| Factor Five Awareness I am thankful that I am able to tell you this story. What happened to me could have been prevented by a simple blood test. I have a Factor Five Leiden Gene Deficiency. Leiden is a gene that 1 out of 20 people carry. Having Factor Five Leiden gives peoples blood a tendency to clot. Many things can trigger blood clots such as birth control, smoking, being over weight, or having lack of movement for an extended period of time. Factor Five Leiden is very dangerous and you should be made aware of this. Don’t wait until it’s too late to get checked for Factor Five Leiden. I was 16 years old when I started having pain in my left leg. For three days I said my leg felt numb and with the help of the internet decided I had a blood clot in my left leg. But because I was only 16 my parents said there was no way I could have one. My pain started on a Tuesday and by Thursday night I woke up drenched in sweat and having shooting pains in my leg. My mom put a heating pad on it and gave me medicine and I tried to go back to sleep. In the morning I planned to go into school late, and so my mom gave me clean pajamas and said you can go lay on the couch. As I took my pants off, my left leg was extremely swollen, violent red, and hard. I could barely walk, my parents took me to the hospital and by the time I got there my calf had gotten about the same size as my thigh. Once there I was diagnosed with a Massive Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in my left leg. It was the most horrible experience of my life. I was so scared and worried that I was going to die if a small part of the clot would break off and enter my lungs. I was moved to Children’s Hospital of Kings Daughters in Norfolk. My leg was now 50 centimeters around and I was in a great deal of pain. The doctors said I was lucky that I caught it when I did because I was one step away from death. After four days at the hospital, I was sent home on crutches only able to walk for 2 minutes at a time. I was put on blood thinners for 7 months and by the end it was making my body hurt from the bruises i was getting all over. My life had been drastically slowed down, being taken out of school and missing two months, trying to finish my classes and deal with the cards I had been dealt. I was in recovery for about six months and still to this day my life is altered because of having the DVT and carrying the Factor Five Leiden. After tons of tests it showed that my blood clot was caused because I am Factor Five positive and I was given birth control pills to slow down my adrenal glands and improve my acne. If only I had been tested before I was given birth control pills, my life would be of a normal 16 year old. In Fact my younger brother and sister have it too. They where given a simple blood test when I was diagnosed with my blood clot. What happened to me can now be prevented from happening to my sister and brother. The Doctors say it was only a 5% chance that I have this gene disorder. One out of 20 people at first does not seem like it would happen to you. But when I think about it and think about the kids I see at school in a day I realize that 25 kids going to my school out of 500 could have this disorder. My doctor told me that the American Medical Association does not recommend a simple blood test for Factor 5 to determine if the patient has a higher risk for blood clots when prescribing birth control pills. The Doctor said it is not a required test. Birth control pills are prescribed to kids to control acne, hair growth or any other adrenal disorder. That’s what happened to me. It’s important for me to tell you this story so you can ask your mom and dad to request this test from your doctor. I know now that my brother and sister are aware that they do have Factor Five Leiden gene deficiency. They are aware of the other factors such as birth control pills, smoking, being over weight, or having lack of movement for an extended period of time that could trigger a blood clot. Its scary finding out first hand but thankfully I am here telling you this story. Just take this opportunity and ask your parents and Doctor to test you for the Factor Five Leiden Gene Deficiency. You could save a life. Remember 1 out of 20 people in the United States is a carrier of the Factor Five Leiden gene. That means a persons life could be taken or changed drastically that you know. With one simple blood test you can find out if you are a carrier. If you do have the gene then you can start taking precautions and inform your doctor not to prescribe you medicine that could take your life. Don’t let your love ones go one more day without being tested. You deserve more in life than to have it taken away for something that can be avoided. Please send this article to a friend; to the principal at your school and talk to your parents. It will make a difference in a life of some one you know. Just Ask The Question. Do I have Factor Five Leiden Gene Deficiency? It could save your Life. |
