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.
Today, for the first time in 6 months, I grabbed my bike and went for a ride! I love, love, love riding my bike. But I was afraid that wouldnt be good for my DVT leg and avoided that until today. Im 6 months and 2 weeks out of diagnosis (off warfarin since 18th February). Im waiting to be called to do the blood tests. Im enjoying a lot being off warfarin. Im scared, of course, but happy. But the legit was pretty ok up until today. It is a little larger than the left one but only half a centimeter, with the compression stockings, which I never take off, only when I have my shower and go to sleep. But today the leg swelled much more than the usual! I have a tape measure (like so many others here) and after the bike ride the leg was differing the other one in a good centimeter (if not a little more) and I went down again. Ok, from your experience, will this happen every time I force my leg a little more? Will the leg get used to the effort and then stop swelling more than what it does when only walking? I walk for an hour every day and the leg responded differently today, I believe it was because of the bike ride, of the effort. I went up some streets that are hill-like (up and down) but not as rough as a hill, though (so, although I made some effort, it was not something really crazy!). I was thinking that my leg could get to almost what it was before the DVT but after this experience today, I dont know anymore :(. The doctors told me to try not to wear my compression stockings for one day to see how the leg would do. But after this swelling (with the compression stockings on) today, I will not have the courage to try and do that. Whats your opinion on this?
Thank you so much,
Mathy
Thank you so much,
Mathy
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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.
Don't get discouraged. Maybe your leg just needs time to adjust or you just over did it.
As for the swelling, I think it is quite common post DVT. My understading is that because of the scarring, our blood vessel is inevitably narrowed. This impedes blood flow. When we exercise, the heart pumps faster, thus more/fast blood flow needs to be accommodated by our veins. Our narrowed vein may find it hard to adjust to the change in blood flow. I read a patient story on clotconnect.org. It was about a athlete who suffered from a big DVT. She said that her leg swells up considerably after training and she had to put her leg up against the wall and lie down on the floor for a good 20 minutes (if I remembered right) for the swelling to go down. She said that after 6.5 years, she is running competitively again. So there is hope!
I also wanna share my own experience. When I first tried running (at around 4.5 months out), my bad leg gets really heavy to the point that I can't even lift it to make another stride. Now I am 11 months out, things are getting a little bit better. I can run longer than before, and even if I still feel discomfort when I run, it was nowhere near the horrible feeling I had at 4.5 months. I find walking upstairs the hardest on my leg. I have to keep a very slow and steady pace when I walk upstairs...
I find it ridiculous that most doctors tell me that they've never heard of this symptom. They always say it is my weak muscle or my artery!
Now when I come to think about it, most patients these doctors see are older (over 65 years). And lets face it, most people that age do not run or bike or walk upstairs. For them, being pain free means they have recovered. Maybe the doctors don't consider our symptoms being DVT related simply because they have never heard other patients complain about it. People at different age have different expectations and different definition of "recovery". I am from China. I know that we don't have the best medical team back home. However, due to the large population and limited number of doctors, the doctors in China have seen way more patients (sometime hundreds in one day!!!) in their career than an average doctor in the US. I consulted a doctor in China (he is supposed to be an expert on veins), and he told me that it is quite common to experience this 1 or 2 years after DVT. He said that to take it slow and only do whatever I feel comfortable doing. He explained that our body will continue creating collaterals, and the swelling should get better slowly over time.
I am sorry that this is a super long response... But I just wanna say that the most important thing is to adjust your attitude and focus on what you can do, not what you can't do at the moment. I get super depressed after my DVT. I am only 26 years old and I felt like an old lady when I exercise. Then I somehow reconciled with my body and tried to accept my body the way it is. It may get better or not or even worse over time. But I don't wanna let it rule my life. I am not quite there yet : ) But I am trying!
Hang in there. Everyone on the board is by your side : )
Thank you for your support and for sharing your experiences. Today it rained cats and dogs, so I couldnt go for a bike ride. But I will again. Healing takes time, I know. But its so tough to wait just to have what we had and lost (with no promesses to have it back!). Its so hard to lose as I said, not a good day today :(.
Mathy