Terrified of DVT please help

[Worrygirl32]

Hey everyone. It’s been a while. Back in August I started having pain behind my knee. I stand all day at work so I attributed it to this. Well fast forward in September I went to the ER for palpitations the doctor was very thorough and asked me many questions. Well I menioned to him that I had pain behind my knee and he was so amazing. He did a d-dimer test which had come back positive. So of course he ordered a chest X-ray. MRI with contrast, and an ultrasound. All came back fine with no signs of blood clots. Wooohoo!! The pain continued on and off for months. Sometimes I go a month without it sometimes a few days. I’m thinking more than likely varicose veins. I stand all day for work and I have for the past 9 years. Well today the pain has been really bad being my knee and it’s radiating up my thigh a little bit. Resting it definitely feels better. I called the nurse advice line for insurance and she basically told me everything I already know. Nothing significant at the moment. But follow up with a doctor. Which I plan to do definitely. But right now I am freaking out the pain is literally like an achy throbbing type thing. I want to go to the ER so bad. Because I am freaking out. I’m oretty sure it’s varicose veins because I have had this pain before. Idk maybe this time it’s different. Or maybe this time I just really got in my head. But I’m really scared about DVT I have had my head in google non stop. Can anyone talk me through this please

[utrocket09]

Hey everyone. It’s been a while. Back in August I started having pain behind my knee. I stand all day at work so I attributed it to this. Well fast forward in September I went to the ER for palpitations the doctor was very thorough and asked me many questions. Well I menioned to him that I had pain behind my knee and he was so amazing. He did a d-dimer test which had come back positive. So of course he ordered a chest X-ray. MRI with contrast, and an ultrasound. All came back fine with no signs of blood clots. Wooohoo!! The pain continued on and off for months. Sometimes I go a month without it sometimes a few days. I’m thinking more than likely varicose veins. I stand all day for work and I have for the past 9 years. Well today the pain has been really bad being my knee and it’s radiating up my thigh a little bit. Resting it definitely feels better. I called the nurse advice line for insurance and she basically told me everything I already know. Nothing significant at the moment. But follow up with a doctor. Which I plan to do definitely. But right now I am freaking out the pain is literally like an achy throbbing type thing. I want to go to the ER so bad. Because I am freaking out. I’m oretty sure it’s varicose veins because I have had this pain before. Idk maybe this time it’s different. Or maybe this time I just really got in my head. But I’m really scared about DVT I have had my head in google non stop. Can anyone talk me through this please

If you had a DVT the leg would be warm, red and you would not being able to walk. Blood clot symptoms are not subtle.

[Worrygirl32]

But sometimes DVTs don’t cause symptoms at all..... that’s why I’m a little awry about it. Because I do have pain.

[utrocket09]

But sometimes DVTs don’t cause symptoms at all..... that’s why I’m a little awry about it. Because I do have pain.

Almost impossible that a DVT would mot cause symptoms. They almost always do. If you had a DVT you would hardly be able to walk. I am someone whom has a vein issue that puts me at risk of a clot. Believe me, your leg would be swollen and it would not just be a little bit of pain

[Worrygirl32]

So when I woke up this morning. I felt fine with no pain. But now I’m starting to think the pain is back and getting really anxious about it.

[BlueIris]

From what I've read, DVT doesn't work like that. Pain from anxiety and muscle stress is far more likely to come and go than something from a concrete obstruction like a blood clot.

[Worrygirl32]

I came to an urgent care. This is going to drive me insane. So I would rather have peace of mind.

[utrocket09]

I came to an urgent care. This is going to drive me insane. So I would rather have peace of mind.

They are going to tell you the same that we told you...no clot. Especially since you just had clot testing done.

[WiredIncorrectly]

I have huge DVT fears too because I'm mostly sat at a desk all day. I get aches and pains in my legs when laying down and it causes me to worry which makes it hard to sleep. A friend of mine did have a DVT and for days before it was discovered he was looking pale, having trouble breathing, and was generally unwell. I try to reassure myself that if I'm not feeling like that it's probably not what I think it is.

