ak_rider Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 So, I've noticed that some members of this forum have some medical background, more extensive than my wfr and emt-b. I was just wondering if anyone knew anything about the effects of high altitude on blood and blood clots. I just got released from the hospital afer 1 1/2 weeks. I had a massive blood clot in a vein in my brain and underwent surgery to remove it. The doctors, as of yet, don't know why it happened.I didn't suffer a head trauma, and I don't have a family history nor am I a smoker or overweight or out of shape. The docs actually said my great physical condition saved my life. I do live in Breck on the mountain at 10,000ft. Before this season I always lived at sealevel in NE and in AK. I'm thinking maybe the altitude, and increase in red blood cells, maybe had something to do with this. If anyone has any theories or ideas I'm open to them. Sometimes the docs need some ideas to find the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinecure Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Curiously, I had a good friend experience something similar. He's in his early 40's and basically had a stroke from a blood clot. The only speculation I heard that made any/some sense was that sometimes things as simple as visiting the dentist or flossing your teach can cause it. Bacteria gets in your blood and causes a clot. Weird. He has a stent in a vein now. It was scary when it happened. Glad to know you are OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatha Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 There's "blood clots" and then there's "blood clots".. The popular media doesn't do a great job distinguishing between them.... First off, there are the 2 clots that result from trauma-subdural hematomas and epidural hematomas. They are typically removed by surgery. Ronald Reagan fell from a horse and had a subdural hematoma drained (about 2 months later, so by then, probably a subdural hygroma-as the blood would have broken down, but the serous fluid remained) Second are the thrombotic and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular accidents-a stroke. Thrombotic CVA result from a tiny bit of clot thrown off a rough spot in your carotid or vertebral arteries and floating down only to get lodged in a blood vessel and stop the bloodflow to your brain. Hemorrhagic CVA's result from ruptured little arteries and sometimes the mass of blood can be removed surgically but most hemorrhagic CVA's are treated by reducing the high blood pressure that caused the little arteries to rupture in the first place Third are subarachnoid hemorrhages-these result from ruptured aneurysms or bleeding arteriovenous malformations. These used to be treated almost exclusively by surgery but now many are amenable to neuroradiologic embolization with titanium coils(titanium cannot magnetize, hence safe for use with MRI imaging).The radiologist puts a catheter into the femoral artery much like the cardiologists with heart caths and directs a catheter to the bleeding artery and shoots little coils into the aneurysm or AVM to clog it up Fourth are cavernous sinus thromboses-this is a clot in the venous drainage system in your scalp and cranium. These are pretty rare but can be deadly. many are attributed to runaway sinus/upper airway/scalp infections. The management is not clear cut-some say they are a surgical emergency and some say they are best treated with anticoagulation and antibiotics. None are especially linked to altitude and I can't tell what you had by your post. I have seen all except option 4 in my 15 years of medical practice Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin A. Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Skatha, I though you were a snowboarder.... ;) ________ Lamborghini countach specifications Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatha Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Skatha, I though you were a snowboarder.... ;) Somebody has to be 'round to rescue you chuckleheads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ak_rider Posted March 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 my discharge papers state a right sagital vein thrombosis, and under procedures lists right transverse sigmoid sinus(I can't make out what's written in front of it but I think it describes the procedure). i know they said that it had someting to do with the sinus and affected the drainage of blood from my head(I was heavily sedated so I'm sure their diagnosis was more precise but I couldnt comprehend it at the time). the docs in summit originally said i had an intracranial bleed, but once in denver they took more pics with dye in the ct scan and in the mri and found it was a clot. They intially tried to treat it in denver with heperin, but that wasn't working so they then called in the neuro surgeon. thanks to everyone for their input so far. i'm still hopeful that i wll be able to snowboard again, but my season is over for this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carvedog Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 Ak_rider, Wow. Sorry to hear about your hospital stay - glad you are out. I will be sending healing your way. Take your time to heal right. Doesn't sound like you have a choice - the snow will be there next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatha Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 my discharge papers state a right sagital vein thrombosis, and under procedures lists right transverse sigmoid sinus(I can't make out what's written in front of it but I think it describes the procedure). i know they said that it had someting to do with the sinus and affected the drainage of blood from my head(I was heavily sedated so I'm sure their diagnosis was more precise but I couldnt comprehend it at the time). the docs in summit originally said i had an intracranial bleed, but once in denver they took more pics with dye in the ct scan and in the mri and found it was a clot.They intially tried to treat it in denver with heperin, but that wasn't working so they then called in the neuro surgeon. thanks to everyone for their input so far. i'm still hopeful that i wll be able to snowboard again, but my season is over for this year. Option 4, you're a lucky man to have lived.