Early this morning, I had blood drawn; 6 vials of it. My test results should be back in the next few days. The number I will watch closely is something called Factor VIII. Apparently, elevated Factor VII means that blood is more prone to clotting. I read the scientific paper and the most meaningful sentence in the longass report is, “The association between high factor VIII:C levels and venous thrombosis has been confirmed in several independent studies.”
Note: I am currently on Xarelto, a blood thinner that apparently reduces my chances of blood clots in my veins. An unfortunate side effect of Xarelto is that it can lead to severe bleeding episodes (especially internal bleeding). Also, since there is no antidote to Xarelto, I am not allowed to bike. Any accident on the bike that may cause head or chest trauma may prove deadly for me!
So if my Factor VIII counts comes back high, I’m not exactly sure what my next steps will be in my budding triathlon career (humor intended). Apparently, there is an alternative to Xarelto that has recently been approved. Eliquis apparently has an antidote that is being developed by the drug powerhouses. I recently read about this online so it is not physician approved authentic; and who knows what the nuances are! But if true, there is light at the end of the tunnel even if my Factor VIII count comes as high. I’m eternally optimistic.
My friend Brett is moving to Seattle. This evening, a bunch us got together at OSHO on Tatum and Shea to bid him goodbye! I left early but alcohol was flowing freely. Good times…