Aug
18
Have questions??
August 18, 2008 | |
Hello:
I suffered a full ATR on 7/17/08 during a USTA tennis match and of course, we were winning in the third set, match point. I was serving from the add side and my opponent returned it wide and I pushed off to get the short return and it happened. It did not hurt at all, which was strange and the hardest part was getting me up to the parking lot (courts were down several hills - pretty scene, but..)
Anway, I felt very little pain until after surgery - which was 4 weeks ago. However, I have since developed a DVT and PE and was hospitalized last week for 3 days, scared to death. I have found little information on this site from others who have suffered these blood clots. I am home and they are trying to get my PT level to theraputic (2.5-3.5) and it is still only 1.4. They say my body will dissolve the clots and the meds - Lovenox and Coumadin will prevent more clots, keep the existing clots from growing and from moving. I am concerned because in the hospital I was on a heart monitor and had an IV in due to protocol. Am I safe at home??
Has anyone else been through this? If so, how long did it take for the clots to dissolve and when can I work out? I was hoping to be doing upper body work by now. Also, will the clots keep the PT from happening because I really want to get off the crutches. I am at 4 weeks, in an aircast and my Orthopedic was hoping that I could begin PT after 6. He also said that between 4-6 weeks, the repair is at its weakest, so to be very careful during this time. Has anyone else been told this? Lastly, I am (was) a very healthy person who played a high level of tennis, ran 4 miles at least 4 times a week and was a gym regular not to mention a gainfully employed accountant. I want to get back to normal!! Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Sandy
Comments
8 Comments so far
I started PT at 9 weeks. At that time my doc said the tendon was 60% healed. Its 100% healed at 6 months, but it takes much longer to regain all your strength. You have a long way to go, no matter what your activity level was beforehand. You will find that the majority of us are very active, healthy and competitive, some of us are even professionals or ex-pros.
I was given a bottle of 60 aspirin and was told to take 1 a day to guard against clots until the bottle was empty.
Good luck.
Hi Sandy, sorry to hear about your complications. I’m in Johns Creek & ruptured mine just working out with my ball machine. I had surgery on 7/8 at Piedmont Hospital (Peachtree Orthopedics) so I’m a few weeks ahead of you. I’ve been very impressed with the ortho group so far.
FYI … my post-op instructions just called for 325mg of aspirin per day to ward off blood clots. My doctor has me in a cast for 8-9 weeks after surgery (casts changed out every 3 weeks) & then I’ll get the boot. I also make sure I keep my foot elevated during the day & while sleeping … my doctor told me that helps tremendously. Good luck, Richard.
HI RIchard,
I work in Johns Creek and live in Suwanee. All my medical issues have been handled at Emory Johns Creek, which has been nice and as convenient as all this can be. I am pretty happy with the Doc, just not sure if anything I did or didn’t do contributed to the clotting….did you return to work right away? I did, within the week and wonder if the lack of elevation was an issue. Thanks for writing, its nice to hear from those who have gone through this….
Sorry to hear about your complication - I have been reading these blogs for months now, and your clot is only the second I have read about. The other person did not post again.
For what it is worth, my brother had a blood clot last year, not related to surgery or anything - a healthy 48 yo who is in great shape. He was hospitalized for a few days, then released to home on medications. He wore a compression stocking for quite awhile, but returned to running, biking and all the stuff he normally does. How this will affect PT is a good question for your physician.
Even if you do not get PT right away, your tendon will still be healing. I am week 16 and have not yet had PT but I am walking, swimming and golfing. Try not to worry about PT - it will be there whenever the doc says you are ready. Normalcy comes back in drips and drabs….but it does return!
Good luck, keep us posted on the clot.
Hi Sandy,
I actually went to the ER at Johns Creek the day after my injury. I’m only 2 miles away from the hospital … they were great & it’s a beautiful new facility.
Fortunately (or unfortunately) I’m not working now (accounting too!) so I’m able to keep my leg elevated almost all day long. Well, except for racing the turtle I found in my backyard (a previous post).
As for the blood clots, I’m not sure if you’ll ever know the exact reason as there can be many causes such as other medications, lack of elevation, or a predisposition/family history. My doctor told me that keeping the leg elevated as much as possible early on is a critical factor in the healing process (I’m still taking aspirin daily 7 weeks postop). Hopefully this was just a small setback for you … hang in there!
Dear Sandy,
I am convinced that it is working in general that gives us most of our health problems. Have you read “The Joy of Laziness”? There’s a whole genre of books about the easy life, the choice whether to work so much or not , e.g. “Your Money or Your Life”. When I read all the possibilities of re-injury with this rupture, I decided simply not to work, because even trying to get to a desk job would be too complicated - no one around to drive me door-to-door, and public transit a nightmare on crutches. I am not healthy in any “fitness” sense but supercareful, and healing very fast, according to the doctor, because of “compliance”, but also, simply, resting A LOT!!!
NOW is the time to take up reading, foreign languages, interest in films, a penpal, writing online, and many other sedentary hobbies.
Accounting can wait, I assure you!
Best of luck - hope no new developments.
Mary
Hi Sandy,
Mine is a long story, but somewhat similar. In January of this year, I had achilles tendon surgery, including a heel spur removed . About 5 weeks into recovery, I developed a PE. When I arrived in the er, I was told I probably wouldn’t make it because both lungs were full of little clots. I was given a clot busting drug, TPA, which was succesful. However, I was in the hospital for 9 days. I was on heparin and then they began with coumadin. After that I got my cast off and got a cam boot. My surgeon did not want to begin therapy for awhile due to the blod clot. After I was getting PT for quite awhile, I still had a lot of pain. I had a MRI and there still was too much swelling and the tendon was shredding. So, I had sugery again Aug1. I just got my stiches out yesterday and am in an aircast. I am going to start gentle PT but NWB. BTW, I will always have to take coumadin. Goog luck to you.
Sandy-Hey there! I’m from Atlanta also..and ruptured my mine on April 6th in a USTA or ALTA match…can’t recall it’s been so long. I’ve learned a lot along the way from all these fellow bloggers. I have no experience with blood clots, but I do know that if you aren’t happy with what anyone is telling you, seek other opinions. But, knowing that you can get a different opinion from each Doc. I’m sure your clot is under control and that you’ll be fine. How scary for you though! As a fellow tennis player and Atlantan just had to say HEY!