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 Option 4, you're a lucky man to have lived.... or maybe a lucky WOman (I believe AK_Rider is of the fairer sex :)) oh, and AK...now that you've used up one of your nine lives...how about some SUNSCREEN! I know goggle tan is a badge of pride, but...well...;) glad youre ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ak_rider Posted March 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2006 I think i definately used up one of my nine lives, guess it's fitting that my name is Kat. Being from AK i guess I greatly underestimated the importance of sunscreen. I will definately be rocking the spf45 next season :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted March 20, 2006 Report Share Posted March 20, 2006 yup...you actually look like a purdy girl, but that goggle tan's gotta go:) you know...lately Ive been reading a lot about sunscreen and (gasp) cancer, so maybe do some research before you start gooping stuff on your face. so are you off snow for a while? or.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ak_rider Posted March 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 unfortunately i'm off snow for the rest of this season, but i got 102 days, so i can't be too mad. there's always next year :) and the tan's pretty much gone now, it's amazing how fast a tan fades when you're stuck in a hospital for 2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 100 days by MARCH? wow yes, take it easy. you (luckily) have next season! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gleb Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 glad your ok. and seriously, 100 days this early. Damn! I wanna live near a mountain :( The increased red blood cell count defintly makes sense. Athletes that take red blood cell increasing drugs can suffer from the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ak_rider Posted March 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 it's definately awesome living near a mountian, except now, when we've gotten 17" in the past 3 days and I'm stuck on the couch. arrrgh, I'm just telling myself that the mountain is full of drunken spring breakers and I wouldnt have fun because of the crowds anyway. That's what I'm telling myself anyway :rolleyes: but I did have powder days almost everyday in Nov. I guess I need to share the snowwith everyone else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatha Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 or maybe a lucky WOman (I believe AK_Rider is of the fairer sex :))oh, and AK...now that you've used up one of your nine lives...how about some SUNSCREEN! I know goggle tan is a badge of pride, but...well...;) glad youre ok. So sorry about the mixup... And about the slopes being crowded with drunken spring breakers-so are the beaches...I'm staying away for the same reason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gleb Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 it's definately awesome living near a mountian, except now, when we've gotten 17" in the past 3 days and I'm stuck on the couch. arrrgh, I'm just telling myself that the mountain is full of drunken spring breakers and I wouldnt have fun because of the crowds anyway. That's what I'm telling myself anyway :rolleyes: but I did have powder days almost everyday in Nov. I guess I need to share the snowwith everyone else God damn! thats infintly more snow than up here. off topic: (i do alot of these:smashfrea) For a few years now Ive been looking into going to work in alaska for 3 years after i graduate from college in 6 years. Which part of alaska has the best carving mtns? to me, it looks like Alyeska. Also the fact that they got 55'' in the past 3 days makes it seem even better. Your input would be great. on snocountry.com, only 4 resorts show up for alaska. Thats kinda suprising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ak_rider Posted March 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 i looked on snocountry and have no idea where birch hill is, i think it's the little hill near fairbanks, never been there but fairbanks and the whole interior is really flat and rediculously cold, like -80 cold. there's really only 2 major ski area, eagel crest is ok but it's in juneau(aka midle of nowhere). alyeska is the best for carving, when it's not dumping. when there's pow there's pow, the storm that dumped 55" is actually an average size. there was one in january that dropped 160" in 5 days. the cycle at alyeska is pow, pow, then it gets too cold to snow and it'll be clear for like a week or so and then warm up enough for more pow. and it goes back and forth like that the whole winter. when it gets to those cold snaps it's awesome for carving, they groom EVERYTHING, even gullies, it's sick!!! it's the best of both worlds, bottomless pow and awesome groomed. it's definately a hardbooters corduroy, when snow gets that cold it's so hard that unless you sharpen your edges everyday it's pretty hard to set a good edge on softies. plus they have an FIS race course, super sick to mach down, it goes from the top of chair 6(highest lift on the mountain) to the bottom of the mountain. and nobody ever goes to AK in the winter, they all think it's freezing cold and we live in igloos, so you can go as fast as you want without having to worry about some tourist cutting you off. i'd jus stay away from alpenglow. it's run by volunteers so they don't really groom. alyeska's anywhere from 25min to 2 hours from anchorage, depending on road conditions. sometimes you can do 80 sometimes you can only do 30. I feel I should warn you, once you go you'll never want to come back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gleb Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 you just made up my desicion for me. Thank you. They pay handsomely to work up there. fortunatly they don't advertise it only so only few people actually know about the oppertunities for pharmacist up there. I wouldn't really care if they paid me the same as if i worked in the city, i just want to carve and ski powder as often as possible. I was just told that its very important to find someone to go there with that enjoys the mountain as much as i do because it could get lonely up there. If its like you described, i might be there for many many years. lol. I got 6 years to improve my carving and i gotta learn how to ride powder. oh man, im pretty excited that I might wet myself. Nevermind, it already happend. :o (not really) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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