention of *DVT/Pulmonary Embolism* to the thread title so it will attract the attention of people who have the same problems and/or risk factors, but who hadn't realised what the thread is about. Most people I speak to do not have a clue what these conditions are, how common they are, how horrifyingly easy it is to fall foul of them, or how devastating they can be.



DCLane said:


> It sounds like you need a good woman to take care of you ... wonder where you'd find one ...


I'm not saying anything!


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## ColinJ (19 Jun 2013)

rich p said:


> Feck me Col, are you still alive? I thought you'd carked it ages ago!
> GWS


The Grim Reaper has been slacking! He had about 6 weeks of untreated clotting to get me the first time, and 3 weeks this time, but I am still around with enough energy to post endless nonsense here and elsewhere ...

(Knowing my luck, I will probably pop my clogs rather suddenly now, but if so, at least I will go out sticking 2 fingers up at death!)


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## Herr-B (20 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> . . . at least I will go out sticking 2 fingers up at death!)


I think your logic has been affected.


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## Doseone (20 Jun 2013)

Hope you're ok (as well as can be under the circumstances anyway!), sorry to hear you've had another setback, must be so so frustrating for you.

All the best.


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## Archie_tect (20 Jun 2013)

If there is the slightest risk of you popping your clogs, then wrap them in cling-film and put them safely in the back of the wardrobe out of harm's way.


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## ColinJ (20 Jun 2013)

Herr-B said:


> I think your logic has been affected.


Okay, I will be sticking 2 fingers up at Death just before Death has the last laugh after all! 

It has been a busy day ... I travelled back from the Midlands and then went to see my GP in Hebden Bridge. She gave me my Clexane/Heparin shot, contacted the anticoagulation clinic, prescribed my Warfarin, booked nurses to give me more Clexane shots until the Warfarin has taken effect, booked me in for an INR test at the start of next week, and arranged to contact the Midlands hospital to ask them for the scan and blood test results they have for me, and to update my consultant up here with developments!

I spent the last month or so trying to get a friend into cycling and she is now disappointed that I won't be doing much cycling with her for a while until I am happy that the clotting is back under control. I might do some very easy rides along the local towpath/cycleway, but that will be about it until I lose the S.O.B. (shortness of breath!).


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## GrasB (20 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Okay, I will be sticking 2 fingers up at Death just before Death has the last laugh after all!


I think your new nickname is mouse:


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## ColinJ (20 Jun 2013)

User14044mountain said:


> Blimey Colin....all those injections. I bet a certain part of your anatomy feels like a pin cushion
> 
> I'd normally ask for photos but perhaps we could pass on this occasion


The Heparin jabs are okay. I don't mind them into the belly fat because I hardly feel the needle. The drug itself makes the flesh throb for a couple of minutes, but it is only like getting a mild wasp sting.

The thing that I really hate is having a cannula put into a vein on the back of my hand!


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## classic33 (20 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> The Heparin jabs are okay. I don't mind them into the belly fat because I hardly feel the needle. The drug itself makes the flesh throb for a couple of minutes, but it is only like getting a mild wasp sting.
> 
> *The thing that I really hate is having a cannula put into a vein on the back of my hand!*


Does the hand go numb after a while?


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## classic33 (20 Jun 2013)

Archie_tect said:


> If there is the slightest risk of you popping your clogs, then wrap them in cling-film and put them safely in the back of the wardrobe out of harm's way.


 They'd go mouldy!


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## Wobblers (20 Jun 2013)

Aaargh! I thought you were supposed to be getting better!

One crumb of comfort is that it doesn't sound nearly as bad as the first time - so it sounds more like a temporary set back.Back on the bike in time for summer, yes? (We have to have one, this time, surely?)



ColinJ said:


> Okay, I will be sticking 2 fingers up at Death just before Death has the last laugh after all!


 
You'll be telling Death to sod off for some time to come yet! (My commiserations to your neighbours )


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## Aperitif (20 Jun 2013)

Best Wishes.
Just a thought, - as this is now a modified thread, and "directed" at 'viewers' that might have a health concern, would this thread be better placed in 'Health, Fitness and Training'?


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## ColinJ (20 Jun 2013)

classic33 said:


> Does the hand go numb after a while?


Er ... TBH, I can't remember! It is just that there is so little flesh there, that you can feel everything that the nurse/doctor is doing, and it can be painful if they aren't good at doing it! Something about having a cannula there just creeps me out ... 






 

When I had my first cannula put in, I turned over in my sleep and caught the end of its nozzle on the bed sheet, which was a damn painful experience! After that, I asked a nurse for a length of elasticated bandage to wrap round the cannula to stop it happening again.


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## Saluki (20 Jun 2013)

Scoosh said:


> Sorry @Saluki - that's not enough these days.
> 
> He needs a  too !


 

Righty ho.


Better?


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## classic33 (20 Jun 2013)

I had mine running down my arm, taped in place at strategic points & then into the same place in the picture. November 1995, and I can still see the mark left behind.


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## fossyant (20 Jun 2013)

Keep STRONG Col.


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## ColinJ (20 Jun 2013)

McWobble said:


> Aaargh! I thought you were supposed to be getting better!


Harumph - I thought so too! 



McWobble said:


> One crumb of comfort is that it doesn't sound nearly as bad as the first time - so it sounds more like a temporary set back.Back on the bike in time for summer, yes? (We have to have one, this time, surely?)


I'm really hoping that my new sense of fragility goes away within 4-8 weeks as the clots dissolve. 

I was so ill last time that I pretty much had to learn to walk again. This time, I can still walk okay and could probably cycle for 10 miles, as long as I didn't try to ride up any hills or go too fast. The thing is, I am pretty certain that I can feel small clots passing through my heart into my lungs and that is enough to make me wary of overdoing things! 



Aperitif said:


> Best Wishes.
> Just a thought, - as this is now a modified thread, and "directed" at 'viewers' that might have a health concern, would this thread be better placed in 'Health, Fitness and Training'?


Thanks.

I'm thinking of condensing my experiences into one post which I will put in a dedicated thread, but I'd like to wait until there is a happy ending to report! It doesn't look now as though that is likely to be a drug-free ending, but if I can get back to good health and a good level of fitness then I can put up with pills and blood tests, together with a small risk of serious bleeding problems!


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## ColinJ (20 Jun 2013)

classic33 said:


> I had mine running down my arm, taped in place at strategic points & then into the same place in the picture. November 1995, and I can still see the mark left behind.


18 years later - blimey - what on earth did they do to leave such a mark!


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## classic33 (20 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> 18 years later - blimey - what on earth did they do to leave such a mark!


The same as is showing in the picture you posted, inserted a needle into the back of the hand.
Other than that, an emegency appedix removal whilst in Convulsive status epilepticus http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/treatment/status-epilepticus.
Lasting "impression" of that operation was a junior doctor telling me he's "just putting his knee on your throat so you don't throw up again". That was eight hours after my last recollection. Fitting of name tags on arm & leg on the ward.


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## ColinJ (20 Jun 2013)

classic33 said:


> The same as is showing in the picture you posted, inserted a needle into the back of the hand.
> Other than that, an emegency appedix removal whilst in Convulsive status epilepticus http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/treatment/status-epilepticus.
> Lasting "impression" of that operation was a junior doctor telling me he's "just putting his knee on your throat so you don't throw up again". That was eight hours after my last recollection. Fitting of name tags on arm & leg on the ward.


I'm trying not to think about what I've just read ... 

As a matter of interest - it took 2 days for staff to give me a name tag in Halifax. I didn't get one automatically in Northampton either, but had to ask 3 times. I really think that shouldn't happen - if you are admitted to hospital, it should be the first thing that nursing staff do unless they are busy trying to save your life at the time!


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## Scoosh (21 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> It doesn't look now as though that is likely to be a drug-free ending, but if I can get back to good health and a good level of fitness then I ...


... can fly up all those hills day after day after day ..... 



You will have so many 'masking agents' ..... 


*Early alert !* - Beware Colin's Future CC Forum rides !


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## coffeejo (21 Jun 2013)

Only just seen this - sorry to hear the news. Keep smiling and trucking on


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## ColinJ (21 Jun 2013)

Right, I am in hunter-gatherer mode - I am going to hunt for my prescription and then gather some yummy Warfarin, courtesy of the local Boots pharmacy!

This thread is being moved to the *Health, Fitness and Training* forum, in case you look for it and can't find it!


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## Shaun (21 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> This thread is being moved to the *Health, Fitness and Training* forum, in case you look for it and can't find it!


 
Done - and a 30-day redirect left in the Cafe in case anyone goes looking for it.


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## HLaB (21 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


>


Lol, the last time I had a drip in, the doctor struggled to find a vein in my hairy arms and tried the inside of the elbow, wrist, then back of the hand. A nurse came the next day and said it was the wrong type of drip but this time they would shave the wrist on the other arm to make the vein more visible. The blade was useless though and tore my wrist apart (multiple cuts), so they opted for the back of the hand again (like pictured).
Later that day another nurse came round to take my blood, 'I hear you have a problem giving blood' .......... a few seconds later, 'no problem'.
My illness had also resulted in me losing weight dramatically.
Needless (or should that be Needles) to say I came out of hospital looking like a junkie who had tried several suicide attempts


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## ColinJ (21 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Right, I am in hunter-gatherer mode - I am going to hunt for my prescription and then gather some yummy Warfarin, courtesy of the local Boots pharmacy!


I had been feeling a bit rough before I went away, but in my typical head-in-the-sand way I decided to put off going to my doctor until I got back! (Yes, I know - doing that last year almost cost me my life ... ).

I had been passing the local Boots a couple of weeks ago and thought I'd drop in and pick up some junior aspirin to act as a DIY anticoagulant until I got back. The woman at the till asked me why I wanted it, presumably thinking that I looked too old to have a 'junior' who would need it! I realised immediately how the conversation was going to go. She told me that she couldn't refuse to sell it to me because it wasn't a prescription drug, but she strongly advised against self-medication and suggested that I see my GP, which I promised I would. 

I didn't have time to get an appointment before I went away, but I mentioned it to my sister and she gave me the final nudge and ferried me to Northampton General Hospital A&E on Sunday evening. The rest of the story has been posted above over the past few days.

Anyway, back to picking up my prescription today. The pharmacist did the usual safety check when handing over the Warfarin - had I taken it before, did I know my dose, the side-effects, and so on ... I said yes, and then thought I'd mention trying to buy junior aspirin and how impressed I was that they picked up on what I was doing and persuaded me to be more sensible. The pharmacist looked really pleased and she took me back round to the counter and gathered the sales staff and asked me to repeat what I'd just said. They all had big smiles on their faces after I thanked them, and I heard the pharmacist praising them, and telling them to keep up the good work! 



HLaB said:


> Lol, the last time I had a drip in, the doctor struggled to find a vein in my hairy arms and tried the inside of the elbow, wrist, then back of the hand. A nurse came the next day and said it was the wrong type of drip but this time they would shave the wrist on the other arm to make the vein more visible. The blade was useless though and tore my wrist apart (multiple cuts), so they opted for the back of the hand again (like pictured).
> Later that day another nurse came round to take my blood, 'I hear you have a problem giving blood' .......... a few seconds later, 'no problem'.
> My illness had also resulted in me losing weight dramatically.
> Needless (or should that be Needles) to say I came out of hospital looking like a junkie who had tried several suicide attempts


Yikes - that would definitely have had me out like a light!  

I've managed to keep a lid on my needle-phobia over the last year, having had 3 cannulas fitted, 10 Heparin shots, and about 15-20 blood tests with only 1 actual faint, and a couple of wobbly moments!

As long as the nurse/doctor knows what (s)he is doing and gets it done quickly, without too much messing about, and preferably without causing too much pain, I can cope as long as I don't watch.

I've only had 1 time which actually hurt, and that hurt a lot and throbbed for about an hour. I've no idea what went wrong there because most of the nurses took the blood sample without any problems.


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## ColinJ (21 Jun 2013)

Okay, I have decided to write a small ebook about DVT/pulmonary embolism, from the point of view of a sufferer. 

Plenty of useful information is out there if you search for it, but how many people bother to do that? An awful lot of CycleChatters and family members had never heard about these conditions until I told them what happened to me. I think I could do a useful job condensing the information into about 60 pages.

I think that I have learned enough from this experience to write something useful which might save a few lives here and there, and if I can make a few pounds while I am it, that would be nice.

I've wanted to have a go at writing something but couldn't think of anything other than cycling that I knew about and was motivated enough to write about. Well, I definitely I have strong feelings about DVT & PE! 

***********************

I just read through the first 13 pages of this thread and it reminded me how nice it was to read your messages when I came out of hospital the first time - thanks!

The other thing that pleases me is to be reminded how quickly I responded to Warfarin last time. I was much better within a few weeks. It took me a long time to walk properly again, and even longer to get on a bike, but that was because I had been desperately ill. I have caught it much sooner this time so I am hoping for a much smoother recovery.

Oops, it is time to nip out and get my Heparin shot!


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## flissh (22 Jun 2013)

Hi Colin,
As your heparin shots are subcutaneous in your tum, why don't you self administer at home? Save you the trouble of going out to get them done.
Get well soon by the way.


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## Garz (23 Jun 2013)

Good idea colin. Keep busy and take each day at a time!


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## ColinJ (23 Jun 2013)

flissh said:


> Hi Colin,
> As your heparin shots are subcutaneous in your tum, why don't you self administer at home? Save you the trouble of going out to get them done.
> Get well soon by the way.


I could have sworn that I posted a reply yesterday, but I must have forgotten to click the button ... 

TBH, I probably could get a grip on my needle-phobia but the health centre is only a few hundred yards away and it is only for a few more days until the Warfarin takes over. The doc said that she would rather a nurse did it to make sure the dose is right and it is done properly. (Since I have lost weight, about 10% of each syringe has to be discarded.)


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## ColinJ (24 Jun 2013)

I'm trying to find out what the effects of exercise are on INR (the clotting speed which Warfarin affects). I'm hoping that it increases INR, which would mean that I could take lower doses of Warfarin if I exercised more regularly. If so, that would motivate me to do more - I would rather be fit and on a low dose, than unfit and on a high dose.

(I'm going to do more exercise anyway, when my body will take it, but I want to feel optimistic about the future. I want to be on the lowest safe dose of drugs that I can get away with. I'll find out soon enough what happens because I will be having regular INR tests and I'll track for myself INR vs dose vs exercise.)


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## Pale Rider (24 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I
> 
> TBH, I probably could get a grip on my needle-phobia


 
Strange things, phobias.

I'm no braver than the next man, but needles don't bother me too much, I can cope by not looking.

I had a cannula as a precaution for my hip op.

Oddly, I don't recall them putting it in - mind was scrambled at the time.

It was needed, I leaked a bit too much on the table and needed a blood transfusion after passing out the next day.

The pipework leaked as the blood was going in, so I had by arm stuck in the air with blood running down my wrist and dripping onto the ward floor.

Happy memories - not.


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## ColinJ (24 Jun 2013)

Pale Rider said:


> Strange things, phobias.
> 
> I'm no braver than the next man, but needles don't bother me too much, I can cope by not looking.
> 
> ...


Whereas I feel slightly faint just reading that! 

My sister commented on the fact that I was cracking jokes in A&E a few seconds after being told that I had a serious health problem, but I was bothered about the needles ...  

I don't like medical procedures, and I am not good with heights. Snakes are no problem and neither are clowns!

I have no fear of descending on my bike at speeds greatly in excess of 50 mph, though maybe I should reconsider that given the potential consequences if I fall off when on anticoagulants! 

Yes - different people really _are_ different.


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## Rickshaw Phil (25 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Whereas I feel slightly faint just reading that!
> .


You're not the only one.

When I was whisked down to the surgical assessment unit earlier in the year with suspected appendicitis (it turned out not to be) the vein hid when they tried to put a canula in my right hand, so after a few minutes mucking about it had to go in the left instead. I felt .


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## ColinJ (25 Jun 2013)

I called in to visit a friend in Mytholmroyd yesterday to pass the time before my appointment at the clinic. He lives just a short walk up the hill from the main road but I got short of breath strolling up there. It confirms that I caught this relapse only just in time. A month ago, I could have almost run up there. Another week or two without treatment and I could have been flat out on my face or back again!

Anyway, I am going to do what I can to build myself back up. I did 10 very easy minutes on my gym bike earlier, just to keep the blood moving in my legs, and I will do another 10 while my evening meal is cooking. I will take a walk to the shops, pharmacy and local health centre this afternoon.


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## Minotier (25 Jun 2013)

Sorry to hear you are under the hammer again fella, luckily you seem to have realised in time.
We all bury our head in the sand thinking that all's well even when our bodies are screaming out at us and throwing different symptoms up to make us aware and do summat.
Hope the road to recovery is shorter than predicted and all the best.
I have been away for a while myself and the future is unpredictable to say the least


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## hopless500 (25 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> The Heparin jabs are okay. I don't mind them into the belly fat because I hardly feel the needle. The drug itself makes the flesh throb for a couple of minutes, but it is only like getting a mild wasp sting.
> 
> The thing that I really hate is having a cannula put into a vein on the back of my hand!


 

Cannulas are grim  but all in a good cause...
GWS


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## dave r (25 Jun 2013)

hopless500 said:


> Cannulas are grim  but all in a good cause...
> GWS


 
I'm not too bothered by Cannulas, its catheters I don't like, or the attached bag.


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## ColinJ (25 Jun 2013)

dave r said:


> I'm not too bothered by Cannulas, its catheters I don't like, or the attached bag.


I must admit that I winced a bit in hospital when I could hear two nurses trying to plumb one into the man in the bed opposite me! He didn't sound like he was enjoying it ...  

I mentioned it elsewhere (the Tea? thread, perhaps) that the nurse giving me my Clexane injection yesterday told me that her boyfriend developed the same problem as me at the end last year and is now a warfarin-for-lifer. She told me that she encounters a lot of patients with clotting problems. I still can't work out why this doesn't get as much attention as heart disease and cancer, given that it is the biggest cause of sudden death. 

I spoke to a helpful man at our local warfarin clinic this afternoon and he confirmed that he would be happy for me to do my own INR tests if I bought my own machine and did the (simple) training to use it. If I were not self-testing, then the interval between my blood tests would gradually be extended up to 12 weeks, which I think is a bit long for checking on a drug which needs to be tightly controlled! I would be thinking in terms of testing myself weekly.


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## mrandmrspoves (25 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I must admit that I winced a bit in hospital when I could hear two nurses trying to plumb one into the man in the bed opposite me! He didn't sound like he was enjoying it ...
> 
> I spoke to a helpful man at our local warfarin clinic this afternoon and he confirmed that he would be happy for me to do my own INR tests if I bought my own machine and did the (simple) training to use it. If I were not self-testing, then the interval between my blood tests would gradually be extended up to 12 weeks, which I think is a bit long for checking on a drug which needs to be tightly controlled! I would be thinking in terms of testing myself weekly.


 

I fully appreciate your anxiety about the length of time between blood tests Colin - but once stabilised many patients remain on the same dose of Warfarin for years without it needing adjusting. Great if you can check your own - and it is really straight forward.

As for urinary catheters, I have inserted hundreds over the years, and most of my victims have been surprised at how painless it has been.
In fact - if the patient is in acute retention of urine and has been for a while, passing a catheter gives almost instant relief and so many patients are extremely grateful.......but I am kinda glad to report that none of my catheter victims has ever given me the slightest hint that they were enjoying the procedure!


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## ColinJ (25 Jun 2013)

mrandmrspoves said:


> I fully appreciate your anxiety about the length of time between blood tests Colin - but once stabilised many patients remain on the same dose of Warfarin for years without it needing adjusting. Great if you can check your own - and it is really straight forward.


I've looked at lots of websites and they pretty much all talk about monthly INR tests once things have settled down. I know that warfarin and vitamin k levels tend to build up and die away slowly, but 3 months is a really long time!

I was very stable on warfarin last time but other things that might have affected my INR were not going on at the time, things such as going out and doing long bike rides, or getting an unrelated illness or an injury.

I still haven't spoken to my consultant up here since finding out that I am ill again. My GP was going to contact Northampton General to get them to send their scans and lab results up so I am waiting for that and then I am sure that I will be asked to come and have a chat. 



mrandmrspoves said:


> As for urinary catheters, I have inserted hundreds over the years, and most of my victims have been surprised at how painless it has been.
> 
> In fact - if the patient is in acute retention of urine and has been for a while, passing a catheter gives almost instant relief and so many patients are extremely grateful.......but I am kinda glad to report that none of my catheter victims has ever given me the slightest hint that they were enjoying the procedure!


I think that this is a case where 'not enjoying' is understatement, rather than the opposite of 'enjoying'! I would be pretty worried if someone _did_ enjoy having a catheter inserted. Mind you, there are some strange folk in the world - I remember _'Operation Spanner'_!


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## mrandmrspoves (25 Jun 2013)

You are quite right about the various things that can affect your INR and I was not suggesting that this is not checked regularly....but if after say a year of therapy and monthly tests have shown no need to adjust your Warfarin dose it would be reasonable to extend the period between tests further. 
I can't remember Operation spanner......and as I need to be up early tomorrow, I am not going to click on your link so close to bed time!


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## dave r (25 Jun 2013)

mrandmrspoves said:


> As for urinary catheters, I have inserted hundreds over the years, and most of my victims have been surprised at how painless it has been.
> In fact - if the patient is in acute retention of urine and has been for a while, passing a catheter gives almost instant relief and so many patients are extremely grateful.......but I am kinda glad to report that none of my catheter victims has ever given me the slightest hint that they were enjoying the procedure!


 
I consider myself fortunate as I was out for the count both times I had one inserted, I found the removal uncomfortable though, especially the last one where there was a lot of catheter inserted, I had something called Low Flow Priapsim, if you look that up its adult material and an unpleasant subject, and it was a painful and very uncomfortable experience.


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## ColinJ (25 Jun 2013)

mrandmrspoves said:


> I can't remember Operation spanner......and as I need to be up early tomorrow, I am not going to click on your link so close to bed time!


It raised uncomfortable questions about the law interfering in people's private lives. The behaviour that the men in question got up to would have been pretty offensive to many people, but they were all consenting adults. A tricky one, made more controversial by the fact that the men were gay and it was suggested that the law might have turned a blind eye to heterosexuals indulging in similar behaviour.


