Diagnosis: Leiden Factor V

The hematologist prescribes golf. He didn't take it very well when I told
him that golf is for people who've already given up. I'll be contacting
DAN. There is no way I'm just going to roll over and die.


suds

"suds" <sorry_spammer@yahoo.com> wrote:

> The hematologist prescribes golf. He didn't take it very well when I told
> him that golf is for people who've already given up. I'll be contacting
> DAN. There is no way I'm just going to roll over and die.


Sorry to hear of your problem (and I had to go look up what Leiden
Factor V is too): did the hematologist give any particular rationale
for why he thinks diving is a no-no?


-hh

" H. Huntzinger" <{NOSPAM-rm_to_reply}rec-scuba@huntzinger.com> wrote in
message
news:{NOSPAM-rm_to_reply}rec-scuba-F713BD.07022317072004@news-east.dca.giganews.com...

> Sorry to hear of your problem (and I had to go look up what Leiden
> Factor V is too): did the hematologist give any particular rationale
> for why he thinks diving is a no-no?
>

He he. I did that on purpose. I had never heard of it either until today
but it turns out to be a fairly common genetic malfunction in us Northern
European sort. Fortunately, the wife sees it often manifest itself as blood
clots in women who are pregnant or using birth control. She recognized my
"sore leg" as a blood clot and sent me to the emergency room before it
killed me (and it came d@mn close.) You see healthy, active 40 year-olds
don't get blood clots...

If looking it up via google annoyed you, be glad we aren't related.
Everyone in my family (father, brothers, sisters, kids) must now be tested
for it and they each have a 50% chance of joining me.

According to doctor, I must be on blood thinners for the rest of my life.
Blood thinners are lots of fun. Yesterday I scratched my foot with the
broom while sweeping the front walk I didn't even think to look until my
daughter started screaming: "Dad, what's wrong with your foot." There was
blood all over the place. I'm told that the pressure differentials involved
in scuba diving will make it too dangerous. (Think about how some people
always get bloody noses when they dive.)

Unfortunately, this diagnosis will/can alter much of my lifestyle. Any
activity where I might be injured while a long distance from medical
assistance (say kayaking along Kauai's Na Pali Coast) is advised against. I
might bleed to death before help arrived. I didn't ask but I'm pretty sure
the private pilots license is out too. You get the idea.

What blew my mind is that when I objected. When I pointed out all the
activities I was being told to give up. The doctor just shrugged and said:
"Why don't you take up golf." And he was serious. Fortunately I am married
to a doctor who agrees with me about golf. ;^)


suds

"suds" <sorry_spammer@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:BB4Kc.45058$ju5.21778@twister.socal.rr.com...

> The hematologist prescribes golf. He didn't take it very well when I told
> him that golf is for people who've already given up. I'll be contacting
> DAN. There is no way I'm just going to roll over and die.

Time to start diving with helium.

As I understand the condition, you could be at increased risk for blood
clotting. The body's immune system sees bubbles as an invader, and will
attack them as such, including plateletts, so that could be a huge issue for
you.

Ibuprofen before the dive and helium in your mix is what I would do, if it
were me, but I guess that depends upon how serious the condition is in your
case.

Contact Milak.

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 14:57:28 GMT, "suds" <sorry_spammer@yahoo.com> wrote:

>...
>Unfortunately, this diagnosis will/can alter much of my lifestyle. Any
>activity where I might be injured while a long distance from medical
>assistance (say kayaking along Kauai's Na Pali Coast) is advised against. I
>might bleed to death before help arrived. I didn't ask but I'm pretty sure
>the private pilots license is out too. You get the idea.
>...

Apologies for taking up newsgroup space, but I am unable to unmung the
email address. In any event, my brother just went through FAA stuff
including his loss of pilot's license (he used to fly a corporate jet for
executives) for taking blood thinners and then recently (within the past
month) got FAA approval to regain his license and fly again. In an attempt
to relate this to SCUBA, he used to teach diving in the 70s. Email me for
his email address if you want.

