My PE was confirmed on 1 May 2018, by which point I was experiencing severe shortness in breath and pain in my chest and upper back. As a result I was struggling to walk more than a few steps at a time.
It had taken over three days of me going back and forth to both my local GP and to the hospital, each time being discharged and told they were unsure as to what was causing the problems, despite the fact I was struggling to breathe with pains in my upper back and chest, until finally one doctor connected the dots.
The tests results confirmed by this point there were blood clots on both of my lungs.
The presumption now is that it was caused by the birth control pill I had started using just two months before. Each time I had spoken with a doctor during the three days leading up to the diagnosis I had informed them I wasn't on any medication other than a new contraceptive pill, but due to it being so uncommon they kept dismissing any link.
I was 31 at the time and in good health going to the gym regularly, and if it wasn't for my husband pushing for the doctors to keep running more tests and asking for me to see different doctors my outcome may have been very different.
Recovery took a lot longer than I had expected, which they believe was most likely due to scarring on my lungs from the clots.
I am one of the lucky ones and, whilst I do sometimes get tired more quickly than I would have before, it could have been much worse had it not been diagnosed when it was.
Carly
NOTE from Thrombosis UK
The combined oral contraceptive pill is a risk factor for blood clots.
You can find more information on thrombosis and the combined oral contraceptive pill on our fact sheet.