2nd PE?

[Screechowl]

Hi all, I had an unprovoked PE in November last year,in the last week I've had a return of my symptoms (chest pain , shortness of breath,coughing up blood) . I saw my anti coagulation nurse yesterday and she advised me to go to A&E, however all they did was an X-ray which was clear. Would a blood clot show up on an X-ray? Any ideas?

[WilliamsAD]

Xray won't show clots.

As I understand it, even if there is a new clot they won't do anything as you are already being treated. Unless it is very serious shortness of breath.

I get twinges now and again. My massive PE was also in November. I think you will instinctively know if it's serious, otherwise best not to worry about it. Just make sure you're taking those pills!!

[Millerd]

If they give you a CT scan with contrast they can see if you have a new blood clot I have been in a few times since my unprovoked PE I can go down there and when I went to the ER they did the CT scan to make sure there was no new blood clot they could do a D-dimer that could give a false positive if you're having shortness of breath and spitting up blood while I was on blood thinners I went to the ER and had pneumonia

[Kayanne1980]

With both my PE's I had CT scans which are the only methods when properly diagnosing PE's, chest X-rays will not show blood clots.

I had an episode 15 years ago with breathlessness & chest pain, thought I had another PE but after 4 days of struggling was rushed to A&E & I had pneumonia