The contraceptive pill nearly killed me: Nurse, 25, blamed chest pain on her gruelling 12-hour shifts but she had a deadly blood clot

A nurse has claimed she nearly died after suffering a deadly blood clot which was caused by her contraceptive pill.

Chloe Mangan, initially thought her aching muscles and chest pain were being caused by her gruelling 12-hour shifts as a nurse. 

The 25-year-old started taking the combined pill in August to try and combat her acne.

She had struggled with skin issues since her teenage years and had hoped the medication would help to boost her self confidence.

Around a month later Chloe began experiencing pain in her legs, which she put down to working 12-hour shifts as a paediatric nurse.

On a night shift soon after, she felt severe pains across her chest but mistook the aches for a pulled muscle from her dance class and working such a physical job.

It was only when her colleagues encouraged Chloe to go to A&E that doctors discovered a significant blood clot in her left lung.

Chloe was told the clot was caused by the combined pill - now she says she feels lucky to be alive.

Chloe Mangan, 25,blamed her chest and leg pains on her job as a paediatric nurse, where she works 12-hour shifts

Chloe started taking the combined pill in August to try and combat her acne and boost her self-confidence

Chloe, from Dudley, West Midlands, said: I always suffered with acne and my skin, Id tried the pill before but it hadnt really worked.

My acne had really started to affect my self-confidence because I felt like there was nothing I could do to hide my biggest flaw.

Then I went to go and see a specialist consultant in June or July and we decided to try the pill again because they believed my skin was something to do with my hormones.

She did tell me this pill has a double risk of blood clots but that it was still a small risk and with every other factor in my medical history, I shouldnt be too concerned.

A few weeks in my skin had started clearing up and it was a really positive thing for me so Id forgotten the risk of blood clots.

But in October, just weeks after beginning her new medication, Chloe began experiencing unexplained pains in her chest and legs.

She told her colleagues that her hurt and her calf felt quite tight.

She said: Being on my feet for 12 hours, I thought it was probably related to that. I didnt think too much of it.

Chloe was told about the risk of blood clots, but was informed there was only a small risk

Tests later revealed she had a pulmonary embolism - a sudden blockage in a lung artery

Then I was working a night shift and had been experiencing some chest pain in the lead up to my shift, which hadnt gone away.

While I was working I began with this severe chest pain, shortness of breath, a stabbing pain, which took me off my feet. It was very left-sided but I thought it was just muscular.

Im a dancer and only a few days before wed been lifting each other up and doing quite a lot of strenuous activities on my left side and I just put it down to that.

I just thought I had pulled something, I have quite a physical job and get a lot of aches and pains.

As her chest pain grew worse, Chloe was encouraged by colleagues to get checked out in A&E where tests revealed she had a pulmonary embolism - a sudden blockage in a lung artery. 

The doctor came back and said your bloods indicate that youve got a blood clot, Chloe said.

It completely knocked me for six, it was 4am and I was on my own. I thought this is quite serious and I can die from this quite easily.

My blood clot was something called a provoked blood clot, which means there was a cause.  

With my age and being on the pill, they knew it was most likely caused by that.

Being young and relatively fit, you just dont expect this to happen to people like me. It really surprised me.

They said it was a significant blood clot. I couldve had a heart attack, the clot couldve gone to my brain.

I really couldve died, it couldve been a completely different outcome, Im very lucky.

After recovering, Chloe is now speaking out against the risks involved with the combined pill

Chloe said at one point her pain was so bad, she could not breath without screaming

After being discharged, Chloe was rushed back to hospital when her chest pain worsened.

Chloe said: The pain was 10 times worse than what it first had been. Painkillers just werent touching it.

I couldnt breathe out without screaming, it was horrific. Id never experienced pain like that in my life.

Chloe stopped taking the contraceptive pill immediately after her hospitalisation and is now on a six-month course of blood-thinners.

After her ordeal, Chloe is now speaking out against the risks involved with the combined pill.

Chloe said: The scary thing is that it really can happen to anybody. When the risks are talked about, I dont think its stressed enough how much a blood clot can have an impact on your life.

It has a significant impact and its all from a pill that most people take..