D-dimer indicates a clot somewhere in your body but you get clots all the time which is usually fine as long as it stays in place. A negative D-dimer indicates no DVT or PE so no need to look further. A positive D-dimer means you may or may not have a DVT or PE but they need to keep checking. Next steps are usually a leg ultrasound and a spiral CT on your chest. Go to the ER now - a pulmonary embolism is a life-risking event. I had zero symptoms for my first PE. The pain in your thigh may well have gone away because the clot moved to your heart and lungs. Go!

Thank you so much for the answer! I took your advice and have a CT scan this morning in 30 minutes. Thank you for the encouragement. I'm one to think that if the pain goes away the problem is gone but finding out that is not true in this situation. How did you know you had a PE? Will let you know how it goes today....you are awesome!

moneymoo,I 'm glad you're getting checked out. Notsopatient , excellent advice. Thank you. My PEs were most likely from the a clot in the thigh. I had terrible thigh cramping driving home from during a long trip. I could walk it off, when I stopped at rest stops. When I got back home the symptoms were gone. I felt okay except for lingering chest symptoms that I thought were from a resp,/ sinus infection I had been dealing with. Within the week, after suffering worsening shortness of breath, terrible chest pain and fever, I ended up in the ER with bilateral PEs. Hoping all goes well for you moneymoo.

Negative - I'm happy but that still doesn't explain why my d-dimer is at 783 - where do I possibly go from here? Too much red wine on the weekends??? LOL I don't know who to go see or ask. I've read on the internet but I have no answers. Any suggestions out there?

I think you need to go back to your Dr. To find the cause. When searching online you can find many reasons for an active D dimmer.
Considering you just travelled I would ask about checking for any infections you could of been exposed to during your travel?

Taken from google search:
“An elevated D-dimer may be due to a VTE or DIC but it may also be due to a recent surgery, trauma, or infection. Elevated levels are also seen with liver disease, pregnancy, eclampsia, heart disease, and some cancers.“

Exactly, there are several reasons a d dimer can be elevated, including a blood clot. If the d dimer is normal it or negative, it’s a fairly accurate indicator you do not have a DVT or PE.

Check back with your doctor on why your d dimer maybe elevated.

Infection, dehydration, etc are some reasons for an elevated D-dimer. There are simple explanations. Glad you got a CT scan and ultrasound.

Bumps and bruises even. There's usually no need for further follow-up so you should be ok unless you have other symptoms.

I sent my results to my cancer doctor from 20 years ago and he called me today and I missed the call so he must want to talk to me. In reading a lot lately, it says that they are finding out if you take your age - mine is 65 and times 10 for each year - then my d-dimer would be 650. If you add in the weather change here and me using my steroid inhaler for asthma ( a study was done with women over 60, have ashtma and use albuterol and have high cholesterol) - bingo - I think that's probably why it's 783. I have no symptoms and will watch things. For those of you that have had problems, I will stay on this board and cheer you on you have been so kind to me and I greatly appreciate it! Thank you so much for all the answers. A phrase that one of the Masai said to me in Africa will always stick in my mind - push on well!

Push on well... Love that!

oh jeez - now the cancer doctor wants me to have a cat scan of my pelvis and abdomen - I had stage III ovarian cancer 19 years ago and everything sucked out. Don't know what he is thinking but I guess I will find out!

Keep us posted. Hopefully he’s just being overy cautious.