Patient Concerned About Possible Heparin Reaction

Park Ridge NJStephen J. says he is not positive his health problems are related to the recent Heparin contamination. However, he says that he did receive a Heparin injection, through Heparin syringes, in late 2007, and now experiences health issues that he did not have prior to his Heparin exposure. Although he is not sure that the Heparin caused his troubles, Stephen (not his real name) says that doctors have ruled out every other explanation for his complications.

"Well, I was put on Heparin because I had developed pulmonary embolisms," Stephen says. "I didn't have any complications that I was aware of in the hospital. After I was on the Heparin, they switched me over to Coumadin and I went home. I was pretty much not active for a month and a half after that and I have never gotten my full strength back.

I have been in the emergency room at least once every month after being hospitalized [with the pulmonary embolisms] up until July, 2008, with breathing difficulties. I had tightness in my chest for quite a while. They admitted me to the hospital for about 8 days and I was given high doses of prednisone steroids—I don't remember what I was given before the steroids—and a nebulizer.

I have since had periods of time where, if I walk up flights of stairs or if I walk from the subway to my office, I have to stop until I feel like I can walk. I get out of breath, light-headed, and confused, it's like hypoxia [low oxygen] syndrome."

Stephen says that a pulmonary specialist ordered an echocardiogram, which showed that he had moderate pulmonary hypertension. However, a later procedure found no evidence of pulmonary hypertension, ruling out that explanation for his breathing difficulties.

"I continue today to have tightness in my chest," Stephen says. "If there is any exertion, I have to stop and catch my breath. The doctor took my oxygen level in my blood when I was stationary and when I went up a flight of steps and it dropped, which isn't supposed to happen. It is still happening and we don't know why. I was in the emergency room about 3 weeks ago because I had trouble breathing and they had to put me on oxygen. I have an inhaler, but it doesn't do anything.

I was given the Heparin on December 6, 2007. Things were kind of fuzzy at the time. First it was a [Heparin] drip, and I believe I got injections at the same time. I don't know how many shots I was given. The first 24 hours [of a pulmonary embolism] are critical. Fortunately, I made it. The embolisms are gone but this shouldn't cause breathing problems. I still have breathing problems, periods of confusion and tightness in my chest.

I've had CAT scan after CAT scan and they don't know what is causing this. I did not have these problems before [the Heparin exposure]. All my life I've had slight asthma, but I've never been hospitalized before. I was even in sports as a kid.

The pulmonologist has ruled everything out, so we wonder what's going on. They've ruled out hypertension, there are no blockages in my heart and it's not a heart failure type of thing.

The thing is, once you hear a diagnosis [in an emergency] you're in a high state of concern, but you don't hear much after that about medications or retain it all because you're too worried about living. The doctors don't tell you everything and, if it's an emergency, I guess they can't."