last wk i saw a segment on NBC Nightly News about IVC (inferior vena cava) filters. they reported that several brands were being warned against by the FDA and that they were responsible for breaking off in the body.

they caused hemorrhages, perforated vessels and could travel to the heart or lungs. people are dying. and, not surprisingly, the company knew and came out with new models not any better than the old. NBC named Bard as the company and Meridian as one type of the filter.

just the kind i have in. the same one my cardio surgeon said he couldn't get out last year because it was imbedded in my inferior vena cave; the largest vein in the body.

they did a report that a dr at Stanford U in Palo Alto, CA runs a clinic where they have developed a way to non surgically remove the filter. i have a call into them to discuss my situation. evidently after about 5 yrs the filter can start to break off.

so. say a prayer for me that i can resolve this problem. and i thought this year would be the year of no procedures/surgery. i am really sick of all this stuff....