cancer causing blood clots, blood clots causing stroke

ritawaite13
ritawaite13 Member Posts: 236
in Esophageal Cancer #1
My husband was diagnosed with Stage IV Esophageal Cancer on July 11, 2011. Since then, he developed blood clots which migrated to his lungs and some made their way to his brain and caused a significant stroke on July 20. The doctors told us that this is common with this type of cancer but in all the reading I've done, I've never seen anything about this. Does anyone else have this same problem or know of it?

Comments

  • nancyann3
    nancyann3 Member Posts: 173 Member
    #2
    Hi Rita
    My husband developed a clot in one leg and it broke off and traveled to muliple areas in both lungs. This happened after his first round of chemo. Not sure if it was from the cancer, chemo or inactivity. He was on a shot for several month to help prevent more.

    Nancy
  • oriontj
    oriontj Member Posts: 375
    #3
    My husband had one in his lungs
    but it was two and half years later and happening during this last round of chemo. They kept him overnight and he now does one shot in the am and one in pm. We were told that could happen with the chemo. But I don't know if just the cancer will cause it.

    jan
  • annalan
    annalan Member Posts: 138
    #4
    My husband Alan had blood
    My husband Alan had blood clots in his leg a few weeks after starting Chemo. It also happened to a friend who was also on Chemo so it must be quite a regular occurrence. They were both given injections and them put on Warfarin. Hope your husband soon improves.
    Ann (2)
  • Manf88
    Manf88 Member Posts: 20
    #5
    blood clot
    My dad had a blood clot in his leg while in the hospital. He had a minor surgery for it (I think a stent) and he is on blood thinner medication. They did not say it was from the cancer per se, but more likely from inactivity. He has not had any chemo either as he is not a candidate for it. Prayers are with you and your husband.
  • mruble
    mruble Member Posts: 174
    #6
    clots
    Hi Rita --

    My husband developed clots in his arm after having pneumonia and becoming septic earlier this year. Like others, he's been on the twice-a-day shots since that time but will switch to coumadin at the end of this month. His doctor has indicated that he will remain at risk for clots for the rest of his life.

    Mary
  • ritawaite13
    ritawaite13 Member Posts: 236
    #7
    mruble said:

    clots
    Hi Rita --

    My husband developed clots in his arm after having pneumonia and becoming septic earlier this year. Like others, he's been on the twice-a-day shots since that time but will switch to coumadin at the end of this month. His doctor has indicated that he will remain at risk for clots for the rest of his life.

    Mary

    Thanks for the feedback
    Sorry I didn't elaborate on my husband's stroke. It was apparently caused by a blood clot, not by a brain cancer. His scan of his head was clear of cancer, thank Heavens! He is receiving physical, occupational and speech therapy and is progressing well with all of those. His stroke occurred before he started any treatments for the cancer. The hospital where he is didn't want to start any treatments for the cancer until he was stronger after the stroke so he has only had 5 radiation treatments and no chemo yet. We are going to another facility this week for a second opinion on the cancer treatment. This all came on so fast, on July 6th we were playing golf in one month we've dealt with blood clots in the legs and lungs, a stroke and a EC diagnosis. It's a bit overwhelming at times but he has a great attitude and faith. We have a wonderful support system too so we're prayng that those three positive things and some good medicine will buy him more good time.
    The doctors where he is now said that blood clots are common in EC.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #8
    ritawaite13 said:

    Thanks for the feedback
    Sorry I didn't elaborate on my husband's stroke. It was apparently caused by a blood clot, not by a brain cancer. His scan of his head was clear of cancer, thank Heavens! He is receiving physical, occupational and speech therapy and is progressing well with all of those. His stroke occurred before he started any treatments for the cancer. The hospital where he is didn't want to start any treatments for the cancer until he was stronger after the stroke so he has only had 5 radiation treatments and no chemo yet. We are going to another facility this week for a second opinion on the cancer treatment. This all came on so fast, on July 6th we were playing golf in one month we've dealt with blood clots in the legs and lungs, a stroke and a EC diagnosis. It's a bit overwhelming at times but he has a great attitude and faith. We have a wonderful support system too so we're prayng that those three positive things and some good medicine will buy him more good time.
    The doctors where he is now said that blood clots are common in EC.

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • kateel
    kateel Member Posts: 28
    #9
    ritawaite13 said:

    Thanks for the feedback
    Sorry I didn't elaborate on my husband's stroke. It was apparently caused by a blood clot, not by a brain cancer. His scan of his head was clear of cancer, thank Heavens! He is receiving physical, occupational and speech therapy and is progressing well with all of those. His stroke occurred before he started any treatments for the cancer. The hospital where he is didn't want to start any treatments for the cancer until he was stronger after the stroke so he has only had 5 radiation treatments and no chemo yet. We are going to another facility this week for a second opinion on the cancer treatment. This all came on so fast, on July 6th we were playing golf in one month we've dealt with blood clots in the legs and lungs, a stroke and a EC diagnosis. It's a bit overwhelming at times but he has a great attitude and faith. We have a wonderful support system too so we're prayng that those three positive things and some good medicine will buy him more good time.
    The doctors where he is now said that blood clots are common in EC.

    Many complications seem to go with EC for some.
    Rita,

    So sorry to hear about your husbands stroke. We have found that many complications can come with this wicked cancer. My husband had a stroke 2 years before he was diagnosed with EC, and he was actually getting better from that when they found the cancer. But after his surgery on April 25th, this year, he developed blood clots in his lungs. He was already on Plavix for his stroke, but after the EC surgery and the blood clots, he was put on Lovenox, 2 shots a day, and continues to be on it more than 3 months later. They say he will be on these shots for at least 6 months. Then maybe go on Coumadin for the rest of his life.

    You both will have a long slow journey to travel, but progress will come eventually.
    You have a good support group on this site. Don't be afraid to ask questions. These people have helped us immensely.

    Hang in there.

    God bless,

    Kateel
  • ritawaite13
    ritawaite13 Member Posts: 236
    #10
    kateel said:

    Many complications seem to go with EC for some.
    Rita,

    So sorry to hear about your husbands stroke. We have found that many complications can come with this wicked cancer. My husband had a stroke 2 years before he was diagnosed with EC, and he was actually getting better from that when they found the cancer. But after his surgery on April 25th, this year, he developed blood clots in his lungs. He was already on Plavix for his stroke, but after the EC surgery and the blood clots, he was put on Lovenox, 2 shots a day, and continues to be on it more than 3 months later. They say he will be on these shots for at least 6 months. Then maybe go on Coumadin for the rest of his life.

    You both will have a long slow journey to travel, but progress will come eventually.
    You have a good support group on this site. Don't be afraid to ask questions. These people have helped us immensely.

    Hang in there.

    God bless,

    Kateel

    Thank you
    I pray that you're right Kateel. A long slow journey leading to progress is just fine with me. I've not been very good at checking in on this site but I plan to try to be better. I hope to get my husband out of the hospital next weekend. He's done amazingly well with all of his therapies following the stroke. He, too, is on Levonox shots twice a day for the clots and he has a filter which was surgically implanted 5 days after his stroke when an ultra sound showed he had developed more clots.
    So far he's had 14 radiation and 2 weekly chemo treatments and he seems to be doing okay with that.
    Thank you for your support.
    Rita

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