I am so sorry I didn't update the blog last week when I said I would. I have had two sick boys all week and I was sick myself. So we have been having fun times with our Kleenex boxes here!
Well, last weeks anti-coagulation appointment was interesting. It started out with a blood draw, as they always do to check his Heprin level and complete some other labs the doctor had ordered from last time. Then we had an ultrasound of his neck to check on the clot and then we had the appointment.
Well, the ultrasound was interesting. It showed that instead of his body breaking up the clot, which was hoped, it is actually just getting rid of that vein all together. When veins don't get used, cells form in them closing them off completely and they they just disappear. Now don't get too concerned because his body has created other veins that by-pass the original vein completely so it appears that the blood is flowing fine to his heart, just not down the path it's supposed to go.
At this point the doctor said that she wanted to keep him on the Lovenox for another 6 weeks (5 now), and actually increased the dose a bit since he had grown so much and the lab showed he was getting the lowest dose that is within normal limits, so she felt an increase would be good. She had checked with the head of hematology and they both agreed to keep trying to see if the vein would open up. She didn't seem to hopeful that it would though.
She wanted to check back with him in 6 weeks and do that all again. Then we would be done with the Lovenox at that time. Ryan and my mom both thought it was silly to continue with the Lovenox if she didn't think it was going to help open the vein, but I guess in my mind whats another few weeks in the grand scheme of things, if there is still a possibility. But when I talk to them about his next appointment this week I will ask about that.
No comments:
Post a Comment