[bmspen06]

I'm kind of a lazy person when it comes to stretching and exercise. I'm at school most of the day then extracurricular activities afterwards. My uncle is the type of person to scare the crap out of me when it comes to health issues. He talks about how I could get a blood clot if i dont allow my legs to circulate properly and all this. I'm 20 years old and a year post injury. I'm a t-12 incomplete. Ive noticed my legs getting a little tighter but i keep trying to take my baclofen for this. I'm deathly afraid of blood clots and i have no idea if they're common or not in someone my age, injury or not. Ever since my accident I've turned to somewhat of a hypochondriac. I smoke and I know my immune system is probably nowhere close to what it was a year ago. Ive already gotten sick 4 times this year compared to the occasional one.

[Izziwhizzi]

Stop smoking!!

A haematology consultant once told me that even as a fit active sci injury we are like a 70 yr old with our bad circulation with the incidence to get dvt's. With my sci I have had a dvt at 18 and 30.

An AB 50yr old friend of mine has had 2 Pulmonary Embolisms in her lungs, and her major contributing factor is her smoking. Both her parents died pre 60 with lung cancer, and that didn't stop her smoking, so I understand its not easy, but it is possible.

Make your own conclusions, but I'd start an sci life without smoking if you want a healthier and longer one.

Good luck.

I xx

[popsune]

does deep vein thrombosis happen to lower spinal cord inury ppl? how do we detect the signs?

This post has been edited by popsune: 12 January 2009 - 05:09 PM

[lune14]

popsune, on Jan 12 2009, 09:08 AM, said:

does deep vein thrombosis happen to lower spinal cord inury ppl? how do we detect the signs?

I'm t-11 and developed bilateral dvt's couple of years back. The only reason they were detected is because I had severe foot/leg swelling below the knees and insisted my doc send me for an ultrasound. She spent two years telling me the swelling just 'was'. Some is unavoidable with paralysis but this was so bad I couldn't wear anything but a post-op boot for two years.

After the ultrasound I was literally rushed to the ER and treated for the DVT's. We believe mine began when I developed carpal tunnel so severely that I became horribly sedentary. I was in terrible pain for a year plus. I am on warfarin/coumadin for life now. Keep active, keep moving your legs via range of motion exercises.. whatever, just move. And keep your weight down as best you can. The heavier you get the harder it is to get around. My situation caused me to gain 90lbs in just over a year and it was a bear to lose!

[popsune]

lune14, on Jan 13 2009, 07:36 AM, said:

popsune, on Jan 12 2009, 09:08 AM, said:

does deep vein thrombosis happen to lower spinal cord inury ppl? how do we detect the signs?

I'm t-11 and developed bilateral dvt's couple of years back. The only reason they were detected is because I had severe foot/leg swelling below the knees and insisted my doc send me for an ultrasound. She spent two years telling me the swelling just 'was'. Some is unavoidable with paralysis but this was so bad I couldn't wear anything but a post-op boot for two years.

After the ultrasound I was literally rushed to the ER and treated for the DVT's. We believe mine began when I developed carpal tunnel so severely that I became horribly sedentary. I was in terrible pain for a year plus. I am on warfarin/coumadin for life now. Keep active, keep moving your legs via range of motion exercises.. whatever, just move. And keep your weight down as best you can. The heavier you get the harder it is to get around. My situation caused me to gain 90lbs in just over a year and it was a bear to lose!

Thanks for answering my question!