Paget Schroetter in 31 year old firefighter
 

Hello everyone- Hoping you may be able to provide some support/resources as we begin my husbands journey with Paget Schroetters.

Last week he presented swelling, edema, and discoloration in his non-dominant arm. After a perfect MRI, and later a venogram, we had confirmed a fairly large subclavian blood clot.
After two days on heparin and TPA, we were able to eliminate the clot. His last day in the ICU showed a bit of residual left in the veins, but the doctors were optimistic that the combo of Lovenox and Coumadin would take care of this.
My husband is 31 years old, extremely athletic, and a firefighter. An avid weightlifter, my guess is that many years of lifting has contributed to this injury.
We live outside of Chicago, and would like to know if anyone has had experience with Dr. Liptay out of Rush, or Dr. Pearce out of Northwestern.
We will be seeking out their help as we make a decision about rib resection.

What have your experiences/recovery time been after the surgery?

As of today, his symptoms are making good progress. Coloring and edema in the arm and hand have greatly reduced. His hand has returned to normal size, and his upper arm is also showing progress....

We have received mixed advice about surgery- some saying this only returns in 1 out of 3 people, especially if he takes his weightlifting down a few notches. Others say do the surgery.... It's quite exhausting.

Any and all thoughts and suggestions are appreciated.

Yes, I was going to ask if he is cutting back on the weights, sometimes those muscles just get too big for the natural body type and close down the spaces needed for nerves and blood flow.

I don't know how bulked he might be in comparison to his before or normal body type.. but sometimes general overall fitness is better than over doing weights & bulking up.

And firefighting is a strenuous thing too the equipment heavy gear, hoses ..

He doesn't want to risk long term problems or at worst case extreme symptoms /pain, so please ask him to consider stopping weights for now..

We have had many lifters join this last year, so i think they will agree, it's not worth the risk.

Also read thru the sticky threads for a crash course on TOS & similar injuries/conditions.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread84.html
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread135.html

testing info thread-
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...hlight=testing

]I was finally dx with venous tos (75% mechanical occlusion of subclavien vein) feb 2011, symptoms started 12/10, in beginning were deep itching in breast that led to swelling of my arm and purple color along with the rest of typical tos symptoms. The 25 of feb I saw a thoracic surgeon who completed a first rib resection three days later. Extremely painful surgery , had vats w/ chest tube 4 days in hospital. My symptoms never got better only worse except the color of my arm and hand changed from purple to blue/red to blotchy, I cannot be touched on my upper right side at all. finally dx with rsd but lost the use of my right hand. Nerve blocks and meds didnt work. I was told use it or permanently disabled. I forced myself to use it and 9 months later begged to go back to work and did. It hurts like hell, I keep pushing forward always wondering if I have rsd or a failed surgery or both, fustrated and angry. Left side is beginning same symptoms. I am not on meds, the burning, stinging and feeling like golf balls moving through my veins is the worst and second is the pain from swelling and cold hand. If you choose surgery please research rsd and presurgical prevention. Rsd/crps Is devastating. Good luck to your husband, you and your family. Feel free to ask any questions.