--
Galen Hekhuis NpD, JFR, GWA ghekhuis@earthlink.net
We are the CroMagnon of the future

"Scott" <scottk@localaxes.com> wrote in message
news:10fiah6nr28pn89@corp.supernews.com...
> "suds" <sorry_spammer@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:BB4Kc.45058$ju5.21778@twister.socal.rr.com...
>
> > The hematologist prescribes golf. He didn't take it very well when I
told
> > him that golf is for people who've already given up. I'll be contacting
> > DAN. There is no way I'm just going to roll over and die.
>
> Time to start diving with helium.
>
> As I understand the condition, you could be at increased risk for blood
> clotting. The body's immune system sees bubbles as an invader, and will
> attack them as such, including plateletts, so that could be a huge issue
for
> you.
>
> Ibuprofen before the dive and helium in your mix is what I would do, if it
> were me, but I guess that depends upon how serious the condition is in
your
> case.
>
>Contact Milak.

I already had a blood clot, thank you. A "DVT" (
http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/m...hrombosis.html )
to be exact. That was the most painful thing I have ever been through.
Think of someone putting both hands around your calf and then digging their
thumbs into the soft flesh behind your knee with all their might. That's
how it felt every time I tried to so much as sit upright for over a week.
The pain has subsided now but my right leg is still very swollen and will
remain so for some time. Possibly the rest of my life. I don't think I'm
going to be able to hide this from the doctors. ;^)

Who is "Milak."

suds

"suds" <sorry_spammer@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:olbKc.45092$ju5.36526@twister.socal.rr.com...

> >Contact Milak.
>
> I already had a blood clot, thank you. A "DVT" (
>
http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/m...hrombosis.html )
> to be exact. That was the most painful thing I have ever been through.
> Think of someone putting both hands around your calf and then digging
their
> thumbs into the soft flesh behind your knee with all their might. That's
> how it felt every time I tried to so much as sit upright for over a week.
> The pain has subsided now but my right leg is still very swollen and will
> remain so for some time. Possibly the rest of my life. I don't think I'm
> going to be able to hide this from the doctors. ;^)
>
> Who is "Milak."

Sir Randy Of Milak.

Hyperbaric physician and gentleman extraordinairre.

rfmilak@yahoo.com

"suds" <sorry_spammer@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I had never heard of it either until today
> but it turns out to be a fairly common genetic malfunction in us Northern
> European sort.


I've not heard of it either...and having plenty of "non-Southern"
European blood myself, its one more thing for me to keep in mind about
as well, particularly how it seems to link with Deep Vein Thrombosis
from airline flights, etc.


> If looking it up via google annoyed you, be glad we aren't related.

Sorry if I gave the impression that it was 'annoying'; I don't mind
Googling, particularly when the answer pops up in half of the Chris Wolf
archive search 5 minute maximum attention span .


> Everyone in my family (father, brothers, sisters, kids) must now be tested
> for it and they each have a 50% chance of joining me.

Understood...my brother had a precancerous skin something-or-other that
all of us were notified of as a risk factor.


> According to doctor, I must be on blood thinners for the rest of my life.
> ... I'm told that the pressure differentials involved
> in scuba diving will make it too dangerous. (Think about how some people
> always get bloody noses when they dive.)

I'd hope that a balance could be struck between 'think enough' and 'too
thin' that would permit diving.



> What blew my mind is that when I objected. When I pointed out all the
> activities I was being told to give up. The doctor just shrugged and said:
> "Why don't you take up golf." And he was serious.

You can get pretty darn removed from help on some courses. Ironic.


-hh

" H. Huntzinger" <{NOSPAM-rm_to_reply}rec-scuba@huntzinger.com> wrote in
message
news:{NOSPAM-rm_to_reply}rec-scuba-DC6AF7.08505318072004@news-east.dca.giganews.com...

>
> > If looking it up via google annoyed you, be glad we aren't related.
>
> Sorry if I gave the impression that it was 'annoying'; I don't mind
> Googling, particularly when the answer pops up in half of the Chris Wolf
> archive search 5 minute maximum attention span .
>

I was just joking around. ;^)

>
> > Everyone in my family (father, brothers, sisters, kids) must now be
tested
> > for it and they each have a 50% chance of joining me.
>
> Understood...my brother had a precancerous skin something-or-other that
> all of us were notified of as a risk factor.

