(Possibly) MC Related Vascular Condition

[HotRodZilla]

Well, at least you got a big assed scar for all your hard work. Good news on the growth being benign. Good that it's out of you. Get better man!!

 

[Queensland Ken]

You have a larger scar than me, lol lol. Chicks dig them.

3 gut operations in 8 days for me, cry.

From the bottom of the sternum to pubic bone and no belly button anymore.

Glad your recovering well, be back on the bike in no time.

I think I'm going to get a "open with care" tattoo, give the docs a good laugh.

 

[lonerider]

Glad to hear it wasn't malignant and hope you have a full recovery with no further complications.

 

[st4gary]

Hi Ross,

Went through the same thing in 2010. Had an xray to check out a lump on my sternum. Dr said it was nothing and sent me home. Later that night I got a call that a more thorough look revealed a tumor the size of a golf ball. My incision was just long enough for them to split the sternum. And I see the two tell-tale incisions below for the drain tubes in your pic. My tumor was a teratoma also. It had hair follicles growing in it along with other bits. I had a Dr snap a pic of it for me. I'll spare the audience here. I received an epidural during surgery and I had them leave it in for an extra day during recovery. I was fortunate that I had little to no pain during recover. healed up great. Took a good face plant on the DR650 about a year later and the sternum held up, but the collar bone separated and broke. Good luck on the recover.

Gary

 

[RossKean]

Hi Gary

My incision was longer than strictly necessary to remove the teratoma but because of the size of it (10 cm diameter) and the involvement of lung and other stuff, they went big so they could do some exploring. (Maybe the surgeon had really big hands.) In any case, I'm fairly pleased with the recovery so far. Pain is definitely there but is tolerable; just enough to keep reminding me to be careful with the wired-together sternum.

 

[RossKean]

You have a larger scar than me, lol lol. Chicks dig them.3 gut operations in 8 days for me, cry.

From the bottom of the sternum to pubic bone and no belly button anymore.

Glad your recovering well, be back on the bike in no time.

I think I'm going to get a "open with care" tattoo, give the docs a good laugh.

KenI assume that your upcoming surgeries are related to the Crohn's you have previously mentioned? I have a co-worker who has had two surgeries (in 15 years) for Crohn's. He has been lucky with respect to lengthy remission. He is currently on Humira - thankfully our company drug plan covers it. I know that the surgery for Crohn's is not a cure but I hope it relieves the pain and other symptoms for a time. Good luck!

 

[wheatonFJR]

Hi GaryMy incision was longer than strictly necessary to remove the teratoma but because of the size of it (10 cm diameter) and the involvement of lung and other stuff, they went big so they could do some exploring. (Maybe the surgeon had really big hands.) In any case, I'm fairly pleased with the recovery so far. Pain is definitely there but is tolerable; just enough to keep reminding me to be careful with the wired-together sternum.

Holy Crap! 10cm?!?

You just gave birth!

 

[Dances With Deer]

Thanks to the OP for posting this. I found this thread on a search about riding while on blood thinners. I had a "cardiac event" a year and a half ago that required a stent, so I'll probably be on Plavix for life. I actually didn't think about the non clotting issue until a local rider was recently hit by a car that turned in front of him. He didn't have life threatening injuries from the crash, but the docs couldn't get the internal and external bleeding to stop and he died. The news article didn't say anything about meds, but the guy was over 65, so I put two and two together. It really got me to thinking. I've had a bike since I was eleven, and I can't imagine life without riding, but I'm a bit spooked. Anyone else facing my dilemma?

 

[ionbeam]

You may want to carry an ICE card or ICE pull-out pocket tag (In Case of Emergency) to alert the med help that you are taking blood thinners in the event you can't speak for yourself. It will also contain your emergency contact information. Dunno if it will help with your emergency treatment but at least the med services will know.

 

[Queensland Ken]

KenI assume that your upcoming surgeries are related to the Crohn's you have previously mentioned? I have a co-worker who has had two surgeries (in 15 years) for Crohn's. He has been lucky with respect to lengthy remission. He is currently on Humira - thankfully our company drug plan covers it. I know that the surgery for Crohn's is not a cure but I hope it relieves the pain and other symptoms for a time. Good luck!

Had the operations about 4 years ago but the disease is insidious.

I haven't ridden a bike since November last year, 11 admissions since then, the last one was a few weeks ago.

All Crohn's related, nearly all electrolyte related, and yes it will kill you.

Nearly ended up on the stainless twice, in critical care for nearly 2 days,

A week after discharge I'm servicing a mates FJR, yahoo.

I was on Remicade, made out of rats blood and about $10,000 US per infusion, a similar drug to Humira & before that, Steroid Therapy, all eventually failed.

Now a few pounds lighter with a lot of guts missing, removed.

Having problems absorbing, calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium.

Low BP and dangerous low levels of various blood proteins,cholesterol, salt,serum albumin, B12 etc.

My Doc for the first time as a doctor ever had to tell a patient, me to eat more junk food, Big Macks, any type of junky take a way.

Buildup the cholesterol and BP. Love my junk food, stay away from the healthy tick stuff avoid the Heart Foundation, avoid healthy foods. Also low Blood sugars so its a free for all junk food quest.

Same as the dietician at my hospital and also down a hospital in Brisbane, they are forced to promote healthy living and under their breath, say the same thing. LOL LOL quite funny really.

I've been going to 2 Gastro clinics, 2 dieticians, 2 specialists, one treating hospital doctor up here and my GP, and now the Renal clinic where I collapsed a few weeks ago.

