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.
I was diagnosed with a PE in my right lung and an extensive DVT in my right leg on on 2/17/14. I was in hospital 8 days. This may have been a result of ankle surgery and a walking boot. I have been on Warfarin for a few weeks now.
There are two things I am concerned with. The first is chest pains. I still have them and they have no pattern. My CT Scan shows the PE is gone, but my chest still hurts at times, and I get a few headaches along with them. The second thing is that my right leg where the DVT is has been red the past few days. Only swollen little bit, and a little pinker than my left leg. It's slightly sensitve to the touch, but not much. My next doctors appointment is in 8 weeks, and I don't want to badger my physicians if these are normal symptoms in recovery. My doc was very positive after PE absovled, but my leg is concerning me.
Any advice is welcome.
There are two things I am concerned with. The first is chest pains. I still have them and they have no pattern. My CT Scan shows the PE is gone, but my chest still hurts at times, and I get a few headaches along with them. The second thing is that my right leg where the DVT is has been red the past few days. Only swollen little bit, and a little pinker than my left leg. It's slightly sensitve to the touch, but not much. My next doctors appointment is in 8 weeks, and I don't want to badger my physicians if these are normal symptoms in recovery. My doc was very positive after PE absovled, but my leg is concerning me.
Any advice is welcome.
First, even if the PE is gone, the damage that it leaves behind doesn't heal right away. PEs tax some of the most important systems in the body (circulatory, respiratory) and it takes a while to heal from that, even after the clots are gone. Parts of your body were starved of oxygen/blood while other parts may have been flooded with them. Your heart was working double-time trying to get blood past the clots; your lungs weren't working at full capacity at all. There's a lot of damage in there that still has to heal and that'll take a while. You might deal with chest pain, exhaustion, and SOB (shortness of breath) while that goes on. For me, I would get a return of symptoms when I was pushing too hard, was out in really hot/cold/humid weather, or got a little too much exercise. It gets better over time, but don't be surprised by that if it happens.
As for the leg, similar stuff will go on with a DVT. It'll get better or worse, especially if you've been more active again or have been climbing more stairs or walking more than you have previously. Hopefully, you're keeping your leg elevated when you can? That'll help with both swelling and discomfort. And, maybe talk to your doc about compression stockings and/or putting heat/ice on the area, if you haven't had that conversation already.
If worrying about your leg is going to keep you up at night, its better to just go in and get it checked out. No harm in that and it is always better to play it safe with clots than not. If you do go in, be sure to ask "What symptoms should cause me to come back in?" and "What symptoms should cause me to head to the ER?" That'll help give you some guidance when you're up at 3am worrying about this stuff.
Hang in there! Come visit the PE boards also and keep us posted on how you are doing!
I am glad that she is so confident...
Hopefully those little red blood cells will learn to stay the hell away from each other!
Nattokinase...here I come...