My thoughts:

The symptoms you describe sound like something I would have checked out.

If you are concerned about driving up costs, it will cost your insurance company less to check it out early rather than to wait until it turns into a PE.

Mostly, if you are concerned, it's better to take away the worry and get it checked out. Finding out it is nothing is a good thing. But if it is something, it is better to find it earlier than later.

Good Luck!

I think I'd probably get it checked out just because it sounds like things have changed. If it was same-ole, same-ole, I might wait a bit. But, with the increase in pain and the size of your calf, it'd be worth getting checked out.

With the Lovenox, though, I imagine you'd be OK waiting until the morning to call your doctor. And, that is what I'd do first thing. Call, and then get his/her opinion and see where to go from there.

But, if you're gonna be up all night thinking about it, you might as well get checked now. If it really is another clot, insurance premiums are the least of your worries.

Keep us posted! Hope it is nothing!

I think this is something that will always sort of nag at us, those times of uncertainty. I think it's a good plan to take a shot and re assess tomorrow. Then you can also call your doc too and get his take.

Keep us posted!

Thanks for the great input. I'll let you know what happens.

If you have been in constant pain since your original DVT, and you are taking pain killers for it, you might have PTS. You said that the pain increased with more than normal physical exertion. I seriously doubt that this would cause another clot. What probably happened is that you over-worked the leg and caused greater than normal pain along with some swelling.

I myself have been struggling with constant pain since my initial DVT. My pain levels can get really high when I push physical activities above the normal level that my leg has become accustom to. On those days the pain meds that I normally take do not touch all of the pain. I have also been back to the emergency room a couple of times to check for new clots. Every time it has turned out to be a false alarm.

It's really hard to know when to go to the emergency room. When my last trip to the emergency room turned out to be a false alarm, the ER Physician who treated me sais that I made the right call by coming in to get the leg checked out. He said if he was in my shoes with the previous DVT/PE, he would have made the same call! Ultimately it's your decision to make; especially since you are no longer on anticoagulants. If you have a second clot, you will become a lifer on thinners.

I hope everything turns out well for you! In the end you will make the right decision for you and your situation.

Obtained an ultrasound which indicated the same ol' clots, so "yay." Quite the tap dance: I first tried to follow the advice of the ultrasound tech at my most recent ER visit, which was to first call her office (my vascular surgeon's) and request an immediate ultrasound, to maybe avoid the other tests/expenses of an ER. Only when I then called the receptionist of that office, she said that couldn't be done, and "who was it who told" me it could be? I called my PCP, who advised me to go to the ER. I then called my health insurance RN consultant who advised me to go to Urgent Care, which I did, after first calling and checking that ultrasound would be available. So I get there, I'm seeing the Physician Assistant, who says yes they have ultrasound, but they don't do lower extremeties, so I should go to the ER. I discuss this with him, and he kindly agrees to schedule an immediate ultrasound at a local hospital radiology department. So I go there and get the ultrasound; no "acute" clots. I didn't follow up on the PA's recommendation to also, through my PCP or ER, get my lungs checked, too; I really don't want another CT if I can help it. All this to say, I keep thinking I'll find a smoother way to monitor my VTE issues, but I keep not finding it. :) I'll just go to the ER right away next time. Thanks for each of your input(s); you are wise and helpful.

Couple of things I've learned over the years through really aggravating experiences:

1) I'd listen to the advice of my mailman before I'd listen to the advice of a PA. I know that sounds harsh but unless my doc can back up what they're saying, I totally by pass them when at all possible.

2) Most receptionists are not equipped or informed to get patients in immediately. What I typically do is ask if I can leave a message for a nurse for a call back and explain the situation. If you have a good relationship with the doc and their staff, they'll usually work to get you in, find time in the schedule, etc.

3) A doc at an urgent care clinic is actually the first doctor to blow off my DVT symptoms. He told me if he felt it was a DVT, he'd have sent me to an ER immediately for an ultrasound. They didn't have the ability to do an ultrasound anyway. I wouldn't even bother with an urgent care facility when it comes to anything other than sprains, stitches or upper respiratory symptoms.

4) For me, there are two options I need to consider- go to the ER or call my regular doctor. When I had my second DVT, the symptoms were not quite the same as my first but I just had a hunch you know. This time it was my arm rather than my leg. I called my GP and she scheduled me for an ultrasound that day with a hospital. Had my doc not been able to schedule it that same day, I would have gone through the ER.

Anyway, glad it was nothing new to worry about. I feel your pain with the run around. It's so frustrating, exhausting and a real time waster. If time were money, you'd have spent more than you would have going straight to the ER.

RMB, lessons learned. On the upside, my vascular surgeon called and has made arrangements that whenever I think I need an ultrasound, he'll arrange it for the same day. So while I was irritated with the receptionist/gatekeeper who seemed to be putting up hoops to jump through, she went to him with the info that I'd called and why. Good on her.

That's GREAT! Helps to just know you have that option and it's just a little confidence booster when it comes to your care. You know before I had my PE/DVT, I never really had a clue how frustrating it can all be to navigate the medical system. Sometimes all you want is to know you've got someone in your corner.