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## ColinJ (25 Jun 2013)

dave r said:


> I consider myself fortunate as I was out for the count both times I had one inserted, I found the removal uncomfortable though, especially the last one where there was a lot of catheter inserted, I had something called Low Flow Priapsim, if you look that up its adult material and an unpleasant subject, and it was a painful and very uncomfortable experience.


I will take your word for it, Dave - I too want to sleep tonight!


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## dave r (25 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> It raised uncomfortable questions about the law interfering in people's private lives. The behaviour that the men in question got up to would have been pretty offensive to many people, but they were all consenting adults. A tricky one, made more controversial by the fact that the men were gay and it was suggested that the law might have turned a blind eye to heterosexuals indulging in similar behaviour.


 
I don't remember operation spanner, my view has always been what consenting adults get up to in private is between them and nobodies business but theirs.


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## ColinJ (25 Jun 2013)

dave r said:


> I don't remember operation spanner, my view has always been what consenting adults get up to in private is between them and nobodies business but theirs.


Generally, that's my view too, but how far do you extend it? This case involved actual bodily harm. 

The infamous Armin Meiwes case was about as bad as it is possible to be, but the 'victim' volunteered. (I won't put a link up, and don't search for information about it if you are of a nervous disposition! )


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## dave r (25 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Generally, that's my view too, but how far do you extend it? This case involved actual bodily harm.
> 
> The infamous Armin Meiwes case was about as bad as it is possible to be, but the 'victim' volunteered. (I won't put a link up, and don't search for information about it if you are of a nervous disposition! )


 
Thats a good question, there's likely to be a point somewhere where perhaps someone goes to far and someone has to step in, I'm sure there are times when people get in over their heads, a lot of these people use code words to say stop, what happens if the code word is ignored? The question is should the police step in or should it be left to the people themselves to police it.


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## mrandmrspoves (26 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I'm trying to find out what the effects of exercise are on INR (the clotting speed which Warfarin affects). I'm hoping that it increases INR, which would mean that I could take lower doses of Warfarin if I exercised more regularly. If so, that would motivate me to do more - I would rather be fit and on a low dose, than unfit and on a high dose.
> 
> (I'm going to do more exercise anyway, when my body will take it, but I want to feel optimistic about the future. I want to be on the lowest safe dose of drugs that I can get away with. I'll find out soon enough what happens because I will be having regular INR tests and I'll track for myself INR vs dose vs exercise.)


 

As the effect of Warfarin is to slow down the speed that your blood clots until it is within the desired INR range advised for you, the dose is not really important in terms of safety as long as the dose you receive is keeping you within that range. As you know, too little Warfarin means you don't receive the fullest protection from developing a further clot, whereas too much Warfarin increases the risk of you having a haemmorhage or significant bleeding. I don't think it matters whether your required dose is 3mg or 7mg in terms of safety - so long as the dose is right to achieve the desired INR.
Certainly exercise (within moderation and as medically advised) should increase your cardiovascular status and help reduce your risk of blood clots - but I am not sure if it alters the bio availability of Warfarin. (Do let us know if you find different as I certainly am not an anticoagulant specialist!)


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## ColinJ (26 Jun 2013)

mrandmrspoves said:


> As the effect of Warfarin is to slow down the speed that your blood clots until it is within the desired INR range advised for you, the dose is not really important in terms of safety as long as the dose you receive is keeping you within that range. As you know, too little Warfarin means you don't receive the fullest protection from developing a further clot, whereas too much Warfarin increases the risk of you having a haemmorhage or significant bleeding. I don't think it matters whether your required dose is 3mg or 7mg in terms of safety - so long as the dose is right to achieve the desired INR.
> Certainly exercise (within moderation and as medically advised) should increase your cardiovascular status and help reduce your risk of blood clots - but I am not sure if it alters the bio availability of Warfarin. (Do let us know if you find different as I certainly am not an anticoagulant specialist!)


Obviously, it is important to stay in the therapeutic range of INR, but the thing that bothers me is that I didn't feel well when I was on Warfarin last time so I want to be taking the smallest dose that I need to be safe, rather than the maximum I can get away with. 

A lot of doctors say that physical fatigue and mental 'fog' are not recognised side-effects of Warfarin, but there are thousands of people online talking about suffering those side-effects and I certainly did. It was like having the beginnings of a cold and a mild hangover all the time!


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## mrandmrspoves (27 Jun 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Obviously, it is important to stay in the therapeutic range of INR, but the thing that bothers me is that I didn't feel well when I was on Warfarin last time so I want to be taking the smallest dose that I need to be safe, rather than the maximum I can get away with.
> 
> A lot of doctors say that physical fatigue and mental 'fog' are not recognised side-effects of Warfarin, but there are thousands of people online talking about suffering those side-effects and I certainly did. It was like having the beginnings of a cold and a mild hangover all the time!


 

I must admit Colin, that I have never seen any patient who has complained of feeling bad on Warfarin. I have seen a few rashes and a few people who developed drug interactions. I hope it goes well this time.


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## ColinJ (2 Jul 2013)

mrandmrspoves said:


> I must admit Colin, that I have never seen any patient who has complained of feeling bad on Warfarin. I have seen a few rashes and a few people who developed drug interactions. I hope it goes well this time.


I have also read that long-term Warfarin use can significantly increase the risk of osteoporosis in men and (ironically) the reduced risk of blood clots in the veins can be replaced by an increased risk of calcification of the arteries - _oh, super_! 

I'm going to start taking a vitamin B supplement. Several sources have suggested that a lack of B vits can cause some of the headaches and fatigue problems that I was complaining about. I don't eat meat, and only a small amount of fish so it is possible that I am low on B12. 

I got a letter from my consultant today. He has obviously been brought up to date with events and wants to see me in early August. More tests will be done then to try and work out what is causing this problem. 

I'm going to go along with what the doctors suggest for now, but will want a review in 6-12 months time.


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## mrandmrspoves (3 Jul 2013)

I don't blame you for reading up as much as you can Colin, but often the internet can be a great source of misinformation -or at least distorted information. I think there is a correlation between long term Warfarin use and osteoporosis in men though! What I often say to people who are worrying about the potential and well known side effects of taking long term steroids applies to your situation too, and that is, yes there are risks in the long term if you continue to take this......but there's a much greater risk that you won't be here in the long term if you don't take it.....
Here's to your long term - hopefully free from side effects.


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## ColinJ (4 Jul 2013)

mrandmrspoves said:


> I don't blame you for reading up as much as you can Colin, but often the internet can be a great source of misinformation -or at least distorted information. I think there is a correlation between long term Warfarin use and osteoporosis in men though! What I often say to people who are worrying about the potential and well known side effects of taking long term steroids applies to your situation too, and that is, yes there are risks in the long term if you continue to take this......but there's a much greater risk that you won't be here in the long term if you don't take it.....
> Here's to your long term - hopefully free from side effects.


I know what you mean about misinformation so I am not taking individual blog posts and the like too seriously, but I have been reading proper academic research papers which should be a lot more reliable. Even some of those appear to generate as many questions as they answer though.

There was one paper that I was interested in which supported the idea of low dose Warfarin therapy after the initial treatment phase was completed, but I found criticism of its methodology later. I still think that might be worth exploring though - taking a slightly increased risk of clotting to reduce the bleeding, osteoporosis, arterial calcification and other risks. Basically, instead of coming off Warfarin after (say) 6-12 months, or staying on a full dose forever, it would mean taking a maintenance dose for life. It was suggested to use a target INR of 1.5-2.0 rather than 2.0-3.0. That might involve only having to take (say) 1-2 mg of Warfarin a day rather than the 6 or 7 mg that I normally take and I would be a lot happier with that. A lower INR target would greatly reduce the need for frequent INR testing too.

One doctor described the clotting-bleeding continuum as being like a seesaw. With the clotting end on the ground, you would probably never suffer from internal bleeding, but you might clot to death. With the bleeding end on the ground, you wouldn't have any clotting problems, but the slightest injury could cause a fatal bleed. The object of the exercise is to get the seesaw level!

I am pretty sure I have DVTs in one or both calf muscles. I have a slight pain in my left calf which is identical to the pain I got before my hospital admission last year, and the right one isn't 100% either. TBH, given that I have PE back and a high D-dimer result, it would be slightly surprising if I didn't have clots in my legs too. I don't think they ever quite recovered from the original clotting. I was really shocked that I was not routinely scanned again when I was taken off Warfarin in March. The doctors just seem to assume that everything is okay unless clotting occurs again. I also specifically asked if it might be worth staying on Warfarin for an extra 6 months to give the original clots more time to clear, but was told that it wouldn't help ...

The calf is a bit uncomfortable when I first start to walk about and then it settles down. It seem to be fine when I am spinning away on my gym bike against a very light resistance.

Anyway, I am making a list of questions and suggestions to present to the consultant in August. He might think that I'm a nuisance, but he is paid a lot of money so he can listen to me go on a bit a few times a year AFAIAC!


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## mrandmrspoves (4 Jul 2013)

Indeed ask away when you see the consultant......but I think given your history of recurrent clotting you are likely to be at your safest with an INR of 2-3.
Therapeutic range is decided on the basis of the risk of clotting compared with the risk of bleeding. You clearly have a high risk of clotting. It may be different if for example they had identified and treated a cause of increased clotting such as atrial fibrillation - but in your case ( from what I remember reading, that's not the case)


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## ColinJ (4 Jul 2013)

mrandmrspoves said:


> Indeed ask away when you see the consultant......but I think given your history of recurrent clotting you are likely to be at your safest with an INR of 2-3.
> Therapeutic range is decided on the basis of the risk of clotting compared with the risk of bleeding. You clearly have a high risk of clotting. It may be different if for example they had identified and treated a cause of increased clotting such as atrial fibrillation - but in your case ( from what I remember reading, that's not the case)


They are still looking for an explanation. I made sure that the hospital took a sample for a thrombophilia screen before starting me on anticoagulants, and the consultant's letter asked me to provide a urine sample in August so they will obviously be doing other tests too. 

I tended to be down at 2.1-2.2 most of the time I was on Warfarin before and I felt happier being at the lower end of the range than at the higher end.

What I haven't found out so far is who worked out the therapeutic ranges for different conditions. Somebody must surely have done proper studies to compare the relative dangers of clotting and bleeding at different INRs but I haven't found them yet.


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## mrandmrspoves (4 Jul 2013)

The relative correlation is difficult to determine because it is multi factorial and has to be based on the risk factors of the individual.
If someone has a very high risk of clotting it may be acceptable to reduce this risk by increasing the INR to as much as 5 (So it takes their blood 5 x as long as the average person's blood would take to clot) 
In most people the risk is balanced best if the INR is in the 2-3 range as this significantly reduces the risk of them forming a blood clot with only a small increase in the risk of uncontrolled bleeding. I seem to recall that appx 2% of patients on long term Warfarin suffer symptoms of bleeding - but the % who would have developed a blood clot if not Warfarinised would be much higher.
The guidelines for prescribing Warfarin give target INR's based on the identified cause of the increased risk of clotting and the esttimated risk that that specific condition presents.
Once the patient has been established on a therapeutic dose of Warfarin - further clotting events demonstrate that the individual's risk of clotting has not been adequately controlled and therefore the target INR will be increased.
Sorry if you knew all that already.....but at least someone else may find it useful!


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## ColinJ (4 Jul 2013)

mrandmrspoves said:


> In most people the risk is balanced best if the INR is in the 2-3 range as this significantly reduces the risk of them forming a blood clot with only a small increase in the risk of uncontrolled bleeding. I seem to recall that appx 2% of patients on long term Warfarin suffer symptoms of bleeding - but the % who would have developed a blood clot if not Warfarinised would be much higher.


2% overall wouldn't be _too_ bad a risk, but it is actually more like 2% per patient-year and the risk never goes away. In fact, I read that the bleeding risk increases with age. I am now 57 and most of my family live well into their 80s so potentially I'd be looking at that 2% risk 30-plus times, with the risk actually getting worse as I got older so I stand a pretty good chance of having at least one major bleeding problem in that time. Mind you, not all bleeds would be catastrophic and PE certainly can be!

I noticed some bruising where I had my Clexane jabs, and also where my INR blood sample was taken. That doesn't really surprise me. Last night, I thumped the top of my metal teabag-tin to shut the lid and in the morning I had a bruise on the inside of my index finger. I've also noticed that I have to be more careful when brushing my teeth. I don't find these things worrying, but they are signs that my blood is 'thinner' than it normally is. 

I know that the therapeutic INR range for people with artificial heart valves is set higher, 2.5-3.5, I think. I seemed to do pretty well last time in the low 2s. I would be interested to know what my INR is normally. It strikes me that if I am naturally clotty, then it would be less than 1.0, say 0.5? 

TBH, I don't quite understand why certain obvious tests are not done. I imagine it comes down to time and money in the end, but the cost of people getting ill again must be higher than the cost of the tests, not to mention the fact that some of those people get very ill or die!


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## Inspector Clouseau (5 Jul 2013)

GWS Colin, all the best


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## ColinJ (5 Jul 2013)

Inspector Clouseau said:


> GWS Colin, all the best


Thanks.

I am making rapid progress compared to last year because I got to A&E much quicker this time.

If we carry on getting these nice sunny evenings, I might go for some gentle rides up and down the valley road once the traffic has died down.


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## bicyclos (6 Jul 2013)

ColinJ said:


> If we carry on getting these nice sunny evenings, I might go for some gentle rides up and down the valley road


 
The weather looks promising for the next week or so......looks like you will be clocking the miles Nice to hear that you are making progress this time and hope things work out more comfortably.

Regards


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## coffeejo (18 Jul 2013)

Just on the topic of the long-term effects of medication ... a friend of mine has got complex mental health needs and has been on a very high dose of lithium for some time and as a consequence, one of her kidneys is down to 59% functionality. She's naturally extremely concerned about this. The medical perspective? No guarantees or predictions about the future but without that dose, it's highly unlikely that she would still be alive today. Doesn't help her current situation but that's the context.


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## ColinJ (21 Jul 2013)

coffeejo said:


> Just on the topic of the long-term effects of medication ... a friend of mine has got complex mental health needs and has been on a very high dose of lithium for some time and as a consequence, one of her kidneys is down to 59% functionality. She's naturally extremely concerned about this. The medical perspective? No guarantees or predictions about the future but without that dose, it's highly unlikely that she would still be alive today. Doesn't help her current situation but that's the context.


If it is a straight choice between being dead now, or perhaps having serious problems later, then obviously 'live to fight another day' is the way to go ... That's what I am doing - I am taking the drugs to allow my body time to deal with the clots that I have inside me, but at some point in the future I want to examine alternatives. 

I know damn well that I can come up with a better strategy than what I was offered in March which was _"Come off the medication. We will assume you are okay (but we will not test to see if you are). If we are wrong then you will get ill again but hopefully you won't die before we get you back on the drugs"_, or words to that effect! 

Incidentally, it is a year ago today that I collapsed after a post-last-TdF-stage bike ride. It is hard to believe that I have been ill for a year apart from 2 months after coming off Warfarin when I really believed that I might be making a full recovery. I've tried to be a patient patient, but this is starting to feel like a damn slow process ... 

I'll be seeing my consultant again in about 3 weeks time. He should have the results of some blood tests by then, and has also requested urine tests. Maybe something will show up and give a clue as to what is going on. Hopefully, something non-sinister and curable!

Meanwhile, I'll keep strolling about, and doing little bike rides to try and build my strength back up. It's times like this that I wish I lived somewhere flat!


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## ColinJ (23 Jul 2013)

It is a bit morbid, but as part of my ongoing mission to rise awareness of DVT/PE, I have decided to post in this thread every time that I hear about somebody famous suffering from the condition.

So, drawing a very unpleasant short straw ... US actor Dennis Farina has just died of a pulmonary embolism. RIP.


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## Inertia (23 Jul 2013)

ColinJ said:


> It is a bit morbid, but as part of my ongoing mission to rise awareness of DVT/PE, I have decided to post in this thread every time that I hear about somebody famous suffering from the condition.
> 
> So, drawing a very unpleasant short straw ... US actor Dennis Farina has just died of a pulmonary embolism. RIP.


 I liked him

NSFW

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_MSg8CyvEM#at=96


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## ColinJ (23 Jul 2013)

Inertia said:


> I liked him
> 
> NSFW
> 
> View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_MSg8CyvEM#at=96



I didn't recognise his name, but I certainly recognised his face.

Earlier today, somebody sent me a link to an article about a young pro cyclist from Rwanda who developed DVT/PE after a flight. It goes to show that it isn't just older, less fit people such as me who become victims! Another scary example - Serena Williams.


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## shyfire (23 Jul 2013)

Add Viktor Rothlin European Athletics Championship 2010 Marathon gold medallist to the list of fit young athletes. DVT/Bilateral PE in 2009 after a flight he made an amazing comeback the next year.


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## ColinJ (9 Aug 2013)

Latest update ...

I went to have a few health checks today and a chat with my consultant.

My blood pressure was about 130/80, a _little_ high, but I am happy with it in the circumstances. I should be able to get it down to the healthy range by losing more weight and doing more exercise.

BMI is a crude indicator generally, but it does work pretty well for me. When mine suggests that I am underweight - I _am_; when it suggests that I am overweight - I _am_! My BMI is currently 26 which is just in the slightly overweight band. I'd agree with that. Considering that I started off pre-illness at a BMI of 31, I think I am doing pretty well. My waist is now about 25 cms/10 inches smaller, though still about 18 cms/7 inches too big..

A urine test for numerous different things didn't shown anything untoward. (I'm not sure exactly what the tests were for, but I remember the nurse mentioning glucose, proteins, and ketones.)

But ... I have clotted again for no apparent reason, so _something_ is still going wrong!

The consultant wants to carry on looking for an explanation, so the next time I have an INR blood test done (for checking Warfarin dose), I will also have a blood test done to check for prostate cancer. It is fairly common in men of my age, and cancer can cause clots.

I am going to have another chest CT scan done so we can see in detail what the current state of my heart and lungs is.

We discussed the long-term ... As expected, the consultant pointed out that lifelong anticoagulation is the standard response to my condition. I'm not 100% happy with that, but I agreed to take Warfarin for another 12 months and to see him again to reconsider, this time next year. I probably wouldn't risk stopping the drugs altogether unless we can work out why I keep clotting and do something about it. I might consider switching eventually to one of the new anti-clotting drugs which have several advantages over Warfarin, such as not needing dose adjustments or blood testing. The problem is precisely that they are new so doctors do not yet have long experience of patients using them.

So, thank you, NHS, for doing those things for me!

Slapped wrists, NHS, for:

Ordering an ambulance to take me to the clinic without checking that I needed one. I needed one a year ago when I was seriously ill, but today I didn't! (I got back from the clinic, by public transport, and found that an irritated ambulance driver who'd had a wasted journey had put a card through my letterbox.)
Not managing to transfer my last test results from one NHS trust to another in 8 weeks. I know that billions of pounds have been wasted trying to develop a proper NHS IT system, but couldn't somebody just have posted them up in a Jiffybag! It is pretty bloody bad that the only update that they have up here is a copy of the A&E release note that I handed over! 
 
I have been feeling a lot better this last couple of weeks. I have much less shortness of breath, and have managed several 6 mile hilly walks and a hilly 20 mile bike ride. I am probably back to about where I was when I came off Warfarin back in March, but this time I am staying on it, so I should continue to make progress.

I have some visits to look forward to from my family and friends, and after those are finished, I might organise another local forum walk, if anybody fancies 8-10 miles of Pennine loveliness with a cafe visit thrown in?


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## coffeejo (9 Aug 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I have been feeling a lot better this last couple of weeks. I have much less shortness of breath, and have managed several 6 mile hilly walks and a hilly 20 mile bike ride. I am probably back to about where I was when I came off Warfarin back in March, but this time I am staying on it, so I should continue to make progress.
> 
> I have some visits to look forward to from my family and friends, and after those are finished, I might organise another local forum walk, if anybody fancies 8-10 miles of Pennine loveliness with a cafe visit thrown in?


 
All sounds very positive, Colin.


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## ColinJ (9 Aug 2013)

coffeejo said:


> All sounds very positive, Colin.


Thanks.

I rang the consultant's secretary this morning. She told me that once the system has you down as needing 'patient transport', it will continue like that until you cancel it. Nobody told me about that, and nobody told me that a vehicle was being sent out for me yesterday. It's a nice system for (_really_) old, frail people but I am independent again and wasted their time yesterday. It made me feel guilty, even though it wasn't my fault. One has to find things to beat oneself up with, don'cha know! 

I still feel a bit tired when I shouldn't. Mind you, I'm not getting enough sleep at night so it isn't surprising that I flag during the day. I'm usually okay when I'm walking or cycling but when I stop I just slump.

And now, I have been summoned out to walk the hound again. We have decided to take him up the hill by bus, do a walk up there and then I'll walk him down the hill while his grandmistress goes to work up there.


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## trio25 (10 Aug 2013)

All sounds very positive, hope they work out what is causing it. I sympathise with the not wanting to be on drugs for life, I have that issue (although for a completely different condition). Like you I have had issues after coming off drugs, 12months and talk about it again sounds sensible.


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## potsy (10 Aug 2013)

Good stuff Colin, nice to hear some positivity again.
I'll be up for another walk if you get one organised


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## Wobblers (10 Aug 2013)

It's been a long old year, hasn't it? Glad to hear that things are looking up at last.


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## ColinJ (10 Aug 2013)

McWobble said:


> It's been a long old year, hasn't it? Glad to hear that things are looking up at last.


It certainly has ... I was already ill in bed at this time last year, but it was another couple of weeks before I blacked out and was an emergency admission to hospital. That 2 week delay nearly cost me my life, so I am lucky to still be around now, wittering on about my illness!  

I would like to find out why I am getting the bouts of extreme fatigue and foggy-headedness. I felt like that for about 2 hours at lunchtime today and it is pretty debilitating. All I can do is sit or lie down in a quiet room and wait for it to pass. I don't have the strength or concentration to do very much while I am feeling like that. Even watching TV or posting on CC can be too much.

I found a thread on a health forum where people with exactly the same symptoms were discussing what might be to blame. It ran to 13 pages over several years, but nobody had managed to sort the problem out; not exactly encouraging! Still - between slumps, my Googling powers are pretty good, so I will continue to hunt for clues as to what is behind this. I don't think the NHS is going to find out for me. I read about people who'd had MRI scans, CT scans, lots of blood tests, anti-depressants, counselling, you name it, they and their doctors had tried it - some people had even been suspected of having Münchausen Syndrome!


