Continued discomfort after a PE

Hi guys! 

I had my PEs about a year and a half ago now, caused by birth control. They caused a rather large lung infarction in my lower right lobe.  Like many of you, I have constantly dealt with pain in my right lung ever since, which can range from dull to sharp and tiring, and sometimes even like a shock down my side. The pain even radiates to under my breast, and can get very painful. Though I’m sad so many of us have to deal with this, it makes me feel better to know that I’m not alone. My hematology NP and my primary NP both explained to me that this lingering pain can last for years, and possibly even life. I’ve had so many trips to the ER worried that maybe I have another clot even though I am no longer on the birth control. Thankfully my primary NP is amazing and understanding, and never judges me when I come in for follow ups from the ER.  I’ve learned heating pads help immensely if that helps anyone ?? Sadly, from this situation I have gained so much weight, and jogging hurts. I’ve started swimming though, and I’m hoping this helps me start losing weight, which hopefully in turn takes some pressure off of my chest. 

Hello PE group (what a terrible group to be a part of) I had a PE 3 weeks ago and it was the most subnormal pain i've ever had.  Now 3 weeks later i am having trouble sleeping but only at night time.  It's like during daytime hours i'm fine and have no pain.  I asked my Dr about it and she seems to have no answers.  It's like they don't even study PE's, it's crazy.  Sometimes i'm in and out of the hospital with this pain in the last 3 weeks. Is this normal? Should I go see a pulmonologist? This pain is bad

It took me 2 years to be rid of chest pains, but still get calf pains 4.5 years on. Worst thing is blood is so thin that even after stopping Apixaban for 4 days, my Dentist had problems with my blood washing out local anaesthetic as fast as he put it in. Not used my inhaler for 2 years, so quite relaxed about it all now. Waiting for a new knee and concerns expressed at Pre -Op so hope that does not stop the job. Hope everyone else gives it time to settle down.

Hi. I have had great comfort from thi forum as it takes  months before I can see a specialist again here in Alicante. Because I am taking strong painkillers for a loose 17 year old hip prosthesis awaiting removal going on 3 years now my , doc tells me the meds cause irrigular blood ratio. I'm taking 17 mg a week. Also    I love my tea but have cut down alot. Now their is a sharp pain in my lower back  and under my left lung. Worried in case  the embolism I had 5 months is returning as I had multiple in both lungs. they say it might be due to the other hip prothesis removal over 14 months ago. Could it be? 

Stay strong folks. 🌹🌹🌹

PE diagnosed Jan 4th. I'm grateful for the honestly. What I hear all of you saying is this pain may take a year to be better. As my buddy recovers for surgery, I try to return to the gym, only to be slammed down every night with chest pain. I'm reading many of you are althetes and experience this. Thank you to all who report back months later. I need to know what's normal. I'm struggling.

Hi all. I had several large blood clots in both of my lungs (Bilateral PE) a little over two years ago and I still have pain in the back of my ribcage and pressure on my chest. The pressure stays but changes in severity and the pain comes and goes, usually with a cold or something like that.

A suggestion I have that has really helped me is to sleep with your head and chest elevated. It makes it easier to breathe and keeps from having to put as much pressure on your ribcage as you would if you were laying flat. I still sleep like this because even now it still makes a huge difference.

And for the newcomers, I believe it was at the 3 month mark that I could tell a huge difference and so could others. Less pain, could breathe better, less pressure, etc. I believe it can take up to 6 months for a clot to fully dissolve. So give yourself time and don't beat yourself up. You are lucky that they caught them in time and are still alive, so just remember that. I know I was told that if I had waited one more day that I would have died. So yeah.

I can say that when I left the hospital I did not know that it would take so long to recover. I first that it was 6 weeks for the clots to dissolve and couldn't believe it was going to take that long. Later I found out it wasn't 6 weeks it was 6 months. And that's just for the clots that's not for your body to heal and for you to recover. Like someone else said it usually takes about a year to recover, but like most of us on here you never actually recover fully. But it's by far better than it began.