Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Support Group

so many options. it sounds very much like it could be a clot, the lung pain could very well be a PE. I would recommend getting your dr to be straight with you.

Yes, I would second dragonfyre, and if your name signifys that you do indeed drive a bus, i would think you probably sit for lengthy periods which could cause a clot I would think.

Yes.... I do indeed drive a school bus. In fact Im in it fir about 8 jours a day. Thank you so much for replying.

I would suggest that you seek further diagnosis. If your chest starts hurting and you are short of breath it could be a pulmonary embolism which is life-threatening.

I would also recommend wearing compression stockings and trying to move your legs as much as possible.

I hope you feel better soon.

on the compression stockings if you don't want the expensive custom made kind with a little bit of fudging the futura support stockings will work. Just go a few sizes to small. cost is less then $15.00 a pair usually.

I have tried the stockings and all it does is push the swelling to places that arent covered by them. Im thinking this is a DVT. I have had EKG'S, 2 ultrasounds, numerous x-rays and a bone scan. I just wish they could figure out what it is. 4 months without an answer is wearing a bit thin on my nerves! I have 3 small children and want to be around for them. The cough I mentioned only occurs when I am laying down. I have been woken up from a dead sleep by it and my chest and lungs hurt the following morning.

The test that can find evidence of PE is a chest CT scan, which typically runs $2000 or more in the USA. If you could get one done then that would be the diagnostic gold standard, even if it is to buy some degree of peace of mind.

Meanwhile you can persist in bird-dogging whatever is with the leg.

Have you tried the toe to waist compression pantyhose? They are not the funnest in this weather, but you can live with them...especially knowing they are improving your health. My insurance covers mine at 80% after a $100 deductible. I can get 6 pair per year. If you need instructions on how to put them on please message me directly through Daily Strength. They are hard to put on, but with the help of powder and the donning gloves it is completely doable. They sure cure the problem you described with the swelling being pushed up. They really help me.

Hi busdriver,
You should definitely mention your breathing problems to your doctor asap!
I had a pulmonary embolism and one of the big things remaining for me is that at night I keep waking up because I have to sit up and breathe. For a while I also had a cough but that has now gone.
Are you or were you a smoker? Have you tried asthma sprays and did it work? (they kept giving them to me and they never worked, pretty much proving that it wasn't asthma. Of course not as later they found the PE)
I had an ultrasound done last week. It was a consultant radiologist (so a specialist doctor, not an ultrasound techie or similar) who did it. He scanned my leg from my groin to my knee but then stopped as he said that below the knee the veins were not big enough to be able to accurately see clots. He said that scans below the knee tended to be only 60% accurate. So a negative ultrasound does not completely rule out clots below the knee.
Have you had a d-dimer blood test done? They can reveal if your body is likely to develop clots.

In any case, if your doctor takes your breathing problems seriously and orders a ct scan of your lungs they will be able to see whether you have clots there and then treat you for them with anticoagulants. That is the same treatment as for clots in the leg.
It may be some clots you have but it may not be. Make sure you give all the information to your doctor so that he/she can make an informed decision.
Good luck and make sure to keep us in the loop!

Well..... I had my appointment yesterday and still have no answers. The ultrasound was inconclusive. So now what? He wants to do a veinogram but they no longer perform that test. So once again I heard "to be honest I dont know whats wrong". Been hearing that for four months now. Will I ever get an answer?