Day Twenty

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Pulmonary Embolism Recovery
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Met with my family doctor and the results of the liver enzyme tests were encouraging:

AST = 48 (normal 5 to 47 IU/L
ALT =201 (normal 7 to 56 IU/L)

A few days ago when I went to the ER for the second time, Saturday May 19, they were:

AST = 146

ALT = 301

I've been off the Lovenox since last Thursday and only been taking Coumadin. It hasn't been a full week since I've been off the Lovenox, yet my liver enzymes are still high(but decreasing).

 

Evidently, Lovenox is the culprit behind the elevated liver enzymes. This should not be a surprise, since there is ample evidence and documentation pointing to Lovenox causing liver problems. Google for "Lovenox liver enzymes" and you will find a lot to read.

Bad stuff, this Lovenox. But, essential for what the doctors like to call anticoagulant "bridge therapy"; whereby Lovenox is used for a few days until the Coumadin kicks in(which takes 2-4 days for full effect). Those few days on Lovenox can hurt your liver. 

I will be going back for blood tests on June 4 and meeting with my family doctor on June14@11:15AM. Hopefully, the liver enzymes will be back to normal by then.

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Theory of Clot being caused by arm clot from anesthetic IV(see yesterday's post)
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My  doctor didn't rule it out, but said that "superficial" clots in the forearms are typically not problematic, unless they work their way into the deep veins of the underarm. Of course, there's no way to prove that my forearm clot worked its way up the arm. My doctor still clings to the notion that the clots came from the surgical area due to pressure applied to an artery by someone in the operating room.

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Hernia Recovery
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I overdid it yesterday, having walked over 1/4 mile on a trail near my house. I was in a lot of pain(burning and pulling) from the incisions and had a difficult time sleeping last night; even after taking 5mg of oxycodon.