I am a 50-year-old woman and have had four episodes of deep vein thrombosis. The first one occurred after my third childbirth. Each time the site is my right leg, probably damaged during the first clot. There is no known factor identified, and I have been on warfarin therapy since the third episode. The first three episodes were accompanied by the usual swelling, heat, discoloration of the leg before I was diagnosed with DVT. But this last time, the clot was caught very early, before the vein was blocked completely. I have noticed that I know something is wrong with circulation in my leg way before these more obvious symptoms begin. These include a feeling of tiredness in the leg, especially when beginning exercise, but then feeling better as exercise increases the circulation. The veins in my foot and ankle stand out more. There is a mild but constant internal ache in the leg and an odd “plugged” feeling. Sometimes the vein actually feels irritated to me, and perhaps more full to the touch. My affected leg is always slightly larger, and slightly a different color than the other, due to poorer circulation, but the color begins to change subtly darker, and it also feels colder than the other foot when this problem is beginning. My right foot will often feel tingly when I first stand on it in the morning, in spite of exercising foot and ankle before getting up. I sometimes have a hard time convincing my physician that I can feel when things are happening inside the vein, but with experience, I am clearer and clearer that I can. He sent me for an ultrasound of my leg this time, even though he said he did not suspect a clot. The ultrasound showed a "web" or strings of clot just beginning to form. My hospital time and rehab has been much quicker.
I experienced leg pain and swelling around my left knee which I ignored for several days. I than experienced groin pain and my foot became very cold. And along with the swelling I had tenderness and redness of the leg. this was all in a matter of 1 week. I panicked went straight to ER and was examined by two md's, had a doppler done on the leg, 2 clots were found, one in the groin area and one smaller one behind my knee, I was then immediately hooked up to IV heperin and was told I was not too get out of bed for the fear of the moving. One clot was found in the groin area and because of the large size of it, it had actually blocked a valve in the groin area that resulted in the the blockage of flow of blood thru my leg. they determined that the smaller clot behind my knee had broken from the larger one that was in the groin area. I spent almost 2 weeks laid up in the hospital with an IV blood thinner. I had to be scanned/x rayed from head to toe before I could be released from hospital. This was 5 years ago, I still depend on compression stockings to help with swelling and discomfort of the leg and I also take a low dose of aspirin daily.
Comment from: Browne, 55-64 Female (Patient)Published: September 17
My problem started a while back after I had a knee replacement. One day my right leg started hurting and the knee was really warm or hot to the touch. I went and had a doppler done on my leg and they found a large blood clot. I was put in the hospital and given Warfarin and Lovenox shots for three days. My blood did not thin so I was sent to the blood center to be given Lovenox shot. This was 2 months ago and my blood will not thin with the warfarin. I am still talking shots. I went to a blood doctor and they did test but could not find any reason why the blood thinners do not work. Now am going to see another blood doctor 300 miles away from me to see if they can get my blood to thin. My question is this: Is there any others who have the problem I have with thinning my blood.
Comment from: DonTheTrucker, 55-64 Male (Patient)Published: August 22
I discovered my DVT when my leg swelled and became painful. I thought I was bit by a spider or something. Went to the emergency room and the doctor ordered an ultrasound of my leg and discovered the DVT. I had been a truck driver for 35 years and the doctor thinks the long hours behind the wheel in the sitting position was the cause. They have been trying to dissolve the clots for twenty months now. My ultrasounds every six months have shown they are slowly dissolving and about eleven months ago they put a Greenfield filter in me to keep any clots that break loose from getting to my heart. So far so good I'm still here today because they caught it soon enough.
Comment from: Beth, 35-44 Female (Patient)Published: August 22
I'm a 41 yr old female, 4 years ago I had a blood clot in my left leg. There was a little swelling at first then came the pain and discolors of the leg when I went to take a shower. A trip to the ER and an ultrasound on my leg determined I had many clots in my leg. Come to find out- I had a birth defect in my artery we never knew about. Did the blood thinner for 3 mos., which I don't need any more (thank goodness- nasty stuff), I still take 1 reg. aspirin a day and use the compression stocking.
