blood clots

[bassin_bug]

Hey people,has anyone here, had any dealings with blood clots in the leg. Found out I got one on the 8th of this month, really cant get a straight answer out of my doctors, and sometimes its like you people on here are the only one to talk to. Thanks Dave

My friend had an auto accident in January and it tore loose about a 2"x3" piece of her lower leg. She got a blood clot that was caused from the bruising in the wounded area. She had to lie in the recliner with her leg elevated for about 4 months and was taking blood thinners to try and dissolve the clot. She said it was extremely painful and she couldn't move around a lot to prevent dislodging the clot.

There are a couple of nurses on this board and they can give you some good information. All I know about blood clots is that they can be caused from trauma to the area and they can develop without an injury, sometimes from hardening of the arteries. My mom had 2 small clots in the top of her foot and doctors never new what caused them, she didn't have any artery disease. I believe they were caused from her sitting too long on an airplane because it happened right after she came back off a trip.

You are paying your doctor's bill and have the right to a straight answer. Just ask him/her specifically, "What caused this blood clot?"

[Big Gills]

I agree with everybody and say that blood clots are not good things. You should be on blood thinners and medication to remove the plaque from arteries. My father had blood clots in his legs and he had alot of trouble walking especially up stairs. That was back in the early 80's. I could tell he was in alot of pain. But my family are not the type to go to the doctors. So he didnt get treated for his. So in the end he died of a blood clot in the heart. I hear that they can travel up the legs to the heart.They didnt have the medication back then that they do now. I would demand answers from your doctor and get put on some medication to deal with it.

[psprowler]

If this is your first go around with one you will probably be on the drug coumadin for at least 6 months. If you have other complicating conditions it may be longer. Since it happened on the 8th you've likely already had the round of initial injections that keeps the blood thn while the coumadin levels get where they need to be. The biggest worry is the clot busting off and then blocking another vessel ie lung or brain....

[Tyme2fish]

I didn't want to copy and paste this information and be perceived as an expert when I'm not. You may find this information beneficial in your situation.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/blood...s/page5_em.htm

[redtail]

Thankyou, much for the reply, im takin the meds blood is like water,after yesterday they just want to send me to someone else, sad but true, I miss my time on the water so much!!

[Chubminnow]

Is it possible to have blood clots and not realize you have them? What are some signs that indicate you might have blood clots?

[psprowler]

Is it possible to have blood clots and not realize you have them? What are some signs that indicate you might have blood clots?

In the legs the area of the clot tends to be red, warm, and swollen - part of the body's inflammatory response...........

[Tyme2fish]

Is it possible to have blood clots and not realize you have them? What are some signs that indicate you might have blood clots?

Chubminnow, here's a link to symptoms.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/blood...s/page2_em.htm

[RoadToad]

Redtail, I'm glad to hear you're getting your blood clots treated. A blood clot in your leg is called a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), and they can be REALLY dangerous. They can break loose, and float around in your bloodstream, then lodge in your lungs (the most common site), your brain, your coronary arteries, basically anywhere in your body. Because the veins they usually occur in are "deep," you may or may not have symptoms. My girlfriend was hospitalized in February with PE's (Pulmonary Emboli - blood clots in the lungs) in both lungs. All other causes were ruled out, so the presumption is they came from her legs, the most common site, even though the ultrasounds of her legs were negative (the clots had already broken off). She had none of the usual symptoms. No pain or redness in her legs, nothing. She's been on coumadin since, and will be for a few more months. Thankfully her pulmonary function is almost back to normal, and the pulmonary hypertension is decreasing. Looks like she's one of the lucky ones who's going to make a full recovery. I'm not an "expert," just a former ICU nurse, but I can tell you firsthand that a lot of people with PE's don't do well. But then again, in ICU you're seeing mostly the worst-case scenarios. I know I was really scared when Kendra got hers.

Bottom line, if you even THINK you might have a blood clot in your leg, get it checked out ASAP. They're nothing to mess with.