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## fossyant (10 Aug 2013)

Good stuff.... Glad things are moving in the right direction. Some good weight loss too. I'll not recognise you next time..


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## potsy (10 Aug 2013)

fossyant said:


> Good stuff.... Glad things are moving in the right direction. Some good weight loss too. I'll not recognise you next time..


Not if you think he looks like his avatar you won't


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## phil_hg_uk (10 Aug 2013)

fossyant said:


> Some good weight loss too. I'll not recognise you next time..


 
Oh I wouldnt be too sure about that:



ColinJ said:


> Humble apologies ... There are 6 _types_ of chocolate bar, but there are 14 bars in total - 2 of each type, plus an extra 2.
> 
> Since 14 is only divisible by 2 and 7, and it would clearly be delusional to attempt to make 14 small bars of chocolate last a week, I am forced to eat 7 tonight and 7 tomorrow night. (I dare not leave the second 7 any longer than that because my sister and her husband are coming up for a week the following day, and 3 into 7 does not go. Well, it would go 2.3333... times, but that would clearly be stupid!)
> 
> ...


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## fossyant (10 Aug 2013)

potsy said:


> Not if you think he looks like his avatar you won't



You are a bad man..... LOL


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## ColinJ (10 Aug 2013)

fossyant said:


> Good stuff.... Glad things are moving in the right direction. Some good weight loss too. I'll not recognise you next time..


Well, I will look like an older, balder, greyer version of my avatar!  

It is frustrating not being well enough to just jump on my bike and give it some welly but I really must be careful. The clots in my body should be dissolving by now but I can feel that there are still some in my legs and I do not want _them_ to break up and travel through my heart and join the others in my lungs. The consultant pointed out that just because I survived PE twice, doesn't mean that I would survive a 3rd time - it is a bit like playing Russian Roulette; next time, I could 'get the bullet'!


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## ColinJ (10 Aug 2013)

Ha - I was too busy finishing off the chocolate to get my reply in first! So much for keeping 2 bars back for 'Ron'.

(There is no danger whatsoever of me starting on the other 7 tonight - I am all chocced out now!)


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## Wobblers (11 Aug 2013)

ColinJ said:


> It certainly has ... I was already ill in bed at this time last year, but it was another couple of weeks before I blacked out and was an emergency admission to hospital. That 2 week delay nearly cost me my life, so I am lucky to still be around now, wittering on about my illness!
> 
> I would like to find out why I am getting the bouts of extreme fatigue and foggy-headedness. I felt like that for about 2 hours at lunchtime today and it is pretty debilitating. All I can do is sit or lie down in a quiet room and wait for it to pass. I don't have the strength or concentration to do very much while I am feeling like that. Even watching TV or posting on CC can be too much.
> 
> I found a thread on a health forum where people with exactly the same symptoms were discussing what might be to blame. It ran to 13 pages over several years, but nobody had managed to sort the problem out; not exactly encouraging! Still - between slumps, my Googling powers are pretty good, so I will continue to hunt for clues as to what is behind this. I don't think the NHS is going to find out for me. I read about people who'd had MRI scans, CT scans, lots of blood tests, anti-depressants, counselling, you name it, they and their doctors had tried it - some people had even been suspected of having Münchausen Syndrome!


 
I remember you posting about how you thought you had a chest infection this time last year.  I don't think anyone dreamed (or should that be "nightmared"?) about what the outcome would be!

I couldn't say about the tiredness. A year after breaking an ankle and it still has good days and bad days... (sigh!) Probably all you can do is take it as a sign that you've overdone things slightly and take it easier. Hopefully it should become less often and less extreme as you recover.


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## GaryA (12 Aug 2013)

Best wishes Colin, I feel humbled by your right stuff attitude I was going to say "been there" but I havnt I just thought I had...


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## ColinJ (12 Aug 2013)

GaryA said:


> Best wishes Colin, I feel humbled by your right stuff attitude I was going to say "been there" but I havnt I just thought I had...


Thanks. I've tried to remain upbeat, but the long periods of fuzzy-headedness and fatigue are starting to get me down now! I can only manage to concentrate for a couple of chapters of a book, or half a film at a time. I am having to record films and watch them in 2 or more instalments because I often can't cope with them in one sitting any more.

Something is causing this fatigue, and if the doctors can't find it then it is up to me to work it out. 

Before I got ill, if I felt stressed I could just go out and hammer away on my bike. Even though I had lost most of my fitness, I was strong enough to take a lot of hard effort. Now though, I am fragile so I have to be careful. 

My sister is coming up with her husband later today. They are stopping for a week. A few days later, an old friend from Coventry is coming up for the bank holiday weekend. It will be nice having a few distractions to take my mind off things.


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## GaryA (12 Aug 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Thanks. I've tried to remain upbeat, but the long periods of fuzzy-headedness and fatigue are starting to get me down now! I can only manage to concentrate for a couple of chapters of a book, or half a film at a time. I am having to record films and watch them in 2 or more instalments because I often can't cope with them in one sitting any more.
> 
> Something is causing this fatigue, and if the doctors can't find it then it is up to me to work it out.
> 
> ...


 
I had a mild version of this Colin in my worse period...a light-headedness and not-quite-here feeling which became self- reinforcing because i almost expected it. I couldnt watch the scrolling items on the news programmes or modern fast paced films on TV; the rapid images gave me a headache. It only faded into the background when I got good news from cardio and gradually pulled myself round so i concluded it was a side effect of stress/anxiety.
I'm not comparing our cases BTW just commenting!


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## GaryA (13 Aug 2013)

Something for Colin
It helped me in my darkest hours anyway....

Rock Therapy: 1956 by rockabilly legends the Johnny Burnette trio


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJX810XXK2c


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## MartinQ (22 Aug 2013)

Hi Colin, Just stumbled across this and it feels like you've borrowed the last year or so of my life. Massive, bilateral PEs and DVT last November, feeling rubbish until ~April, came off warfarin in June and then a load of new PEs in last month and back on the rat poison. One difference is that when the GP "diagnosed" the big red swelling in my leg as DVT in November, he gave me a shot of Tinzaparin and then booked me into the local hospital with the clot nurse for an appointment two days later. He didn't explain what the problem was, simply said go to this hospital appointment. So I cycle up to the hospital ... the nurses were not too impressed with me.
Anyway, best for your recovery.


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## ColinJ (22 Aug 2013)

GaryA said:


> Something for Colin
> It helped me in my darkest hours anyway....
> 
> Rock Therapy: 1956 by rockabilly legends the Johnny Burnette trio
> ...



Ha ha - I had not heard that one before! 

This is one I use to give me a boost, though I can't handle it (or any other loud noise) when I am feeling really rough ...





MartinQ said:


> Hi Colin, Just stumbled across this and it feels like you've borrowed the last year or so of my life. Massive, bilateral PEs and DVT last November, feeling rubbish until ~April, came off warfarin in June and then a load of new PEs in last month and back on the rat poison. One difference is that when the GP "diagnosed" the big red swelling in my leg as DVT in November, he gave me a shot of Tinzaparin and then booked me into the local hospital with the clot nurse for an appointment two days later. He didn't explain what the problem was, simply said go to this hospital appointment. So I cycle up to the hospital ... the nurses were not too impressed with me.
> Anyway, best for your recovery.


Bloody hell, Martin - your GP seems to be half-informed! Attentive enough to spot the problem, but not treating it with the seriousness it deserved, bearing in mind that up to 1 in 3 emergency admissions for PE die from it!

One of my GPs missed the signs of the PE (it manifested itself before my leg got swollen) but when another GP realised that I had DVT/PE, he immediately sent for an ambulance, which left me in no doubt how serious it was! Strangely though, he sent the ambulance to my friend's house rather than picking me up from the health centre, which meant that she had to prop me up all the way back; it had been a nightmare staggering to the health centre in the first place - perhaps it is bad for business for patients to be seen leaving strapped to trolleys!

My local hospital treated it as a proper emergency. I had an ECG done in the ambulance and again within 20 minutes of arriving. I had a d-Dimer (clotting) test done immediately, and had my first shot of Heparin (anticoagulant) within an hour. Over the next 18 hours I had a CT scan of my chest, and ultrasound examinations of my swollen leg and racing, arrhythmic heart.

Leaving you in the dark and delaying treatment for two days could have cost you your life!

Do you know what caused your initial DVT?

I have come to the conclusion that a later clot often occurs round scar tissue from the first episode. Mine, at least, is once again in the upper left thigh. I have read about many people having similar experiences.

The new anticoagulant drugs are looking promising, though they still carry a bleeding risk. I just like the idea of not having to worry about diet, blood tests and INR all the time.

If you haven't already got one, consider getting yourself one of these.

Let us know how you are getting on, Martin. Good luck with your clot-busting!


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## ColinJ (22 Aug 2013)

Muhaha - the _Mark of the Beast_!


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## MartinQ (22 Aug 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Bloody hell, Martin - your GP seems to be half-informed! Attentive enough to spot the problem, but not treating it with the seriousness it deserved, bearing in mind that up to 1 in 3 emergency admissions for PE die from it!
> 
> Do you know what caused your initial DVT?
> 
> ...


 

Thanks, in hindsight it was even worse than that. I'd obviously had PEs since at least August 2012 and been to the GPs a few times last year saying I could hardly cycle 100 meters, never mind miles, but kept getting fobbed off. Then when my leg swelled up with DVT in November, I was actually happy that I had a physical symptom. So went to the GPs and he looked at it and said can you go (cycle) to the chemists and pick up a box of Tinzaparin, which he then injected me with ...
No idea what caused the PEs/DVT, but I'm obviously pinging out the clots somehow. I've not yet had a proper chat with the consultants this time, but one of the nurses did mention that once the warfarin had settled down, I'd probably get switched to one of the newer anticoag drugs, I can't remember which. Personally, I don't have a problem with the diet side (I do with fatigue, muscle/joint aches and internal bleeding) but I'm a bit of a woose when it comes to needles so I'd quite happily stop the INR tests. Good advice about the tag, I've obviously got the yellow card, but yeah, I don't always have my wallet.
Must admit I was hacked off when the PEs recurred. The warfarin had seemed to settle down by May and I was getting a few short rides in and not feeling too bad (relatively). Then went out for a short ride about 3 weeks after stopping but it was obvious after a couple of miles that I had zero energy. Initially put this down to the heat (start of July), then over the next couple of weeks had chest pain, shoulder cramps and heart problems again and it became fairly obvious that the clots were back and time for yet another CT scan. However, I've kept on the bike this time, although it is very slowly and I'm waiting to see how badly the warfarin hits this time ...
One of these days, I'm going to get a "powered by rat poison" cycle top done :-). Great thread by you all.


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## ColinJ (22 Aug 2013)

Yeah, I don't like the needles either! I can put up with them, but I'd rather do without.

I haven't changed my diet, but I would like to be free to eat what I want, when I want, if I want!

My local anticoagulation clinic gradually increase the interval between INR tests out to about 12 weeks (if INR seems stable) and that will make me nervous. Other things can affect INR, such as the amount of exercise, alcohol intake (I haven't drunk any booze since I got ill last year, but I'd like to be able to drink a few pints a couple of times a week), other illness etc. and I wouldn't want my INR to be way out for a long time before they pick up on it. That's why I intend to buy an INR meter and self-test if I decide to stay on Warfarin at the review next year.

So far, I haven't had any bleeding or joint problems but the spells of intense fatigue accompanied by mild nausea are very unpleasant. I am assuming that the Warfarin is to blame because I felt better within a week of stopping taking it in March.

I think that I may have clotted a couple of times before but got away with it. I looked back through a couple of old diaries and found examples of what I had called 'snotless colds'! I'd suffered fatigue and breathlessness, but didn't get bunged up. That sounds familiar!

My mum had problems with varicose veins, and a couple of clotting episodes, so it is possible that I have a genetic problem. The NHS seems to keep losing my test results, so I haven't found out if they have found out whether that is true!

My sister told me recently that our mum spent some time on Warfarin when I was young; I hadn't known that.

I remember my parents warning me that I shouldn't sit for hours in the cross-legged position that I used to adopt as a child, but they never really explained why not. I can now see what they were worried about ...


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## woohoo (22 Aug 2013)

MartinQ said:


> ......... but one of the nurses did mention that once the warfarin had settled down, I'd probably get switched to one of the *newer anticoag drugs*, ......


 
possibly/probably Dabigatran (Pradaxa). It works in a different manner to Warfarin and there are a few essential preconditions that must be met before it can be prescribed but it has several advantages e.g. reduced probability of bleeding compared to Warfarin, no blood tests required (other than to establish your suitability), no diet issues, less interaction with other drugs. However, there is no current antidote for Dabigatran. With Warfarin, Vitamin K can be administered in emergency if you have a major bleeding incident and clotting is necessary for survival. That isn't the case with Dabigatran. Needless to say, if you look on the net, there is a degree on controversy surrounding this (lots of them American lawyers sites!). On the other hand, the half-life of Dabigatran in much less than that of Warfarin (one of the reason you have to take it twice daily) and it gets out of your system quickly. So, if you are offered Dabigatran (I don't know the NICE guidelines, which may be a consideration because it is more costly) then you have to balance the probabilities, life-style, convenience etc. before making the choice.

I was going to say "Hope this helps" but I suspect it just adds more things to think about - sorry.

*Warning*. I am not medically qualified but I am on Dabigatran! (for cardiac rather than DVT reasons).


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## ColinJ (22 Aug 2013)

Thanks woohoo. I decided that the best thing to do at the moment was just to get on with clot-busting and let the world's doctors gain another year of experience with the new drugs; I'll spend the next year reading about them!

I already had doubts about Warfarin, as described in my recent posts above, but discovering that it can cause osteoporosis and atherosclerosis*** really rang the alarm bells! It is used to work in the body against vitamin K, but vitamin K is increasingly being recognised as being important for bone and cardiovascular health.

*** The drug protects against clotting in veins, but increases the risk of clotting in arteries - hmm ... 

When there wasn't really any other sensible choice, clot-sufferers would just have to take their chances with Warfarin, but it is only sensible now to consider the new drugs available. I know at least one of them is accepted by NICE because I was reading about it the other day. Although the drug costs a lot more than Warfarin, the saving on INR tests pretty much makes up the difference. I can't remember which of the new drugs it was because I get mixed up by the plethora of different generic and brand names. 

Blimey - I just checked the NICE website and it was stated there that an estimated 2.4% of the population of England over the age of 18 need to be anticoagulants - *that's nearly a million people!*


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## woohoo (22 Aug 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Thanks woohoo. I decided that the best thing to do at the moment was just to get on with clot-busting and let the world's doctors gain another year of experience with the new drugs; I'll spend the next year reading about them!I


 
... and hopefully I will still be around a year or so from now to add to this experience! I emphasise that I am taking Dabigatran, for a cardiac rather than DVT condition. AIUI, NICE approved its use for cardiac (specifically AF) conditions in Oct 2011 but that other countries have approved its use for DVT/PE (but not yet in the States although many sources see that as a matter of time / procedural issue).

Having read your posts, I know that you've done a lot of research in this area but I'll mention this link because it seems well balanced
http://www.drjohnm.org/2012/12/dabigatran-pradaxa-good-news-on-safety-but-caution-still-warranted/ and given that it is AF-related, you might not have seen it.

Although I have not been on Warfarin, my views on its downside match yours. However it is well established and may still be the only choice for many. It's an interesting call and in my case; I hope I've got it right!


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## ColinJ (22 Aug 2013)

There are some interesting posts on that blog!

I just checked - one of the other drugs I was reading about was Rivaroxaban (Xarelto) which NICE supports for DVT/PE. There a couple of other novel agents too.


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## woohoo (22 Aug 2013)

Agree about the blog comments. The probabilities, half-life considerations and real world stuff such as if you get serious intracranial bleeding your probably buggered either way is interesting. 

I saw your dog tags review; I've got some as well. Hopefully if I ever have a major bleed any medics attending will read them, get me to a hospital PDQ and start pouring blood in!


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## ColinJ (22 Aug 2013)

Ah ... drugs companies are making rapid progress on antidotes for the new anticoagulants. That makes my strategy of '_a year or two on Warfarin, then reconsider_' look sensible. 

(The big worry is falling off my bike and banging my head while on a non-reversible anticoagulant. I wear a helmet, but that probably isn't going to protect enough against a hard knock.)


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## bicyclos (23 Aug 2013)

Hi Colin
I have been away from the forum a good number of weeks now may be longer with a number of commitments etc( no I havent been in prison!) and just signed in and came across this post what Potsy started which dropped my jaw a little. I haven't read through all 34 threads but read enough to come to the last post. goodness me Colin, you are giving us all the jitters.............I hope you are feeling better and hope you get some sort of resolve with your health. My thoughts are with you........


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## MartinQ (23 Aug 2013)

Thanks woohoo, Dabigatran could be the one. I've a follow up consultation (originally for the first set of PEs) in a couple of weeks so it will be good to discuss. However, I'm not sure if I want to have a decision about which drugs to take. If the "experts" can't tell me, why should I magically know which is best? Having said that, the last consultant I saw in hospital simply said you've been on warfarin for 6 months, time to stop. No discussion of recurrence risk factors (clots like boys more than girls, DVT next to groin ...) or the fact that everyone else had said I'd be a lifer because of the size/number of clots ... Felt like he wanted to make sure he had enough time for tea and biscuits before the next patient. Seeing a different consultant each time you go for an appointment is actually rubbish when there is a lot of subjectivity about when to stop, which drugs to take, ...
Colin, agree about coming off the bike. I never was particularly good at descending, but now I'm often slower going down than going up. Anxiety is supposed to be fairly prevalent after this sort of stuff. Never really had it myself, but I simply don't fancy a head cut which never stops bleeding at the best of times. Dog tags will be ordered this weekend.


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## woohoo (23 Aug 2013)

ColinJ said:


> (The big worry is falling off my bike and banging my head while on a non-reversible anticoagulant. I wear a helmet, but that probably isn't going to protect enough against a hard knock.)


 
Agreed but in the Dabigatran and Warfarin cases, any damage that has been done will be more or less the same, whichever drug you are on, until you get to a hospital that has the facilities to address the lack of clotting (either Vitamin K, lots of blood or both!). The Dabigatran will be making its way out of your system faster than Warfarin up to that point (shorter half-life). The Warfarin antidote (the administration of which is not without complications) takes some time before it becomes effective. The number of hours that have elapsed between taking a Dabigatran dose and the point at which the Warfarin antidote becomes effective materially affects the relative clotting times in either's favour. If the accident happened shortly after the Dabigatran dose then (assuming that the brain is still OK), being on Warfarin is probably the better option. If it happens a couple of hours before a Dabigatran dose is due, then the Dabigatran is the better option.

*All AIJUI, IMHO etc. of course!! *


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## ColinJ (23 Aug 2013)

bicyclos said:


> Hi Colin
> I have been away from the forum a good number of weeks now may be longer with a number of commitments etc( no I havent been in prison!) and just signed in and came across this post what Potsy started which dropped my jaw a little. I haven't read through all 34 threads but read enough to come to the last post. goodness me Colin, you are giving us all the jitters.............I hope you are feeling better and hope you get some sort of resolve with your health. My thoughts are with you........


Thanks. It was a blow to get so close to being well, then slip back again. Still, 'What doesn't kill me, makes me ...', er, '... only half-dead', eh! 

I was okay most of yesterday but then got weak and fuzzy-headed for over an hour in the evening. I have read hundreds of reports of other people on anticoagulants having similar problems, but so far I have not found any explanation or cure, other than to stop the meds (not a sensible option for me, now) or change to a different drug, which I might do in a year or so.



MartinQ said:


> Colin, agree about coming off the bike. I never was particularly good at descending, but now I'm often slower going down than going up. Anxiety is supposed to be fairly prevalent after this sort of stuff. Never really had it myself, but I simply don't fancy a head cut which never stops bleeding at the best of times. Dog tags will be ordered this weekend.


I would be less bothered about (smallish) surface cuts because at least they can be dealt with fairly easily. Bleeding inside the skull is the nightmare scenario!

I am normally a pretty quick descender - I hit 65 kph (40 mph) the other evening, but that was on a safe, wide road. What I wasn't happy about was arriving at a 15% descent which had just been resurfaced and was covered in loose chippings. A couple of slides made me very nervous, so I think I will go a different way until the workmen have come back and cleared the excess chippings!


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## woohoo (23 Aug 2013)

MartinQ said:


> ....... I've a follow up consultation (originally for the first set of PEs) in a couple of weeks so it will be good to discuss. However, I'm not sure if I want to have a decision about which drugs to take. If the "experts" can't tell me, why should I magically know which is best?


 
I disagree on this point. If you bone up on the alternatives then it is much easier to a straight conversation with the consultant that balances the various aspects of the drugs with other factors such as your preferred life-style. It is an inexact science and you are often in a better position to judge the "softer" aspects than the consultants. I don't know if Dabigatran is an option for you (it is for me because of my cardiac AF) but to illustrate the point, the NICE guidelines for Dabigatran state


> The decision about whether to start treatment with dabigatran etexilate should be made after an informed discussion between the clinician and the person about the risks and benefits of dabigatran etexilate compared with warfarin.


 
PS When I spoke to the consultant before I was about to have a bypass, we were talking about how long the intensive care period normally lasts. He said to me that it was good to find out about these things because he had read a research paper that showed that those who did "bone up", tended to have a better outcome than those who didn't.


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## ColinJ (23 Aug 2013)

I was amazed to discover that many people prescribed Warfarin just stop taking it, without consulting their doctors!

Other people think that the drug actually dissolves clots, so they can safely carry on doing whatever bad things led to clotting in the first place. My sister knows a couple of obese couch potatoes who continue to drink and smoke heavily, eat lots of junk food, and avoid exercise. They think that just popping a couple of Warfarin pills a night has sorted out their problems ... 



woohoo said:


> The number of hours that have elapsed between taking a Dabigatran dose and the point at which the Warfarin antidote becomes effective materially affects the relative clotting times in either's favour. If the accident happened shortly after the Dabigatran dose then (assuming that the brain is still OK), being on Warfarin is probably the better option. If it happens a couple of hours before a Dabigatran dose is due, then the Dabigatran is the better option.
> 
> *All AIJUI, IMHO etc. of course!! *


I assume that the Dabigatran doses are taken at intervals of 12 hours? It struck me that you could select the times based on when you do most of your riding. A commuter could choose, say, 09:00 and 21:00, whereas it might be safer for me to opt for something like 06:00 and 18:00, given that most of my rides are in the early afternoon.