Published: July 28
I am a 48 year old male who, near the end of June started experiencing right leg pain. I applied "muscle rubs" and wrapped my calf. It slowly felt better. I then started with pain in my left calf and very quickly found that I could not walk from my bed to the bathroom. I saw my Dr. on July 7, whereas he sent me to the hospital for ultrasounds of both legs to rule out DVT. Needless to say they weren't ruled out. I was told I had three in my right leg and one in my left leg. I had not been on a long trip, had not been injured or had recent surgery. I was tested for a blood disorder he called "sticky blood" and was negative. They started me on Coumadin, and something like Lovenox, except it was 1 injection in my belly per day. They kept asking if I had been short of breath or had any chest pains which I did not. The sent me for a CT of my abdomen to rule out tumor(s) that may have caused the clots and found I had multiple blood clots in both lungs. I was discharged from the hospital on July 11 with Lovenox (2 belly injections per day) until my Coumadin became therapeutic. Blood tests 3 time a week since then and 10 mg. Coumadin on Mondays and 7.5 mg. the rest of the week. Blood tests are down to once a week. I quit smoking 2 packs a day and was told I'm very lucky.
Patient Discussions are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your physician or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on MedicineNet. The opinions expressed in the comments section are of the author and the author alone. MedicineNet does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment.
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Suggested Reading on Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) by Our Doctors
Low blood pressure, also referred to as hypotension, is blood pressure that is so low that it causes symptoms or signs due to the low flow of blood through the arteries and veins. Some of the symptoms of low blood pressure include light-headedness, dizziness, or even fainting if not enough blood is getting to the brain. Diseases and medications can also cause low blood pressure. When the flow of blood is too low to deliver enough oxygen and nutrients to vital organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys; the organs do not function normally and may be permanently damaged.
Blood clots can occur in the venous and arterial vascular system. Blood clots can form in the heart, legs, arteries, veins, bladder, urinary tract and uterus. Risk factors for blood clots include high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and family history. Symptoms of a blood clot depend on the location of the clot. Some blood clots are a medical emergency. Blood clots are treated depending upon the cause of the clot. Blood clots can be prevented by lowering the risk factors for developing blood clots.
A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident. Symptoms of stroke include: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance, and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause. A TIA, or transient ischemic attack is a short-lived temporary impairment of the brain caused by loss of blood supply. Stroke is a medical emergency.
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a piece of a blood clot from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) breaks off and travels to an artery in the lung where it blocks the artery and damages the lung. The most common symptoms of a pulmonary embolism are shortness of breath, chest pain, and a rapid heart rate.
Edema is the swelling of tissues as a result of excess water accumulations. Peripheral edema occurs in the feet and legs. There are two types of edema, non-pitting edema and pitting edema. Causes of pitting edema is caused by systemic diseases, most commonly involving the heart, liver, and kidneys. Local conditions that cause edema are thrombophlebitis and varicose veins. Edema is generally treated with medication.
Chest pain is a common complaint by a patient in the ER. Causes of chest pain include broken or bruised ribs, pleurisy, pneumothorax, shingles, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, angina, heart attack, costochondritis, pericarditis, aorta or aortic dissection, and reflux esophagitis. Diagnosis and treatment of chest pain depends upon the cause and clinical presentation of the patient's chest pain.
Obesity is the state of being well above one's normal weight. A person has traditionally been
considered to be obese if they are more than 20 percent over their ideal weight.
That ideal weight must take into account the person's height, age, sex, and
build.
Jet lag (desynchonosis) is a temporary disorder that results from travel across time zones. Symptoms include anxiety, constipation, headache, nausea, dehydration, diarrhea, confusion, sweating, irritability, and even memory loss.
