thrombus in the left atrium.

[cali111]

I haven`t posted for a while as there was little movement on my case until the latest TOE showed my blood clot was still there so ablation was out of the question. Although I was switched to warfarin from apixiban as it was a more aggressive drug the clot persists. It is now over 6 months since this was found and the EP said at the time that it was not a recent thrombus and medically may not be resolved. I didn't understand this until I read that an anticoagulant didn`t dissolve a clot only raised your protection against a stroke etc. After complaining to my cardiologist in the lack of movement in my care he has now written to a cardio surgeon at Stoke for his thoughts on removing this clot by surgery, but as AF was considered "low risk" he was not sure it was the right way to go. I feel abandoned and left to my own to get on with it. What are the thoughts on this. I am in the UK. I was under the impression that AF was high risk?

[10gingercats]

Call me a cynic,and i do not speak medically, but I wonder if surgery may have been put off due to expense and pressure of time on the NHS?I would have though any clot should be dealt with pretty swiftly as they can dislodge and move to a worse place?

[cali111 in reply to 10gingercats]

This my contention when they refer to me as a low risk. Although my cardiologist has written to a heart surgeon with regard to removing the clot by surgery I can tell from his letter he does not recommend it. When he uses sentences like" bitterly complains of symptoms" or "I don`t know if you do things like this" I do not hold out much hope. My GP has said to wait for the reply and if I am not happy to have a second opinion. My fast HR is usually 96 so when I went to my GP yesterday to discuss maybe a tablet to slow it down, she nearly laughed me out of the surgery as my HR was 64! So I do not know why this should be. Still onward and upwards.

[meadfoot]

Sorry to hear of your situation. I would be asking my GP to refer me elsewhere for a second opinion. Go further afield if there isn't anyone else of note in our area. Its our right under patient choice to be referred elsewhere if we request it.

Don't be put in a corner regarding this, it's very important to get yourself sorted and if it requires you being pushy with medics then so be it. It's your health here not some insignificant issue.

Take someone with you to your doctor for support. Best wishes

[Rellim296]

I am sorry you are feeling abandoned and hope that a second - and perhaps more dynamic - opinion might offer you a good way forward rather than marking time.

[Silverdoor]

Dear Cali

I am sorry to read your post.

I am NOT medical in any way! However, I did experience an arterial blood clot in my left leg about 6 year ago. The A&E doctor said this clot had come straight from my heart and lodged in my lower leg. I was given a drug called Heparin which was referred to as the "clot buster". Maybe it could be worth a mention to your GP?

( I self administered the drug 3 or 4 times by injection into the skin around my stomach. I had been out of NSR for some weeks and had just lost my brother two weeks earlier).

I have been on Warfarin ever since that event.

Best wishes

[Droopy60 in reply to Silverdoor]

3 years ago I had a major rectal bleed brought on by Warfarin and when I left hospital was put on Low Weight Heparin and have been ever since. It is a pain having to inject every night but still 100% better than the rat poison.

[Barb1]

What is your therapeutic range? When I had my clot it took nearly 12 months to resolve with a therapeutic rang of 3.2 -3.6

[cali111 in reply to Barb1]

It is 2. - 2.5. They seem to think that because it was an old one it may not resolve as warfarin does not dissolve it. This is like a nightmare to me and my life is on hold. I do understand that they do not have a "cure" yet for AF but I wish they were not so evasive or economical with their comments.

Thanks for your kind support.

[Barb1]

That is normal INR range. It should be higher