More Sticky Blood
Kay Thackray returns with an expanded look at antiphospholipid syndrome, addressing areas her first book could not fully cover, including the neurological effects of APS, updates on treatment, and stories from patients living with the condition.
About This Book
After the warm reception of her first book, Kay Thackray published this follow-up to address the questions and topics that had emerged since her original guide was released. More Sticky Blood is not simply a revised edition; it takes the conversation further, exploring aspects of antiphospholipid syndrome that the earlier book touched on only briefly.
One of the most valuable expansions in this book is the treatment of neurological symptoms. APS is well known for its association with stroke in younger patients, but Thackray also covers the more subtle cognitive effects, including memory difficulties, brain fog, and concentration problems, that many APS patients experience but may not connect to their diagnosis. These symptoms are often dismissed or misattributed, and having them documented and explained by a patient author carries significant weight for readers who have felt unheard.
The book also updates readers on research that had emerged since the publication of the first volume, including work on catastrophic APS, a rare but life-threatening form of the condition, and evolving thinking about how to monitor and adjust anticoagulation more effectively. Thackray writes these updates in accessible language, maintaining the same patient-centered tone that made her first book so widely recommended.
Patient stories appear throughout the book, drawn from the community that formed around Thackray's first publication. These accounts ground the clinical information in real experience and help readers recognize their own patterns in the experiences of others. For a condition that can feel isolating and confusing, this sense of shared experience is itself a form of support.
Our Review
This companion volume rewards readers who have already worked through Thackray's first book, offering depth on topics like APS and the nervous system, treatment updates, and the patient community around Hughes syndrome. The neurological section is its greatest strength, giving well-documented recognition to cognitive symptoms that often get left out of clinical literature aimed at patients. The patient narratives add emotional texture that makes the medical information feel relevant rather than abstract.
As with the first book, some treatment specifics have been superseded by more recent clinical guidance, particularly around anticoagulant choices. Readers with recently diagnosed APS should use this as a complement to current specialist care rather than a substitute for it. Together, both Thackray books form a strong patient library on APS.