Yes, thanks too. I picked up my Health magazine and they had an article about this in it that I read last night. It still says it's difficult for a woman to understand that they're having a heart attack, that they pass it off as something else. It also mentions jaw pain. I'm glad your friend is doing well, Westelle, that was nice of her to share this. I agree Pat, if your dr is ignoring you, maybe you should ignore him and find someone who will listen to you. Your age is NOT an excuse when women are living into their 90's and older. You have an excellent quality of life and you want to keep that. You need a dr willing to give you the quality care to keep that.

Did you have a hospital stay and were you on intravenous blood thinner (heparin) there? Did your doc have you fitted for a circulation sock for the leg? How often are you seeing your doc now? Have you had ultrasound on the leg? A venograph? How much has the clot shrunk? Has an underlying cause been diagnosed? Seen a hematologist and been tested for underlying hereditary or secondary problems in your ability to form blood clots normally? Deep Vein Thrombosis is serious. And there are long-term effects. I've had 2 in the past 25 years and am now on lifelong coumadin therapy. Just having a DVT can cause you to be susceptible for more DVTs in the future. Doctors are NOT knowledgeable about this. There is a good Yahoo group for DVT sufferers. I forget the exact name of the group - but you need to be discussing this with fellow sufferers. If you had a large clot and you have been released from the hospital, then most likely you are out of immediate danger. The remains of the clot should by now be adhered to your vein walls and will not break off easily. You may have vein damage due to the large clot. Ask to be referred to a hematologist as well as a vascular specialist. As for the blood thinners - ask to be referred to an "anticoagulation clinic" to oversee your coumadin regimen. Doctor's offices are NOT equipped to oversee this effectively. If you are out of danger of embolism, then start getting exercise as soon as you are able, to help strengthen your veins and get your circulation back to normal. Walking is the best thing for you when you are able. Feel free to email me with any questions and good luck to you!

HI guys and thanks....since the doc read off the pills and amounts she has me taking I am just guessing if I was to call today she would say no she wanted me to keep taking them..and in lite of what Carol said that my iron is still not as great as I thought it was...I will contiune them as bad as I hate taking them... Gosh annette....I can'ttake them on a empty stomach when I do I get sooo sick...I have to have something in my stomach.....so I do take them with water though but about 30 mins of eating something.....And Leslie she told me it was from a blood clot not the riding and was suprised it was just now starting to bleed..(since it is old blood) but it sure is painfull....course she said it would be...and said itw ould be like when Ihad a period..I told her that it sucked because I didn't have pain with my periods..and now I am....okay no more whining I know that in a few more weeks and yearsto come I will be sooo grateful I had this done.....Stacy

My dh's prostate cancer was found @ age 65 after elevated PSA. He was treated initially with antibiotics for possible prostatitus, but the follow up PSA did not decline. The cancer was not felt on exam. Next step was prostate biopsy, 3 of 14 specimens were +for cancer. The choices he was given: radical prostatectomy surgery, external beam radiation, implant radiation of "seeds" in the prostate, or "watchful waiting"...all viable options. He opted for the surgery via the surgeon using the DaVinci robot (very important to have surgeon who has performed many of these procedures). It was very successful, margins clean (no spread, caught early). No post op complications. Had incontinence of urine for a few months (typical), but now has full control. It will be 2 yrs in Oct that he had surgery. Like most men past age 50 he had prostatic enlargement, actually pretty severe & he had symptoms related to that (urgency, hesitancy, slow/poor stream). Even without the cancer he would have eventually needed some form of treatment. But that was a bonus of the complete prostate removal...goes like a race horse, as Jasdip says. LOL Prostate cancer is #1 most common for men & #2 killer cancer, but if found in very elderly, it is usually not deadly, they die with it, not from it. I had a dear friend whose dh died from prostate ca, age 67. Having screening PSA's is not without controversy. It seems valid to cease doing them at your dh's age 75, Chisue. If you have any questions, I'll be glad to try to answer.