[EmmerLooeez]

Worrygirl, I can tell by your response of 'sometimes DVT doesn't cause any symptoms' that you've got that information from Google. 99.99% of the time they of course do cause symptoms. You have had this pain before, your doctor has tested you and you knew it wasn't a DVT then and isn't a DVT now. The what ifs are your anxiety taking a hold.

How did you get on at urgent care?
You're okay, really. Try and believe this. It's easier to hold a thought than to hold a belief, but if you keep thinking it then you'll begin to believe it. I hope that urgent care reassured you. Xxx

[Worrygirl32]

That was months ago though. I went to the urgent care and the physicians assistant said you came in a good day I used to work in the vascular field. He looked at my leg asked me questions and said he was pretty sure I don't have a DVT. He wasn't able to completely rule that out because he said he didn't have an ultrasound machine but that more than likely it was something else. He said dvt pain doesn't come and go over months... he gave me a steroid shot and a script for some NSAIDs.. for some reason I am still so so worried. Like I can not shake this fear. It is driving me insane. I even called out of work because I am so hung up on it.. ughhhhh

[WiredIncorrectly]

That was months ago though. I went to the urgent care and the physicians assistant said you came in a good day I used to work in the vascular field. He looked at my leg asked me questions and said he was pretty sure I don't have a DVT. He wasn't able to completely rule that out because he said he didn't have an ultrasound machine but that more than likely it was something else. He said dvt pain doesn't come and go over months... he gave me a steroid shot and a script for some NSAIDs.. for some reason I am still so so worried. Like I can not shake this fear. It is driving me insane. I even called out of work because I am so hung up on it.. ughhhhh

But, if he was worried surely you'd have been told to go to A&E and you'd be kept in? Why did he give you a steroid shot?

[Worrygirl32]

he thinks it may have been inflammation.. which i can understand i have had this pain on and off for months. But my problem is what if i have venous insufficiency or problems with my veins from all the standing that it puts me at an increased risk for a DVT so i just wanted to double check. The pain has been since sunday on and off.. but its extremely frustrating. I wanted 100% rule out that it is not DVT. Stupid health anxiety, i hate it. I have now become obsessed. I have literally spent 5 hours collectively googling DVT symptoms and patient stories online.. this is so annoying.

also it is not knee pain, it is pain behind my knee where my leg creases and it is localized to just that area. no calf pain at all.. sometimes the pain radiates up to my thigh and i think thats what started scaring me last night. the pain was radiating up to my thigh...

[utrocket09]

he thinks it may have been inflammation.. which i can understand i have had this pain on and off for months. But my problem is what if i have venous insufficiency or problems with my veins from all the standing that it puts me at an increased risk for a DVT so i just wanted to double check. The pain has been since sunday on and off.. but its extremely frustrating. I wanted 100% rule out that it is not DVT. Stupid health anxiety, i hate it. I have now become obsessed. I have literally spent 5 hours collectively googling DVT symptoms and patient stories online.. this is so annoying.

also it is not knee pain, it is pain behind my knee where my leg creases and it is localized to just that area. no calf pain at all.. sometimes the pain radiates up to my thigh and i think thats what started scaring me last night. the pain was radiating up to my thigh...

If you had issues with your veins...again they would have seen it on an ultrasound or doppler scan. Thats how I found out I have veinous insuffiency.

[Worrygirl32]

So the pain behind my knee is gone. Which is good. And that would be indicative that it is NOT a DVT right? Can a dvt go away and come back later? Or can you have a dvt and there be no pain... Ive been extremely self conscious of my breathing. I take deep breaths. I have been inhaling as much as a can and then exhaling to make sure nothing is wrong. But now when I inhale I feel some tightness when I try to inhale as much as a I can and I’m not sure if that can be from a pe... I think I’m almost getting past this.


