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Old 04-29-2012, 07:46 PM
blueray4 blueray4 is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 5
10 yr Member
blueray4 blueray4 is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 5
10 yr Member
Default TOS and Blood Clots

I've been diagnosed with TOS after running from doctor to doctor for a little over 6 months. I'm a male and 26 years old.

My right arm started swelling and coldness whenever I did anything physical with it. My first doctor told me it was lymphadema, but sent me to a vascular surgeon "just to be sure". The vascular surgeon ordered an ultrasound and MRI, which both came back clean, showing nothing out of whack. My doctor was stumped but gave me the okay to use my arm, but told me to wear a compressive sleeve.

So fast forward another two months, and all of a sudden I develop pain and burning sensation in the armpit and spider veins on my right pec. I take myself to another doc who suspects TOS, so he orders a CT scan with contrast. Results came back normal again, but he refers me to another vascular surgeon.

This second vascular surgeon, immediately tells me I have TOS after describing my symptoms. Tests show hardly any blood flow with my arm straight up in the air. Also they performed a second ultrasound and venogram and confirmed two blood clots.

The surgeon told me I have classic arterial/venuous TOS, and my artery is "impressively" damaged. They told me it's too late to attempt lysis of the blood clots because they are old, and there is nothing they can do.

My rib resection surgery is scheduled for next week and was told to take baby aspirin until 1 week prior. He told me he will then perform angioplasty after.

I'm concerned about the two blood clots they found. Does anybody have a similar experience? Do blood clots caused by TOS have life long risks? does the body rid itself eventually if they can't be treated with medication?
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