Is there an early way to detect blood clots?

Posted by marienewland @mnewland99, Oct 26 11:13am

I’m stage 4 PC patient who recently completed MRIdean (mapped) radiation to a small lesion in my liver, my CA19-9 tumor marker is now within normal limits, and since reducing cisplatin (on a trial basis), I was feeling much stronger and optimistic about the longevity of me and this “friend” of mine who tends to stab me in the back now and then. After chemo vacay of only 2 weeks, a nodule appeared in my lung, but I was told it was actually most likely an infection even though it proceeded to grow 1.5cm in 6 weeks. I got the bronchoscopy in order to get the biopsy of lung nodule and then had trouble breathing next morning as turns out I had blood clot in my lungs! In hospital now and learned that clits are common in cancer? Wasn’t aware of this. Is there any way to be proactive about these clots? Any regular blood tests I should be doing?

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happyjack | @happyjack | Oct 26 2:47pm

I have had blood clots in my leg for years. I was put on Xarelto and when the clots returned, I was changed to Warfarin. Your doctor will start you on the medication he decides is best for you. This will give you a level of protection from future blood clots.

marienewland | @mnewland99 | Oct 27 6:37am

Thank you for your response - always a battle, but somehow I think I’m ok.

gamaryanne | @gamaryanne | Oct 27 7:50am

Oh my @mnewland99 !
So glad this was caught. I also had a nodule that has cleared during this clinical trial. No one even offered to scope it. Just said it was either a new cowboy posting up or infection. I would never have thought of a blood clot. Thank you so much for sharing. And so very glad you have a doctor that is on top of things!
Yet another thing to be aware of…
Hopefully you live west of the 405 and can stay away from smoggy air😊

happyjack | @happyjack | Oct 27 8:40am

In reply to @mnewland99 "Thank you for your response - always a battle, but somehow I think I’m ok." + (show)

The Warfarin I am on now requires blood tests at least every month to check to see if my blood is thinned to my target range. Normal is 0-1. My target range is 2-3. Anytime I have a procedure where bleeding is possible, I have to stop the warfarin 5 days before and take large painful enoxaparin shots twice a day to bridge. Then stop those shots 24 hours before the procedure. 24 hours after the procedure I start back on both the warfarin and the shots. I have testing weekly or twice a week until I have 2 tests in range in a row and then back to monthly testing.

This is how my tumor was found. I went in for my monthly test (finger stick). The machine would not read a number. It will not if the value is over 8. Mine was 9. They sent me across the street to the ER at a hospital. I had an IV of vitamin K to bring my number down. Warfarin is also used as rat poison. At high doses it will cause uncontrollable bleeding and kill whatever received that dose. I guess I was pretty close and just lucky. They did blood work and found I had high bilirubin. Normal is 0-1 and I was 10. I had tests that found the 5cm tumor in the head of my pancreas.

Warfarin is most effective in thinning blood to prevent and treat blood clots. It will also dissolve current blood clots if your body type will permit it. I am of the body type that converts the blood clots to scar tissue. This has resulted in the scar tissue in my veins from my ankle to my groin. Warfarin requires the constant testing. Xarelto and a third medication I cannot remember the name of dose not require that testing. There may be other drugs now for treating blood clots. Hope you do not have to be on warfarin and can get by with one of the other oral meds.

Best wishes to you and everyone dealing with cancer.

marienewland | @mnewland99 | Oct 27 8:41am

In reply to @gamaryanne "Oh my @mnewland99 ! So glad this was caught. I also had a nodule that has..." + (show)

Thank you, @gamaryanne. I’ll get the biopsy results this week. I’m less than 1 mile from beach which is west of the 405; however the climate is humid (marine layer) from ocean and makes it difficult to breathe for someone with underlying asthma/breathing problems. Guess we’ll keep on truckin on! So glad your clinical trial working for you!

marienewland | @mnewland99 | Oct 27 8:44am

In reply to @happyjack "The Warfarin I am on now requires blood tests at least every month to check to..." + (show)

I’m on Eliquis.

marienewland | @mnewland99 | Oct 27 2:45pm

In reply to @happyjack "The Warfarin I am on now requires blood tests at least every month to check to..." + (show)

Thank you! Maybe you could try elequis.

happyjack | @happyjack | Oct 27 4:20pm

In reply to @mnewland99 "Thank you! Maybe you could try elequis." + (show)

Doc said I had to be on Warfarin for the rest of my life. Maybe if I go on hospice, I can stop it.

jeffp | @jeffp | Nov 4 2:32pm

I had a clot discovered in my lung after getting a CT and after several rounds of chemo. I was told both the chemo and PC can cause clots. I was put on Eliquis 5 mg twice a day. Probably for the rest of my life now after surgery. Once the clot was discovered they called me and had me go immediately to the ER, which I just happen to be walking past when they called!

marienewland | @mnewland99 | Nov 4 3:55pm

Ok, yes both cancer and chemo can cause, but my extreme difficulty in breathing problems didn’t happen until after my bronchoscopy. The internist at hospital said I would be on eliquis forever, but my UCLA oncologist said they could wean me off it eventually. But I just got some new results from biopsy/bronchoscopy and they found markers for some other lung disease (not metastatic lung cancer), so in my case it was a good idea to get the bronc.