Also the steroid shot is making me feel a little anxious. Uuuuuggghhhhhh so frustrating. And now I feel like I have muscle weakness in my left arm.

[utrocket09]

So the pain behind my knee is gone. Which is good. And that would be indicative that it is NOT a DVT right? Can a dvt go away and come back later? Or can you have a dvt and there be no pain... Ive been extremely self conscious of my breathing. I take deep breaths. I have been inhaling as much as a can and then exhaling to make sure nothing is wrong. But now when I inhale I feel some tightness when I try to inhale as much as a I can and I’m not sure if that can be from a pe... I think I’m almost getting past this.


Also the steroid shot is making me feel a little anxious. Uuuuuggghhhhhh so frustrating. And now I feel like I have muscle weakness in my left arm.

Pain from DVT does not come and go. It continues to get worse. If you had one you feel it.

[WiredIncorrectly]

Lying in bed right now on the laptop with odd pains in my legs and behind my knee. Short, pulsing sometimes, sometimes painful. My state of mind right now is strong, so I know it's not DVT. I'm a software developer, I spend all day at the computer so like you I worry sometimes.

It's a good idea to wear compression socks if you stand/sit a lot. I need to reorder some. This will help blood circulate instead of pooling. Pooling is completely normal when sitting or standing for long periods btw because blood has to travel against gravity and the pulse further from the heart is weaker. Again, normal.

If that's a concern, the compression socks will help, as will good fluid intake.

[Worrygirl32]

So last week. I felt some cramming in the right side of my chest. It lasted only a few seconds but when I was breathing in and out I had a right cramp like pain that radiated to my back a little bit. It hasn’t bothered me since, except for last night. When I was sleeping. I felt a little bit of pressure on my right side. Now I’m scared that i have a blood clot in my right lung and it’s seriously seriously stressing me out and giving me major anxiety.

---------- Post added at 12:49 ---------- Previous post was at 12:28 ----------

Cramping*

Im sorry y’all if you guys could be please patient and compassionate with me. It’s been a while since I have a fear that I am truly struggling with. I’m trying to rationalize with myself that maybe it’s nothing. But in hindsight that’s when I started worrying about a pe... and dvt.
The pain was sharp and cramp-like when I would breathe in and out. And it was short lived. This also happened at work. So that’s why I’m battling with myself that it maybe muscular. I use my right arm a lot at work to slide baskets down to my co-workers. So maybe this could be a cause.. this happened a week ago. And it hasn’t happened since. Except a few days ago when I was laying on my back in a certain way I got that feeling again. But again it was short lived. Someone please just help me rationalize this.

[utrocket09]

So last week. I felt some cramming in the right side of my chest. It lasted only a few seconds but when I was breathing in and out I had a right cramp like pain that radiated to my back a little bit. It hasn’t bothered me since, except for last night. When I was sleeping. I felt a little bit of pressure on my right side. Now I’m scared that i have a blood clot in my right lung and it’s seriously seriously stressing me out and giving me major anxiety.

---------- Post added at 12:49 ---------- Previous post was at 12:28 ----------

Cramping*

Im sorry y’all if you guys could be please patient and compassionate with me. It’s been a while since I have a fear that I am truly struggling with. I’m trying to rationalize with myself that maybe it’s nothing. But in hindsight that’s when I started worrying about a pe... and dvt.
The pain was sharp and cramp-like when I would breathe in and out. And it was short lived. This also happened at work. So that’s why I’m battling with myself that it maybe muscular. I use my right arm a lot at work to slide baskets down to my co-workers. So maybe this could be a cause.. this happened a week ago. And it hasn’t happened since. Except a few days ago when I was laying on my back in a certain way I got that feeling again. But again it was short lived. Someone please just help me rationalize this.

