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.
When I was diagnosed with my DVT/PE, I was not feeling any pain or swelling in my leg. I had pain in my calf a few days before my chest pain, but no residual leg pain after that.
They said I did still have a DVT when they did the ultrasound in the hospital.
Now it is 2 1/2 weeks later and I've been feeling some pressure in my leg around my knee. I think that is in the area of the DVT, but I was so drugged at the hospital I never asked for specifics on where the DVT was located.
Tonight, I'm getting more pressure and some pain that kind of comes and goes (not too bad, but definitely noticeable). It feels a little hot to me, and I see some red around my knee.
I don't want to panic and rush off to an emergency room, but I want to understand if they would even do anything for me. I already know there is a DVT in my leg and I'm already on Warfarin. The hematologist didn't think I was in danger of the DVT growing with my INR level therapeutic or higher.
Please let me know if this is the kind of feeling others have had shortly after diagnosis and it's just my existing DVT feeling a little different.
If it swells up a lot or starts to hurt a lot more, I think I'll go to the ER/Urgent care, but I'm kind of afraid that I'm just going to upset myself over nothing tonight.
I tried laying down with my legs elevated. So far it's not helping. Will icing it help? I just want the sensation to go away.
Any thoughts or shared stories of what you've gone through similar to this would be appreciated.
Thanks!
They said I did still have a DVT when they did the ultrasound in the hospital.
Now it is 2 1/2 weeks later and I've been feeling some pressure in my leg around my knee. I think that is in the area of the DVT, but I was so drugged at the hospital I never asked for specifics on where the DVT was located.
Tonight, I'm getting more pressure and some pain that kind of comes and goes (not too bad, but definitely noticeable). It feels a little hot to me, and I see some red around my knee.
I don't want to panic and rush off to an emergency room, but I want to understand if they would even do anything for me. I already know there is a DVT in my leg and I'm already on Warfarin. The hematologist didn't think I was in danger of the DVT growing with my INR level therapeutic or higher.
Please let me know if this is the kind of feeling others have had shortly after diagnosis and it's just my existing DVT feeling a little different.
If it swells up a lot or starts to hurt a lot more, I think I'll go to the ER/Urgent care, but I'm kind of afraid that I'm just going to upset myself over nothing tonight.
I tried laying down with my legs elevated. So far it's not helping. Will icing it help? I just want the sensation to go away.
Any thoughts or shared stories of what you've gone through similar to this would be appreciated.
Thanks!
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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.
But you're right, they probably wouldn't change anything. You're already on warfarin and (maybe) have a therapeutic INR, so there probably wouldn't be much they could do.
I had pain and swelling for a long time with my DVT and, if you've suddenly been more active, it would make sense that it would start to bother you. If you've been lying down a lot for the last few weeks (the first part of recovery) and you're just now getting up and moving around, it means there is a lot more opportunity for blood to get stuck behind that clot in your leg and cause swelling and pain. Maybe it just hasn't happened till now because you've been really taking it easy?
Keeping your legs elevated is always good, even consider sleeping with a pillow between your legs or under them to keep them elevated. My doc told me to put light heat on my DVT (others have been told cold--I'd do what feels good) and that seemed to help me.
If the pain suddenly gets a lot worse or your leg balloons to elephant man proportions, I'd definitely head off to the ER at that point. But otherwise, try taking it easy for a while. Maybe check in with your doc on Monday if it is still bothering you.
I'm calming down a little and the last hour with my legs propped up seems to be helping a little. I think I'll sleep with my legs up on a pillow and see how I feel in the morning.
I thought about heat/cold...but it honestly scares me more. When the surgeon thought I had a superficial clot in my calf he had me mix heat on my calf and cold on my knee to encourage circulation. It seemed to work great. The pain went away...but then the clot moved to my lungs. So, I think I'll elevate for now until I'm convinced the clot isn't moving anywhere.
Thanks for responding so quick. I really appreciate it. And I love your cat picture. One of my cats looks just like that.
You might consider wearing them during the day too, to keep the blood from pooling in your leg. They'd be more helpful then than when you're at home with your feet up anyway.
Going back to work could definitely be the cause of the increased pain and swelling. That makes perfect sense!
Hope you were able to get some sleep.
Thank you for your thoughts and advice.