Varicose vein: A dilated (widened) tortuous (twisting) vein, usually involving a superficial vein in the leg, often associated with incompetency of the valves in the vein. These visible and bulging veins are often associated with symptoms such as tired, heavy, or aching limbs. Spider veins are a group of widened veins that can be seen through the surface of the skin.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
Phlebitis is the inflammation of a vein. Thrombophlebitis is when a blood clot causes the inflammation. Phlebitis can be superficial or deeper in the veins. A blood clot deep in a vein is deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Some of the common causes of phlebitis include prolonged inactivity, varicose veins, trauma to a vein, underlying cancers, clotting disorders, etc. Symptoms of phlebitis may be mild (pain, tenderness, redness, or bulging of a vein. Treatment of phlebitis depends on the cause.
Sudden cardiac arrest is an unexpected, sudden death caused by sudden cardiac arrest (loss of heart function). Causes and risk factors of sudden cardiac arrest include (not inclusive): abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), previous heart attack, coronary artery disease, smoking, high cholesterol, Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation after a heart attack, congenital heart defects, history of fainting, and heart failure, obesity, diabetes, and drug abuse. Treatment of sudden cardiac arrest is an emergency, and action must be taken immediately.
Smoker's lung photo essay is a collection of pictures and microscopic slides of lung disease caused by cigarette smoking. Smoker's lung refers to the diseases and structural abnormalities in the lung caused by cigarette smoking.
Antiphospholipid syndrome (phospholipid antibody syndrome or Hughes syndrome) is an immune system disorder characterized by excessive blood clotting and/or pregnancy complications (premature miscarriages, unexplained fetal death, or premature birth) and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (cardiolipin or lupus anticoagulant antibodies) in the blood. Treatment focuses on preventing clotting by thinning the blood with the use of anticoagulants and aspirin.
Lymphedema is a common chronic, debilitating condition in which excess fluid called lymph collects in tissues and causes swelling in them. It is common after a mastectomy, lumpectomy or breast cancer surgery and radiation therapy.
Blood pressure is the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels. It constitutes one of the critically important signs of life or vital signs which include heart beat, breathing, and temperature. Blood pressure is generated by the heart pumping blood into the arteries modified by the response of the arteries to the flow of blood.
An individual's blood pressure is expressed as systolic/diastolic blood pressure, for example, 120/80.The systolic blood pressure (the top number) represents the pressure in the arteries as the muscle of the heart contracts and pumps blood into them. The diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) represents the pressure in the arteries as the muscle of the heart relaxes following its contraction. Blood pressure always is higher when the heart is pumping (squeezing) than when it is relaxing.
The range of systolic blood pressure for most healthy adults falls between 90 and 120 mil...
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
Heart RSS
Healthy Living Tips
This site complies with the
I am a 50-year-old woman and have had four episodes of deep vein thrombosis. The first one occurred after my third childbirth. Each time the site is my right leg, probably damaged during the first clot. There is no known factor identified, and I have been on warfarin therapy since the third episode. The first three episodes were accompanied by the usual swelling, heat, discoloration of the leg before I was diagnosed with DVT. But this last time, the clot was caught very early, before the vein was blocked completely. I have noticed that I know something is wrong with circulation in my leg way before these more obvious symptoms begin. These include a feeling of tiredness in the leg, especially when beginning exercise, but then feeling better as exercise increases the circulation. The veins in my foot and ankle stand out more. There is a mild but constant internal ache in the leg and an odd “plugged” feeling. Sometimes the vein actually feels irritated to me, and perhaps more full to the touch. My affected leg is always slightly larger, and slightly a different color than the other, due to poorer circulation, but the color begins to change subtly darker, and it also feels colder than the other foot when this problem is beginning. My right foot will often feel tingly when I first stand on it in the morning, in spite of exercising foot and ankle before getting up. I sometimes have a hard time convincing my physician that I can feel when things are happening inside the vein, but with experience, I am clearer and clearer that I can. He sent me for an ultrasound of my leg this time, even though he said he did not suspect a clot. The ultrasound showed a "web" or strings of clot just beginning to form. My hospital time and rehab has been much quicker.
Related Reading: deep vein thrombosis | warfarin | ultrasound