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## woohoo (23 Aug 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I assume that the Dabigatran doses are taken at intervals of 12 hours? It struck me that you could select the times based on when you do most of your riding. A commuter could choose, say, 09:00 and 21:00, whereas it might be safer for me to opt for something like 06:00 and 18:00, given that most of my rides are in the early afternoon.


 
Yes 12 hours and I've adopted your logic  It's 07:00 and 19:00 for me ... and, although not recommended because of the clotting risk, if you do miss a dose, you can take it as long as there are more than 6 hours before the next one is due and even if you do miss it completely, you can restart the normal regime without any of the blood test / INR stuff.


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## MartinQ (23 Aug 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I was amazed to discover that many people prescribed Warfarin just stop taking it, without consulting their doctors!


I've been having hospital consultations (in the Elderly & Geriatric Dept, I'm only mid 40s) every couple of months or so, it was them that told me to stop and I'd agree about forewarned is for forearmed. I've never had a follow up with the GP (although don't particularly want to either as they were initially rubbish). Problem was the consultant unexpectedly told me to stop and wasn't listening to my garbled reply about his colleagues saying I was probably a lifer. Hadn't done any prior research about recurrence factors, ... drug alternatives as it simply wasn't on the cards.

Colin, you're a braver man than me doing that descent :-), although there isn't much opportunity on the Cheshire plains.

Having said that, I was pottering to the station on my bike this morning. Kids and cat had jumped into bed with us, had got a cup of tea in bed from the wife, weather was cool and nice. Even with all the clots/rat poison ... life isn't too bad.


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## wilkie (23 Aug 2013)

Get well soon x


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## ColinJ (17 Sep 2013)

A quick update:

I'm still suffering chronic fatigue, mild nausea and fuzzy headaches rather too often for my liking. And also occasional bouts of shortness of breath and a rapid pulse. All in all, this is a bit worrying, and frustrating ...

I am waiting for the results of a routine prostate cancer screen, and am having a CT scan of my chest later in the week.

I'm thinking of asking my GP if I can have a battery of blood tests done for various things that could be causing my problems. I think that it is about time that more was done to work out what is going on. The clotting is a sign that something serious is wrong. That is being treated, but the underlying cause has _not_ been identified and addressed.

While searching my old blog for photos, I kept finding references to me having come down with mysterious 'chest infections' which left me breathless, weak and my pulse racing, yet I never got a runny nose or coughed up anything. That's exactly what I was like before collapsing last year. I am now convinced that I had been having clotting problems for several years but didn't realise it!

The good news is that I have been out and done a few good moderate hilly walks (8-10 miles) and bike rides (18-24 miles) and felt pretty good, so all is not yet lost!


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## MartinQ (17 Sep 2013)

Wish my wife wouldn't buy KoM TdF toilet paper while I'm on warfarin 
Bleeding again ... and the sun isn't shining from there ...


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## ColinJ (17 Sep 2013)

MartinQ said:


> Wish my wife wouldn't buy KoM TdF toilet paper while I'm on warfarin
> Bleeding again ... and the sun isn't shining from there ...


Er ... yikes! 

(That's one potential problem that I hadn't considered ...)


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## MartinQ (18 Sep 2013)

Had it last time as well after a couple of months and had a few tests done which I don't want to be repeated.
Best not to even consider it/them.


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## ColinJ (18 Sep 2013)

I had my CT scan done this morning. I was pretty chuffed to be walking out of the hospital at 09:58 when my appointment had been for 10:00! (I got there early because the next train would have potentially got me there late. I only had to wait about 5 minutes.)

Also chuffed that no x-ray contrast dye was used this time, so no cannula was required. The needle-phobics in the house shout YAY!

Oh, and also chuffed that on my little outing I did a total of 4.1 undulating miles of walking in about 57 minutes, and had no problems with my breathing. When I last went to that hospital, in June, I had to catch buses because walking would have been too much for me.


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## oldfatfool (18 Sep 2013)

Good going Col. Looking forward to the rearranged ride out.


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## GaryA (18 Sep 2013)

Best wishes with the (Hopeful) recovery and cycling recuperation Colin. 
I always feel humbled reading your posts.


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## ColinJ (18 Sep 2013)

GaryA said:


> Best wishes with the (Hopeful) recovery and cycling recuperation Colin.
> I always feel humbled reading your posts.


Thanks, Gary.

I seem to be on one of my better days today. I have probably jinxed myself now, and will start feeling awful***, but ... I haven't actually felt ill since yesterday evening. Considering that I only got about 4 hours sleep, and I have now walked over 5 miles at a brisk pace today, I feel fairly energetic.

There are days, however, when I feel like I am going to be ill for the rest of my life and that makes me feel pretty depressed. But then I see someone inspiring like Prof. Stephen Hawking and realise that there are people a lot worse off than me, who just get on with their lives.

Oh, I feel tired now - ha ha! A good kind of tired though. A 20 minute snooze should sort that out. What I cannot stand are the days spent staring at the wall opposite, with a headful of mush, and no energy to get things done.

*** PS Had a bit of a 30 minute slump this evening, but I came out of it in time to enjoy the cycling highlights on Eurosport.


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## arallsopp (19 Sep 2013)

Glad to hear things are looking up. Sounds like you've got your head facing the right way, and that's the essential step towards managing things. You're doing great, Col. Keep going.


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## Wobblers (21 Sep 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Thanks, Gary.
> 
> I seem to be on one of my better days today. I have probably jinxed myself now, and will start feeling awful***, but ... I haven't actually felt ill since yesterday evening. Considering that I only got about 4 hours sleep, and I have now walked over 5 miles at a brisk pace today, I feel fairly energetic.
> 
> ...



That sounds far better than a few months ago! It sounds like it might be a slow process where the good days become more frequent and the bad days rarer. Here's hoping, anyway.


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## ColinJ (21 Sep 2013)

McWobble said:


> That sounds far better than a few months ago! It sounds like it might be a slow process where the good days become more frequent and the bad days rarer. Here's hoping, anyway.


Thanks. That seems to be how it is going.

One of the things that upsets me is how much I appear to have aged in just 14 months. A year ago (when I was 56), I think I looked about 50. Now aged 57, when I look in the mirror I see a sickly man in his mid-60s!


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## Wobblers (23 Sep 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Thanks. That seems to be how it is going.
> 
> One of the things that upsets me is how much I appear to have aged in just 14 months. A year ago (when I was 56), I think I looked about 50. Now aged 57, when I look in the mirror I see a sickly man in his mid-60s!





Hopefully that'll improve as you get your fitness back: you'll look about 70 when you reach 60! 

Assuming that I ever pull my finger out and get round to doing one of your rides, I'll be expecting you to look exactly like your avatar - or else! (How's that for motivation?)


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## ColinJ (23 Sep 2013)

McWobble said:


> Hopefully that'll improve as you get your fitness back: you'll look about 70 when you reach 60!
> 
> Assuming that I ever pull my finger out and get round to doing one of your rides, I'll be expecting you to look exactly like your avatar - or else! (How's that for motivation?)


A couple of bike rides in the sun have put some colour back in my cheeks, so now I reckon I look 60. By the end of this year, I might look my actual age again!

As for the avatar ... I'm slowly getting the fit, hollow-cheeked look back but my hair is half grey now. Also - the bald patch at the back of my head is expanding, my hairline receding, and what hair there is left is thinning out (a known side-effect of warfarin, though it had already started before I went on the drug) so whatever I do I am never going to look exactly like the avatar again. Maybe I should buy a job lot of '_Just for Men_'! 

I hope to be starting the forum rides again next Spring, and it would good to see you on one.


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## MartinQ (24 Sep 2013)

When we went to France last month, I got a bit of tan on my legs. Unfortunately, that is wearing off now and you can see the comedy veins again. 
How far are you getting on the rides Colin? I'm still feeling (after 2 months) like the PE symptoms haven't totally gone and the warfarin is still hitting me.


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## dan_bo (24 Sep 2013)

ColinJ said:


> What I cannot stand are the days spent staring at the wall opposite, with a headful of mush, and no energy to get things done..




Errr

Normal?


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## ColinJ (24 Sep 2013)

MartinQ said:


> How far are you getting on the rides Colin?


Usually 18-22 miles, with about 1,500 ft of climbing. I have a slightly tougher one in mind which I intend to have a go at soon.



dan_bo said:


> Errr
> 
> Normal?


Err ... no!

I'm talking more tired than I was after a 140 mile ride involving 14,000 ft of climbing, and as mushy-headed as I was after nearly dying from carbon monoxide poisoning a few years back!


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## dan_bo (24 Sep 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Err ... no!
> 
> I'm talking more tired than I was after a 140 mile ride involving 14,000 ft of climbing, and as mushy-headed as I was after nearly dying from carbon monoxide poisoning a few years back!



Worse than your average saturday morning then.


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## ColinJ (24 Sep 2013)

dan_bo said:


> Worse than your average saturday morning then.


Given that I haven't touched alcohol for 13.5 months ... yes!


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## dan_bo (24 Sep 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Given that I haven't touched alcohol for 13 months 1 week four days and seventeen hours ... yes!



Not that anyone's counting....


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## albion (24 Sep 2013)

ColinJ said:


> A quick update'm still suffering chronic fatigue, mild nausea and fuzzy headaches rather too often for my liking. ....


Out of interest, what is the quality of your sleep like? And maybe you wife knows as much about that as you.

Low quality night time breathing certainly compounds many a problem.


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## ColinJ (24 Sep 2013)

albion said:


> Out of interest, what is the quality of your sleep like? And maybe you wife knows as much about that as you.
> 
> Low quality night time breathing certainly compounds many a problem.


If I had a partner, I'd probably sleep better than I do! 

Judging from the state of the bed in the morning, I'd say that I am tossing and turning all night long.

Sometimes, the duvet ends up the other way round! It starts off with the cover's fasteners at my feet, but sometimes I wake in the morning with them under my chin!

On one occasion, I went to bed on the first floor, but woke up in the spare room in the attic!


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## Garz (25 Sep 2013)

ColinJ said:


> On one occasion, I went to bed on the first floor, but woke up in the spare room in the attic!



You big hill wrestler you! On a serious note Colin how is the health?


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## ColinJ (25 Sep 2013)

Garz said:


> You big hill wrestler you! On a serious note Colin how is the health?


I've had a good couple of days, but the general situation is as described in my posts on the previous page of this thread (page 35).

One thing which is still a pain, is that I can't get comfortable sitting upright. I am okay for 20 minutes or so, but long periods sat still make the veins in my legs swell and ache. It isn't just the discomfort - for obvious reasons, I am wary of allowing the blood flow to stagnate and risking clotting again. Meals, travel, and working at the computer can all cause problems. I have to remind myself to get up and walk about.

I tell you what - if/when I fly again, I am going to take the airline's DVT warnings a lot more seriously! I suggest that any of you who have followed my struggles over the past 14 months might feel inclined to do so too ... To be blunt - I am one of the luckier victims of DVT/PE. About one in three people who have it as bad as me would have died of it by now, some will die in the future, and many of the survivors suffer long-term crippling pain!


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## MartinQ (26 Sep 2013)

Do you wear the compression stockings they give out: at home/on rides? I've heard a few people say they do help (and also keep your legs warm in the winter).


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## ColinJ (26 Sep 2013)

MartinQ said:


> Do you wear the compression stockings they give out: at home/on rides? I've heard a few people say they do help (and also keep your legs warm in the winter).


Funnily enough, I was not given the option of compression stockings in hospital. I asked one of the doctors, and she said that she didn't think it was a good idea to be wearing them while the DVT was still new, since the last thing I wanted was to be potentially squeezing more bits of clot lungwards! That made sense to me at the time.

I toyed with the idea of bringing the subject up later, but I have seen conflicting opinions on the use of stockings so I didn't bother. I also think that my legs would tend to overheat except in the winter.

Keeping legs warm enough is definitely a good idea though, because cold blood clots more easily than warm blood. I probably won't ride outdoors too much over the winter, but if I do, I will be wearing my full Roubaix tights!

The best approach for me seems to be not to stand around too much and to put my legs up on a footstool at every opportunity when I am seated. I am ok when walking or cycling, but blood seems to pool in my legs a bit if I don't keep on the move.


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## Davidc (26 Sep 2013)

I have a couple of pairs of airline compression stockings. After reading that they were good for bike riding/ running/ some sports in cold weather I tried them. I've found them good, giving me the tingling feeling I get when the weather's hot, and keeping legs and feet warm. It has to be cold though, otherwise they cause overheating, and when the temperature goes below about 5 I need thermal socks as well.


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## ColinJ (26 Sep 2013)

Davidc said:


> I have a couple of pairs of airline compression stockings. After reading that they were good for bike riding/ running/ some sports in cold weather I tried them. I've found them good, giving me the tingling feeling I get when the weather's hot, and keeping legs and feet warm. It has to be cold though, otherwise they cause overheating, and when the temperature goes below about 5 I need thermal socks as well.



I'll see how my legs feel when conditions get cold.

I just realised ... when I read the word 'stockings', I was thinking thigh-length, which I don't fancy. Knee-length compression socks would be a lot more acceptable to me.


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## ColinJ (26 Sep 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I'm going to start taking a vitamin B supplement. Several sources have suggested that a lack of B vits can cause some of the headaches and fatigue problems that I was complaining about. I don't eat meat, and only a small amount of fish so it is possible that I am low on B12.


I have been taking a vitamin B complex supplement for 8 days. It is probably too early to be sure, but I have noticed a reduction in fatigue and fuzzy-headedness. I don't think it is a placebo effect because I hadn't really given much thought to the fact that I have been taking the pills. 

It could just be that my clots are healing, and that I would be improving anyway without the supplements. If I end up feeling good on a long-term basis, I might stop taking the supplement to see if my symptoms return. OTOH, I might just play safe and stick with them!


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## MartinQ (27 Sep 2013)

Think they're more to try and prevent PTS
http://files.www.clotconnect.org/patients/resources/brochures/compressionstockinghandout-1.pdf
which if you're having some "trouble" after ~15 months, you may be experiencing, even mildly? I'd talk to your doc/consultant next time and it may be worth trying for a bit. Some people say it helps.

I had an ultrasound on Saturday to see how things were going and it was quite interesting to see the residual clot on the vein. The vein just looks like a long, fuzzy cloud from the knee down, completely different to normal, round, well-defined vein next to it. Also had a chat to the guy, he was saying that when I went in last November, I had a fairly large chunk floating/flapping around at the top of my leg, next to my groin. Thought the nurse who did that scan looked a bit worried and didn't bother scanning any more, she simply said you're not walking anywhere, get in that wheelchair.


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## david k (28 Sep 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Usually 18-22 miles, with about 1,500 ft of climbing. I have a slightly tougher one in mind which I intend to have a go at soon.
> 
> and as mushy-headed as I was after nearly dying from carbon monoxide poisoning a few years back!



CO poisoning !! whats the story here?


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## ColinJ (28 Sep 2013)

david k said:


> CO poisoning !! whats the story here?


All was revealed in this thread!


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## ColinJ (29 Sep 2013)

I did a 23 mile ride today, taking in the 5.5 mile Cragg Vale climb. I got chatting to a local rider on the way up the hill and he told me that he was trying to get fit again, having been knocked off his bike by a van last year. I told him that I was on the mend too, having had health problems for the last year. I mentioned that I have to take warfarin every evening and he said "_Oh, my dad has to take that - he got a DVT in his leg, which broke up and caused a dangerous clot in his lungs_" ...

It is more common than most people think - _*be vigilant!*_


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## MartinQ (5 Oct 2013)

Mind me asking that the supplements are? I'm not expecting miracles, but the way I'm feeling, I'll try anything sensible. I'm doing some commuting each week (~25 miles, 3 times a week), but its at a snail's pace and hills hold no attraction.


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## ColinJ (5 Oct 2013)

MartinQ said:


> Think they're more to try and prevent PTS
> http://files.www.clotconnect.org/patients/resources/brochures/compressionstockinghandout-1.pdf
> which if you're having some "trouble" after ~15 months, you may be experiencing, even mildly?


I'm doing a lot better now. When I am standing about in the kitchen, I try to remember to walk about a bit or at least stand on tiptoes a few times every 5 minutes, just to keep the blood moving. It seems to help.

My range on the bike is improving. I managed 23 hilly miles the other day and my bad leg only started to feel a bit tender when I got home. I have a 31 mile hilly ride planned, and will be interested to see how I cope with that.

The biggest problem at the moment is that I am still not comfortable sitting for long periods at a dining table, or at a computer desk. When I got ill last year, I got myself a footstool and sit with my legs up on that. I have been eating from a tray, and using my notebook pc on my lap. I am trying to work out a way of sitting at a table with my legs raised on a footstool.



MartinQ said:


> Mind me asking that the supplements are? I'm not expecting miracles, but the way I'm feeling, I'll try anything sensible. I'm doing some commuting each week (~25 miles, 3 times a week), but its at a snail's pace and hills hold no attraction.


They are just Vitamin B complex from Sainsburys. One small tablet a day which contains 100% of the RDA of all of the B vits, except for B12 which I think is about 40% of the RDA.

I have definitely been feeling better since I started taking them. I might have been feeling better by now even without them, but the timing is a bit of a coincidence if that is the case. Anyway, they are very cheap, so you might as well try them.

I hope that you start feeling better soon yourself!


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## potsy (5 Oct 2013)

ColinJ said:


> A year ago (when I was 56), I think I looked about 50.


Think again Colin


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## ColinJ (5 Oct 2013)

potsy said:


> Think again Colin


A year ago (when I was 56), I think I looked about 45?


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## ColinJ (5 Oct 2013)

I have been wearing a hat when walking to the shops the past few nights, and I realised that my hair (or lack of it) is the biggest part of the 'looking old' problem. My face looks a lot better since I lost weight and got some colour back in it. (But yes, it does still look like me - before any cruel person points out that particular problem!)


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## MartinQ (6 Oct 2013)

ColinJ said:


> They are just Vitamin B complex from Sainsburys. One small tablet a day which contains 100% of the RDA of all of the B vits, except for B12 which I think is about 40% of the RDA.


Thanks I'll try some ... snake oil for me pls.


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## tony111 (6 Oct 2013)

I call by Hebden Bridge now and then because of my job. You RIDE those hills? Wow you got my respect.


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## gbb (6 Oct 2013)

I rarely venture into H&F, I havnt read this thread for ages. Blimey Colin, I didnt realise you were still struggling.
I was thinking today, does the loss of fitness and lack of exercise have a double negative effect ?. Have you noticed the little things, like viruses seem to hang on longer...I seem to struggle for ages with everything. Now I have a scabby nose, after a light cold about three weeks ago...its a mare in the night, I can hardly breathe. Anyway, I was riding along today thinking, does exercise result in your bodily systems pumping away and purging the bad stuff quicker, be they colds, viruses, etc etc

Since I had pneumonia etc, ive really just been ambling along, not much exercise...and everything seems to have imploded this year. The trouble is, finding the mojo to get out there is twice as hard...but maybe twice as important.
TBF, it doesnt sound as though (forgive me if I'm wrong) ypuve lost the drive to get out there, hats off to you.


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## ColinJ (6 Oct 2013)

gbb said:


> I rarely venture into H&F, I havnt read this thread for ages. Blimey Colin, I didnt realise you were still struggling.


Yeah, I had a bit of a relapse. Scrub that - I got ill with the same thing again! Fortunately, I spotted it early this time and have made rapid progress since going back on Warfarin. I am now better than I have been since August 2012.



gbb said:


> I was thinking today, does the loss of fitness and lack of exercise have a double negative effect ?. Have you noticed the little things, like viruses seem to hang on longer...


I have been _very_ lucky, in that I haven't suffered from any illness other than the clotting since I was diagnosed in summer 2012! I think a good dose of 'flu then would have killed me, since I was so weakened by the pulmonary embolism.



gbb said:


> I seem to struggle for ages with everything. Now I have a scabby nose, after a light cold about three weeks ago...its a mare in the night, I can hardly breathe. Anyway, I was riding along today thinking, does exercise result in your bodily systems pumping away and purging the bad stuff quicker, be they colds, viruses, etc etc


I think exercise does help as long as you don't overdo it. I was overweight when I got ill, but I was very strong from dragging that fat body over endless hills in Yorkshire and Lancashire. That strength was probably what saved me. One doctor told me last year that she had never seen anybody still walking with an embolism as bad as mine. Many such patients died before even getting to hospital! (I wasn't walking far - I could just get from my hospital bed to the bathroom and back, and that was my limit.)



gbb said:


> Since I had pneumonia etc, ive really just been ambling along, not much exercise...and everything seems to have imploded this year. The trouble is, finding the mojo to get out there is twice as hard...but maybe twice as important.


I am sorry to hear that, but it is understandable! Some people were trying to get me to do too much too soon. I wanted to do more, but it was too hard and too scary at the time.

I hope you get your mojo back soon.


gbb said:


> TBF, it doesnt sound as though (forgive me if I'm wrong) ypuve lost the drive to get out there, hats off to you.


I'm doing pretty well now. This afternoon, I did my hardest ride in 14 months. I'll write it up in _Your Ride Today_, er, _tomorrow_!


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## Garz (7 Oct 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I'm doing pretty well now. This afternoon, I did my hardest ride in 14 months. I'll write it up in _Your Ride Today_, er, _tomorrow_!



Look forward to reading it Colin!


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## bicyclos (13 Oct 2013)

Hi Colin
How 's it going, hope you had a good ride from your last post and keeping well.......Did you grit your teeth on your hardest ride in 14 month......if so, good on ya ! Still thinking about ya....wish you well......


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## ColinJ (14 Oct 2013)

Garz said:


> Look forward to reading it Colin!





bicyclos said:


> Hi Colin
> How 's it going, hope you had a good ride from your last post and keeping well.......Did you grit your teeth on your hardest ride in 14 month......if so, good on ya ! Still thinking about ya....wish you well......


Thanks chaps! Yes, I did do the ride - report here.

I am feeling pretty good, considering. I am okay walking and cycling, or sitting with my legs up, but I can't sit for too long in seats or on chairs before my left leg starts to swell up and go a bit numb. My legs still feel 'heavy' and 'clotty', and I am beginning to think that might be what I'll be stuck with. If that's as bad as it gets though, I can live with that.

