MeandMy,

If you suspect that you might have a DVT you should your doctor ASAP! Many folks who waited ended up on the PE board too (or worse). Typically they do a doppler of your leg and determine pretty quickly if you have a clot. If so it's very treatable. Best of luck to you. -P

I wanted to add to make sure you are correctly diagnosed. My regular doctor diagnosed me with stress fracture. Two weeks later I ended up in the ER with excruciating pain which is when I had the Dopplar ultrasound and was diagnosed with the clot.

I started out with pain in my calf on and off for a few months which then started hurting like a shin splint.

Thanks, Petvs. You said this is very treatable. What is the treatment and for how long? If this is DVT does it ever go away and never come back?

MeandMy, From my own layman's experience in the DVT/PE world... There are a lot of variables here and each person, the position of the clots etc. will differ, so an answer isn't exact for each individual. For me they put me on Lovenox (a low weight heparin) and Coumadin and I was hospitalized because I also had lung clots (PE) too. Once my INR (the measurement for your blood's clotting speed) came up to between 2.0 and 3.0, I went off of Lovenox and was released while continuing on Coumadin. Now I go back periodically for image tests to see if the veins have cleared :-) I also see a doctor to manage my Coumadin and help me regulate it so it doesn't get to high (above 3.0) where I could bleed internally or low (under 2.0) where I could clot again.

Your doctors will want to determine what caused/is causing your DVT, was it genetic, trauma, other factors (i.e. birth control pills), or they don't know (idiopathic). Based on this information they will determine the length of time you should be on anti-coagulants (coumadin/warfarin) or if you may even need an IVC filter. Typically for many of the causes of clots the standard treatment is 6 months. That being said, if the clots don't clear, a year on coumadin is not out of the question. If through blood tests they determine that you have a genetic issue (Leiden V factor, etc.) that caused your clots, you may have to be on coumadin for life.

Many times DVTs resolve entirely on their own while you are on coumadin and they never come back. Depending on other risk factors such as weight, genetics, etc., for some people, they can return. If that happens, typically your doctors will put you on a Coumdin dosing regimin for life as well.

The important thing is going to find out. Untreated clots running around your pipes isn't a good thing as many here will testify :-) I will be hoping that your leg pain isn't a clot, but let us know...

If I missed anything, some folks here will jump in to add...

-P

I understand being busy with work but really, you can't have that determine whether or not you should have this checked out now. It may just be phlebitis, which is generally, inflammation of the vein, or it could be a DVT which is much more serious, or it could be neither. But the only way to know is to have an ultrasound of your leg which is done on an outpatient. It's quick, it's painless, it's easy.

Here's the bottom line: If you had a friend, child or a spouse who came to you with your issue, what would you tell them? I doubt you would tell them to wait over a month to have it looked at.

Work isn't going to matter a whole hell of a lot if you do have a DVT and clots break off and travel to your lungs.

I'm not trying to be a jerk. I just want you to take care of it in case it's serious.

Please keep us updated.

You need to go to the ER. They will do a Doppler of your leg. Better to treat before it gets painful. I delayed treatment and my leg swelled up and I could not walk. I also did not realize what a pulmonary embolism was. The clot can travel to your lungs. I am not trying to scare you but if you treat early it can be handled as an outpatient. I waited and I really needed to be pushed to go to hospital. Please go. Pam

Hi Meandmy,
Hope you have done the sensible thing and got yourself medical help.
How have you got on?
We all want to know.
Hope you are ok.
Good luck

Maggie x

You guys, and gals, are all so sweet! I appreciate the concern. I know I may be acting stupid but I am continuing to wait to call the doctor. Things will settle down work wise in about 2 weeks so I'm thinking about calling then and not waiting until the end of the month for my appointment. I hope and pray I'm not making a mistake. Thanks so much for all your advise and if you would like to add more please don't hesitate to do so.

It's your choice to wait, of course.

I had calf pain for almost a month. My doc thinks I had a DVT long before I had symptoms. It was misdiagnosed as phlebitis, three times by three different doctors because they didn't bother to order an ultrasound. And then I nearly dropped dead from a PE, right on my neighbor's steps, outside at 6:30 in the morning, when no one was around. Passed out, couldn't breath, ambulance, ER, ICU, the whole nine yards. I'm not trying to scare you... um, well, yeah, I guess I am. And I guess I'm a little irked,because some people never have symptoms of their DVT- no calf pain, no nothin' and they are dead from a PE. So, it seems like a slap in the face to those people who, if they just had some kind of symptom, would maybe still be here. Sorry to be all dramatic, but really, if you felt a lump in your breast, would you be so willing to wait to see your doc? Probably not. I don't understand this. Sigh.

Anyway, please still keep us updated.

My experience was so different-a sudden overnight onset of a HUGE clot (knee to uppper thigh)--that getting assessed was not a "maybe." Bottom line, even after my fist and second hospitalizations, assessment beyond that was VERY IMPORTANT...saved my life, as I was not responding to the meds appropriately...don't mess with this stuff...get evaluated quickly...

MeAndMy, What you are hearing here is genuine concern. We're not hyperventilating, those who are chiming in got subtle signals and many (myself included) dismissed them and said "Oh this in no big deal, I'll wait!" It was almost our last mistake. We got a second chance, please go get checked! -P

Venous thrombotic events (VTEs) frequently start in the calf and may spread from there to deeper veins - and worse. Any suspicion of a persistent condition in the calf should be checked out at once. Typically the means of testing is a doppler scan, which a physician can refer you to. You can have the whole thing diagnosed or ruled out in a single afternoon.
If they should happen to find any kind of clot in the calf, DO NOT accept any advice that it is harmess and will stay harmless. Insist on follow-up every week or two until it is gone.
Any inconvenience that you may bring upon yourself would be trivial compared to hospitalization and subsequent treatment for an escalated condition. Weeks, and even days, may count at this point.

M2B, what do you mean by deeper veins, are there no deep veins in the calves?
Can you explain that?

Get checked immediately by a hematologist or vascular surgeon. Insist they do the D-dimer and ultrasound. A DVT /PE is very serious. Once you injure the inner lining of your veins your life gets very negatively impacted. Just read here on DS!!! We express heartbreaking life changes it's a life changer in many instances. So don't wait go immediately to a competent MD.!!! To catch it early can minimize it's damage. The post thrombotic syndrome for many of us is such intense pain and discomfort it's beyond description. You don't want to have this. Also if you're determined to be clear of clots, don't rest on your laurels, I believe many of us as we age get microclots forming as well as endothelium damage creating spots in our veins that can trap and slow down blood flow. There are preventative strategies one can do to minimize clot formation both nutritionally as well as exercise/lifestyle changes. Veins respond well to movement, hydration and many positive lifestyle changes. Don't take your blood flow for granted! Unless you have special super genes we are all at risk for a plumbing catastrophe that will affect your whole life. High blood pressure also can put so much stress on your arteries and veins, damaging your linings leading to strokes, hemorages or clots. It's all interconnected... Get to a Dr!

Note, you don't need to go specifically to a hematologist or vascular surgeon to get a DVT initially diagnosed. My regular old doctor suspected my second dvt, ordered an ultrasound to be performed the same day I saw her and it was diagnosed. I don't want anyone to think they need to jump through hoops with special doctors to get diagnosed. That could prevent people from seeking help, as specialists can be limited in certain areas, expensive or take a long time to get an appointment.