Hmm ... I got my test results today. They indicate that my INR is within the therapeutic range, and there is a 95% likelihood that I am NOT reclotting!
That's good news because I really did not fancy having to start clearing clots from my lungs all over again, but it does lead straight to the question '
What is happening, then?' ...
I'm still hoping that I have just developed a mild case of asthma, which hopefully would be easily manageable with inhalers (though there might be some interaction between asthma meds and warfarin). Posters in
this asthma thread had symptoms similar to mine until they were treated for asthma.
I went out and did a hilly 17 mile ride this afternoon. Things went the same way as of late - I was short of breath and had to be very careful not to overdo the 10% climb that I hit after only 800 metres of riding, but after 15 minutes I was starting to feel good; a 15-20% climb after 25 minutes was no problem; hours later, my pulse rate has not quite returned to normal though, and my breathing is not quite right.
I was paying a lot of attention to my breathing when on the bike, and I think there
is just a hint of wheeziness there. If I force all the air out of my lungs, I do wheeze and develop a cough. The damp air was quite chilly in a strong wind and that made my lungs uncomfortable.
So ... Assuming that I am not one of the rare cases of a 'false negative' on the d-dimer test, no CT scan is required and it will be heart and lung tests next. These are being treated as lower priorities than the potential clotting was, and I think that is reasonable. As long as I don't get worse than I am now, I can wait a few weeks or maybe a month or two for the tests. If anything else develops which alarms me, I'll get on the phone and demand action. There is always A&E if
urgent action is needed.
Now I'm into my 60's I've started to notice subtle little changes that would suggest that an age related decline may have started, I don't want to endure a slow unpleasant decline into old age like I've seen with of my older friends, when the end comes I want it to be quick.
I'd like to make it to 80 and still be riding. A great uncle of mine in Scotland was well into his 80s when he finally gave up his bike because his sense of balance was letting him down. (He should have switched to a trike!)
I have chatted to quite a few riders in their late 70s and early 80s. They admitted to having slowed down a lot with age, but they must have been handy when they were young because they weren't exactly hanging about when I saw them!
but yeah!