The former fatigue and fuzzy head problems have diminished greatly. That might be due to my vitamin B supplements, or just part of the healing process, but either way it is a big relief because I could hardly do anything when I felt like that.

I'm still slowly losing weight, which is a good thing, but as the flab disappears from my legs I am beginning to see the damage to my veins. Not a pretty sight! 

I have a routine blood test this week, so I will be able to see if the vitamin B is affecting my anticoagulation. I don't think there is a problem, but it will be reassuring to have it confirmed.

If we get a nice day soon, I am going to take my bike to Garforth by train and do a flat 100 km ride. That will be a doubling of distance over last Sunday's ride, but by avoiding hills it should be ok.


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## ColinJ (15 Oct 2013)

I just got back from my blood test in Halifax. To my great joy, Calderdale and Huddersfield anticoagulation service have now joined the 21st century! Instead of taking a tube of blood out of a vein in my arm every time (which I find unpleasant ) and sending the sample off for a lab test, they now prick a finger, take one drop of blood and test it in less than a minute using a new INR meter - yay!

I told the nurse that I felt like the INR number she was testing would have dropped from 2.4 to maybe 2.0 or a bit lower. It is supposed to be 2.5, but is allowed to be between 2.0 and 3.0. She looked a bit dubious, but I told her that I have become very tuned in to what my body is doing. My legs have been feeling a bit tired and 'clotty' the past week and I have been getting slightly short of breath at times, so that suggested to me that the clots had got slightly worse rather than slightly better. The test result was 1.9, which backed up my suspicions! They will probably make a tiny change to my drug dose to nudge the numbers back up.


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## trio25 (15 Oct 2013)

Wow that was very accurate Colin! At least that means you should know when you need to seek medical attention, so make sure you do!

That also sounds a much better test. When will they next test?


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## ColinJ (15 Oct 2013)

trio25 said:


> Wow that was very accurate Colin! At least that means you should know when you need to seek medical attention, so make sure you do!
> 
> That also sounds a much better test. When will they next test?


They seem to be happy with about once every 6-8 weeks.

Today's result was about as big a change as I had last time. Some people experience much bigger, and potentially dangerous variations. I make sure that I eat a fairly consistent amount of vitamin K-rich food such as broccoli, spring onions and leafy cabbage, and that allows the required drug dosage to stabilise.

I reckon they will put me back onto last year's dosage when I get the official letter from the clinic tomorrow. I have been taking 6 mg of Warfarin Monday -Saturday, and 7 mg on Sunday. I think they will add an extra mg to the Saturday dose, but I will take it on Wednesdays instead. The people at the clinic try to make the doses easy to remember, but I don't need to because I have individual daily alarms set on my phone, and label them with whatever dose I need on that day. It would be better to spread the bigger doses out to reduce the fluctuations in my INR value.


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## trio25 (16 Oct 2013)

Sounds like you are being well looked after which is good.

I have alarms for drugs on my phone as well, works well for me.


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## ColinJ (16 Oct 2013)

trio25 said:


> I have alarms for drugs on my phone as well, works well for me.


My Warfarin dose has been changed to what I expected, so I have reprogrammed the alarms on my phone to remind me. I label the alarms so I read what the dose for the day is when I dismiss the alarm. I have also chosen a different time (17:58 vs 18:00) and alarm tone for the non-standard dose days, so I am reminded before I even pick the phone up, that it is a 7 mg day. 

The alarm catches me out most days, so I can safely say that I would be forgetting to take the drugs on a regular basis without the reminder. If I am out when the alarm goes off, I add an hour to it so it will go off again when I get home. It is ok to be a few hours out taking Warfarin, but it is not advisable to double up the next day if a dose has been missed.

I record what I have taken in an official yellow NHS Oral Anticoagulant Therapy record book. I don't really need to because I still have my wits about me, but I suppose the day might come when I start to forget what I have taken, so it is a good habit to stick to! (If I end up like that, I will get one of those compartmented pill dispensers and fill it up once a week.)


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## trio25 (16 Oct 2013)

I label my meds with days of the week on the pack so I can see if I have taken todays.

Although academic at the moment as Ali is in charge of meds so I get given them everyday.

Having a record book makes sense as you are unlikely to remember the odd time you forget when you next see your doctor.


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## ColinJ (4 Feb 2014)

Time for another update now that I am getting a clearer picture of where my post-DVT/PE recovery is going ...

Somebody wrote to me last week to ask if I had died. The answer (unless I am suffering from the same problem as Bruce Willis's character in The Sixth Sense) is ... no - I am still hanging on! 

The _good_ news is that I _am_ slowly recovering. I have already done a lumpy 43 mile bike ride, and have planned a forum ride for the end of March during which I intend to ride either 103 km (64 miles) or 107 miles, depending on what level fitness I have managed to develop by then.

I can now average 4+ mph on a hilly 4 mile walk which I do 2 or 3 times a week. The hill that I climb includes a section at 20-25% and ascends about 650 ft in total. That is not bad going - many people who have not had the health problems that I've had could not manage that.

I have lost 3.5 stone in weight and 14 inches off my waist. I haven't drunk any alcohol since August 2012. I should be down to my target weight of 12 stone and target waist measurement of 32-33" by the summer.

The _bad_ news is that I suspect that my lungs might not make a full recovery. I can still feel that there is something wrong with my left lung. It is 7 months since I went back on warfarin after my second pulmonary embolism and I still suffer bouts of shortness of breath. My pulse rate still gets elevated sometimes for no apparent reason. I could be wrong about the prognosis though - I have read that some people take 18 - 24 months to regain full lung capacity. Fingers crossed for that, eh? Now that I have lost so much weight, I am gagging to get fit again and really attack the local hills.

My left leg is not great and isn't going to be. The DVT(s) did some permanent damage so I am now suffering from PTS (Post Thrombotic Syndrome). As a result, I cannot sit in a chair for more than about 15 minutes before the leg starts to swell up and go numb, and then I start to get short of breath. I have to either lie down or elevate my leg.

The problem is that the non-return valves in the veins are damaged by the DVT(s) so blood pools in the lower-leg. There isn't any effective way to repair the damaged veins. I am ok while I keep moving because the action of the muscles working pumps the blood upwards.

I'm not keen on compression stockings, and the latest research failed to find any statistically significant benefit in wearing them. The current advice seems to be "wear them if you want to"!

I have read about a device called a Venowave that looks promising and I am going to have a word with my GP about it. It is a small battery-operated device that straps onto the back of the calf muscle. The machine creates a rhythmic squeezing action to push the blood upwards. The catch is the relatively high cost - £275. I am going to see if the NHS will prescribe one for me. Properly fitted compression stockings are themselves quite expensive and need replacing several times a year, so this looks like a viable alternative for the NHS to provide, but if my local practice will not help I will have to borrow the money and buy one for myself.

I'll let you know what happens with the Venowave in case any other DVT sufferers stumble across this thread in the future. (The devices can also be used for DVT-prevention, and in post-exercise recuperation.)


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## The Jogger (4 Feb 2014)

Good to see life is heading in the direction of near normal, weight loss and exercise. I hope the nhs supply the Venowave.


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## MartinQ (4 Feb 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Time for another update now that I am getting a clearer picture of where my post-DVT/PE recovery is going ...


Hi Colin, Getting your excuses in early before your Back from the Dead ride? 
Good update though. I'd read about the research saying stockings don't necessarily help. I had the first full scan of my leg in October, about a year after the original clots, and its amazing how knackered your veins are (the guy doing the scan just remarked that that is normal). Luckily though, I've not had too many problems with my legs (lungs and heart are a different matter though - your snake oil didn't help though, thought of asking for my 99p back).
Off for a biopsy on Friday  in a sensitive region  on warfarin


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## ColinJ (4 Feb 2014)

MartinQ said:


> Hi Colin, Getting your excuses in early before your Back from the Dead ride?
> Good update though. I'd read about the research saying stockings don't necessarily help. I had the first full scan of my leg in October, about a year after the original clots, and its amazing how knackered your veins are (the guy doing the scan just remarked that that is normal). Luckily though, I've not had too many problems with my legs (lungs and heart are a different matter though - your snake oil didn't help though, thought of asking for my 99p back).
> Off for a biopsy on Friday  in a sensitive region  on warfarin


I hope I will not need any excuses on Mar 29th, but no harm in practising, just in case! 

I was never offered a follow-up leg scan, probably because there is nothing that can be done to fix the damage. It would be sensible for people coming off anticoagulation though, so any future clot formation could be spotted.

I read that lungs do tend to recover pretty well in a lot of cases, but I am just frustrated with how slow the process can be! It feels like I have been ill for 19 months, but it is really only 7 months since the second PE.

I don't like the sound of that biopsy. Good luck with that and your future health!

I have a bad tooth that needs pulling, so I will be asking the doctor about that when I see her. I think I should be ok because it feels like the remains of it should be easy to get out. It is natural to worry about blood loss on warfarin though!


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## Justiffa (4 Feb 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Time for another update now that I am getting a clearer picture of where my post-DVT/PE recovery is going ...
> 
> Somebody wrote to me last week to ask if I had died. The answer (unless I am suffering from the same problem as Bruce Willis's character in The Sixth Sense) is ... no - I am still hanging on!
> 
> ...



Oh dear I didnt realise u've been suffering from something so serious. makes it all the more incredible what u hv been able to manage so far. wishing u all the best in whatever u decide to do collin, and tht happiness good health & good fortune awaits u at every turn


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## ColinJ (4 Feb 2014)

Justiffa said:


> Oh dear I didnt realise u've been suffering from something so serious. makes it all the more incredible what u hv been able to manage so far. wishing u all the best in whatever u decide to do collin, and tht happiness good health & good fortune awaits u at every turn


Thanks!

It was a terrible blow when it first happened in July 2012, but I seemed to recover and was taken off warfarin in March 2013. By June 2013 I was getting very ill again and am now on anticoagulants for life. (Well, the doctor did say it was up to me if I wanted to come off them in the future, but I am not stupid - I'm not risking going drug-free again! )


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## Glow worm (4 Feb 2014)

Wishing you all the best Colin and hope the recovery continues. You seem like a very strong bloke with no end of mates both real and 'virtual' on here - I'm sure that's a good combination to help get you through.


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## Justiffa (4 Feb 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Thanks!
> 
> It was a terrible blow when it first happened in July 2012, but I seemed to recover and was taken off warfarin in March 2013. By June 2013 I was getting very ill again and am now on anticoagulants for life. (Well, the doctor did say it was up to me if I wanted to come off them in the future, but I am not stupid - I'm not risking going drug-free again! )



Yup life's to be lived to the fullest but then we dont hv to take unnecessary chances… anyhoo do tk care wontcha


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## MartinQ (4 Feb 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I hope I will not need any excuses on Mar 29th, but no harm in practising, just in case!
> 
> I read that lungs do tend to recover pretty well in a lot of cases, but I am just frustrated with how slow the process can be! It feels like I have been ill for 19 months, but it is really only 7 months since the second PE.



I'm already making my list of excuses .. looking forward to the ride though.

Agree about it being frustrating for the length of time for your lungs to sort themselves out. Commuting and the odd weekend ride seems to help a bit, but it seems like I'm constantly trying to tell my body to sort itself out, but my body doesn't listen. As you say though, it is only 6 months from the recurrence so must be patient


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## ColinJ (4 Feb 2014)

MartinQ said:


> I'm already making my list of excuses .. looking forward to the ride though.
> 
> Agree about it being frustrating for the length of time for your lungs to sort themselves out. Commuting and the odd weekend ride seems to help a bit, but it seems like I'm constantly trying to tell my body to sort itself out, but my body doesn't listen. As you say though, it is only 6 months from the recurrence so must be patient


Yes, patience is the key.

I have to remind myself that only 3 months ago my heart was playing silly buggers whenever it felt like it and that has almost stopped happening now.

I've been out on my bike today (see 'Your Ride Today' thread later, when I have had a chance to write it up) and was pleasantly surprised with how the ride went!


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## coffeejo (4 Feb 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Yes, patience is the key.


I'm sorry, who are you and what have you done with the real ColinJ?


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## ColinJ (4 Feb 2014)

coffeejo said:


> I'm sorry, who are you and what have you done with the real ColinJ?


He got tired of hanging about, so he wandered off and I have taken his place!


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## Joshua Plumtree (11 Feb 2014)

Suffered a DVT after a long haul flight in 1989 at the tender age of 28. Spent 10 days on a heparin drip in a ward where 2 patients died from complications caused by pulmonary embolism. Still remember the almost unbearable pain through the night and living for the next dose of painkillers! Might sound melodramatic but, at times, I almost thought that my life was over
However, despite being mis-diagnosed by my numpty GP, and the clot building up from my calf, through the left knee and into my thigh, I now realise that I was one of the lucky ones. The clot stayed in one piece and didn't cause other problems.

So I can really empathise with you Colin and, although I realise that you've suffered more than I did, the good news is that, 25 years on, I'm kinda in training for my first ever TT and allowing my heart to race away whilst on the turbo without a care in the world (medical first!). 

It took at least 2 years for the pain and tightness in my calf and knee to disappear but, trust me, it will eventually.

Recently a club member recommended one legged pedldling on the turbo to isolate weak spots. Tried it and couldn't work out why my right leg was stronger than the left, and then I remembered- that damn DVT in 1989!, 

The only time I'm reminded of it now is when I'm wearing shorts -damage to some of the valves means left calf is larger than the right one - so I tend to wear longer leggings and suffer through the summer heat!

My sincere best wishes for your recovery Colin, on bad days it might seem a long way off, but it will happen given time - the human body's a very resilient and adaptable piece of engineering! David

Ps. Still rest my left leg on something (even if it's only the wife!) when sitting down.


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## ColinJ (11 Feb 2014)

Hi Joshua. (Or is it David?!) Thanks for that.

I think I was lucky in one respect - that I didn't get the horrific leg pain that some people suffer from DVTs***. I got a badly swollen left calf (it still swells to 2 inches bigger than the other one now if I don't elevate the leg or keep moving) and my leg went a sickening purple colour. The discolouration has largely gone now, but I think the swelling will be a long-term thing.

The things that really freaked me out were the shortness of breath and crazy heart rate when I was lying around in bed doing nothing! Those problems are becoming much less significant as time passes though, so I am hoping that I can eventually make a good recovery. 

*** I did get horrible leg pains at other times in the upper thigh of the right leg, which I now think may have been due to superficial thrombophlebitis caused by long rides in overtight lycra.


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## GaryA (11 Feb 2014)

Pleased your pulling round Colin.
Logged in because I have been prescribed the first hypertension medication of my life, Ramipril 5mg capsules to try to get the blood pressure down.
160/100 today, 180/115 yeserday 130/80 in October
Been suffering tinnitius light headedness and that awful spaced out feeling on and off since xmas.
They say high BP/hypertension doesn't have symptoms- I don't believe it.
I was wondering if anyone has experience in the effectiveness/side effects of Ramipril?
One can get paranoid reading the side effects on the data sheet but I've looked at the sheet for Ibuprofen and that's scary too! I've never had any problems with medication in the past-Ive never been regularly medicated before.

I'm on no other medication at all but have annoying ectopic heatbeats which I've come to live with


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## ColinJ (11 Feb 2014)

(The Like is just for the first sentence, Gary!)

I am sorry to hear about the hypertension. I don't know much about the subject so I'll let others comment on that. (My BP numbers were high when I first became ill, but they steadily fell as I started to get better.)


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## Effyb4 (12 Feb 2014)

Hi Gary

I started taking Ramipril 5 months ago, although not for high blood pressure, alongside a cocktail of other medication following a heart attack and heart surgery. I have to say that I haven't experienced any noticeable side effects and my health has been steadily improving ever since. I don't actually suffer from high blood pressure (quite the opposite), but I take the Ramipril to ensure my damaged heart doesn't have to work too hard.

I would take your doctor's advice and I wish you much improved health in the future.


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## Joshua Plumtree (12 Feb 2014)

Colin

I can remember, whilst being assessed in A&E, the junior Docter taking my heart rate with his rubber stethoscope and commenting - "oh, well that's very interesting!" My heart rate was apparently bouncing up and down like a rubber ball! 

"Keep you on a troshing!" as some of us here in Norfolk say!


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## ColinJ (12 Feb 2014)

Joshua Plumtree said:


> Colin
> 
> I can remember, whilst being assessed in A&E, the junior Docter taking my heart rate with his rubber stethoscope and commenting - "oh, well that's very interesting!" My heart rate was apparently bouncing up and down like a rubber ball!
> 
> "Keep you on a troshing!" as some of us here in Norfolk say!


I know that feeling!

I got worried when the doctors looked at my first ECG and got into a huddle and whispered about it. Then one announced that it might be a good idea to do another one ... 

They then did a CT scan and an ultrasound scan. I asked one of the doctors what they had found. He told me that they could see irregularities on the ECG, but this was not surprising because there was a huge clotted artery (or vein?) rammed up against my heart, which was bound to cause problems! 

When I had been fit, my resting heart rate was 34-35 bpm. When I got fat and unfit, it went up to 55-60 bpm. When I got ill with the DVT/PE, it went up to over 120 bpm, but with random fluctuations to about 170 bpm. At 10 second intervals, it might be doing this kind of thing ... 120-130-150-170-120-160-120-150-150-120-120-120-120-170!

It was like having a terrified bird trapped in my chest, flapping about trying to escape, and it certainly terrified me! 

The rhythm is improving all the time now. It is back down to 60-70 bpm at rest most of the time. When it does start beating quickly for a while, it is usually more like 110-120 bpm. If I get too stressed/angry, or take in too much caffeine, I can have problems so I try to avoid those situations.

I can't make real explosive physical efforts on the bike, or by running, or trying to lift really heavy objects, but I can cope with my heart doing 150-odd bpm without too many problems.


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## gbb (14 Feb 2014)

Glow worm said:


> Wishing you all the best Colin and hope the recovery continues. You seem like a very strong bloke with no end of mates both real and 'virtual' on here - I'm sure that's a good combination to help get you through.


Amen to that. Thoughts are with you Colin .


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## ColinJ (17 Feb 2014)

My younger sister rang me yesterday morning. On Friday evening, one of her friends started experiencing a lot of pain in her upper left thigh/groin area and the leg was swollen and inflamed. She rang an out of hours service and they were on the ball - they told her to go straight to A&E and to ask for a D-Dimer clotting test and an ultrasound scan of her leg. She did that and the doctors found a DVT (in the same location mine was, by the sound of it).

They gave her a shot of heparin and prescribed more to keep her going, showed her how to give herself the injections, and then discharged her.

She had a bad night's sleep, and by Saturday morning she could barely breathe and her heart was racing. She phoned her GP and he told her not to come to the surgery, but to go immediately back to A&E. A subsequent CT scan at the hospital revealed a Pulmonary Embolism.

Scarily familiar stuff ... It sounds like most medical staff did the right thing in this case, but I would like to know why they don't routinely do the CT scan once a DVT is found in that part of the leg, since the risk of PE from that is high. I suppose that the treatment would probably be the same, but they could keep the patient in for observation for a day or two when a PE is found. (If you collapse from a PE at home, you have something like a 1 in 3 chance of dying from it. I'm not sure how much better your odds would be in a hospital, but it would be reassuring to receive immediate treatment rather than having to wait maybe an hour for an ambulance to get you to A&E.)


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## martint235 (17 Feb 2014)

GaryA said:


> Pleased your pulling round Colin.
> Logged in because I have been prescribed the first hypertension medication of my life, Ramipril 5mg capsules to try to get the blood pressure down.
> 160/100 today, 180/115 yeserday 130/80 in October
> Been suffering tinnitius light headedness and that awful spaced out feeling on and off since xmas.
> ...


 Gary I've no experience of Ramipiril but have experience of other drugs that can cause side effects. The one bit of advice I can give is that your relationship with your doctor should be a two way one. If you feel you're not getting along with the medication prescribed, go and have another chat. There may be some other suitable medication.


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## GaryA (24 Feb 2014)

martint235 said:


> Gary I've no experience of Ramipiril but have experience of other drugs that can cause side effects. The one bit of advice I can give is that your relationship with your doctor should be a two way one. If you feel you're not getting along with the medication prescribed, go and have another chat. There may be some other suitable medication.


 Thanks martini
yes I'm due to get another BP checkup tomorrow; so far so good..... no side effects and I am feeling better and avoided taking my own BP as I dont entirely trust my wrist monitor
Doest help I was in A&E 6-11.15pm last night when my dad was taken in by ambulance after suspected heart attack (it wasnt, thankfully)


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## ColinJ (5 Apr 2014)

First, the good news ... my health and fitness continue to improve. I did a strenuous 65 mile lumpy forum ride last Saturday and felt good all day!

I do still have times when I don't feel well (last night, watching TV, for example) but the feeling good to feeling bad ratio is improving all the time.

There is always the ongoing bleeding risk from taking warfarin, but so far I have only experienced minor signs such as bleeding gums after toothbrushing, and the odd nosebleed.

The local clinic have been reducing the frequency of my blood tests and I don't feel comfortable with this. I am currently tested every 2 months and that will probably go out to 3 months. With tests that far apart, there could be a serious bleeding risk for many weeks before it was picked up. I think I will invest in an INR meter and test myself once a week!

************

I just heard some shocking news ...

I know that many of you think that I am obsessed with DVT/Pulmonary Embolism, but after nearly dying from it in 2012 and suffering a relapse last year, I am rightly very alert to the dire possibilities of this terrible condition.

Several weeks ago, I was chatting to my ex and she mentioned that one of her uncles was ill. Cut to the chase ... it sounded to me like textbook DVT/PE and I told her that she should phone her mum immediately to pass the information on to her uncle.

I was told that I should get a grip, stop imagining blood clots everywhere, did I really think I knew more than his GP, who had prescribed antibiotics for the cough etc. etc.?

Under protest, I let it drop, but I was muttering about it for several days afterwards.

You can see where this is going, can't you ...

I just got a call. The uncle has collapsed and is now receiving emergency treatment for DVT/PE ... I don't know if he will make it - 30% of emergency PE admissions don't. I was 56 and strong, but only just survived. He is old and frail ...

I am finding it hard not to feel guilty about not persuading the family to take the old man's illness more seriously, but I can only do so much.

Fingers crossed for the old man.


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## MartinQ (5 Apr 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Fingers crossed for the old man.


