Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Support Group
Deep-vein thrombosis, also known as deep-venous thrombosis or DVT, is the formation of a blood clot ("thrombus") in a deep vein. It can be caused by something preventing blood from circulating or clotting normally. Join the support group if you are coping with DVT and find others who are going through the same challenges.
Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed with a DVT in my lower left calf 15 days ago. My calf had been hurting for more than 3 months- I had originally injured it running distance, and my hematologist thinks the injury plus being sedentary due to injury plus pregnancy created the clot.
They found it after FIVE ultrasounds. The 4th was merely two days before. I just "had a feeling" and went to urgent care one Saturday night.
Because I am pregnant, I am on Lovenox only, 2x a day. I got in to see a hematologist right away and am awaiting results to see if there were any genetic factors.
The pain has been pretty bad. The anxiety has been rough. I had a CT scan the day after the dx of the clot to ensure that nothing was in my lungs. Last Monday night I was back in the ER with extreme and sudden chest pain. The ER dr told me that while they didn't think it was a PE the reality was there was little more they could do if it was a PE- that only if my life was in danger would they use a clot buster and that would pretty much mean we would loose the baby.
I actually was approved to travel road trip style, the last 3 days my family and I have been touring the NE. We get out every hour to walk and I can't hike, so it's a lot of getting out and seeing the scenic views type of thing. At 32 years old it's interesting to be travelling this way, but I'll take it.
Is anyone else on this board had experience with DVT and pregnancy? I feel pretty isolated in terms of others relating to me. Because I'm pregnant. I can only take Lovenox for one, and second the drs are having to consider both of us- i.e. no x-rays or other tests for PE.
I'm grateful that they found it, and I feel lucky to be alive. I had a lot of drs shaking their heads after my dx- no one could believe a clot in the calf could be missed 4x before being found.
I'm looking forward to chatting with everyone!
Nancy
I was diagnosed with a DVT in my lower left calf 15 days ago. My calf had been hurting for more than 3 months- I had originally injured it running distance, and my hematologist thinks the injury plus being sedentary due to injury plus pregnancy created the clot.
They found it after FIVE ultrasounds. The 4th was merely two days before. I just "had a feeling" and went to urgent care one Saturday night.
Because I am pregnant, I am on Lovenox only, 2x a day. I got in to see a hematologist right away and am awaiting results to see if there were any genetic factors.
The pain has been pretty bad. The anxiety has been rough. I had a CT scan the day after the dx of the clot to ensure that nothing was in my lungs. Last Monday night I was back in the ER with extreme and sudden chest pain. The ER dr told me that while they didn't think it was a PE the reality was there was little more they could do if it was a PE- that only if my life was in danger would they use a clot buster and that would pretty much mean we would loose the baby.
I actually was approved to travel road trip style, the last 3 days my family and I have been touring the NE. We get out every hour to walk and I can't hike, so it's a lot of getting out and seeing the scenic views type of thing. At 32 years old it's interesting to be travelling this way, but I'll take it.
Is anyone else on this board had experience with DVT and pregnancy? I feel pretty isolated in terms of others relating to me. Because I'm pregnant. I can only take Lovenox for one, and second the drs are having to consider both of us- i.e. no x-rays or other tests for PE.
I'm grateful that they found it, and I feel lucky to be alive. I had a lot of drs shaking their heads after my dx- no one could believe a clot in the calf could be missed 4x before being found.
I'm looking forward to chatting with everyone!
Nancy
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Look at what my best friend did with my picture!
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We all have 24 hours in a day. How we spend these hours is important. Watching a little bit of a video about how sitting affects us made me aware of how much sitting and laying down I do. Gonna have to work on that.Your turn. Tell me another truth.
It's pretty incredible they missed it so many times. Ultrasounds are considered very reliable, although I've had two different clots which were missed the first time, but I've never had to go back five different times to get them to find a clot!
If you haven't already, you might check on Baby Center to see if you can find other expecting moms in your situation. I can't think of anyone we have who regularly participates here in your situation, although from time to time we get someone. But last I knew there was at least a group on babycenter.com which was moms who are taking lovenox, although not all are because of getting a clot, some are just at higher risk. I think it's called Lovely Lovenox Moms or something like that. It might help you feel less alone to know other moms going through some of the same process. Of course, we're all here happy to help any way we can too.
http://community.babycenter.com/groups/a241035/lovely_lovenox_ladies
I've actually had two ct scans this pregnancy (!!!) one back at 3 months, another at 5. Now that I know how reliable pulse ox readings are at determining PE (or the seriousness of one) I don't think id ever get another unless everything else was really showing it.
I actually just walked 1/4 of a mile tonight for the first time since before dx (I'm at day 16) and I felt really good! It was a slow meandering walk with the dog, but still just the same. My HR when I got back was 110, but it's hard to determine at this point what's from the clot and what's pregnancy related. I'll be 24 weeks tomorrow so I know the baby is also having an effect on things.
Thanks for the support everyone!
What the hematologist thinks happened is I strained my calf running and because they told me to rest it completely, I went from having lots of blood flow to very slow blood flow. Add that to being pregnant and it equalled a clot.
I had had an MRI about a week before the clot was discovered (without contrast which is how they missed the clot) because after 3 months, I was sure that it was torn. The MRI showed no abnormalities.
Ironically, days after I started Lovenox and was dx, my calf started to feel better. So what everyone thought was a simple strain that wasn't healing turned out to be a clot just sitting there. I'm grateful it was finally caught and also that my calf is slowly starting to feel better. FINALLY. Now I just have to wait for the all clear so I can start to run again. :)
I ruptured my gastroc muscle and I am pretty sure it was from that. However, then I sat on an 8 hr flight to Berlin and was dehydratedall factors that I am sure helped.