My baby brother was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer two years ago.
He was only 35 at the time. 35 year-old men aren't supposed to have
prostate cancer. And ... there is a strong gentetic link. Basically, I've
been told that it's not if but when. Thanks to baby bro, I get to have my
PSA tested every 4 months and have already had two biopsiess. Prostate
biopsies are a real pain in the ass (pun intended.)

So I came into "this Leiden-Factor 5" thing (sounds like somthing from cheap
science fiction, doesn't it?) with all that bagage. But blood clots don't
just occur in healthy people for no reason. I assume that a weight lifting
injury was the trigger but the doctors don't buy it. Since I haven't been
on an airplane in months, in their minds it must be cancer. (I just don't
understand how sitting in an airplane seat can be considered a more likely
trigger than tearing a tendon but, hey, I'm just an engineer...) I have
been poked, proded, x-rayed, cat-scanned, ultra-sounded, ... to death and
they are still looking. I've taken to quoting Monte Python: "I'm not dead
yet." ;^)

>
>
> > According to doctor, I must be on blood thinners for the rest of my
life.
> > ... I'm told that the pressure differentials involved
> > in scuba diving will make it too dangerous. (Think about how some
people
> > always get bloody noses when they dive.)
>
> I'd hope that a balance could be struck between 'think enough' and 'too
> thin' that would permit diving.

That is my position too. I've found some papers that support me but the
issue is controversial. And when it's controversial, the doctors tend to
just say "no." So, unless I'm willing to lie, or buy my own boat, I'll be
stuck with shore diving for the rest of my life.

>
>
>
> > What blew my mind is that when I objected. When I pointed out all the
> > activities I was being told to give up. The doctor just shrugged and
said:
> > "Why don't you take up golf." And he was serious.
>
> You can get pretty darn removed from help on some courses. Ironic.

Whatever. I'm not going to take up golf. (Too many doctors. ;^) ) I
used to play it when I was younger but I lost interest in the game. Now
mind you, I enjoyed it and was pretty good at it but I never took the game
that seriously and that really pissed off all the other guys who did. So
rather than spend my Saturday watching some hacker not talk to me, I found
more interesting things to do.



suds

suds wrote:

Sorry for your loss, as it were.

> So, unless I'm willing to lie, or buy my own boat, I'll be
> stuck with shore diving for the rest of my life.

If you really have any qualms about lying to a dive op you could consider moving to
Grand Cayman or Bonaire. I'm not clear on whether the diving problem is a result of
the underlying condition or the blood thinners, but got the impression it's the
latter. Aside from the idea of a reduced dosage, perhaps you could just skip them
when you're planning to dive. OTOH, living in Hawaii, that might mean skipping them
most weekends.

FWIW, the dosage that your doctor prescribes isn't a dosage that was actually decided
by trained medical professionals. A while back I had a friend who worked for Schering
Pharmaceuticals, and she had a boyfriend whose job at the company was to decide what
the dosages should be for new drugs. What was his background, you ask? He has a Ph.D.
in statistics. You know, just like Bob Ling. His exact job was to analyze the results
of clinical trials that used various dosages on a wide range of people and then
decide on the "best" dosage for everybody, based on improvement and side effects.
About the most variation you can hope for is consideration of your body weight.
Naturally, what works very well for the other guy who is your age and weight may not
be ideal for you. It's not at all unusual for people to do well with a smaller dosage
and, naturally, all those side effects are more likely as the dosage goes up. Of
course it's a lot easier for you to evaluate the results of, say, Prozac on your own
than to evaluate the results of blood thinners or other drugs that change things that
mostly show up on lab tests.


> Whatever. I'm not going to take up golf. (Too many doctors. ;^) ) I
> used to play it when I was younger but I lost interest in the game. Now
> mind you, I enjoyed it

Once upon a time during the very long drive to Kentucky, my two companions spent a
couple of hours discussing golf and made it sound quite interesting and fun, but not
quite so interesting and fun for me to have gone out and given it a try, apparently.

--
Steve

The above can be construed as personal opinion in the absence of a reasonable
belief that it was intended as a statement of fact.

If you want a reply to reach me, remove the SPAMTRAP from the address.