APAS after birth.
Who would have thought that this dreaded disorder can still haunt you after pregnancy and way after the birth of your child.
Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome, otherwise known as APAS or APS in some countries, is an abnormal clotting disorder>>. It is often diagnosed in women who have had recurrent miscarriages.
Once diagnosed with APAS, pregnant women are required to be on several medications such as aspirin and heparin to thin their blood and make their pregnancy viable.
However, APAS can still affect your life even if you are not pregnant. I remember having terrible migraines since I was a kid. It was exponentially magnified when I was working and the migraines came with nausea and pain at the back and by the neck. Of course, like many workaholics out there, I just attributed it to stress. Upon some more probing, turns out that what I have been feeling may be symptoms of APAS.
According to National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, APS can lead to many health problems, including stroke, heart attack, kidney damage, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism and some of the signs and symptoms are:
- Chest pain and shortness of breath
- Pain, redness, warmth, and swelling in the limbs
- Ongoing headaches
- Speech changes
- Upper body discomfort in the arms, back, neck, and jaw
- Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach)
In retrospect, I have noticed a significant drop in my migraine episodes when I was under aspirin therapy (pre and during pregnancy). After giving birth to Santi, I stopped taking aspirin thinking that everything was over. However, I have been not feeling well lately with extreme migraines and some overwhelming fatigue. I dilly-dallied for a while, thinking I was just under the weather but it turns out this crazy serious condition is here again, knocking at my door.
I consulted with my immunologist if I should continue with my aspirin therapy (that’s daily low-dose of aspirin) and to my surprise, she said yes! I should have tested myself sooner but I never really thought that my migraines could be connected to my sticky blood yet again.
Anyway, APAS mommy, if you are experiencing the same, please do consult with your immunologist or your obstetrician. As we all know, with repro-immune disorders, one treatment plan does not fit all so it is always BEST to consult your physician.
Hope this helps!
Toodles!