"Like" isn't the right reply, but hope he pulls through. You did all you could.


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## ColinJ (5 Apr 2014)

MartinQ said:


> "Like" isn't the right reply, but hope he pulls through. You did all you could.


I am feeling really upset about it even though I only met the man once, about 25 years ago!

Everybody has got really fed up with me going on about DVT risks, but that doesn't mean that I am wrong.

If somebody could cut the risks of heart attack, stroke or cancer by 90% then they would have billions of pounds thrown at them. DVT/PE kills almost as many people and is largely preventable, but people don't want to know about it ...


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## MartinQ (5 Apr 2014)

ColinJ said:


> If somebody could cut the risks of heart attack, stroke or cancer by 90% then they would have billions of pounds thrown at them. DVT/PE kills almost as many people and is largely preventable, but people don't want to know about it ...



Its probably the same problem with GPs diagnosing PEs/DVT, the initial symptoms are similar to many other (quite disparate) things and the physical/visible symptoms are largely non-existent. Also, a d-dimer test doesn't seem to be on the tick sheet that GPs have for blood tests, either that or my GP simply didn't tick that box. So people are more likely to accept a "diagnosis" of a familiar problem, even if the diagnosis is wrong. Remembering back a couple of years, I'd been to the GP with bad back pains, heart flutters, breathlessness (had difficulty cycling 100 m(etres)) and the response was poor (being generous). If they can't easily get it right, ... 

Put yourself in the same position as that girl at Boots(?) who advised you to get checked out for recurrence. She gave good advice, but at the end of the day, thats all anyone can do. Advice can be right or wrong, but it is generally well meant


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## ColinJ (5 Apr 2014)

MartinQ said:


> Its probably the same problem with GPs diagnosing PEs/DVT, the initial symptoms are similar to many other (quite disparate) things and the physical/visible symptoms are largely non-existent. Also, a d-dimer test doesn't seem to be on the tick sheet that GPs have for blood tests, either that or my GP simply didn't tick that box. So people are more likely to accept a "diagnosis" of a familiar problem, even if the diagnosis is wrong. Remembering back a couple of years, I'd been to the GP with bad back pains, heart flutters, breathlessness (had difficulty cycling 100 m(etres)) and the response was poor (being generous). If they can't easily get it right, ...
> 
> Put yourself in the same position as that girl at Boots(?) who advised you to get checked out for recurrence. She gave good advice, but at the end of the day, thats all anyone can do. Advice can be right or wrong, but it is generally well meant


Well, what's done (or not done!) is done. I hope the treatment is effective and that the old man doesn't suffer too much damage. I'm sure that his family are thinking about not spotting the similarities with my own case.

My own family don't really want to hear about the subject. Several of them are overweight and do not get enough exercise. My mum suffered from clotting problems too so there may be a genetic basis for my problems. (Note to self: ask doctor what happened to the genetic test results - I was never told what they showed.) If I cannot get my sisters to listen then it isn't surprising that other families won't!


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2014)

Time for an update ...

Things had been going very well - my breathing had improved, my heart rhythm had settled down, my legs were getting stronger, I had got 2,000 hilly miles in on my bikes. After 2 traumatic years, I thought I was recovering and might have got away with the only long-term damage being a sore and swollen leg. And then what I had been dreading for 2 years finally happened - I caught a cold ...

I know that a decent cold or 'flu bug would probably have killed me when I developed my first blood clots in the summer of 2012. I had no reserves left to fight infection, and could barely breathe as it was. 

Then I went through the same process in summer of 2013, Revenge of the Clots!

Fortunately, I did not catch my cold until June 2014, when I was much healthier and able to withstand it. Unfortunately, it seems to have done me some damage. Here we are, 6 weeks later, and the shortness of breath, fluttery heart, sore leg, and nausea are back. This is how I felt both previous times that I clotted. I have been worrying that I may have scored a rather unpleasant summer clotting hat-trick ...

I had an appointment with my consultant yesterday (Thursday) and he agreed with me that a cold should not have caused this much of a problem so there might be something more sinister going on. I had a blood-test done to check for fresh clotting and should get the results by noon today (Friday).

It would be a pain if I had managed to clot while taking warfarin because that would imply that I need to increase my dose significantly, and that would increase my risk of suffering serious bleeding problems. Still, that might be a better result than some of the other possibilities ...

I am probably going to have a lung function test, an ultrasound scan of my heart, and maybe yet another CT scan. (I had a chest x-ray yesterday which didn't reveal much, but they are not good for spotting clots.) At this rate, if clots don't get me, the radiation from all these scans probably will! 

Oh well, here we go again! At least this time, if something bad is going on, then I am currently still capable of cycling, albeit slower than I was riding even 4 or 5 months ago. I will just have to wait for the call from the doc to find out what happens next ...


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2014)

PS I forgot to mention ... The consultant listened to me describing how I had noticed that my breathing was not so good when out on my bike recently. He replied "Well, elite athletes are more sensitive to changes in their bodies ..."

Elite athlete - moi?


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## AndyRM (8 Aug 2014)

That's a bummer dude. Hope you get some good news today.


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## Saluki (8 Aug 2014)

Blimey Colin. You don't do things by halves, do you?
Take care of yourself and we are hoping for good news for you.


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2014)

AndyRM said:


> That's a bummer dude. Hope you get some good news today.





Saluki said:


> Blimey Colin. You don't do things by halves, do you?
> Take care of yourself and we are hoping for good news for you.


Cheers.

I am quite pleased that the consultant is taking me seriously. You wouldn't think I was ill to see me at the moment, and hearing that I have been doing over 100 miles a week on my bike, but something is up.

With luck, an extra mg a day of warfarin will sort me out.

I pointed out that it is 6 weeks since my last INR blood test, and it is supposed to be another 6 weeks until my next. I think 12 weeks is too long an interval. The doctor said he would ask the clinic to test me more frequently in future, and said there was a possibility that I might be set up to do my own weekly tests using a loaned INR meter. That would really put my mind at rest because I could keep a close watch on what was happening and always be taking the optimum dose of warfarin.

I think I will veg out with a late film now. If I try going straight to bed, I probably won't sleep very well.


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## Saluki (8 Aug 2014)

Vegging out with CSI at the moment as I can't sleep. Practicing my chord changes 5 minutes at a time too.
Sleep well when you can.


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## summerdays (8 Aug 2014)

Good luck for the results today! What is involved in a lung function test?


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## coffeejo (8 Aug 2014)

Thinking of you.


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## beanzontoast (8 Aug 2014)

Keep smiling, Colin. Hope things pick up for you again really soon.


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## The Jogger (8 Aug 2014)

Good luck and think how much more fitter and lean you are now compared to two years ago


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## Sara_H (8 Aug 2014)

Oh dear @ColinJ . Hope things feel better soon.


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## GetAGrip (8 Aug 2014)

As others have said really, hope your back to hitting those hills very soon, you ........................elite athlete you


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2014)

Thanks all. I am just hanging about waiting for the call now. I will be surprised if the test results are negative because this feels like the early stages of what I had in 2012 & 2013.

Last year's clotting was nasty but nowhere near as bad as the first time, which nearly killed me. It was caught in time to stop it progressing. If it has happened again, then at least it will have been picked up early.



Saluki said:


> Vegging out with CSI at the moment as I can't sleep. Practicing my chord changes 5 minutes at a time too.
> Sleep well when you can.


I started watching a recording of the Tour of Poland and eventually turned in at about 03:15. The trouble is, I had that thing you have as a child at Christmas - waking up early, knowing that something exciting is about to happen. In this case, I fear that I might not like my presents! Feeling pretty knackered now ...



summerdays said:


> Good luck for the results today! What is involved in a lung function test?


The doctor said they would put a face mask on me and put me through various stress tests to see how my lungs cope. I went on the British Lung Foundation website and discovered that there are lots of things they can test for. Being mister wimp about needles, I am hoping that I wouldn't do the test that involves putting a tube into an artery to monitor blood gases ... 



The Jogger said:


> think how much more fitter and lean you are now compared to two years ago


Yes, that's the one good thing to come out of the original illness. I gave up booze 2 years ago this week!



GetAGrip said:


> As others have said really, hope your back to hitting those hills very soon, you ........................elite athlete you


Well, I haven't actually stopped hitting the hills ... I just happen to have been going up them at a very non-elite pace! 

My stepdaughter is coming up for the weekend, and one of my sisters has just announced that she is coming up with her dog today, so I should have plenty to distract me for a few days.

I have a week in Scotland coming up in a few weeks time and had planned a couple of spectacular rides which I hope to still be able to do. I won't do anything silly. If I don't feel well enough, I will do something less challenging. If the rides go ahead, I will start early to give myself plenty of daylight hours to meander round.


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## hopless500 (8 Aug 2014)

All the best Colin - hope the result is good for you x


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2014)

I just got the call. It was bad news. It was very bad news indeed ... 






















They didn't take enough blood for the test so I now I have to go and give _another_ sample, and then wait until Monday for the results!


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## Saluki (8 Aug 2014)

Didn't take enough?  They always take gallons when I go for blood tests.
Have them take a couple extra this time, just in case.


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2014)

User14044mountain said:


> That's a bummer - fingers crossed for the next test.


It is a bit irritating but it isn't the end of the world, even for a needle-phobic like me. Having said that - they had better get it right this time!

I'm just waiting for the local health centre to reopen after lunch to see if they will take the blood sample. If they won't/can't, it will mean an 18 mile round trip to the hospital in Halifax at just about the time that some nasty storms are due to arrive up here.


Saluki said:


> Didn't take enough?  They always take gallons when I go for blood tests.
> Have them take a couple extra this time, just in case.


I have absolutely no idea how much they take ... I am such a wimp that I have never seen what they do in the 2 years that they have been doing it to me! I turn my head away and close my eyes.

My younger sister used to give blood and had no problem with it until one day she looked at the blood bag, saw her blood squirting into it in time with her pulse, and promptly fainted! 

I'm not going to tell the nurse what to do, but I will tell her that it is for a d-dimer test and check that she knows what that involves. (I think all the nurses at the local health centres are female. I've only seen one male nurse and that was in the hospital.)


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## Glow worm (8 Aug 2014)

What a faff Colin - hope you get sorted very soon.


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## phil_hg_uk (8 Aug 2014)

Sorry you are having problems again @ColinJ hope they get you sorted soon.


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2014)

I think I made a mistake not buying my own INR meter when I went back on warfarin. An INR meter is a bit like a diabetes blood monitor but does a different test on the blood sample from a tiny finger-prick. Diabetes monitors are pretty cheap and the NHS probably pays for them, but INR meters are much more expensive (about £300 for the domestic model) and I think it would be hard to get the NHS to fund one (though I am now going to try). I baulked at the idea of paying that much when I can be tested free on the NHS. The thing is, I didn't know that they were going to push the testing intervals out the way they did, eventually to once every 3 months.

To illustrate the problem and the dangers, take a look at this diagram which I found on a medical website ...







Let me explain what that means - When tested 4 times a month, 8.1% of patients ended up with dangerous INR values (clotting/bleeding times). When tested only once a month, the figure rose to 15.9%. I am only being tested once every 3 months! I think it is clear that 12 weeks is too long an interval, and the only reason for it is to save money.


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2014)

Great news - the local health centre will be happy to take a blood sample ...











*ON AUGUST 28TH* - _aaargh_! 

I'll wait for my sister to arrive and get her to drive me to the hospital to get it done there.

_Incoming_ ... Hah - it gets better and better. There has been an accident on the M1 ahead of her and jams are building up so now she is heading off onto A-roads to get round it. Still, I think the outpatient ward I want is open until 7:30 pm so I should be ok.


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## MartinQ (8 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> They didn't take enough blood for the test


What a clot ...


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## coffeejo (8 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> They didn't take enough blood for the test so I now I have to go and give _another_ sample, and then wait until Monday for the results!





ColinJ said:


> Great news - the local health centre will be happy to take a blood sample ...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 indeed.


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## phil_hg_uk (8 Aug 2014)

Shame they dont have a mobile service


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2014)

At least the storms have arrived as scheduled!

Good job I checked ... the Phlebotomy department shuts at 5:00 pm. I can't get there in time by public transport and I'm not riding there on my bike in a thunderstorm! My sister will not arrive in time to drive me there, and I am not going to spend £30 and rush there in a taxi! As for the ward that I had been directed to where I 'might get a test done later' ... the nurse there politely said 'no'! My only other choice would be A&E but that would be stupid, so I'll wait until Monday and get it done during normal opening hours.

By the time I finally get these tests done, I might actually be well again! 

Anyway, that's enough of that for now. When I get better, get worse, or stay the same but find out what is going on, I'll let you know the score. If I suddenly pop my clogs, someone else will tell you about it!


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## Sara_H (8 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> At least the storms have arrived as scheduled!
> 
> Good job I checked ... the Phlebotomy department shuts at 5:00 pm. I can't get there in time by public transport and I'm not riding there on my bike in a thunderstorm! My sister will not arrive in time to drive me there, and I am not going to spend £30 and rush there in a taxi! As for the ward that I had been directed to where I 'might get a test done later' ... the nurse there politely said 'no'! My only other choice would be A&E but that would be stupid, so I'll wait until Monday and get it done during normal opening hours.
> 
> ...


Excuse Me! There'll be no popping of clogs round these parts. Who will be my near death experience buddy if you shuffle off?


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2014)

Sara_H said:


> Excuse Me! There'll be no popping of clogs round these parts. Who will be my near death experience buddy if you shuffle off?


I'm certainly not in a hurry, but ... well, _you know_!

I confess that the sad death of _alans_ on last weekend's FNRTTC did focus my mind a little.  

A couple of my non-CC friends know that I spend a lot of time on here but I'm not sure that they would think to sign up to explain what had happened to me, when such a thing finally does happen, which it inevitably will, some time in the next 40 or 50 years! 

I'm going to write my login details and a goodbye message for you lot on a big card, with instructions to post the contents on the forum for me, and a simple explanation of my demise. 

Meanwhile, we have some great forum rides to do!


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## Sara_H (8 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I'm certainly not in a hurry, but ... well, _you know_!
> 
> I confess that the sad death of _alans_ on last weekend's FNRTTC did focus my mind a little.
> 
> ...




No, no, no - all the gory details will be required! 

By the way, arterial blood sampling isn't that bad, not much different to venous sampling TBH.


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## beanzontoast (8 Aug 2014)

Keep thinking about all those lovely rides waiting for you, Colin, and the amazing views from the summits of the hills! What's a poxy blood test compared to the fun you're going to have telling us all about your cycling exploits in the future?!


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## Donger (8 Aug 2014)

Best wishes Colin. They breed 'em tough in Yorkshire, and I'm sure you'll want to be up and about as soon as you can. Good luck with that. Take it steady.
Donger.


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## Pat "5mph" (8 Aug 2014)

Sorry to hear you had another health setback, Colin! 
When are you coming to Scotland? We must take you on a CC Ecosse ride!


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## Rickshaw Phil (8 Aug 2014)

I hope the blood test results are better than you expect Colin. Carry on carrying on.


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## Ganymede (8 Aug 2014)

Crumbs Colin, we've never met but I wish you well with it all. Very rough for you and I hope you get treatment sorted out and get well soon. x


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2014)

Donger said:


> Best wishes Colin. They breed 'em tough in Yorkshire, and I'm sure you'll want to be up and about as soon as you can. Good luck with that. Take it steady.
> Donger.


I'm not actually from Yorkshire, though I have lived half my life here. I am half (English) Midlands, half Highlands & Islands by parentage, born and raised in the Midlands.

I am still up and about but definitely taking it steady until I know what is going on and it is sorted out.



Pat "5mph" said:


> When are you coming to Scotland? We must take you on a CC Ecosse ride!


First week of September, Monday to Monday including travelling, and staying in the Oban area. I am hoping to do the Lochaber 100 on Sat, 6th. It looks a great event, if any CC Ecosse riders fancy meeting up? I want to take my time and enjoy it, maybe taking 8 or 9 hours.

I am also hoping to catch the ferry over to Mull from Oban and do a loop of most of the island, which I believe comes to about 87 miles. That would probably be on the 2nd or 3rd.

The other thing that I would like to do while I am there is to walk up Ben Nevis.

This all depends on me being well enough, and the weather not being too grim.


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## ColinJ (9 Aug 2014)

Ah, the Lochaber 100 event allows a maximum of 8.5 hours. Still, it is an easy route so that should be fine unless conditions are terribly windy.


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## Donger (9 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I'm not actually from Yorkshire, though I have lived half my life here. I am half (English) Midlands, half Highlands & Islands by parentage, born and raised in the Midlands.
> 
> I am still up and about but definitely taking it steady until I know what is going on and it is sorted out.
> 
> ...


 Are you, by any chance, an early prototype Cyberdyne Systems terminator?


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## ColinJ (9 Aug 2014)

Donger said:


> Are you, by any chance, an early prototype Cyberdyne Systems terminator?


Not as far as I know, but maybe my awareness chip has been wiped!


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## trio25 (9 Aug 2014)

Hopefully its nothing and if its anything you've caught it early anyway!

Compared to the general population you are an elite athlete, I always laugh when Dr's describe me like that as well, usually when they realise I've ridden there....which is funniest at the GP's as it is a mile away and I ride as I am too lazy to walk!


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## classic33 (10 Aug 2014)

View: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XiFeYgQb2Sg


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## The Jogger (10 Aug 2014)

That voice, he should give up...........singing.


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## Tail End Charlie (10 Aug 2014)

Keep your chin up, Colin, sounds like you're doing all the right things.


----------



## Wobblers (10 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> They didn't take enough blood for the test so I now I have to go and give _another_ sample, and then wait until Monday for the results!



Sounds like a euphemism for "we used the wrong chemical in the lab by mistake"...

I hope the next test - when you actually get it! - is good news.


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## ColinJ (10 Aug 2014)

McWobble said:


> Sounds like a euphemism for "we used the wrong chemical in the lab by mistake"...
> 
> I hope the next test - when you actually get it! - is good news.


I was thinking more like "_Oh damn, I dropped the tube_"! 

I felt rough this morning for no apparent reason, so this does need to be sorted out before I end up back where I was last year or the year before.


----------



## Saluki (10 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I was thinking more like "_Oh damn, I dropped the tube_"!
> 
> I felt rough this morning for no apparent reason, so this does need to be sorted out before I end up back where I was last year or the year before.


Do you have a drop in centre that's open on a Sunday near to you?


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## ColinJ (10 Aug 2014)

Saluki said:


> Do you have a drop in centre that's open on a Sunday near to you?


I don't have time to go today, but I will have to find out about the drop in centre in Todmorden in case I need to use it in future. I know that the NHS were thinking of closing it, despite it being in an expensive new health centre and being valued by the local population. I'm not sure if they went ahead with the proposed closure after a big public outcry about it.

I thought about going to A&E yesterday but decided that I could wait until Monday lunchtime. It is usually a 20-30 minute wait in the phlebotomy department rather than sometimes 4+ hours in A&E. I think my situation is fairly urgent, rather than an emergency so Monday should be ok.


----------



## Rickshaw Phil (10 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I was thinking more like "_Oh damn, I dropped the tube_"!
> 
> I felt rough this morning for no apparent reason, so this does need to be sorted out before I end up back where I was last year or the year before.


Like is for the first bit, not for feeling rough.


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## MikeW-71 (10 Aug 2014)

Sorry I missed this. Hope you get sorted ASAP Col


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## classic33 (10 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I was thinking more like "_Oh damn, I dropped the tube_"!
> 
> I felt rough this morning for no apparent reason, so this does need to be sorted out before I end up back where I was last year or the year before.


The tubes/syringes they use there now can survive a fall onto the floor.


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## ColinJ (10 Aug 2014)

classic33 said:


> The tubes/syringes they use there now can survive a fall onto the floor.


I wasn't thinking breakage, more spillage - lid off, and the technician about to do the test when the tube was dropped ...


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## classic33 (10 Aug 2014)

There Wednesday and noticed they were using a new syringe type.


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## gavgav (10 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Time for an update ...
> 
> Things had been going very well - my breathing had improved, my heart rhythm had settled down, my legs were getting stronger, I had got 2,000 hilly miles in on my bikes. After 2 traumatic years, I thought I was recovering and might have got away with the only long-term damage being a sore and swollen leg. And then what I had been dreading for 2 years finally happened - I caught a cold ...
> 
> ...


Sorry to hear you aren't well again Colin. Hope they can sort you out and get you back on the bike again soon!


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## ColinJ (10 Aug 2014)

classic33 said:


> There Wednesday and noticed they were using a new syringe type.


I do my best to not notice anything! I look away until the whole procedure is done.

Nurse, last week, when I told her that I was squeamish: "_So what you are telling me is that you are just a big wimp?_" 

Me: "_Er, YES!_" 



gavgav said:


> Sorry to hear you aren't well again Colin. Hope they can sort you out and get you back on the bike again soon!


Cheers.

It's mainly the wind and rain keeping me off the bike. I will still ride once the weather improves, but be careful not to go too far, or too fast. I still seemed to be ok with 23 miles on my last ride, but I had to take my time.

Once warmed up, I am actually better when moving around. The consultant was talking about blood vessels possibly being a bit clogged with clots, scar tissue, whatever, but dilating with exercise to improve the blood flow. That would make sense, but would be a bit worrying!

One thing at a time. I'll see what these tests reveal, or if I get better without any intervention.

As long as I can keep the fitness gains I have made this year, that would be ok. What I don't want is to go back to square one and have to do another 2,000 miles of hilly cycling just to get back to where I was 6 weeks ago.


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## ColinJ (11 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Once warmed up, I am actually better when moving around. The consultant was talking about blood vessels possibly being a bit clogged with clots, scar tissue, whatever, but dilating with exercise to improve the blood flow. That would make sense, but would be a bit worrying!


But ... what I can't understand is how s.o.b. (shortness of breath) caused by clots or scar tissue could come and go for no apparent reason! I asked the consultant whether asthma might be a possibility, which is why I am going to have a lung function test if clots are ruled out. Ha - maybe it is a combination of both problems! I might ask for a lung function test anyway even if there are clots which get sorted out by increasing my warfarin dose.


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## ColinJ (11 Aug 2014)

Saluki said:


> Do you have a drop in centre that's open on a Sunday near to you?


The drop in at Todmorden is open today but they "do not take blood samples". I don't know why they won't, given that a nurse on the same floor of the same building took a sample from me last Thursday, but there you go ...! 

