Eureka!

So that’s what’s been going on. Wow, it’s now as if I have an answer as to why I have behaved the way I have all my life.  The reasons I got tired quickly, the reasons I had panic attacks, the reasons I struggled to breathe sometimes, especially at altitude when skiing…

…the reason I had the stroke!

Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Catchy name isn’t it? Would have been preferable if the medical profession could have come up with a name that was easy enough for a dyslexic like me to write – or even say! Also known as Hughes Syndrome after the professor who discovered it or Sticky Blood.  That’s what I have and hence why I have had the stroke.

A blood disorder. Dr. Eric Asher was right. Thankfully he had told me briefly about it because the haematologist didn’t have any information he could give for me to take away and read. So I was a bit more informed and ready for the appointment.

Phew, because of the way my brain works at the moment, I couldn’t take in new information and then cope with the emotional reaction at the same time. It would send me over the edge! It’s almost like my brain can’t cope with two pieces of information, here’s the information and how do you feel about it? Woah!  If you want a reaction then expect eruption because that’s my best way of behaving just now.  Oh and even that’s going to be followed by a wee nap, of course!

Anyways…

Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) - so my blood is stickier and more likely to clot than, let’s say the average Joe on the street (who is the average Joe? Would love to meet him, and who is judgemental enough to say someone is average – why do we say this? And is Joe short for Josephine? Poor Joe). So no Joe’s, Jill’s or averages.  Maybe, normal people? Eh no!... okay, people without sticky blood disorders then.

…APS apparently is an auto immune blood disorder, which was found by a doctor treating patients with Lupus - Prof Hughes. Okay so that makes sense, mum has rheumatoid arthritis. But I can’t see how someone can get it.  Some articles say a link to the Tetanus vaccine, some say hereditary because there is auto immunity in the family. Oooo too much info!

Will dig more later…

Okay before I dig more the haematologist has said due to this diagnosis, I have to go on to Warfarin straight away, so I need to organise this with my doctor. Apparently, Warfarin will help me manage the APS to prevent clots or reduce clots – can’t remember but at the moment there is no cure for APS.

I have to say I feel relieved, not sure why? If they say I have a blood disorder that can be life threatening but at least it’s not something I would have had much control over.  Also I’m already on a blood thinner – Plavix so maybe Warfarin is similar, I’ve heard of it before because I know some friends on it.

So doc gives me a prescription for Warfarin. I stop taking Plavix because it does a similar thing and now I have to take Warfarin, oh and she said also Fragmin injections, just while the warfarin takes its time to work. I was given a piece of paper to show the three colours of the pills, brown 1mg, blue 3mg and pink 5mg.  So I start on 1mg per day.  I am told to take care with high levels of green veg and don’t take cranberry juice. She explained about the blood checks to get to a range, showed me how to inject myself and on I go…