WHY do I have to do this?
Welcome back!
I have had rheumatoid arthritis for about ten years. It damaged two of my heart valves to the point where they had to be replaced two years ago. My surgeon elected not to use mechanical valves. Instead, he used valves made from bovine pericardial tissue. He told me at the time that this was because he didn’t want me on the blood thinners that mechanical valves would require me to take for the rest of my life. He said that the tissue valves would only require blood thinners for the first six months.
After six months, the surgeon told my family doctor that I needed to stay on the blood thinners for the first two years. Now, at the two year point, he’s told my family doctor, my cardiologist, and me that it would be a good idea for me to stay on blood thinners for the rest of my life - buy he won’t say WHY it would be a good idea.
My problem with the blood thinners is two-fold:
- I don’t like having to take pills every day. I will if I have to, but I’m actually the kind of person who would rather wait out a headache than take a Tylenol. I’m already slated to take arthritis medication every day. I’d like to minimize the number of pills that I have to take every morning. That number is 8 right now.
- I’m sick to death of bleeding! I have a deviated septum which means my right nostril is a deoration - I’ve never been able to breathe through it. With the blood thinners, half the time I can’t breathe through my left nostril because it has a big old scab inside it, until I break down and blow my nose. Then it starts bleeding and I can’t breathe through it because I haave a tissue stuffed up it, trying to turn off the blood faucet. Add in the fact that if I prick my finger or cut myself shaving it takes about half an hour to quit bleeding, and you’ll understand why I find it so frustrating.
Now, if there is something about the combination of rheumatoid arthritis and artificial (tissue) valves that makes the blood thinners necessary, I don’t have a problem dealing with this. I just want a reason that means something… not “it’d be a good idea.”
I’ve been accused of obsessing about this, but honestly, if you kept bleeding all the time, wouldn’t YOU want to know why you had to keep doing the thing that was causing it? I’m not “obsessing”. I just want an answer and I’m frustrated because the person who should answer this question won’t.
If anyone reading this happens to be in the medical profession, I would welcome comments and opinions on this.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Listen, tell everyone who thinks you’re obsessing to shove off. I’d suggest joining a support group for people in chronic pain or who have chronic conditions, because I know from experience that they’re really the only ones who understand.
I’m sorry, I’m not in the medical profession, but there’s got to be a doctor out there who blogs somewhere…. I pray that you’ll be feeling better soon. If you ever need to talk, let me know.