If this was a blood clot, you would not have made it a week with it and you would have had other symptoms. For me, I have to watch for trouble breathing that gets worse, redness, warmth, and swelling and inability to walk

[ErinKC]

No advice, just empathy because I have this fear and it's brought me to doctors more than once. You're almost certainly right that it's the varicose veins since the pain has come and gone. DVT pain wouldn't come and go in the same spot. Either the clot's there and causing increasingly bad symptoms or it's traveled, causing an emergency. So, if you had this months ago, it stopped, and now it's returned, no chance of clot. Your varicose veins, however, are still there - so mostly likely culprit.

[Worrygirl32]

Thank you so much. So now im having back pain. And I’m not sure if it’s related to the steroid injection I received in my lower back two days ago. Realistically ir might be. But today I’m having leg pain again. Now it’s radiating down towards my calf. No swelling or anything like that. Just random time of pain. Mainly intermittent. Believe me when I tell you guys that this fear is eating me up alive. I’ve become so intune with my body that I am now hypersensitive to any new or different sensation. I’m paying attention to anything different that I feel in my leg.

[WiredIncorrectly]

he thinks it may have been inflammation.. which i can understand i have had this pain on and off for months. But my problem is what if i have venous insufficiency or problems with my veins from all the standing that it puts me at an increased risk for a DVT so i just wanted to double check. The pain has been since sunday on and off.. but its extremely frustrating. I wanted 100% rule out that it is not DVT. Stupid health anxiety, i hate it. I have now become obsessed. I have literally spent 5 hours collectively googling DVT symptoms and patient stories online.. this is so annoying.

also it is not knee pain, it is pain behind my knee where my leg creases and it is localized to just that area. no calf pain at all.. sometimes the pain radiates up to my thigh and i think thats what started scaring me last night. the pain was radiating up to my thigh...

Venous insufficiency is a normal thing to happen as we get older especially if you do a lot of standing or sitting. I wouldn't worry about it. I know I have some VS going on, but it doesn't concern me and I'm not aware of it being a precursor for anything serious.

I know the pain you mean, I get it. And it's worse when I go to bed and lie down. The pain I have is very similar to yours. It's behind the knee yes, and I have pains in my thigh, sometimes calf etc.

Pain behind the knee doesn't indicate VS or DVT. You stand alot, which means your body weight is resting on your knees at times. Of course it's going to cause some aches and pains :)

Honestly don't worry about it. There's times when I have worried it's DVT, or something serious.

Sometimes I think it's important to remember we're getting older, and we're wearing out a little.

[Worrygirl32]

Thank you so much for all your compassion and empathy. I’ve been trying to keep myself busy with work and other things. The pain still comes and goes sometimes. I worked yesterday and after my shift yesterday. I looked at behind my knees and I saw some like spider veins underneath the skin. They were really showing through behind my knee. But they weren’t protruding. So I just keep trying to tell myself it’s probably just pain from standing/sitting prolonged periods. But I reas that if you have varicose veins you have an increased risk of developing DVTs. So I’m just scared that, it’s going to cause this. I’m battling this so hard. But it’s making me depressed. I just want to go one day without thinking about this pain. It’s extremely frustrating.

---------- Post added at 23:48 ---------- Previous post was at 22:18 ----------

The anxiety is getting worse and I think I’m getting more pain. I’m on the brink of driving myself to the emergency room. This is really and truly scaring me you guys.

[Fishmanpa]

In the four days since you started this thread, something wrong would be apparent. I believe the fact you're posting here seeking reassurance instead of at the ER speaks volumes.

Positive thoughts

[Worrygirl32]

I can’t desl with this. I’m in tears. The fear is so real. I will be devastated if I have a dvt. I will literally feel like my life is over. I am so so scared right now. Someone please? How can I believe this is just anxiety and not something terribly serious. I don’t want to die. I don’t want anything to be wrong with my body. I’m having a hard time coping. Idk what’s gotten into me or why this fear is eating me up.

