Can anyone help re DVT aftercare ?

[LilMissSunshine]

Hi

A week ago my right calf muscle was aching a bit. It hadn't improved by Friday and I had no other symptoms. My mum died of a PE caused by a missed DVT 2 years ago, and only because of this I went to the Docs to ask for their opinion. The Dr thought that the chance of a DVT was very low given my lack of symptoms and age (35), but because I said about my mum she referred me for an ultrasound.

The U/S was going very well and was happily thinking it was just a sprained muscle until the very last moment. In the last section of my leg that the radiologist scanned, she found a quote 'small clot' - it's in the anterior tibial vein which apparently is quite rare ?

Since Friday I've been on self administered heparin injections and warfarin tablets. The haematology nurses haven't really told me what to expect next other than I'll be on Warfarin for 3 months.

Can anyone who has been through this please help at all by letting me know what to expect ? Is there any kind of follow up to understand why it happened in the first place - I have no obvious risk factors other than my mums history. My left calf has started aching over the weekend, but I'm not sure if it's just a sprained muscle because I was putting more weight on that leg to compensate for my right leg ? They gave me support stockings, but they really dig in around the top - is this right ?

At the moment I'm just really a bit in shock as never actually expected it to be a DVT and made the mistake of googling and finding horror stories on what causes unexplained clots i.e. other malignancy is possible, side effects of warfarin etc, so my HA has gone into overdrive after being really under control for a while.

Thanks ever so much for looking and if you can help x

[worriedmummy]

Hiya, my husband had his first DVT in 2007 aged just 23, he had a clot in his calf and his his thigh. The follow up was lots of test and this was because we were perisistent in wanting to know what caused his clots, lots of tests no answers, had we not been persistent I dont beleive he would have had the tests.

He was on warfarin for 6 months and when it came to stopping the warfarin there wasnt a plan which there should have been as just stopping warfarin is dangerous as you are more likely to get a clot once you have had one, so you should actually wean from warfarin not just stop. (im not a medical profession just my opinion from my husband and research)

Anyway my husband stopped warfarin Septemeber and had another clot early October, again same leg 2 places, this followed 6 months of warfrain and then he stopped again and clots again! 3rd time lucky hey so now he is on warfarin for life! just take it steady ask as many questions as u can and dont let them just stop the warfarin, try and get answers to why it happened.

I hope this helps, I dont want to scare you but make you aware that you need to ask questions and not be pushed into the "just a freak inccident catergory"

We have had lots of tests and no answers however we are comfotable with this now as there are no more tests to do.

If you have any further questions please ask! Also make sure you wear that compression stocking it will be fitted soon. :)

[LilMissSunshine]

Thanks ever so much for this.

Did your husband ever find out a reason why it has happened to him ?

[shotokansho]

Hi. I had a clot in my leg in 2004. It wasn't un-explained though it developed through pregnancy. I was put on warfarin for 6 months and the clot dispersed.
Since having it I get very paranoid and refused to fly in fear that it would return. It never has and now I have learned to stop living in fear. I have been on two holidays now and I have been fine.
Try not to worry and take things easy. This is what I was advised to do.
When resting try to keep you leg raised slightly higher than your hips.
Try to take at least one 30 minute brisk walk every day.
Cut right down on smoking and alcohol.
Try not to get involved in vigorous sports.
And be careful cos you may bruise easier and bleed more than usual from small cuts.
I recovered quite well from mine, and I never had any problems with the warfarin. I'm sure this will be the case for you too. Take care.

Kez xx

[LilMissSunshine]

Hi Kez

Thanks very much for this - really appreciate the re-assurance. I think this week I have become more concerned about the warfarin and the effects that could have, compared to the original clot!

Thanks again x

[christinez]

Hi. I had a DVT in 2007, which was quite serious as the clot had travelled to my thigh. It was put down to me starting to take the Dianette pill as I have had acne problems for many years (I was 44 at the time of the DVT). I was told I would need to be on Warfarin for 6 months, which I was, and during that time was monitored by the anti-coagulant clinic, my INR level had to be checked to see that it was being maintained at the correct level - it sometimes meant changing the dosage of Warfarin I was on. At the end of the 6 months I was just told to come off the Warfarin, and that was it! No further investigations were offered, it was put down to the Dianette. Luckily, I have had no further episodes of DVT since, nearly 3 years on, and I keep my fingers crossed for you that, like me, it was just a 'one-off'!