How to Live With Hughes Syndrome
Hughes Syndrome is an autoimmune disease that causes the sufferer to experience a predisposition for blood clots. Once diagnosed, this disease is relatively easy to treat. Hughes Syndrome patients can simply take their medication, monitor their blood and experience a markedly improved level of health over what they had before the diagnosis. Read on to learn how to live with Hughes Syndrome.
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Instructions
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Get to Know Your Blood
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Know that, although Hughes Syndrome is relatively easy to treat with such drugs as Warfarin and common aspirin, it is very important to continue to monitor the thickness of the blood and its ability to remain thinned by the medication.
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Ask the attending physician how often you need to get the International Normalized Ratio (INR) test to compare the thickness of your blood as compared to idealized samples.
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Make a note of how often you need to get an INR test.
Watch for Warning Signs
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Be aware that migraines, dizziness and even heart attacks and miscarriages are symptoms of Hughes Syndrome. When you live with Hughes Syndrome, each of these issues can lead to something far more serious without medical intervention, so stay alert.
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Alert your companions as to how to react should you faint or sustain an injury. Keeping your doctor's number on you at all times is one important aspect of learning to live with Hughes Syndrome.
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Provide a loved one with your doctor's number in case of an emergency.
Be Quick to Seek Help
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Know that if you sustain even a minor head injury whilst taking medication for Hughes Syndrome, you should go to the nearest emergency room. The blood thinning qualities of the medication can cause bleeding within the brain.
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Make an appointment with your doctor at the first sign of pregnancy. It is critical, if you live with Hughes Syndrome, to get on the right blood-thinning medication to give the pregnancy the best chance for success.
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Share your symptoms with your doctor.
Make Lifestyle Changes
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Avoid contact sports if you are being treated for Hughes Syndrome. The medications used for this illness, such as aspirin and Warfarin, can cause copious bleeding, even hemorrhaging.
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Keep the blood moving. Rather than falling asleep on long flights or car rides, stay alert and get up and move at least every two hours or more if you are able. This can prevent dangerous clots from forming.
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Take your medications every day, as directed. However, if you miss a day, do not double-up the next day. This can cause excessive blood thinning. Confirm this with your doctor.
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Tips & Warnings
As with so many illnesses, living with Hughes Syndrome isn't about finding a cure but in managing the symptoms, being aware of the risk factors involved and making the appropriate lifestyle adjustments--staying aware of your limitations is key.
