Hi Dee,

Congratulations on the treat from your sisters! That is so nice and something for you to look forward to.

I don't think the massage would be safe just yet. I remember my sister, who is a nurse, telling me not to rub my leg when I first had my dvt. I think it is much better to be safe than sorry and end up with PE, especially considering the location of your dvt. My drs told me that I was still at risk for PE a few months into my dvt.

I am not sure about the other treatments. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be able to answer your questions.

Have a very enjoyable, relaxing time, you deserve it!!!

Thanks Eileen,

I'm really looking forward to it :) And I'm sure I can swap some of the treatments around and get a facial or something instead, it will be a nice relaxing break anyway :):)

I've had massages but I don't let them touch my legs. While my clot is resolved, my calf is still somewhat tender almost three years out. Actually even before the PE/DVT, I hated it when people massaged my limbs.

What about a facial and a pedi/mani?

I was chatting to someone on this site who had a massage by a physiotherapist as she had been misdiagnosed and it was not known that there was a DVT in her leg. This caused the clot to dislodge and she had a PE. It's a while ago, but I also read about someone having a PE from the clot dislodging in a steam bath as her veins expanded. I think it all depends on how old the clot is.According to others on this site, hot baths are a way to get pain relief.

I use hot baths for pain relief and also 'shake' the muscle at the back of my calf when it all fills up and goes tight; this loosens it and the muscle goes slack again.
I suppose this is similar to massage, and I've no idea where the clot in my leg is, so I couldn't know where not to touch for risk of dislodging it!
It's a month now since the symptoms started, so I don't know how well adhered my clot will be by now.

Thanks so much for all your replies, I think I'll stick to the manicure and pedicure for the moment,. just to be on the safe side :) My doctor recommended that I postpone it for a few months but I'm going to go ahead with it, I'm really looking forward to it anyway!! :) thanks

Dear Deerua,

I never quite know how to address people on this list - they don't have
real names, but I'm accustomed to calling someone by a name. So pardon me if I sound a bit strange.

I live in Russia and travel a lot to Finland: both of these coutries have a literal cult of the sauna ("sauna" is a Finnish word, probably the only one in English). Everyone here in Russia- doctors, nurses and lay people - tell me to avoid the sauna; they even caution me about taking too hot showers. On the other hand, they recommend taking what they call "contrasting" showers - warm water, followed by cool water and repeated several times over. This simulates somewhat the hot-and-cold changes of a sauna, but the charges in temperature are not so great. And the warm/cool water is supposed to help improve the circulation.

All of my life I have been addicted to the sauna - I like my suana visits to last for 4-5 hours (going from the hot sauna into a cold pool freqeuntly, of course). I'm now resigned to the fact that I'll probably never have a sauna again.

I don't know if this helps, but that's how I've decided things for myself.

Dan

HI Deerua,

we met at the clinic monday24th. you reccommended the site.
many thanks.

enjoy your relaxing break.

And my hematologist gave me the go ahead to use my hot tub the first time I saw him, a few weeks after my DVT. I've used it ever since, with jets blasting.

I've never heard of heat being a risk for dislodging a clot. Your clot has attatched to the vein wall by now, 2 months out. Dialated veins would not dislodge it. My tub is usually set at 101 or 102: Heat CAN affect your INR though, so maybe that is your doctors concerne.

I have heard of deep tissue massage being a potential problem, but not light massage. Have a great time!

I still wouldn't feel comfortable with a massage on my DVT leg, even now, over a year after the last clot. Wouldn't be relaxing at all... would just make tense!

Any chance you can get a facial/scalp massage? Or even including your shoulders? I hold a lot of tension in my shoulders and a massage is divine!

But ... um ... absolutely on the mani/pedi and facial. Sounds excellent? Want company?

Back from a lovely relaxing weekend, I didn't use the sauna or jacuzzi, and I avoided massages for the moment, better to be on the safe side I guess :) But I did have a lovely facial and manicure, so can't complain :) My sisters spoilt me rotten!

Thanks so much for all your advice,
Dee

Good for you!!!!

Be glad you skipped the massage. I had a massage that wasn't a deep tissue massage. The massage broke up my blood clot in my leg and it went to my lungs (PE). The doctors told me I was lucky to be alive. I wished I would have had a facial instead. Glad you had a good time with your sisters. Thanks for the information on the sauna and jacuzzi.