DVT, Deep Vein Thrombosis. I went to the hospital late Friday Night.

I had a DVT develop in the small Saphenous Vein about 4 inches below my left knee. Almost immediately my leg swelled to watermelon size and hurt like a bitch and red. I was so bad I went by ambulance, no way I could walk the pain was unbearable, I fucking hate ambulances, my two heart infarcts I drove myself 33 miles to the regional hospital in Troy, Alabama) I was placed on IV Heparin to dissolve the clot. I was discharged this evening, I was a difficult patient, I expect excellence and I wasn’t getting it. The Heparin seemed to work, no indication of clot. I am prescribed blood thinners, but wasn’t told which when I was discharged, it will be sent to my pharmacy tomorrow. So, that is why I was MIA, hasn’t been the first time. I tend not to worry about my phone, I am not wedded to it. Thanks for all’s concern and yes, I got hold of my Catholic Grand-mother… Posting at least for this week will be sporadic as I have a few appointments now thru the week.

36 thoughts on “DVT, Deep Vein Thrombosis. I went to the hospital late Friday Night.

  1. A DVT is a warning sign. If not taken care of the clot can break lose and travel.
    That results in a Pulmonary Embolism, a clot in a coronary artery leading to a heart attack or a clot in a blood vessel of the brain leading to stroke. Any one of the the three can be life changing or fatal.

    • Not exactly. A right-sided (venous) clot can’t cause a coronary or cerebral artery (both left-sided) blockage unless you have an abnormal connection between right and left circulations (such as a PFO), PLUS right-to-left flow across that shunt.

      A DVT that migrates into the pulmonary circulation is, as you say, a pulmonary embolism, and very very serious. PE is the third cardiovascular cause of death in the US, after heart attack and stroke.

      @Cederq: so are you on ANY anticoagulant right now, or totally uncovered? This (venous clots) ever happen before? I’m assuming they’ve checked your coag parameters. And of course the cancer workup…. Please feel free to PM me if you like.

      Get better soon and all that, but make sure they work this up properly for etiology.

      • DVTs don’t just happen in legs.
        They can and do cause MI’s and strokes.
        A DVT which does usually manifest in the lower
        extremities the vast majority of the time is an
        indicator of a clotting disorder. Clotting can occur
        anywhere in the body. And those clots can and do
        migrate…including into the cardiac vasculature and
        into the cerebral vasculature. That’s why a DVT is a warning sign. Spent almost half a century doing angiography. Clots are a big deal. It’s why the “clot shot” is so dangerous.

        • A VENOUS thrombosis can cause a stroke or MI IF there’s an abnormal right-left connection. Now if you’re talking ARTERIAL thrombosis causing MI/stroke, sure. But they’re not venous.

  2. Praying.  And what Phil said.  Stop being such a stubborn old coot—one stubborn old coot to another—and put your phone in your pocket.

  3. well, that does suck bigtime. glad you where able to get help. now do what you need to get “right” again. as I have told others, after 55, all bets are off and letters in lab reports take on a whole new meaning.
    take care of yourself. after a certain age, we all have some problems to deal with.
    BTW, I got rid of my cell phone over 10 years ago. on some ways, they a lot worse than a beeper ever was.

    • Dave – thanks for not being a phone slave. I am retiring at the end of this year and my company says I can keep my phone. I will reduce it to its basic elements of Carbon, Copper, Hrydrogen, Silicon, etc in my black powder assisted hole puncher range. Then burn the remains to ashes.

      I didn’t grow up with one, don’t need one once I retire. The wife is frantic “how will i get in touch with you?” I keep telling her to get her ham license…

      CerderQ – your health is way more important than your valued contribution to this website. Do what’s best for you first!

  4. Keep your end up. If you can’t continue with your input we’ll be stuck with Phil – and he’s like the wreck of the Hesperus!

  5. You take care of yourself sir. I have been on blood thinners myself for close to 10 years due to artificial heart valve replacement and know the frustrations of keeping your INR levels. I probably am running ketchup as my dose is pretty high (10 mg. daily).

  6. You scallywag, I was worried. Hospital is Zactly like clown world for sure. False alarm 4th of July two summers ago. What a joke that was. I had a DVT to pulmonary embelosis four years ago we need to talk.Get well brother

    • You actually provided a clown world picture above noticed the medical industry shows it in the right leg when the majority are in the left leg

  7. awww quit your malingering and back to entertaining us, STAT.

    No, seriously I hope they find and fix the issue.

    Prayers are being sent.

  8. Get well soon. As far as medical service these days, that’s a throw of the dice, with maybe a little Murphy thrown in. I don’t believe in luck, but it can’t hurt to wish you good luck and good fortune. Hope you’re up on your karma account.

  9. as has been pointed out above, DVTs just don’t happen out of nowhere.
    I happened on a really great leech; we titrate me along with what used to be daily, now monthly vampire visits and full reviews the following week.
    Why? So the wife can torture me for another few years

  10. Hey Cederq, you still live near Troy, AL? If so we should meet up for a brewski somewhere and discuss the state of the world. If not then good luck on the convalescence.

    Spin

    • Oh no, haven’t lived there since 2008. Moved to South Dakota when my wife lost her job at the Alabama State Library. I want to move back if I can stay healthy for a few weeks…

    • I appreciate that Jim! I and the weirdo Guido are doing fine, have a roof over my head, food and drink in the house, bills are paid. I have a brother that lives in Oakland, 32 miles North of me. How are you and the wife doing? Guido loved that organ meat casserole you gave me, I would put a little in with a bowl of food and she never turns her nose up!

  11. Do not for any reason just quit taking the blood thinners suddenly. Have to taper off slowly. It will kill you. Godspeed

    • Ned, I am a retired Nurse… I appreciate your advice, it is correct. I was put on a low dose of Eliqus. When me and the doc decide to DC it I will have to start tapering off. The docs haven’t figured out why I had the DVT, all my blood and protein, and body chemistry test came out boringly normal.

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