d Dimer blood test

[margaretjo]

I have just returned home from yet another hospital stay, this one only short thank heavens, I had thought I was getting to grips a bit with this apls but ive just been given a different story again. I was admitted with sever pain in my back and breathlessness on the slightest movement. I had a ct scan of my lungs coz thats where the previous clots have been, but it didnt show either a clot or infection (ive had pneumonia $ times in the last 12 months) and all my blood tests were ok apart from the d dimer which was very elevated to about 2600, which according to the figures shows i have a clot somewhere but i havent any symptoms any where else. They did try to tell me i couldnt possibly have back pain, pe's always cause chest pain but the pain every time has been in my back, Anyway they said they couldnt explain the breathlessness and i should join a gym to get fit. I just laughed at that coz at the moment i cant breathe if i walk to the loo.So what i wanted to ask was does any one have an explanation of why the d dimer was so high but no clot or experienced something similar themselves, Thankyou

[Lesley_D]

Hi there I had a raised D Dimer, but only to about 900, no pain anywhere in my chest, but had multiple small PE's and probably had a DVT some months before that went undiagnosed - this all before my APS was undiagnosed too. They do say exercise helps with the breathlessness and to a point I have found them to be right, but ONLY and I do mean ONLY when we are reasonably OK and don't have Pneumonia, pleurisy or PE's - Do you have an APS/hematologist or lung specialist? where are you? - I would seek more advice if I were you.

I hope this goes some ways to help a little

Warm smiles

Lesley

[margaretjo in reply to Lesley_D]

Yes I see the local hematologist who diagnosed me in the late 80s . Hes pretty good and i can ring his secratary if i have any questions but i also like to have some back up info before i do that just in case,

[Lesley_D]

Oh I agree, I wonder if you need to see a chest specialist too though if you are having so many chest probs too My chest doc is just fantastic!! which is why I asked where you were

I hope you get it sorted

Lesley

[MaryF Administrator]

Yes I think I would pursue that one... they are NOT always right! Mary F x

[SassyOne]

Before I knew I had APS I had multiple pulmonary emboli in my right lung. When it started it felt like my back was bruised. I kept asking if it was bruised or red but it wasn't. It was getting progressively worse. 5 h later I couldn't breathe. It was back pain, under my right shoulder blade. So yes, PE can present as back pain. Maybe its many little ones not one big one.

Also having an enlarged liver from liver damage causes flank pain that feels similar but without much trouble breathing.

What you are describing brings back bad memories of PE. I hope you feel better. You know your body get a second opionion.