Lung Trouble from a Clot in the Leg

QUESTION: I was hospitalized with lung trouble from a clot in my leg. The
explanations I received just don't make sense to me. Could you please tell me
what happened? I have an inquiring mind that wants to know.
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ANSWER: Great line, and it did get my attention. Very likely you suffered
from thromboembolic disease. That is a medical term that means the formation
of a blood clot which obstructs a blood vessel, usually in the legs (as in
your case) or elsewhere in the body. Such clots can be carried by the blood
to a different body site . . . often the lungs or heart.
Such conditions are extremely serious and are major causes of pain and
deaths, and so your hospitalization was really necessary.
Thrombosis, especially when in deep veins (those that run deep below the
surface of the skin), is very difficult to diagnose, often requiring the
services of specialists who use several highly sophisticated diagnostic
methods.
Patients who suffer deep vein thrombosis frequently have been subject to
prolonged bed rest--perhaps following major surgery or congestive heart
failure. Also, certain diseases, among them cancer and polycythemia vera (a
disorder of unknown origin that causes abnormal increases in bone marrow and
red cells in the blood) can cause it. Additionally, drugs such as estrogens
may increase the likelihood of clot formations, as do long periods of time
when portions of the body may be in a cast. However, deep vein thrombosis is
a common problem even in the absence of those conditions.
Physicians often have patients suspected of suffering thromboembolic
disease to rest in bed, elevate one or both legs, soak in warm baths, and take
anti-inflammatory drugs.
There are effective anticoagulant (decreasing the blood's ability to
clot) drugs that can be used, if a physician's diagnosis indicates they are
required. Two of those are heparin and warfarin. As all drugs do, those two
can have side effects. People taking them are watched very closely by their
physicians.
Other drugs can be helpful, and at times surgery is required to
completely correct the condition. All therapy depends upon your particular
condition, and should be discussed fully with your own physician.