Pulmonary Embolism Support Group

By far the most common form of pulmonary embolism is a thromboembolism, which occurs when a blood clot, generally a venous thrombus, becomes dislodged from its site of formation and embolizes to the arterial blood supply of one of the lungs. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, pain during breathing, and more rarely circulatory instability and death.

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OK so what does a DVT feel like?

Ferr
Ferr
I know, I know, But my clots were never traced to anything like a DVT. But I am curious what a DVT does feel like. Since I had my Total knee revision and some of you know some of the troubles I had getting my Orthopedic doctor just to give me the correct amounts of Coumadin and lovenox to get me therapeutic, it's got me to thinking if I could possibly have a DVT behind my knee. Symptoms are bad pain on the back side of my leg (behind the knee) and the pain radiates up my thigh some. The more I walk on it the worse it hurts. My knee is swollen but I haven't really noticed any bruising, but it is warm to the touch. I feel I should be feeling less and less pain the more I work my knee but it doesn't seem to be feeling any better at all. Not like the original total knee replacement. Since I don't really know what to look for as far as a DVT thought I'd ask you all. I plan on calling my primary doctor on Monday and asking him for a possible ultrasound of that leg to see whats going on. I know they really won't do anything different because I am therapeutic on my Coumadin, but it does concern me some, especially since the orthopedic doctor was such an ass about giving me the correct dosage of Coumadin and Lovenox right after surgery knowing how easily I do clot. I think I will be furious if I find out I have a DVT which could have been prevented.
Thanks in advance and please know I do intend on getting in to see my primary doctor to find out, but I also know the treatment won't be any different (except make me stay off my leg even longer, which will really piss me off)
Hugs
Ferr
deleted_user
deleted_user
I had no idea that I had a DVT before the PE, no swelling, pain, or redness. A couple of weeks ago, though (on Coumadin) I had a pain and swelling behind my knee, which was diagnosed as a baker's cyst, a build-up of synovial fluid from arthritis or a cartilage tear. Pain didn't radiate up my leg, though, it was pretty localized. I wonder if the surgery caused a release of the synovial fluid? Maybe the surgeon screwed up (I'm trying to be polite here) in more ways than one?

So sorry that you're having issues. You're such a godsend to so many people on this forum.
deleted_user
deleted_user
can't tell you exactly what a DVT feel like as I didn't know that I had it because it was under a cast. I only found out when the darn thing hit my lung. But I would definitely have it looked at. Take nothing for granted. Feel better.
deleted_user
deleted_user
My DVT was classed as distal , ( below the knee ) all I knew was it was tender in the spot between the ankle and the calf muscle , so I was constantly massaging it " WRONG THING TO DO " !!!!! but how was I to know it was a blood clot , each time I rubbed it I sent more clot on it's way , so I tell everyone if you are tender in that area for no reason get it checked out right away
Hugs
Ed
TossNTurn
TossNTurn
My first DVT was really painful and uncomfortable. My leg felt tight and heavy. I don't think it was red, but it was swollen (something I didn't realize until the doctor measured my calf). For me, standing up and walking was hard for a while because blood would pool in my leg and I would get really light-headed. I spent a lot of time with my leg elevated and with light heat on it until it started to feel better.

Best wishes Ferr! Glad you're heading in to see the doc to find out for sure!
deleted_user
deleted_user
My DVT was about 6 years ago. I thought I had a really bad cramp in my calf that wouldn't go away. When I went to the hospital they didn't think it was a clot as there was no redness, but when they got the ultrasound out they found a really large, deep one. I did the 6 months coumadin then. Glad I didn't use the massager I usually use for cramps!
rmb
rmb
Hey Ferr, my DVT in my calf was like the WORST charlie horse ever. I could barely walk. It was also red and swollen. The DVT in my arm was different. I had a pulling pain in my elbow, and then it turned into an achy feeling in my upper arm, but I had no swelling or redness.

The back of my knee has always felt full since the DVT. I don't know if it's the PTS or what, but I mentioned in another post that I had an injury in that knee when I was in high school, and it's always been a little messed up since. So who knows.

Let us know what your doc says. I know it's gotta make you pissed off, and it is concerning, even if you are on warfarin now. Just keep your wits about you, and if it is clot, then you may in entered into the hall of fame for mutli clotters for sure.

Big Hug!
Rachelle
trinaunz
trinaunz
@Ferr - i've had both a superficial thrombosis and a DVT, and both of them felt similar. the ST was in my calf and was red, somewhat painful and swollen. the DVT felt like a pulled muscle behind my knee. i was in a cast up to my knee at the time so i couldn't observe whether it was red or warm. there must have been a small amount of swelling bc i had less wiggle room in my cast in the upper leg. i didn't have the level of pain you are describing - mine was very local to behind the knee.

i suspected a clot when i had my DVT, but figured that 1. i'd been doing weird muscle contortions to move around w a broken ankle and 2. my rheumatoid arthritis was acting up in my knee (unusual, but possible).

i'm so glad i decided to get the u/s that confirmed the presence of the clot, and i'm glad you're getting this checked out on monday. i hope it's something totally innocuous.
Ferr
Ferr
Thanks all, I'm sure it nothing, but it did get me to thinking about not being therapeutic for about a week there, and not really covered with the lovenox. I'm Probably over-reacting but better safe than sorry i guess.
Thanks again all
Hugs
Ferr
deleted_user
deleted_user
With my DVT there was no pain, swelling or redness. Absolutely no symptoms.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi Ferr,
My DVT symptoms were mainly swelling behind the knee. Progressively, it got hard to walk as the swelling meant I couldn't bend my leg properly so I was walking 'funny'. It wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't ultra painful, either. Only after three days did the swelling move down my leg and I suddenly had a cankle followed a few hours later by a spotty red rash starting from my ankle moving up. It was still more uncomfortable than painful and my leg was not hot or anything.
A couple of months earlier I had no swelling, but it hurt when I pulled my toes up towards my knee.
I hope that helps and I'm glad you're getting checked out xxx
deleted_user
deleted_user
Oh Ferr! I sincerely hope this is nothing more than a blip on the radar screen. You have paid more than your fair share of clotting dues, and you deserve a break! I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Best of luck
Ferr
Ferr
Yea, It's not a DVT. The swelling was pretty bad though and that's what was causing the pain. Like Pip It was so bad it was affecting the way I walk and no amount of icing it would help the swelling go down. I had my ultrasound for toe to groin and luckily for me nothing there. As a matter of fact the US tech said i had very photogenic veins LOL. Even my PCP was expecting a positive test result and was just as happy as i was when they found nothing. So now to deal with the swelling we are trying an ultrasonic electromagnetic device to help my body reabsorb the fluid on and around my knee. (kind of like a 10's unit). Hopefully it works because i don't want them to have to go in with a needle to drain the knee.
Thanks for all your thoughts everyone, love ya all bunches.
Hugs
ferr
rmb
rmb
Woohoo!
trinaunz
trinaunz
@Ferr - what a relief. positive thoughts to you for continued healing.
deleted_user
deleted_user
its weird the day when my chest, shoulder and lung hurt I also woke up with an ache in my left butt check kinda went down to the back of my thigh, like someone kicked me in the ass real hard it wasnt swollen or anything just sore, It went away after a few days then my chest symptoms got worse thats when i went to the hospital. I wonder if that was a clot, they did the ultrasound on my legs and found no clots so Ill never know if it was a clot
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