---------- Post added at 00:04 ---------- Previous post was at 00:01 ----------

Fish man I’m really trying to fight going to the ER. When I went in September for my palps. They gave me and ultrasound, chest X-ray, and MRI. I don’t want to keep exposing myself to unnecessary test or radiation at the expense of my health anxiety. But the fact that I could be wrong and there is a small chance that there maybe something wrong is enough to drive me insane. The pain started again after laying in bed for a few hours during the day. I’m just so scared and it’s affecting my life. I can’t remmeber the last time I was so fearful over a health anxiety issue. It’s making me truly depressed. What is wrong with me? I feel broken and damaged :(

[nomorepanic]

You are winding yourself up and getting more anxious.

Step away, do some deep and slow breathes and calm down.

[nomorepanic]

You are suffering with Health Anxiety - that is the main issue here.

[Worrygirl32]

Im having a relapse today. I’m having a lot of anxiety and I really feel that something bad is going to happen. I haven’t had a lot pain. But I felt some fluttering in my calf and thigh just now and I’m scared a clot could have broken off and now I’m scared for my breathing. Please. I’m really scared. I finally have a doctors appointment tmw but I’m worried something will happen before then.

---------- Post added at 00:56 ---------- Previous post was at 00:47 ----------

Fighting this mental battle has been so so hard for me. I really feel like I’m losing control. I’m genuienly scared for my health.

[utrocket09]

Im having a relapse today. I’m having a lot of anxiety and I really feel that something bad is going to happen. I haven’t had a lot pain. But I felt some fluttering in my calf and thigh just now and I’m scared a clot could have broken off and now I’m scared for my breathing. Please. I’m really scared. I finally have a doctors appointment tmw but I’m worried something will happen before then.

---------- Post added at 00:56 ---------- Previous post was at 00:47 ----------

Fighting this mental battle has been so so hard for me. I really feel like I’m losing control. I’m genuienly scared for my health.

You don't have clot, and if you did, you wouldn't feel fluttering. You will fine till tomorrow

[Worrygirl32]

Im having major anxiety before my doctors appointment. I’m so scared they are going to find something wrong with me. I’m gonna demand an ultrasound tho.

[Worrygirl32]

Hey y’all. I just figured I would update you on my doctors appointment. He thinks it’s tendonitis. Which I accept as a diagnosis. Tmw I have an appointment for an ultrasound to rule out dvt and bakers cyst since I asked for one. He said it’s highly unlikely as I have no risk factors but he would be happy to order one if it would give me peace of mind. So I’m feeling much better with my anxiety now. However, I still have mild to sharp cramping on what feels like the right side of my chest and it’s been going on for about two weeks. It’s making me worried that it could still be a pulmonary embolism. How can I stop thinking that it’s nothing bad. Like what else could be. It comes randomly. And there was one instance where it was on inspiratory that I would feel the cramping.

---------- Post added 16-01-19 at 00:25 ---------- Previous post was 15-01-19 at 23:50 ----------

I will also add. I just found I was pregnant on Monday. Since Saturday I have had several instances where I literally feel lightheaded or dizzy. I know this could be a result of the new pregnancy. But I’m worried it could be a result of a PE



I just had that feeling again of cramping. In the same spot. I’m on the verge of having a panic attack y’all.

[nomorepanic]

It could be anxiety causing chest pain.

I really don't think it is a PE

[Worrygirl32]

UPDATE*

I feel its only right to come back and update in hopes that it may help someone else. Ultrasound showed....

NO DVT and NO BAKERS CYST
Just a little bit of fluid around the knee which may explain some of the pain I'm having, but this could be caused by overuse of the joint!

I felt a tremendous amount of relief. Its crazy how when anxiety attaches onto something it goes crazy. But just remember sometimes really aren't as bad as we make it seem. Sometimes things happen within the body, that doesn't mean imminent doom awaits. I still get the random pains in my chest but I can rule out that it is most likely not a PE at this moment and it could just be plain old anxiety or something else less serious.

I hope this puts others at east and relax. I know its easier said than done, but thank you to everyone who came to offer words of encouragement during my madness. Y'all are awesome!

[Scass]

Great news!
Congratulations too [emoji846]


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