I know the NHS is trying to save money, but that means someone who lives the far side of Todmorden could have a 30+ mile round trip for a simple procedure when a multi-million pound new NHS health centre nearby is being under-utilised.


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## Saluki (11 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> The drop in at Todmorden is open today but they "do not take blood samples". I don't know why they won't, given that a nurse on the same floor of the same building took a sample from me last Thursday, but there you go ...!
> 
> I know the NHS is trying to save money, but that means someone who lives the far side of Todmorden could have a 30+ mile round trip for a simple procedure when a multi-million pound new NHS health centre nearby is being under-utilised.


A missive to your MP maybe? Not that it helps you right now but not taking blood samples seems a bit daft.


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## MikeW-71 (11 Aug 2014)

I read back up thread a bit...


ColinJ said:


> I confess that the sad death of _alans_ on last weekend's FNRTTC did focus my mind a little.




*goes to find thread.


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## ColinJ (11 Aug 2014)

MikeW-71 said:


> I read back up thread a bit...
> 
> 
> 
> *goes to find thread.


Very sad, but moving ...

Dying suddenly of illness (not in an accident) on a ride with my pals wouldn't be nice for them, other friends or my family, but it is the way that I would choose for myself. Both my parents had to endure slow, unpleasant declines and I dread that happening to me.


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## ColinJ (11 Aug 2014)

I finally got my tests done today. It nearly didn't happen because I was turned away for not having any paperwork requesting the tests. I explained that they were urgent and that the request was made by phone, but the answer was still 'no'!

Fortunately, a second person overheard the conversation as I was giving up and heading off, preparing for a long stint in A&E. She told me to go to Outpatient reception and explain the situation there, which I did. After a 5 minute wait, someone looked me up on the computer system and printed a request form for me. I walked back down the corridor, produced the document and was called so quickly that I didn't even have time to sit down!

The nurse was great. She took blood for the d-dimer (clotting) test and a second tube for an INR (clotting TIME) test. She said that it was to save money instead of using the INR machine. I can't see that sending a tube of blood to be tested in a lab can be cheaper than using a slide which costs £3-4, but I wasn't bothered since the needle was already in my arm!

I felt rough walking to the station, great walking back, and in-between now. I think I am teetering on the brink of something bad happening, but it has hopefully been caught in time. That is, assuming that it is something which is easily fixable.

So now, I need to wait for word from the consultant to see whether it is clotting or something else, and what tests come next.


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## coffeejo (11 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I think I am teetering on the brink of something bad happening, but it has hopefully been caught in time. That is, assuming that it is something which is easily fixable.
> 
> So now, I need to wait for word from the consultant to see whether it is clotting or something else, and what tests come next.


Keeping my fingers crossed that it, if it's anything, has been indeed caught in time. *hugs*


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## dave r (12 Aug 2014)

Heres hoping you get this sorted soon, and it turns out to be something minor.


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## dave r (12 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Very sad, but moving ...
> 
> Dying suddenly of illness (not in an accident) on a ride with my pals wouldn't be nice for them, other friends or my family, but it is the way that I would choose for myself. Both my parents had to endure slow, unpleasant declines and I dread that happening to me.



Now I'm into my 60's I've started to notice subtle little changes that would suggest that an age related decline may have started, I don't want to endure a slow unpleasant decline into old age like I've seen with some of my older friends, when the end comes I want it to be quick.


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## ColinJ (12 Aug 2014)

Hmm ... I got my test results today. They indicate that my INR is within the therapeutic range, and there is a 95% likelihood that I am NOT reclotting!

That's good news because I really did not fancy having to start clearing clots from my lungs all over again, but it does lead straight to the question '_What is happening, then?_' ...

I'm still hoping that I have just developed a mild case of asthma, which hopefully would be easily manageable with inhalers (though there might be some interaction between asthma meds and warfarin). Posters in this asthma thread had symptoms similar to mine until they were treated for asthma.

I went out and did a hilly 17 mile ride this afternoon. Things went the same way as of late - I was short of breath and had to be very careful not to overdo the 10% climb that I hit after only 800 metres of riding, but after 15 minutes I was starting to feel good; a 15-20% climb after 25 minutes was no problem; hours later, my pulse rate has not quite returned to normal though, and my breathing is not quite right.

I was paying a lot of attention to my breathing when on the bike, and I think there _is_ just a hint of wheeziness there. If I force all the air out of my lungs, I do wheeze and develop a cough. The damp air was quite chilly in a strong wind and that made my lungs uncomfortable.

So ... Assuming that I am not one of the rare cases of a 'false negative' on the d-dimer test, no CT scan is required and it will be heart and lung tests next. These are being treated as lower priorities than the potential clotting was, and I think that is reasonable. As long as I don't get worse than I am now, I can wait a few weeks or maybe a month or two for the tests. If anything else develops which alarms me, I'll get on the phone and demand action. There is always A&E if _urgent_ action is needed.



dave r said:


> Now I'm into my 60's I've started to notice subtle little changes that would suggest that an age related decline may have started, I don't want to endure a slow unpleasant decline into old age like I've seen with of my older friends, when the end comes I want it to be quick.


I'd like to make it to 80 and still be riding. A great uncle of mine in Scotland was well into his 80s when he finally gave up his bike because his sense of balance was letting him down. (He should have switched to a trike!)

I have chatted to quite a few riders in their late 70s and early 80s. They admitted to having slowed down a lot with age, but they must have been handy when they were young because they weren't exactly hanging about when I saw them!


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## ColinJ (12 Aug 2014)

Oh, and my next blood test is supposed to be in Halifax 8 weeks from yesterday. That is an improvement on the previous 12 week interval between tests, but I will go to the local Wednesday clinic 7 weeks tomorrow instead of trekking to Halifax on the Monday.

Yesterday I just scribbled a note on the paperwork to say that I had come in to be tested 6 weeks early because there was a chance that I was clotting and I didn't want to wait another month and a half to be tested. I will do that again in the future if I am worried.


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## ColinJ (12 Aug 2014)

BTW - thanks for letting me unload my worries here! I think I have been suffering from a form of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) since my original collapse 2 years ago and dumping all this stuff into the thread helps get it off my mind for a while.


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## classic33 (13 Aug 2014)

I don't blame you for anything you've done. You have a recognised condition and in the past have sufferred due to it.
Had you left it, and it had been serious, I've no doubt there'd be a few saying you were daft for leaving it. You're living with it, the experts, no matter how many people they see will not be able to match the personal knowledge of the impact of the condition on you.

Hope the news remains good for you on this.


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## classic33 (13 Aug 2014)

The more conditions like this are talked about, the easier it becomes for the next person who may find they have something similar.


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## The Jogger (13 Aug 2014)

That is great news Colin, a box ticked so something less to worry about. Why don't you keep the training/cycling pretty easy until you are fully recovered, as the advice for most is don't train if you have a chest thing going on, even just a chesty cold.


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## ColinJ (13 Aug 2014)

The Jogger said:


> Why don't you keep the training/cycling pretty easy until you are fully recovered, as the advice for most is don't train if you have a chest thing going on, even just a chesty cold.


I took 3 weeks off the bike when I actually had the recent cold. This scare is due to the fact that a month later my breathing is still being affected, and my heart seems to respond to that. It is a bit of a chicken and egg question though - heart affecting breathing, or breathing affecting heart?

I blacked out at the roadside about 20 years ago when riding up a steep climb too soon after a nasty cold, so I am a bit more cautious now.

I feel ok on the bike once warmed up, but I can't go too close to 100% effort without feeling that I am going to regret it, so I back off a bit.

It is 2 years since I first went into hospital with DVT/PE and I took 8 months off the bike then. I think getting back on my bike helped. I have never fully recovered and probably never will, but I have done better than I initially feared so I will keep on trying and see what level I can get to.

I used to be overweight and that held back my fitness, but I felt very rugged and could take a lot of physical punishment. A bit of a cart horse. Those days are gone. Maybe I will end up more like a race horse - faster, but much more fragile?

The rain is supposed to stop at about 3:00 today, so I will try to get another shortish ride in and see how it goes.


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## Ganymede (13 Aug 2014)

Go Red Rum!


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## classic33 (13 Aug 2014)

Ganymede said:


> Go Red Rum!


Red Rum! Aldaniti surely.


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## Ganymede (13 Aug 2014)

classic33 said:


> Red Rum! Aldaniti surely.


Had to google it I'm afraid!  but yeah!


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## classic33 (13 Aug 2014)

Ganymede said:


> Had to google it I'm afraid!  but yeah!


Include Sefton and we've a three horse race!


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## Saluki (13 Aug 2014)

So pleased for you that it's not a recurrance of the DVT. Maybe it is asthma, what has your doc said about it?


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## dave r (13 Aug 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I'd like to make it to 80 and still be riding. A great uncle of mine in Scotland was well into his 80s when he finally gave up his bike because his sense of balance was letting him down. (He should have switched to a trike!)
> 
> I have chatted to quite a few riders in their late 70s and early 80s. They admitted to having slowed down a lot with age, but they must have been handy when they were young because they weren't exactly hanging about when I saw them!



Some of the old boys I see are impressive, out on a ride a few weeks ago I got well smoked by a pack of 70 year olds, I found that if I dug in I could just about stay with them but once we hit a hill they were gone, a nice group of people I was talking to them in the cafe, I've got friends in the club who are still time trialling into their 60's and 70's, I haven't seen any of my mates results this season but last year he was setting personal bests at 70 years old, around the 26 minute mark for a 10.


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## ColinJ (13 Aug 2014)

Saluki said:


> So pleased for you that it's not a recurrance of the DVT. Maybe it is asthma, what has your doc said about it?


He wanted to get the clotting test done first. Now he is going to send me for 'lung function tests'. He didn't specify what they would be other than I would have to exert myself with a face mask on, and my breathing would be checked.

I Googled and found that there are lots of different tests that could be done.

If they get me to launch straight into exercise without a warm-up, it would be obvious very quickly that something is wrong. If I warmed up first, they would probably think my breathing was pretty good until I was going flat out when problems would manifest themselves again.


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## Saluki (13 Aug 2014)

They had Hubster on an exercise bike and big mask but when they realised that he was a cyclist they switched him onto a treadmill and had him do a spot of running.


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## dave r (13 Aug 2014)

Saluki said:


> They had Hubster on an exercise bike and big mask but when they realised that he was a cyclist they switched him onto a treadmill and had him do a spot of running.



When I had my stress test in 2008 they had me on a treadmill.


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## Dogtrousers (14 Aug 2014)

THis is an attempt to make my utterly pointless tagging of @ColinJ appear to be at least vaguely on topic.

Did you get an alert?


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## ColinJ (14 Aug 2014)

Hmm, yes! I wonder if there is something odd about that other thread?


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## beanzontoast (14 Aug 2014)

Colin - this is just to say 'keep positive' matey. I'm certain I speak for everyone on Shaun's tech site too. 

Let the quacks get to the bottom of it, and meantime, you look forward to all the brilliant cycling fun you'll be having in the future.


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## ColinJ (14 Aug 2014)

Now that I am here ... I noticed the s.o.b. come on this morning and at the time, my pulse was in the normal range (70-ish bpm). The pulse rate went up slowly after that so it tends to make me think that there is a breathing problem which the heart reacts to rather than the other way round.

The heart rhythm changes that I get from time to time might be a different problem. The consultant mentioned last week that it had been noted on my initial ECGs 2 years ago, and I remember the doctors talking about it at the time. They were of the opinion that most of the problem had been caused by the huge clot pressing against my heart. The problem did subside as I got over the illness.



beanzontoast said:


> Colin - this is just to say 'keep positive' matey. I'm certain I speak for everyone on Shaun's tech site too.
> 
> Let the quacks get to the bottom of it, and meantime, you look forward to all the brilliant cycling fun you'll be having in the future.


Cheers. 

I can bimble along ok, but it would be nice to get a bit of _oomph_ back! I quite fancy having a go at time trialling one day but I couldn't put enough effort in as things stand now. (I did century rides at 17 mph average speed when I was not really fit in the past, but I would probably struggle to average even 15 mph over that distance now.)


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## Dogtrousers (14 Aug 2014)

But if I make a post like this that doesn't tag you
and then edit it to tag @ColinJ
you won't get an alert


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## ColinJ (14 Aug 2014)

Dogtrousers said:


> But if I make a post like this that doesn't tag you
> and then edit it to tag @ColinJ
> you won't get an alert


Correct - I found your post through 'New Posts' without getting an alert!

I will report it to Shaun, because it seems like a bug. Not a terribly important one, but something for the XenForo software team to look at.


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## cyberknight (15 Aug 2014)

Only just seen the re emergence of this thread , all i can say is glad your not as bad as you could have been matey .


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## ColinJ (15 Oct 2014)

I received a letter from my consultant today. To my horror, in the bottom half of it ...



The consultant said:


> ... signs of ongoing blood clots causing strain on your heart.



Oh FFS - just when I was feeling a lot better!!! 





But then ... I unfolded the sheet of paper and on the top half ...



The consultant said:


> The recent heart scan and lung function tests were both normal and show no ...



 

I just have a routine appointment next January to monitor progress.

I still get symptoms of lung damage and I don't think I am ever going to make a 100% recovery, but it looks like I might manage 90% (say) and be able to get a lot more great cycling done before I finally pop my clogs.

For the future, to try to avoid future relapses I will:

Stay on anticoagulants for life - warfarin for now, maybe switching to one of the newer drugs in the future if that looks like a better bet
keep my weight under control (excess weight is a risk factor)
avoid alcohol (a risk factor for clotting, and something I struggle to moderate)
avoid dehydration (it 'thickens' the blood)
maintain a consistent vitamin K intake (to not mess up my warfarin)
never wear excessively tight clothing again (bloody uncomfortable, and probably the cause of my first DVT)
put my legs up when sitting for long periods of time (more comfortable and reduces swelling in my left leg)
stand up and walk about regularly to keep the blood flowing
keep my legs warm (cold blood clots more easily)
wear travel socks when travelling or standing (their mild compression keeps the swelling in my bad leg under control)
So, hopefully I will not be posting in this thread too many more times in the future, though I will report any relapses or significant breakthroughs.

I would like to stop thinking about clotting so often. When I first got ill it was 24/7 - you may have noticed! Later it became every 15 minutes or so. Eventually it got to once an hour. Now, it is probably just 5 or 6 times a day. I look forward to the time when I realise that it has been a week or two since I last thought about the subject. I don't want to forget about it altogether because remembering the horror of the illness keeps me vigilant, but I do want to live a more normal life now.

Thanks for your support, and see you on some forum rides in the future!


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## Ganymede (15 Oct 2014)

YAY!!!!!!!!! I know we've never met Colin but being just a forum acquaintance still makes me feel very pleased for you, have some emoticons:

 x


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## ColinJ (15 Oct 2014)

Ganymede said:


> YAY!!!!!!!!! I know we've never met Colin but being just a forum acquaintance still makes me feel very pleased for you, have some emoticons:
> 
> x


Thanks - if I were still a drinker, I'd drink to that! 

Even though I was expecting good news, I still misread the letter! It was a relief when I read it properly ...


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## Ganymede (15 Oct 2014)

Well I'm having a cuppa, so "cheers" in tea!


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## Archie_tect (15 Oct 2014)

Have a chunk of cake on me Colin- be good to meet you one day!


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## ColinJ (15 Oct 2014)

Archie_tect said:


> Have a chunk of cake on me Colin- be good to meet you one day!


Hmm, cake ... 

Yes, it would be nice to meet up - see if you can make it down for the forum ride on Mar 28th 2015! 

If I ever make a trip to Northumberland with my bike, I'll be sure to let you and @Fnaar know about it!


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## Archie_tect (15 Oct 2014)

You have to promise to slow down though.


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## ColinJ (15 Oct 2014)

Archie_tect said:


> You have to promise to slow down though.


I think our slow group only averaged about 8 or 9 mph this year, including stops. The quickest riders probably did 15+ mph, but I didn't see much of them!


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## cyberknight (15 Oct 2014)

I would offer to buy you a pint but your not allowed


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## ColinJ (15 Oct 2014)

cyberknight said:


> I would offer to buy you a pint but your not allowed


1 pint wouldn't hurt. It's the regular 4 other pints a night that would!

I'm one of those people who struggles with moderation. I can do without alcohol, chocolate, cake etc. but once I get the taste for them, I want _MORE_ ...


----------



## Joshua Plumtree (15 Oct 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Hmm, cake ...
> 
> Yes, it would be nice to meet up - see if you can make it down for the forum ride on Mar 28th 2015!
> 
> If I ever make a trip to Northumberland with my bike, I'll be sure to let you and @Fnaar know about it!




Where are we off to on this forum ride? - haven't heard anything about it.


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## ColinJ (15 Oct 2014)

Announced in this post. Skim through that thread for details of this year's edition of the ride.


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## Roscoe (16 Oct 2014)

Excellent news sir!


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## Joshua Plumtree (16 Oct 2014)

Thanks for that, I'll see what I can do nearer the time.


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## woohoo (29 Oct 2014)

*ColinJ* You might be interested in this

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04mctw7

20 minutes in there is a piece about the new anti-coagulants that are available for certain conditions.


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## ColinJ (30 Oct 2014)

woohoo said:


> *ColinJ* You might be interested in this
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04mctw7
> 
> 20 minutes in there is a piece about the new anti-coagulants that are available for certain conditions.


Thanks. The new drugs are certainly looking promising but I think I will stick on warfarin for now. I agree with the second doctor who said that a little caution is no bad thing. I am pretty stable on warfarin so hopefully my bleeding risk is as low as it can be.

Longer term, I would like to switch because I don't like the prospect of a lifelong vitamin K deficiency induced by warfarin. I just want the doctors to have a few more years experience with the new drugs first in case anything horrid turns up!

I was watching _*Trust Me, I'm a Doctor*_ tonight and they had a report on a new surgical technique for dealing with clots in the lungs. It was the kind of thing that I could not have watched when I was feeling really ill, but I felt up to it this evening. It was amazing to watch, but what they got out of the poor guy's lungs was truly gruesome! 

If you can stomach it, it is available on iPlayer for a month - LINK. The clotting item is about 40 minutes in.


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## woohoo (30 Oct 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I was watching _*Trust Me, I'm a Doctor*_ tonight and they had a report on a new surgical technique for dealing with clots in the lungs. It was the kind of thing that I could not have watched when I was feeling really ill, but I felt up to it this evening. It was amazing to watch, but what they got out of the poor guy's lungs was truly gruesome!


Thanks. I saw it; glad I had eaten my tea well beforehand. It looked a pretty arduous procedure for the patient and the medics. The volume of stuff that they removed was what really surprised me.


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## MartinQ (30 Oct 2014)

Haven't seen the programme yet, but I've a moderate amount of that left in my lungs after the last set of clots and is probably chronic now. 

Good excuse for poor hill climbing effort though.


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## compo (30 Oct 2014)

My ex wife was very prone to clotting, and indeed suffered DVT's in her legs. She was tested and found to have the genetic disorder Leiden Factor 5 which makes her far more liable to clotting. She was (is) on Warfarin for life. Following clotting episodes I would have to inject her daily with heparin for a week or two. The hospital provided the pre loaded syringes so it was easy. 

I was wondering if Colin has come across this condition and if he has been tested for it. It seems to be becoming more prevelant.


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## ColinJ (30 Oct 2014)

compo said:


> My ex wife was very prone to clotting, and indeed suffered DVT's in her legs. She was tested and found to have the genetic disorder Leiden Factor 5 which makes her far more liable to clotting. She was (is) on Warfarin for life. Following clotting episodes I would have to inject her daily with heparin for a week or two. The hospital provided the pre loaded syringes so it was easy.
> 
> I was wondering if Colin has come across this condition and if he has been tested for it. It seems to be becoming more prevelant.


I have read about LF V. I have supposedly been tested for it, but never got the results back.

I have read that the NHS is doing fewer such tests now because if you have it and are not clotting, then you might as well avoid the bleeding risks of anti-coagulants. If you are clotting even if you don't have the genetic risks, then you do need the anti-coagulants.

When patients are started on warfarin they need to be 'bridged' with heparin because, paradoxically, for a short transition period warfarin can make you MORE prone to clots. The warfarin clinic monitor the INR of the patient frequently until it is in the therapeutic range and then the heparin can be stopped, and the testing frequency reduced.

Both times when I was in hospital, all of the patients in the wards were given daily shots of heparin as a precaution against clotting due to spending prolonged time in bed.


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## MartinQ (31 Oct 2014)

compo said:


> My ex wife was very prone to clotting, and found to have the genetic disorder Leiden Factor 5



Factor V Leiden has two forms hetero (inherited from 1 parent) and homo (inherited from both parents). The lift associated with clots (relative risk increase compared to the normal population) associated with hetero is ~5 and with homo ~100, both of which increase somewhat with some birth control. Homo is much rarer but obviously much more dangerous. About 5% of the population are hetero positive and 0.05% homo positive.

After a couple of operations in Sep & Oct, I've had to do the tinzaparin injections a couple more times, although last time I waited 5 hours for the nurses to dispense it at the hospital . Getting quite good at it now, and its certainly less painful than letting someone else do it.


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## ColinJ (3 Nov 2014)

MartinQ said:


> After a couple of operations in Sep & Oct, I've had to do the tinzaparin injections a couple more times, although last time I waited 5 hours for the nurses to dispense it at the hospital . Getting quite good at it now, and its certainly less painful than letting someone else do it.


I'm a wimp with needles so I used to get the nurse at my local health centre to do it. I only live round the corner so it wasn't much hassle for me and it only took her a minute so it wasn't much hassle for her as long as I made appointments in advance.


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## MartinQ (4 Nov 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I'm a wimp with needles so I used to get the nurse at my local health centre to do it. I only live round the corner so it wasn't much hassle for me and it only took her a minute so it wasn't much hassle for her as long as I made appointments in advance.



I'd really recommend just doing them yourself. With a bit of practice, it hurts less and smaller bruises and quicker. Must admit though, I was the same as you when starting warfarin a couple of years ago, couldn't face doing them myself. Having said that, your nurse may be nicer than the ones round here ... why does the image of Nurse Gladys Emmanuel come to mind?


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## ColinJ (4 Nov 2014)

MartinQ said:


> I'd really recommend just doing them yourself. With a bit of practice, it hurts less and smaller bruises and quicker. Must admit though, I was the same as you when starting warfarin a couple of years ago, couldn't face doing them myself. Having said that, your nurse may be nicer than the ones round here ... why does the image of Nurse Gladys Emmanuel come to mind?


