What is Deep Vein Thrombosis DVT
Deep-vein thrombosis, also known as deep-venous thrombosis or DVT, is the formation of a blood clot ("thrombus") in a deep vein. It commonly affects the leg veins, such as the femo...
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Leg Twitches...
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Here I am again. I am new to this group and have a very unsupportive, missing doctor so I am glad that I found this group. I almost did not join, but I am glad I did because everyone here has a lot of good advice...and we all know what the others have been through! So thanks.
Anyway, I had what was said to be a "smaller" blood clot in my left calf in August of this year. I was in the hospital for two days on Heprin and then on Lovenox for 10 days, and now taking coumadin, with steady levels. After I got home I end up back in the hospital with a PE and the ultrasound showed that there was no longer any signs of the blood clot, so I'm cleared from that I guess, but my leg was swollen from what they said was phlebitis. This was the middle of August. My doctor rarely checks my INR, I had it done the first week every day, then every two weeks now every 4-6 weeks. So today will be the 2nd time after the everyday stint I have had it done...which to me seems odd... But anyway, (I'm obviously a little long winded, but after I'm not so new here I won't have to give you all the background info) the real reason I am writing is because my left leg continues to fall asleep easily and twitches all the time in the same area where the clot was. I had an ultra sound done in the hospital with the PE so there was no clot and my INR was thereputic what 6 weeks ago...I was just wondering if this is normal. I was also wondering just for my knowledge the general age of everyone in here because my doctor keeps telling me how concerned he is because of my age, but from the looks of everyone's picutre, everyone else seems to be pretty young too..... Posted on 10/06/09, 08:10 am |
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Hi Danielle, I am 36 (will be 37 on Oct.18th!)
I get those twitches a lot as well, kind of feels like a butterfly flapping it's wings in my leg, right around where my clot was. I was told my clot was small too, and I was told it is gone. It has now been a year since I got it, and over the past month or so my leg has been starting to feel really bad again, mostly at night. From what I can tell, I think I am getting this post thrombolic syndrome that they say you can get, and it starts well after you've had the clot. I was, however, getting this fluttering feeling after I came home from the hospital, so I don't think you're alone with that. Maybe it's something to do with our valves in our veins not working properly?? Not sure but I tend to freak out whenever it happens! So I just keep moving if its happening to keep my blood flowing. How did you get your clot and how old are you? How long do you have to take the coumadin? I bought a Coagucheck INR monitor and do my testing from home. My INR tests went the same way, if I tested in range, my doctor moved up the tests, but if I went out of range, I would have to test it more. 
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Thanks for your reply, I thought it may be something that was happening in my head, actually. And you're right, it does feel like a butterfly in my leg, similar to one of those nervous eye twitches almost (?)
I am 23 years old. I had a minor surgery in the beginning of July and in August ended up with a DVT and eventually a PE. They are not convinced it was surgery related because of the time lapse (hopefully someone can advise me on this as well). It was about 3 and 1/2 weeks after which they said was long.(?) I have been on Coumadin since August 2nd. How did you get your clot and how long have you been on coumadin, and how long will you be on it?
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Hi Danielle - I get leg twitches/flutters constantly, all up and down my DVT leg. And you're lucky your INR is stable enough they can test just once a month - I dropped again to 1.9 today, so have to go back again next week, and once a week until it's in range again. I've been struggling with my INR for over a year.
I'm 45, a common age for people to experience their first DVT/PE, even if they have genetic clotting conditions like me. You are young to have had a clot for no reason-plenty of young women have clots due to birth control pills. So if you don't have any outward risk factors, they should be looking at genetic causes. Ask your doc if he plans on taking those tests.
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Hi Laura-
I made an appointment for next week with the internist that I saw while I was in the hospital. As I mentioned before I am currently under the care of my family doctor who I feel is just unresponsive to my concerns which is irritating me. I think I have every right to be concerned about some of these things... I am very grateful we have figured out my INR. It didn't take long at all, and that was actually the internist who did it the first week I was out of the hospital. My results came back super low and he spiked my medication up and came down slowly and I have been fine ever since... I go in today for the first time in weeks to have my blood work done. I always get anxious though. I am sure I just jinxed myself. I will let you know... I feel like its not okay to question a doctor. Should I tell him that I want these tests done, instead of just take what he says and leave it at that? I tend to self diagnose and use webMD often, but it never pans out... and this time I actually have reason to be concerned. I don't know, I feel like my friends and family, even my doctor, do not under standy why I am so stressed about this stuff...which makes me feel like I have no reason to be.
