Anyone else with suspected DVT?

[Froggy81]

Went to the midwife yesterday and mentionned in passing that my calf was aching, especially at night or when I stood up after being sat down for a while. Have been referred to GP and hospital and am now waiting for a scan to happen today or tomorrow.
I thought that usually with DVT, calf had to be swollen, hot and red. Mine is not - which is why I didn't worry when the pain started about a week ago - they just found that it was 1cm bigger than the other so probably normal IMO. Calf is just tender. Has anyone had just the same symptoms in pregnancy?

[mopsytop]

I did, and it turned out not to be DVT but I had to be scanned twice, as they couldn't see all my veins. I had a pain in my calf, especially at night and when I walked or stood for a while. But it wasn't swollen at all, my calves were both the same size. But it's definitely better to be on the safe side and go and get it checked. They checked mine the same day and then a week later as well.

[Froggy81]

Thank you, that's reassuring. I'm nearly 100% sure that it's just varicose veins, as they run in the family. Am still waiting for them to call back to find out when I will have the scan.

[mopsytop]

Let me know what they say. And if there are any tips for the painful legs and how to improve! I didn't get much helpful advice.

[stitchinline]

When I had a DVT my leg wasn't red or hot at all. When they measured it was about 3cm different but didn't look swollen or much different. It was really painful - especially when I flexed my foot.

Although I wasn't pregnant at the time I had mine and there are lots of other things that can cause leg pains, hopefully it is just the varicose veins

But it is definitely a good idea to get it checked out

[mopsytop]

What did they do to fix it stitch?

[stitchinline]

I let mine go and ended up with a PE - as i siad it wasn't that visible so just thought I had a bad leg cramp.

I was hospitalised for 5 nights (3 of them in ITU as they wanted to thrombolise but decided against at last minute). The don't generally dissolve a clot - they just thin your blood so your body can do the work itself. The pain iteself didn't last that long for me, was just generally shattered for about a month.

They started me on warfarin and I injected fragmin until my blood was thin enough not to be a worry, I now have to wear the stockings for 2 years.

Was on warfarin for 11 months and then managed a BFP so started the fragmin injections and aspirin, sadly had a MC in feb but am now 8+2 and injecting twice daily so hoping this one is going to stick.

Turns out I have APS so will either be on warfarin / fragmin or something like for quite a long time to prevent it happening again.

[Ivortheengine8]

Hi froggy, I had a DVT after the birth of my first DD and am now on clexane for this pregnancy. You dont have to have all the symptoms. In my case the pain was the main thing, I didnt have any redness and only mild swelling.
With subsequent superfical clots I have had swelling and redness though.
Usually if you squeeze your calf fairly tightly you will feel the pain though.
I let mine go for 2 weeks before seeing anyone as I had no idea about DVT back then and thought it was just muscle pain, Im glad you are getting it looked at.

[stitchinline]

Hi froggy
Just wondered if you had a scan yet - hope everything is ok.

[Froggy81]

Hi!

Thanks stitchinline for asking about the scan and everyone else for your replies.

I had my scan today and was told there's no clot, I was really relieved! They didn't like the fact that the bloods showed that there might be one, but this is apparently frequent in pregnant women. So I will have to go back for another scan next week. Was told to go to hosp if any redness, or other symptom appeared in the meantime.

I asked how to relieve the pain and was told there isn't much to do, apart from sitting with my feet up, which I am dutifully obeying right now. So sorry, stitch, I didn't get any great tips...

What surprises me is that they have not really looked at my calf that much in detail, surely, looking at it, they should be able to tell if it's varicose veins playing up?

[stitchinline]

glad it's not a clot froggy - one less thing to worry about :)

[Ivortheengine8]

The D dimer is usually high in pregnancy so not very accurate.
Basically they are looking to see if the blood is still flowing properly and I think they call it a two point Ultrasound for a quick diagnosis but sometimes the 2 point can miss a small calf DVT so that is why they will ask you to come back next week to see if anything has progressed.
They probably were not really looking for VV as they are close to the surface but I do understand you concern as I went through this a couple of months back when I was pretty sure mine had come back. Was told it must be 'phlebitis' but strangely I have never had 'visable' VVs but I know they picked up a superfical clot on one of my scans.
BTW When I had this superfical phlebitis I had it for about 4 weeks and could hardly walk on it - extremely painful, maybe even more so than my previous DVT.
Can you see any signs externally of VV's or redness in one area?