Blood Clot Fears - Blood Test has scared me more :( Help Please

Hi all, Im in a bad, bad way. As some of you might know, since having a cannula in my inner elbow which caused pain and inflammation in my entire arm (six weeks ago), Ive been very fearful of developing a dvt, pe or clot somewhere.

Ive been to a+e 6 times over the past 6 weeks...and all the D-Dimer blood tests (to check for existing clots) have been negative - quite significantly so. Ive taken comfort in this... but then always manage to tell myself that because the veins are still inflamed in my arm, the blood will thicken and I WILL then get a DVT/PE.

Well, I ran off to a+e again on Thursday (27th). they did the test again (negative) and the dr said I was fine and to go home.

Today, me and my GP were discussing how this fear needs to be addressed (he now thinks that my PSTD has developed into a strain of OCD regarding my health). He looked at the blood test results, and one of them was highlighted in red. It was the fibrinogen one. This is apparently a protein that helps your body clot when you bleed etc. Too much of it can lead to blood clots, dvt, PE, heart attack, stroke.... Well, mine was 4.6 and the range (in my area) is apparently 4.5 (although online it says 4.0). He looked at me and said, "look this is not significant. It's not overly high at all, just .1 over, dont worry". Well of course, I am worrying myself SICK over this now. I have come home and am pacing around etc. My whole leg is throbbing, but I know I have sciatica in that leg - but now I am very scared that it's in fact a clot. This fibrinogen result has really really scared me. I also have a dull headache which Ive had since last night.... this is now telling me I have an aneurysm (caused by my 'high' fibrinogen level).

I am so upset. I just want everything to be normal. My GP said he's going to try to speak to a psychiatrist today to get my meds changed and will try to ring me later.

I am so worried that even though the result is just 0.1 over the range, this still means that something bad will happen to me.

Please help, I am exhausted by this.

Charlotte x

hi i had pulmonary embolism in my lung ,n fact i had 2 clots there,the pain was unbearable i dont want to put the symptoms on here as might scare people but please feel free to pm me if want to x

---------- Post added at 14:20 ---------- Previous post was at 14:15 ----------

can i also add if you had clots you wouldnt be typing on here and def wouldnt have them 6 weeks x

Thankyou so much. I've found it so hard today. My chest is tight and I have pain in my leg. When the Dr showed me the test result the fact that it was just 0.1 over the range freaked me out. Apparently having a high level of this protein can thicken your blood causing dvt, pe, heart attack or stroke. So I'm here thinking that's what will happen. All my other clotting tests were normal.

If you could message me any support, or if anyone knows anything about this, then please, please help :weep:

Xxx

have messaged you x

Do you smoke or are you taking hormonal contraception? These can both increase your levels.

It says that levels may be increased by an infection, which you could have without you knowing. .1 over that level is NOTHING to worry about. Do you honestly think your doctor would allow you to leave his office if he thought for a second that something may be wrong?


There are foods you can eat that promote blood thinning, why don't you google those rather then dwelling in what may never happen?


I don't think you are at any risk of developing a clot this long past your IV. Everyone that I have read about having one from an IV (myself included) have developed days afterwards, not 6 weeks.


How do you even know your veins are inflamed? It's not something you could easily tell. Just because you have pain there doesn't mean they are inflamed or have a clot. It means you are anxious, tense and they Are more than likely pains from these things.


How many different doctors have you seen at hospital? I gather a lot, so including your GP do you think they ALL would have let you go? Maybe one could make a mistake, but all of them??


You need to let this go Hun, it's doing you no good. Enjoy that little one of yours, spend that time you are spending worrying in her rather than feeding your anxiety xxx