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Danielle, I had a minor procedure called Sclerotherapy. My legs were getting really sore, tired and swollen from some vericose veins I had (this problem runs in my dads side of the family-except they all had theirs ripped out)So I got about 20 needles injected into my legs with a sclerosing liquid, which is supposed to shut down your bad veins and redirect your blood through the strong ones. Doc never mentioned there was a chance of a blood clot, but after researching I found it warned of them right on the sclerosing liquid. Doc said in 20 years has never seen this happen, which makes me wonder daily if there is something else going on. I was home after this procedure for about 2 weeks before I started having DVT symptoms. Had ultrasound, they said I had a small DVT, so 1 week with heperin in hospital, then home with coumadin, then I went back for another ultrasound because we were moving to Florida for 6 months and I was really freaked. They said it was gone and to stay on coumadin for 6 months. But I haven't gone off it--don't really want to. Bought the home tester and test myself, email to the anticoag. clinic, and they tell me what to do. Doc is fine with me staying on it, says a lot of people do, and if I was to get another clot, I'd be on it for life anyways, so I figure why risk it? I too was afraid to ask questions to the doc, but it is your body and you need to be satisfied with the answers you get! If your doctor is concerned about your age and the fact that this happened, hopefully he will do everything to figure out why it happened. Funny you mention the eye twitch 'cause I just got one LOL!
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Yeah, they told me about 6-12 months as well, but this quack-o doctor said I can stop it now if I want to...
In all honesty, I don't EVER want to stop it. I feel like crap and my hair is falling out, I sleep a lot and am losing weight for some reason, but after a blood clot and PE it is well worth it. I will be on it forever. I don't trust this guy as far as I can throw him and I am so glad I found this group. I made an appointment with the internist I saw at the hospital. I am not sure if the internist is who I have to see. What type of doctor's do you usually see with this condition? Nobody seems to know anything around me. My mom knows I had a blood clot but I keep telling her its nothing because she just gets worried so she has just been left in the dark and cannot help me...and I do not know where to turn. this doctor just doesn't seem to want to bother or answer any of these questions for me and I need more direction and help... what type of doctor do you guys see?
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A hematologist is good, and some folks here have even seen vascular docs. But any doc can order up the blood tests: just look your PCP in the eye and tell him you'd really like to rule out genetic conditions, to help you make informed decisions in the future regarding birth control or hormone therapy (way in the future, but still!) He should have no problem with that. If he does, ask him to refer you to a hematologist then.
But if he orders up the test and the coast is clear, you don't really need a specialist. You may want to find another PCP for the future regardless, because it doesn't sound like you have a lot of confidence in this one - that's reason enough. They are just people with degrees, Danielle, no better or worse than you or me -so there's no need to feel intimidated by doctors. You pay them - they really work FOR you. You're his boss, and can fire him at will. Keep that in mind!
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Hi Danielle,I had a lot of those symptoms in the beginning as well, although along with a lot of other people on here, my doctor said coumadin doesn't cause them. I tend to believe the logic that it's been mostly older people on this medication, and therefore symptoms were associated with their age....tired, forgetful, etc.
Most of my symptoms went away after a couple months of being on the coumadin. I also started to exercise daily, which really helped. I also lost some weight, but it seems hard to find people who have, most gain weight, but I am super active in my job and exercise. I was seeing a vascular surgeon and a specialist, whoever you are seeing just ask ask ask questions until you are satisfied....it is your life!!! If your mom can be there to help you through this, I'd jump on it....two heads can be better than one, right?
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When I was 48 years old I had knee surgery, which resulted in a three blood clots, 1 being a dvt right behind the knee. I was placed on warfarin and lovenox for 3 months and was not allowed to exercise. Beginning in January 2009, I began physical therapy, but found the exercises weren't helping. I began augmenting my p.t. with non weight bearing cardio and strength training at the gym. From January to August 2009, I experienced leg swelling (especially after exercising), leg falling asleep and tingling in my leg. Was referred on an oncologist who found my blood work was good, he ordered another doppler and found that the dvt was gone and referred me to a Vascular Surgeon. My appointment is this Tuesday. Since August I have added jogging and tennis to my exercising routine (which is against the advice of my ortho doctor and oncologist and g.p.), at first my leg and especially knee, began swelling even more and hurt a lot, but now it is October and my leg stil swells, but it does not hurt or fall asleep any longer.
All my doctor's are not worried about my age, they say I am in good health and encourage me to do non weight bearing exercise.
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just thought i would add i get constant twitches. how ever i dont have a DVT, but i have the damaged valves too... i have pelvic varicosities (pelvic congestion syndrome). my legs are getting affected and they also fall asleep.
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