I had several questions for the hematologist at my appointment on Wednesday:
Can I fly in an airplane? Yes, if my blood medication numbers are where they should be.
Do I have to keep taking iron pills? Yes (boo).
Why do I have a rash on my back and sides?
The doctor found the rash to be "severe enough to justify stopping the potential cause," which could be the direct thrombin inhibitor I started on not too long ago. So starting tomorrow, it's back to Coumadin alone to try to get rid of the blood clots. I'll be checking back with him in a couple of weeks to see if the rash is gone.
Despite this rash decision, I do think I am making some progress. I walked for about an hour today, the longest time and distance since my surgery. The doctor said the more I walk, the better. So I am obeying doctor's orders as much as possible.
I also tested positive for lupus anticoagulant, which doesn't sound like a good thing, but it may be that the soon-to-be-discontinued medicine may have caused the positive test result. The test will be repeated when I go back for the rash check-up.
If the rash stays around, other medications may get the blame. I'll keep you posted.
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