I had to look up who she was! Open All Hours was one of those shows that I never got round to watching ...

The nurses here were pretty good. The heparin shot normally just felt like a wasp sting i.e. I barely felt the needle go in, but the drug itself stung like wasp venom. On one occasion it was really painful. The nurse reckoned she must have precisely hit a nerve ending, and that was just pot luck!


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## ColinJ (31 Dec 2014)

End of year health report!

I have made a lot of progress this year. My breathing has improved a lot, and my heart rhythm has settled nicely. I am ok up to about 85% effort, though I can still feel the strain if I really push hard. With luck, my top-end 'oomph' will start to come back in 2015 but if this is as good as it gets, then at least it is better than I thought it was going to get!

I had a relapse when I caught a cold in June - breathlessness came back for a few months, but I got over that.

Another cold over Christmas made me feel very rough but ... I just felt rough as in 'poorly' not rough as in 'oh crap - clotting'! It's much better feeling ill without the suspicion that something more sinister is going on in the background.

My DVT-ravaged left leg has improved, though it still isn't great if I sit at tables or desks for too long. I think I will just have to keep wearing compression socks on that leg and elevate the leg when I can. It is fine when cycling and walking because exercise keeps the blood flowing. It is blood pooling when the leg is stationary that causes problems.

I have done some great rides this year, included a fabulously well-supported 'comeback' ride at the end of March.

I am slimmer than I have been for years and that has improved my climbing ability significantly.

I am enjoying my cycling more than I did before I got ill.

Onwards, and upwards, eh?


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## Ganymede (31 Dec 2014)

ColinJ said:


> End of year health report!
> 
> I have made a lot of progress this year. My breathing has improved a lot, and my heart rhythm has settled nicely. I am ok up to about 85% effort, though I can still feel the strain if I really push hard. With luck, my top-end 'oomph' will start to come back in 2015 but if this is as good as it gets, then at least it is better than I thought it was going to get!
> 
> ...


Here's to your top-end oomph!


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## ColinJ (31 Dec 2014)

Ganymede said:


> Here's to your top-end oomph!


Yes please!

It could be that my limitations are now more due to lack of fitness than poor health, but I reckon I would have been fitter than this after 3,619 miles of hilly cycling in the past. I can ride quite long distances now (up to 100 miles or so) but I am only able to ride at a very modest pace overall. (10-11 mph on hilly routes, including stops.)

The exercise _IS_ doing me good - I just get a bit impatient and want the progress to be quicker. I will try to be a bit more focussed on getting fit in 2015. 2014 was a transition year and laid a good foundation for what it is to come. 2 years ago I was still limited in how far I could walk and I was months away from getting back on my bike. 1 year ago I was getting my lungs working again after my second bout of clotting.


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## Orville (31 Dec 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Thanks. The new drugs are certainly looking promising but I think I will stick on warfarin for now. I agree with the second doctor who said that a little caution is no bad thing. I am pretty stable on warfarin so hopefully my bleeding risk is as low as it can be.
> 
> Longer term, I would like to switch because I don't like the prospect of a lifelong vitamin K deficiency induced by warfarin. I just want the doctors to have a few more years experience with the new drugs first in case anything horrid turns up!
> 
> ...



I am on one of the newer drugs approved in Canada (Xarelto) and have had very good success with it. The only issue as it relates to cycling is the lack of a counter treatment should you experience an accidental bleed. That is a big issue for me but it is the only drug approved for my occupation. 

I have Homozygous LF-V and had post surgery DVT's in one leg and a clot in a corotid artery. Both required a surgical fix but my leg has incompetent vein valves that will always cause pooling of blood. Compression socks and exercise have made the whole ordeal tolerable. Continued success in your recovery. It sounds as though you are doing well.


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## ColinJ (31 Dec 2014)

User14044mountain said:


> Sounds good, Colin
> 
> Interestingly I'm now averaging 10-11mph and have put this down to ageing and riding a more comfortable touring bike for most of my miles. The slower speed might just be tempus fugit.........


I would play the age card, only ... one person leaving me trailing behind on rides is a pal who has just turned 61, 2 years older than me!

Admittedly, he has never been overweight and has been in good health for over 35 years. (He had a serious illness in his 20s which frightened him into looking after himself better!)



Orville said:


> I am on one of the newer drugs approved in Canada (Xarelto) and have had very good success with it. The only issue as it relates to cycling is the lack of a counter treatment should you experience an accidental bleed. That is a big issue for me but it is the only drug approved for my occupation.
> 
> I have Homozygous LF-V and had post surgery DVT's in one leg and a clot in a corotid artery. Both required a surgical fix but my leg has incompetent vein valves that will always cause pooling of blood. Compression socks and exercise have made the whole ordeal tolerable. Continued success in your recovery. It sounds as though you are doing well.


Thanks Orville, and good luck to you! 

It won't be too long before the antidotes for the new drugs are on the market. I read that clinical trials are looking good.


Oh, one thing I forgot to mention is that I will be having an appointment with my consultant at the end of January. I am going to ask him if he would send me for a bone density scan. It would help put my mind at rest if I knew my bones were not falling apart due to vitamin K deficiency. It would give a reference point for another test a few years down the line so we could see if my bones were being significantly affected longer-term.


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## gbb (1 Jan 2015)

ColinJ said:


> Yes please!
> 
> It could be that my limitations are now more due to lack of fitness than poor health, but I reckon I would have been fitter than this after 3,619 miles of hilly cycling in the past.


I suspect you're right.
Sometimes I'm surprised how after almost 2 years of limited cycling, I can still do ok, albeit with short stamina. I can push along, but hills deplete me quickly, wind kills me and I just cant do what I used to...but what should I expect ?...I have permanent lung damage and loss of fitness that doesnt come back easily with limited time on the bike and unless I start commuting again, an odd ride here and there isn't going to have any significant effect.
But....you provide inspiration, I read your posts and realise while my condition will always limit me..you've been through a heck of a lot but still retain the will to get out there. 
I need to put more effort in and stop wallowing


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## coffeejo (1 Jan 2015)

You think there's a problem with your fitness? I'm putting weights on your bike for your Whalley ride so I can keep up.


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## ColinJ (1 Jan 2015)

coffeejo said:


> You think there's a problem with your fitness? I'm putting weights on your bike for your Whalley ride so I can keep up.


The problem is that I ended the year not a lot fitter than I was on that ride at the end of March, despite riding another 3,000 hilly miles in between!

I am fairly convinced that I developed some more clots in June after being laid up with a cold. I went from doing a comfortable 117 mile ride at the end of May, to getting short of breath within 250 yards of starting rides in July. I didn't feel fully recovered until the start of October.


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## MartinQ (9 Mar 2015)

INR > 15 today, could explain why I've been feeling a bit wiped out recently .


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## ColinJ (9 Mar 2015)

MartinQ said:


> INR > 15 today, could explain why I've been feeling a bit wiped out recently .


15 - you are lucky you didn't bleed to death!!!! 

Are you having plenty of Vitamin K in your diet? If not, then you need to. All the latest research shows that it helps prevent wild fluctuations in INR.

(For those not in the know ... INR = International Normalised Ratio, a way of indicating the clotting time of blood. It is defined such that the blood of a 'normal' person measures about 1. For people with clotting problems, drugs are used to 'thin' the blood and reduce the risk of clotting. The aim is to try to keep the INR in the range of (typically) 2-3. 15 is _horrendously_ high!)

I hope that the docs get you back in range ASAP, Martin, and that you start to feel better soon!

I have had 3 scans done recently ...

A CT scan of my lungs. My chest consultant feels that I am doing well but wanted one last scan to check that all looks ok inside. If so, then he plans to stop the routine appointments.
I requested a DEXA bone density scan. There are fears that extended periods on Warfarin can lead to osteoporosis. The scan should show whether this is happening to me. If it isn't _yet_, then the scan will at least give baseline data which future DEXA scan results can be compared with.
The doctors spotted something on my original chest CT scan. The scan just caught the top of one kidney and somebody noticed what looked like a cyst in there. They requested a kidney scan to get a good look at it. (I managed to get it done at the same time I was having the lung scan done, so that saved time and money.) The cyst may be historical and nothing to worry about, or it could be more sinister. I got a letter last week asking me to go and see the urologist again at the end of this month. I am worried that he may have bad news for me. I was hoping that if the news were good then he would have sent an 'all clear' letter and not made the appointment. I will find out in 3 weeks time!


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## MartinQ (9 Mar 2015)

ColinJ said:


> I hope that the docs get you back in range ASAP, Martin, and that you start to feel better soon!
> 
> I have had 3 scans done recently ...



TBH, got a couple of scratches in the garden yesterday which still haven't scabbed over, this explains why. Off to the GP now to get a vitamin k shot. Normally, I'm not too bad, but the last few months have been up and down a lot, both pains & INR. Still hope I manage to stay on my bike on the commute home, otherwise things may get messy


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## Roscoe (10 Mar 2015)

Fingers crossed for you Colin


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## RichK (10 Mar 2015)

MartinQ said:


> INR > 15 today, could explain why I've been feeling a bit wiped out recently .



15!  

Yikes. I ended up in A&E with an INR of 4.8 (target is 2.5 - 3.0) last year. I figure you'll be having more regular monitoring for the next few weeks?


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## MartinQ (10 Mar 2015)

RichK said:


> 15!
> Yikes. I ended up in A&E with an INR of 4.8 (target is 2.5 - 3.0) last year. I figure you'll be having more regular monitoring for the next few weeks?



I think I'll be very closely monitored . 4.8 isn't too bad, I've had a couple of 5 / 6's in the past couple of years, but nothing close this. Got told off by the doc last night and the nurse today for being on my bike yesterday. Used the argument that you can have accidents at home ... , don't think it really worked.
Had a shot of vit k last night (no warfarin) and another blood test at lunchtime and will find out the result later, though feel a fair bit better today compared to the past couple of weeks.


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## ColinJ (10 Mar 2015)

I'm going to get a self-testing machine. I'm hoping that I can persuade my GP that it would save the NHS money for me to do my own tests, which it _would_ over a number of years. The trouble is they have to work to shorter term budgets so I will probably have to pay for it myself.

It would probably only take one hospital admission due to INR problems to swallow up that £300 but I suspect that argument will fall on deaf ears.


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## MartinQ (10 Mar 2015)

ColinJ said:


> I'm going to get a self-testing machine. I'm hoping that I can persuade my GP that it would save the NHS money for me to do my own tests, which it _would_ over a number of years. The trouble is they have to work to shorter term budgets so I will probably have to pay for it myself.



I think you do have to buy the machines, but sometimes the test strips can be had on prescription. 
http://shop.coaguchek.com/buy/test-strips/
They're ~£3 each, so its worth doing if your GP allows it. Anecdotally, I've read that this seems to be relatively rare.


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## ColinJ (10 Mar 2015)

MartinQ said:


> I think you do have to buy the machines, but sometimes the test strips can be had on prescription.
> http://shop.coaguchek.com/buy/test-strips/
> They're ~£3 each, so its worth doing if your GP allows it. Anecdotally, I've read that this seems to be relatively rare.


Yes, I would hope to at least get the strips prescribed. I want to test myself weekly to pick up potential problems early.

I am only being tested every 10-12 weeks currently, which I don't think is frequently enough!


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## ColinJ (14 Mar 2015)

Bone density scan results in: All looks ok.  

I'll leave it another few years then request another one to see if there has been any change. At least the doctors know my baseline figures now.

No news on the chest scan yet.

I have an appointment to see the urologist at the end of the month for the results of the kidney scan. That is making me nervous because if all was well I think I might just have got a letter saying that, as I did for the bone scan ... No point in worrying about it. I'll wait to see what he has to say and worry later if I need to!


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## Wobblers (17 Mar 2015)

ColinJ said:


> Bone density scan results in: All looks ok.
> 
> I'll leave it another few years then request another one to see if there has been any change. At least the doctors know my baseline figures now.
> 
> ...



I would have thought that if the results were more serious they would have had you back much sooner. It does seem to be a long time to wait though, doesn't it? Anyway, here's hoping all is well.


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## ColinJ (17 Mar 2015)

McWobble said:


> I would have thought that if the results were more serious they would have had you back much sooner. It does seem to be a long time to wait though, doesn't it? Anyway, here's hoping all is well.


Yes, a couple of other people have said that too. Cheers.

They know that something is in there because they spotted it in 2012. I am hoping that they just want to tell me that it looks historical and has not changed.

What I had forgotten was that I think I passed a kidney stone 40 years ago. I was in agonising abdominal pain for a few hours and then peed some blood. Of course, I did not bother seeing a doctor at the time ....  (There is a bit of a pattern with me and the medical profession!) Perhaps the original CT scan showed a stone from back then.

Another couple of weeks and I will have found out. I will be angry if something serious HAS been found because that would imply that any potential treatment has been delayed since August 2012!


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## MartinQ (19 Mar 2015)

Had my own version of n+1 today, except that it was another CT scan (another thread ... https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/are-ct-scans-safe.167504/ ). Got left hooked by a car as it overtook and turned immediately left in front of me. No time to do anything apart from 1/2 crash into it and ended up on the floor with a sore head among other things, so off to 'opital again to make sure my head was OK (being on warfarin). Apart from the ambulance driver thinking I was a monkey hanger, he was pleased to see the dog tags with my details on (the real reason for posting on this thread) and respect to the local police biker who was just round the corner and sorted out all the details with the driver - must have been a moment of madness. Now off to get a new helmet, the commuter fixed and other bike on the road for tomorrow.


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## ColinJ (19 Mar 2015)

Blimey! I'm glad that you are relatively ok.

What is up with these idiot drivers? I almost got hit by a woman today. I think I will start an idiot driver thread ...


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## ColinJ (20 Mar 2015)

Chest CT scan results in and all looks 'stable'. I'll settle for that!

Two out of three results good. Just the anxious wait for the kidney results now ...

If my kidneys are ok too then I just need to get my bad tooth seen to and that will be all known problems fixed. Hopefully, the occasional symptoms that I still get are just due to infection from the tooth, and residual problems from the original clots.

Maybe that 20 minute Cragg Vale hill climb is still a realistic possibility for me!


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## ColinJ (30 Mar 2015)

Urology report at the hospital today ...

Kidney #1: Minor calcification which has not developed since the first scan in August 2012.

Kidney #2: A couple of minor stones which may well stay put and not cause problems.

Verdict: No particular cause for concern. If I ever develop pains in the kidney area or pee blood, get in touch for a follow-up.

I am pretty pleased with that!  

I am feeling better month by month, apart from my bad tooth, and chronic backache. 

The tooth is next on my list to sort out. I have a dentist in mind, and am just scraping together the cash to pay for treatment.

I need to work on my core strength and flexibility to sort my back out.

Onwards and upwards!


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## ColinJ (2 Jun 2015)

I am hearing rumours that I might be able to get a self-test machine on the NHS later in the year, so I am going to hold fire on buying my own. If the rumours turn out to be wrong, I'll cough up the £300-odd myself later.

The pharmacy have now automated my prescription so at the appropriate time I get a text message telling me to come and pick it up. Previously, I had to contact the doctor every time for a new prescription and take that to the pharmacy. This is a proper 21st century solution. Oh, and I hadn't ticked the box for text reminders of GP appointments. That is sorted too now - very handy!

I'm still feeling pretty good, except for my gammy leg swelling up if I stand or sit still for too long.

I have been given a nice wooden rocking chair. I think that if I make a footrest to elevate my feet and push against that to rock the chair back and forwards, I will keep the blood moving and avoid problems with it pooling in the calf area. Hopefully, that should mean that I can finally work at a desk again after 3 years lying down with a laptop or tablet. 

And ... my cycling is getting better and better. Progress is definitely much slower than it would have been pre-illness with this weight loss (nearly 5 stone) and about 3,700 miles of hilly cycling a year, but I should get up to a reasonable standard of fitness in the end.

Back in the autumn of 2012, I barely dared to dream of ever getting back to this level. I got lucky! (Ok, it wasn't very lucky becoming seriously ill in the first place, but 1/3 die straight away, and many more die in the next year or so, or survive with crippling problems. I _am_ one of the lucky ones! )


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## ColinJ (29 Jun 2015)

It was nice seeing honorary Irishman @MartinQ on my long Cheshire forum ride on Saturday.

You looked well, Martin, and were able to pull away from me with apparent ease so your fitness seems good. I hope that your health is too? I didn't get round to asking you on the ride.

Well, it finally happened, for the first time since 2012 - I forgot to take my Warfarin! I had been out for a curry and my medication alarm went off on the train home. I didn't have the pills with me; I was intending to take them when I got back. I have configured the alarm to snooze for 30 minutes if I do not clear it, but it sounds for a full minute unless I manually snooze it. I was getting a few stares on the train from people wondering what the racket was and I dismissed the alarm by mistake, instead of snoozing it. I thought I would remember when I got in, but I didn't until just now. That is why I have an alarm in the first place - I have a memory like a sieve!

Oh well, it probably won't hurt me just this once. Much better to miss a dose than accidentally take a double dose ...


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## coffeejo (29 Jun 2015)

ColinJ said:


> It was nice seeing honorary Irishman @MartinQ on my long Cheshire forum ride on Saturday.
> 
> You looked well, Martin, and were able to pull away from me with apparent ease so your fitness seems good. I hope that your health is too? I didn't get round to asking you on the ride.
> 
> ...


D'oh! I keep my meds in a pot by the kettle, as that's the one place I'm likely to see them whatever the time of day, and use a sharpie pen to write the days on the packaging so I know whether I've remembered or not! Over the winter, I was on 11 a day so also wrote the 1st, 2nd or 3rd dose on them, otherwise my head would have exploded.


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## MartinQ (29 Jun 2015)

Didn't want to spoil a good ride, weather and company with "shop talk" about illnesses on Saturday. Its weird at the moment, a lot of the time I feel fairly rubbish (fatigue, muscle tingling, chest and stomach pains) but fitness wise I'm not too bad. I've been fairly stubborn about getting on the bike (commuting) and hoping that health will follow fitness ... Like yourself, I've lost a bit of weight so while my legs don't feel strong, l'm probably at a similar fitness level to before the clots. Still wary about doing long rides after coming off a couple of times last year, which was probably down to mental tiredness. 

As you say for missing a dose, I'm fairly sure I've done it a few times in the past. Only real reason to get in contact with the clinic is if your test is due in the next few days. Otherwise you'll be reasonably protected and its not worth worrying about too much.

Otherwise, I'll ignore the obvious provocation


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## ColinJ (29 Jun 2015)

MartinQ said:


> Didn't want to spoil a good ride, weather and company with "shop talk" about illnesses on Saturday. Its weird at the moment, a lot of the time I feel fairly rubbish (fatigue, muscle tingling, chest and stomach pains) but fitness wise I'm not too bad. I've been fairly stubborn about getting on the bike (commuting) and hoping that health will follow fitness ... Like yourself, I've lost a bit of weight so while my legs don't feel strong, l'm probably at a similar fitness level to before the clots. Still wary about doing long rides after coming off a couple of times last year, which was probably down to mental tiredness.
> 
> As you say for missing a dose, I'm fairly sure I've done it a few times in the past. Only real reason to get in contact with the clinic is if your test is due in the next few days. Otherwise you'll be reasonably protected and its not worth worrying about too much.
> 
> Otherwise, I'll ignore the obvious provocation


Well, good luck anyway!

My heart and lungs are much better than they were last year, but my DVT-side leg seems to have stopped improving. It is ok as long as I elevate my leg while at rest, or wear my travel socks when standing around. (I don't wear full-on compression socks but get enough support from tight travel socks from supermarkets.) The bad leg was fine throughout the ride but started to get uncomfortable in the car on the way home. I think if I fly again I will have to book a seat with extra leg room.


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## MartinQ (29 Jun 2015)

Yeah, I've never really had any significant after effects of the DVT, assuming the muscle tingling etc isn't related. 
However, my father went through this ~ 15 years ago and his leg is a real state, very swollen, blue ... and it makes him almost immobile. Gives our kids a bit of a shock when they happen to see it.


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## ColinJ (26 Oct 2015)

I finally made my mind up to start taking a vitamin K2 + D3 supplement to try and protect against some of the possible side effects of taking Warfarin. Some people have reported being able to do this without having negative effects on the medication. Others have not.

I contacted my local Warfarin clinic and they were very helpful. They agreed to do more frequent INR (blood clotting time) tests for a while to make sure that I am still being adequately protected.

If I _can_ take the supplements, then my peace of mind would be greatly improved. As it has been until now, I have been worrying that I risk having calcium leached out of my bones and deposited instead in dangerous places such as internal organs and arteries. There is quite a lot of evidence to suggest that Warfarin can make this problem worse. *There is also evidence [EXAMPLE] to suggest that nearly everyone would benefit from taking a D3/K2 supplement for similar reasons. (Warfarin makes the problem worse, but most people do not get enough D3/K2 these days.)*

If the supplements interfere with my Warfarin, then I would have to decide whether to continue with them and up the Warfarin dose to compensate. It would be counter-intuitive to do that though. If the supplements don't take me out of therapeutic range then there is no obvious reason not to continue with them. The only remaining worry would be that one day I might bleed to death due to the Warfarin!


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## The Jogger (27 Oct 2015)

I take the Troo Vit K2 MK7 200mg ( good value and quality) a day I occasionally take Vit D3 but need to be careful with that because of my kidney stones which I'm prone to.


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## ColinJ (27 Oct 2015)

The Jogger said:


> I take the Troo Vit K2 MK7 200mg ( good value and quality) a day I occasionally take Vit D3 but need to be careful with that because of my kidney stones which I'm prone to.


That would be 200 mcg (microgram) - 200 mg (milligram) would be a HUGE dose! 

From what I have read, the vit D3 helps the body absorb calcium. If you don't have enough vit K2, the calcium can end up in the kidneys (and other organs) and the arteries. If you take both together then that calcium goes to where it belongs - into bones and teeth. (Obviously, double-check that!)

I found '_Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox: How a Little-Known Vitamin Could Save Your Life_' an interesting read - LINK. There are hundreds of references in it to academic papers backing up what is described in the book.


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## The Jogger (28 Oct 2015)

Yes Colin 200mcg I meant. I got that book and found it very interesting. I'm not sure they know exactly the balance of the K2 D3 to take. But K,D and A all work together.


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