Hi everyone,

After nearly 2 years and another baby I have found myself back here. I want to first say that I am seeing a counselor and have been for the past two years and it’s been great however one of my worst fears came true and sent me spiraling.

When I was five weeks postpartum I noticed a red warm nickel size spot on the outside of my calf. For a few days I ignored it thinking it was a bug bite and then I went to urgent care when I was exactly 6 weeks postpartum. He looked at it and said he knew it was a phlebitis without doing any ultrasound but he knew that because I was anxious about it I wasn’t going to leave without an ultrasound. We did the ultrasound and I was clear for a DVT and the spot actually didn’t come up as a phlebitis on ultrasound. The radiologist said lipoma. However the doctor still wanted to treat me for phlebitis given that I was postpartum and it was a red warm spot with a pea size ball underneath it. It really rattled me as that is one of my biggest fears. He told me to use a warm compress and take bayer aspirin until it cleared up. It cleared up within a week and I saw my primary who felt like it was not a phlebitis however she agreed that a lipoma would not go away that quickly.

She told me I could come off of the aspirin, and now at 11 weeks postpartum I am feeling a pulling pain in my calf. I will say that I did do calf raises on Thursday While I was on hold on the phone. It started bothering me yesterday and I try to allow the thought to happen and dismiss it but the physical pain as a reminder and when I feel that I am sent spinning again. I tried EFT tapping, but I can’t help but think maybe the phlebitis is making its way to a major vein and that’s why I have this pulling in the back of my calf headed up towards my butt. I’ve also done some stretches thinking maybe it was sciatic nerve stuff and while that does offer relief the thought is still in my head. Like I said this is one of my worst fears and I felt like I was doing great post partum until this happened. Especially since I had been doing great with just EFT tapping and see my counselor for the past two years. So I’ve really been beating myself up over this relapse as well.
I’ve also done some stretches thinking maybe it was sciatic nerve stuff and while that does offer relief the thought is still in my head. Like I said this is one of my worst fears and I felt like I was doing great postpartum until this happened. Especially since I had been doing great with just EFT tapping and seeing my counselor for the past two years. So I’ve really been beating myself up over this relapse as well.

I would like to add that there is no redness or swelling or bump or heat in the area just a very thin spider vein.

I’ve been feeling dizzy but I feel like that might be a symptom of anxiety I have not been drinking caffeine as to help the anxiety. The dizziness could also be from allergies as they are a little rough now in central Florida and my husband and son are also dealing with allergies so the dizziness could be from clogged ears. My doctor was notified about that and prescribed me amoxicillin for it, however now I’m thinking is it related to the pain in my calf.