I'm 10+ years out from my first one and can echo much of the same. Glad to hear you're doing well!

Very glad to hear your success story Moolar. Stay safe and healthy always. That's encouraging for people like me who just have started the post clot journey.. and have a tough long way to go..

When I was in the beginning of it, I couldn't even imagine how I'd be in the future, & now I'm so grateful, & a lot wiser for it. It is a long journey, but one day you will be there also, & it's an amazing feeling. Hang in there! :)

Yeh thanks alot Moolar for the kind words and sharing your experiences.
Just one question, did your leg get totally normal as for me i have a lot of fluttering, jumping of veins and some burning as well which only feels better after a lot of walking, cycling or swimming. While sitting, its worse. So is it that we get used to with it with the passage of time or it literally gets better.

I was discussing with vascular surgeon recently and he said since the valves of popliteal vein got damaged and the blood will always tend to flow in opposite directions while sitting or standing etc. This is a bit worrying for me at the moment. Just trying to be active etc. for now.

I am curious to hear more details of your stories. I believe I might be a different case as I went into the vascular surgeon for a little topical Scleratherapy (to basicallyget rid of a few bothersome veins) they really didn't cause me much problem but the doctor talked me into a much more invasive procedure which I later learned from other doctors wasn't necessary. And the procedure the vascular surgeon did resulted in 2DVT's as some of the Scleratherapy (solution that is intended to close veins) accidentally got into my deep veins. I was not given a good prognosis. I was told the clots already look chronic and even if they cleared my veins would be damaged because of the solution that got in them. Then about 3 to 4 months later a different Dr I had started going to said 2 of my other deep veins are leaking and I would have to wear compression stockings.. I was told once the veins are damaged and leak that there is no fixing them. I can't tell you what a blow that was! I was a healthy, extremely active (Zumba Instructor)(which I haven't been able to do since) 40 year old when this happened. Fast forward a year and a half after and I was told at my last scan that one of the DVT's is gone and the other DVT vein they can't even see which I guess my body absorbed it (not good) and they can't see that any of my veins are leaking but I still have so much pain in my leg, ankle, and foot both with or without compression stalkings. Can anyone offer me words of encouragement for short or long term recovery? Or if it is true that once damaged, veins can't repair themselves? Thanks for any help or advice you can provide. I pray all the time for a miracle healing.

Don't worry Shahid, what you are feeling is normal & while it will probably never go away 100%, it will improve. The 1st year my leg hurt like heck, & was partly due to healing & because of the collateral veins being built. The 2nd year was less & only improved. My leg still gives me occasional twinges, or will hurt for no reason at all even now. I've always exercised, which I believe really helped with my healing, & you nailed it as all that extra blood flow helps with the symptoms, so keep it up :)

LissaB, I’m sorry you are dealing with this, & while I can't promise you any miracles, know it will get better in time, just takes a LOT of time. Veins & their valves that are broken can't be fixed sadly, all you can do is remove them, but new ones tend to come back usually. Clots will always be absorbed by the body over time, as that is natures way of dealing with them (that's why we take blood thinners to prevent new clots so our bodies can do their job). The only downside to that is that it can cause scarring of the vein wall, which may cause pain. Exercise is critical in some form, as blood that moves is always better than blood that doesn't ,& can help build collateral veins etc. Stockings never worked for me personally, but I know they have helped others, so it's how you feel in them. You also may have post-thrombotic syndrome & I found a link that speaks to it if that helps:
https://www.stoptheclot.org/postthrombotic-syndrome.htm

Thanks a lot dear Moolar for your encouraging and kind words. Yes i have also found exercise quite helpful and that's why don't miss it like i don't miss the meals or work. And of those cycling and swimming being the best in my circumstances since i am also yet recovering from my meniscal knee surgery. So hopefully after over the coming 1-2 years, things will improve to greater extent. both the knee and dvt leg. But its always good to unload the burden off the chest with someone who has been through similar circumstances. Soon in march i will be at first anniversary for both my surgery and DVT and PE along with my birthday lolz.

Best of luck to you dear, keep it up staying active always and have the best of your times.