My father had been suffering from DVT’s in his late 50's and being a GP
he was aware of FVL so took tests for this which came back positive. Myself
and my brothers were told we would have to be tested for FVL.
I was 22 at
the time and had been extremely tired since I was 16 (when I went on the
pill) and at Christmas 2006 had begun to suffer with terrible headaches.
My father was diagnosed with FVL in March 2006 and on May 24th I received
my paper work requesting me to have the FVL test.
I had been at university
for three years studying food sciences. May 24th 2006 was the day I finished
university so myself and my mother went out for lunch to celebrate myself
finishing my studies and to talk about the FVL paperwork I’d received.
I felt really dizzy this day, I clearly remember having lunch with my mum
although I cannot remember driving her home, driving myself home, going
shopping or the fact that my mother called me at 10pm to ask if I still
felt dizzy. I had told her that I felt fine so she said that she’d phone
me the next day which she did and couldn’t get hold of me. She started to
worry so she went to my house at 4pm, the lights were all on and my key
was in the back of the door but I wouldn’t answer.
My mother was extremely worried so she asked my father to come up to my
house. When he arrived they broke in (as they didn’t have keys) and they
found me passed out on the floor. I was taken to the hospital by ambulance
where I was given a CT scan which showed a huge blood clot within my brain
that had put me into a coma, I was in intensive care for 4 weeks. I was
in a coma for 6 days and was a vegetable for 4 weeks. I was tested for FVL
and was positive. My memory was not working at all. I couldn’t walk, talk
or swallow so was being taught these things and then one day my memory just
started working again and I was back to normal.
I had a straight sinus thrombosis,
which I’ve investigated and found out that not many people make a full recovery;
I had a straight sinus thrombosis due to having FVL and taking the contraceptive
pill. Now I have made a full recovery and am fully aware of what I can/cannot
do suffering with FVL and websites like this are very helpful so thank you
very much for setting this up and giving information about FVL and people’s
stories which are so interesting. Liz Plumb (Wales, UK).