ELAINE: question about embolisms

December 18, 2002

Hi Elaine & others,

I saw my GP yesterday with complaints about pain between my shoulder

blades and pain on the front in my chest on right side. I have had

problems before with this shoulder, and I'm just now finally getting

over a cold where I had a lot of coughing at the end. She had a

chest x-ray taken to see if there was any sign of pneumonia or

pluresy, which there wasn't. She then was concerned that it might be

a blood clot and wanted to have a CT scan done. They inject an

iodine contrast dye for that, so I was concerned about having that

done. I'm taking 50/25/25 mg PTU each day currently and I think my

latest lab results (done Monday) came back with me slightly hypO, but

I'm waiting to hear back from my endo on those. She did talk to my

endo and he said the CT scan would be fine since my thyroid is so

suppressed right now.

Can an ultrasound be used instead to detect this? Does GD or the use

of PTU increase the risk of a blood clot? I also take birth control

pills, which I know can potentially increase the risk of these.

My doctor finally agreed to let me wait a day or two to see if I felt

better. The pain was worst Monday but was better yesterday and is

about the same today as it was yesterday. I'm just freaked out now

about the possibility of it being a clot!

For the most part it doesn't hurt unless I move my arm to lift

something while being slightly bent over or if I take in a deep

breath.

Thanks for your insights.

Recommended Posts