portal vein blood clot question

I wonder if someone can give me an idea what to expect about treatment for a portal vein blood clot. Next week they are going to start treatment with blood thinners after I attend the "blood coagulation clinic" for teaching, first. The options are pills, subcutaneous injections or surgery but I believe pills are where they are starting. I don't know the size of the clot but they say it has "reduced blood flow" and is "well established" and they need to get rid of it in case a transplant is necessary (my MELD is 10 which suggests that's a long way off).

This is a new hepatology clinic for me and they review everyone's first visit, history and labs in a hepatologist's group panel. One of them who specializes in that area told them to take action. They're also doing an endoscopy the following week to be safe since I've had a bleed before.

I'm not worried ... but the information I have is vague and I don't know what questions to ask. I do remember a contrast enhanced ultrasound a few years ago when they told me there were too many blood vessels developed from the portal hypertension and that made ultrasounds ineffective for cancer screening so I could only do MRI's in future. Other than that, there was never any mention of a clot.

At least they found it now. I'm hoping since they think pills will do the trick that it isn't a big deal.

Hi Deb,
I don't have any answers at all, but wanted to send a hello out to you. You sound good...and your new medical team does seem to be on top of your health care. This has to be a good thing! Big Hugs

Deb,

I went back thru threads as my friend is no longer active on the site. She stated her meld was 16 and that the Coumadin was raising her inr so her docs thought she would be transplanted in 6 months.it turned out to be only four months.

Susie

Hi deb,, you were saying you had a bleed out before, Did you have a lot of ascities at the time of your bleed, If so did they drain your stomach,, Why I ask is because My husband was drained 3 times then he had his bleed out was on life support for 6 days and in the hospital for 20 days,, bad HE, They did the tips procedure, which as you know redirects the blood and as for the HE,,, he is drinking lots of lactulose ,, What causes portal hypertension is the amount of ascities , when draining doesnt not work anymore then tips is a option, It is the bridge to transplant,, It has been 3 years ago my husband had the tips,, he has been on the list for 3 years this june,, he is on hydromorphone shots for pain, Your meld has to be 15 before you are considered for the list and it takes 6 months of running back and forth to the transplant center before they give you a answer,, My husbands highest meld was 20, then after the tips it went down to 15,, Now its a waiting game, his meld has to go up to 28 before he has a chance for a transplant , we were told that by the transplant doctor, Its ashame they wait till a person is really sick before they do anything, But that is reality and we live it every day,, good luck wishing you the best take it day by day

gypsy .. my bleed was from the esophagus. Portal hypertension in my case is from backed up blood flow (made worse from the clot).
Susie ... we're all so different ... but if you had LESS HE after tips then if it comes to tips for me ... I can hope for the same ;)
A person does get weary of battling on one front only to face another bigger one ... I started swimming laps 3 times a week ... it's the only exercise that doesn't hurt and swimming in deep water can have diuretic benefits. Really cold water is best for that though. When we lived in the mountains I'd clean out our shoreline of logs and be in the water for a couple of hours in early May. Besides slight hypothermia sometimes, I would pee TONS. I researched it lately and sure enough it is true. :) Lol