Massive improvement in the last week, be back on a bike with a month but have to put on 30 kgs or so, 100 kgs down to 65 kgs now at 72 kgs. Serviced 2 FJR's and installed a PC3 in the last 2 weeks. I'm happy, fired up all my girls and sold my project FJR bike.

 

[bigjohnsd]

I retired 12 years ago on October 1st. Had no health issues that I knew of other than being a fat ass.

Went to Hawaii with my wife in January the following year and had two instances of Syncope (Fainting)while there. The last resulted in a trip to the ER and a determinatioin that I was in Atrial Fibliration. Converted to normal rythm on my own and spent 4 days in a Cardiac Ward while they monitored and ran every test known to man.

Came home and essentially have been on a full strength Aspirin along with a rhythm control med ever since.

I sold my bikes at the time and didn't ride for 7 years. After no further instances of Syncope, I decided it was prudent to ride again.

I worry a little bit about the anti-coagulant effect of the daily full strength Aspirin in the event of a catastrophy.

 

[Queensland Ken]

Thanks to the OP for posting this. I found this thread on a search about riding while on blood thinners. I had a "cardiac event" a year and a half ago that required a stent, so I'll probably be on Plavix for life. I actually didn't think about the non clotting issue until a local rider was recently hit by a car that turned in front of him. He didn't have life threatening injuries from the crash, but the docs couldn't get the internal and external bleeding to stop and he died. The news article didn't say anything about meds, but the guy was over 65, so I put two and two together. It really got me to thinking. I've had a bike since I was eleven, and I can't imagine life without riding, but I'm a bit spooked. Anyone else facing my dilemma?

Not a problem, been meaning to get some sort of medi alert or something like that just in case. 2nd DVT right leg so I'm on rat poison for rest of life, Crohns related.

Take all my drugs and PT tester on tour and monitor my own bloods, occasionally telling Doc what I'm up to.

Last admission they stuffed up, blood INR went to greater than 8 WTF, and that was 3 days after they let me out. I told them it was the wrong does.

 

[PJ4863]

I've actually discussed being on thinners. It's all risk/benefit. Having worked in EMS for years, I can tell you aspirin, plavix and coumadin can be reversed. The newer ones (eliquis, pradaxa) are still having reversal agents developed. K-centra is one, and there's another one I can't remember.

The important thing is to let your provider know you're on thinners if you're involved in some time of trauma. I carry a wallet card and an ICE card in a labeled pocket. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Klubis]

I'm not understanding what you mean by "reversed"?

 

[Queensland Ken]

I'm not understanding what you mean by "reversed"?

I'm on Marevan, if I over dose or the hospital stuffed up my dosage, like they did a week ago, or have an accident, the hospital can give me Vitamin K.

That vitamin and hole fresh frozen platlets can quickly bring my thinness back to a normal level

I had a INR of >8, that meant I could bleed out of any orifice, the doc told me to sit straight down & he called the ambulance, and hospital. (once I was >10)

A simple twisted ankle could have killed me.

Some blood thinners are easy to take, but you can not quickly reverse the effects, twist that ankle or sneeze and you bleed out. Sometimes even up to 3 days. Ya dead

 

[PJ4863]

Blood thinners work by interrupting the clotting process. If you get too thin, ie, your INR is too high, the older thinners can be reversed, much like giving an antidote for a poison. Sometimes it's blood products (for aspirin) or vit K ( for coumadin.) The new thinners don't have this option, so if you start bleeding it makes them very difficult to stop. I've seen people have to get transfusion's from a nose bleed, and that's a relatively easy bleed to stop usually.

 

[RossKean]

I had a follow-up appointment with a hematologist four months after the surgery and 7.5 months after the original DVT. He reduced the Eliquis from 5mg twice per day to 2.5mg twice per day. Since a root cause was never discovered, I expect that I will be on blood thinners for life. Certainly an additional risk of uncontrollable bleeding in case of an injury balanced against the possibility of further DVTs, pulmonary embolii, or stroke. No current "antidote" for Eliquis but one is under development/trials.

At this point, I have some shortness of breath but no pain or major physical limitations. Did a lot of walking after the surgery and I'm going to start working on the cardio at the gym in a big way. The loss of the left phrenic nerve probably means I will always have issues with getting enough O2 during heavy exercise.

 

[JamesW]

I had a follow-up appointment with a hematologist four months after the surgery and 7.5 months after the original DVT. He reduced the Eliquis from 5mg twice per day to 2.5mg twice per day. Since a root cause was never discovered, I expect that I will be on blood thinners for life. Certainly an additional risk of uncontrollable bleeding in case of an injury balanced against the possibility of further DVTs, pulmonary embolii, or stroke. No current "antidote" for Eliquis but one is under development/trials.
At this point, I have some shortness of breath but no pain or major physical limitations. Did a lot of walking after the surgery and I'm going to start working on the cardio at the gym in a big way. The loss of the left phrenic nerve probably means I will always have issues with getting enough O2 during heavy exercise.

Best of luck to you.

 

[RossKean]

Exactly one year after surgery! Some ups and downs but pretty good, overall. Scar is visible but doesn't stand out at all.
No pain, strength is good and only physical limitation is reduced ability to get enough air during heavy exertion due to missing left phrenic nerve which results in non-functional left diaphragm. That is getting better with regular cardio workouts at the gym.
Still (perpetually?) on blood thinners because of the original DVT - they never found a root cause.
Earlier post

This is bound to be a better motorcycling season than last year.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Glad it seems to be working out! No worries, friend: Chicks dig scars.

But mostly, at our age, chicks dig guys that can move around on their own.