Factor V Leiden and Medical Emergency

Factor V Leiden and Medical Emergency

Factor Five (V) Leiden

On April 4th, 2014 my life changed dramatically. A walk to a nearby store, nearly turned tragic, as I crossed the road, heading home. Struck by a mini van, I sat stunned on the ground. The ball and socket joint of my shoulder shattered, and my tibia bone crushed. But I learned a valuable lesson.

 As I kept announcing that I had Factor V-Leiden, no one knew what meant. Sitting in the lane, I could have bled out, internally. The causation would have been the blood  issue of Factor Five Leiden.  Factor Five Leiden, sometimes requires a regimen of blood thinners as treatment and control.  But even if I had worn an emergency alert band, it would not have read Factor V. It would read, Blood thinners or the type I take. The  medication is more important at that point for two reasons: Factor V was not the issue at that moment, the blood thinners were. And if I had not been able to explain to the paramedics that I took blood thinners. then I might not be here today.
Please, if you take blood thinners, always wear a band that says so. 

What is Factor Five (V) Leiden?
  Some people inherit property, some inherit wealth, I inherited Factor V-Leiden.  It is not contagious.  As the chromosomes from each parent line up, some are dominant and some are recessive.  The combination of recessive or dominant genes from either parent, contributes to a the stickiness of the red blood cells.  It is the stickiness, that causes them to clump together.  This clumping, causes blood clots.  The blood clots may result in thrombosis in the limbs, organs, eyes or bones.    Factor V Leiden thrombophilia is an inherited disorder of blood clotting. Factor V Leiden is the name of a specific mutation (genetic alteration) that results in thrombophilia, or an increased tendency to form abnormal blood clots in blood vessels.

The Symptoms of Factor Five (V) Leiden: 
      * Unusual blood clots or bruising.  Often with a hot feeling, tingling or the muscles being      flexed, when they are not. 
      * If there is a member of your family, one of a first degree of kinship, and diagnosed with Factor Five Leiden, you should ask for testing.  
      * Often, women of child-bearing years will experience painful menstruation.  The menstrual fluids may pass as clumps or blood clots.  Women with Factor Five-Leiden often have difficulty getting pregnant.  And once pregnant may suffer miscarriages due to placental collapse, thrombosis in the umbilical cord or slow fetal growth.


Living With Factor Five (V) Leiden
If it found that you must take blood thinners as treatment for Factor Five Leiden, there are dietary restrictions with some medications.  Some medications require monthly blood test.  As time passes, the monthly test could be spaced out by 3 month intervals.  It is important to remember, to take the medication as prescribed.  Though, a regimen of blood thinners, may help prevent a blood clot, no medication will break a blood clot down once it develops.
  Read more:  https://www.genome.gov/15015167