First calf muscle tear, now it turns into a blood clot (Page 2)

Suzanne, I am with ya on that one, and not even a doc here.  I have heard stories from around the country re DVTs and PEs, including docs that have sent people with SOB home, only to have them pass away due to the clot. 

I guess I would like to say I am amazed that someone presenting with those symptoms only had the D Dimer, which as noted is not all that diagnostic especially since there's an injury, but unfortunately I am not.  Not to impugn docs generally, as one (ER doc) saved my life, but I've just heard and experienced too many horror stories about a shocking lack of knowledge about DVTs/PEs among some practicing general physicians.  An US is non invasive, easy amd relatively inexpensive, and above all you get immediate results.  When I've had my various US, altho the techs couldn't tell me the results legally, they could tell me that if they had found something, I would not have been allowed to leave without the doc's orders and further instructions.  You have to strt treating DVTs immediately so that they don't continue to form or worse break off and end up in the lungs like some of us.  Of course, you knew that

Edited by ChrisM 2012-02-16 4:03 PM

Never had one in my leg. Have one in my arm.

The shots in the belly suck, but they pass.

The constant fear of having a stroke or coughing up blood sucks, but it passes too.

Getting the warfarin dose right is more an art than a science. For me it was very dependent on my exercise levels. Made getting the right dose difficult as I was ramping up training. Took 4 months for them to straighten that out.

Don't expect immediate relief. I guess there is something called Thrombloysis, which is like the rock star treatment. Look into that, it needs to happen fast. It blows up the clot all in one go. Not sure if used in legs. I read about it being used in upper extremity dvts, and am kinda pissed I never got that treatment.

I agree with whoever said doctors need to know more about this stuff. They seem to know nothing and the whole treatment is a witch doctorary mess. I was reading how they just used to guess at the warfarin dosage, pre INRs. Ha.

Think part of the problem is that it usually happens to older people with tons of other medical issues so treatment is geared towards them.

Killing the clot doesn't necessary fix the symptoms. You may end up with damage to your veins. My circulation in my arm still sucks.

Exercise helps. I think it is essential. Keep that blood trucking along I say. Start walking as soon as you can if the doctor says okay.

Keep well hydrated, get enough sleep, eat properly and consistently.

Good luck.

Sorry I need to correct my own post. A "DVT" is a blood clot. A blood clot is usually teh same thing as a DVT, just a common term. You can however have blood clots outside a vein. (like a scab or a blood blister or a hematoma...those are not dangerous). I mean tto say start of a DVT rather than a muscle tear. Sorry if I confused anyone!

DVT=Deep vain throbosis (throbosis is Greek for clot).

Did anyone have a sports induced DVT, and what were the results in terms of recovery, getting back to training, etc. Please post your experiences. I dont imagine any other type of DVT would be differen, would it?

Edited by TrekPower 2012-02-28 2:27 PM

My wife has the Prothrombin mutation factor IV(?).  We didn't know it until after 3 miscarriages. This was after our first son was born. Fortunately after the diagnosis by a Duke University Specialist, an aspirin a day pre-pregnancy, self administered coumadin shots during pregnancy we have a second son. 

 

DrPete, do you know if there is any environmental link to this condition? My wife grew up all over Europe and Middle and Northern Africa.  I always wondered if there was a connection.  Maybe "something in the water" or a side effect of the anti-malaria drugs.

 

I can't believe I am asking this question on a Triathlon web site. But thanks for all the responses very interesting thread for me.

Edited by frm-fat-2<fat 2012-02-28 8:28 PM