Emily Jansson, 34, was on a flight from Canada to Dubai for a girls’ trip when she suddenly began experiencing ‘weird chest pains’ and coughing fits
A terrifying mid-air medical emergency has been recounted by a woman who suffered a life-threatening blood clot in her lungs during a long-haul flight. Emily Jansson, a 34 year old mother of two, was on her way from Canada to Dubai International Airport for a getaway with friends on February 5, 2025.
However, the lengthy journey took a nearly fatal turn when she started to experience “weird chest pains” alongside uncontrollable coughing.
Jansson had just awoken after sleeping for a significant portion of the 13-hour flight and was waiting to use the bathroom when she lost consciousness and collapsed, remaining out for about five minutes. “I was waiting for the bathroom and I got this really deep, dull aching pain in my chest out of nowhere,” she recalls of the ordeal.
In the fall, Jansson sustained injuries as she knocked her head, resulting in a bruised eye and arm, and afterwards found herself grappling with confusion and fragmented memories.
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Upon landing, which luckily occurred only two and a half hours later, she was swiftly taken to Rashid Hospital Dubai where urgent medical scans revealed a chilling diagnosis. A bilateral saddle pulmonary embolism.
This is an extensive blood clot situated within the primary artery of the lung which divides into branches for each lung.
The seriousness of her condition meant that any delay in treatment could have been catastrophic, reports the Mirror US. Doctors were astonished at her survival, admitting that given the circumstances, “it was essentially a miracle” she didn’t succumb to cardiac arrest.
In hindsight, Jansson identified multiple risk factors that contributed to her in-flight emergency. These included prolonged immobility despite wearing compression stockings, and the estrogen birth control pill Zamine, both posing substantial threats to her wellbeing during the flight.
This combined contraceptive pill, containing both progestogen and estrogen, can increase the likelihood of blood clots. She is currently on anticoagulant medication to prevent further clotting and will remain on this treatment for a minimum of six months.
She explained: “I was restricting my body’s blood flow, which contributed to my clot developing. I had little idea about the danger I was in. After taking estrogen birth control for six years before consistently, I didn’t know my risk of blood clots was so high.”
A saddle pulmonary embolism, a condition where a blood clot obstructs the artery feeding the lungs, only represents 2 to 5 per cent of all pulmonary embolism cases. If not addressed promptly, it can result in heart failure and cause sudden death in approximately 30 per cent of instances.
“I was terrified and partly in denial when they told me what I had. I knew someone who had the same thing and how serious it was and I was just freaking out,” Jannson admitted.
Jannson spent six days in hospital receiving thrombolytic therapy and clot-dissolving medication. She recuperated with a friend in Dubai for three weeks post-treatment.
“It’s important that people know about the risks of this particular birth control, Zamine, and the safety of flying. If you’re on a long-haul flight, make sure you move around and let your body breathe,” she cautioned.
Jannson elaborated: “I was fortunate that there was a doctor on board and some very amazing, competent flight attendants. They essentially saved my life when it shouldn’t have been possible.
“I’m still recovering from this episode, and my body has been through a lot. But I’m hopeful my experience can educate people about the risks of blood clots. And just as a reminder that life is so precious and to just really appreciate it.”