My mum and DVT

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My mother is 87 and lives on her own.

She went to her GP yesterday because she had a hot, swollen leg. GP said either cellulitis or a DVT, either way you need a blood test. She had the blood test at 11am and was prescribed Xarelto which she picked up from the pharmacy and started taking yesterday.

At 9pm last night she had a phone call from the hospital who confirmed a DVT and asked her to go in so they could put her on medication. She told them she already had a prescription from the GP and they were happy with that and have left her.

What she doesn't seem to have had is any other advice for how to manage this DVT until it is hopefully dispersed by the medication. For instance should she be resting, or keeping active? Does she need a compression bandage? Should she sleep with her leg elevated?

I would be most grateful from any further advice from medics on Mumsnet as I literally have no one else to ask!

Thank you.

I suspect communication has got muddled somewhere. You can't diagnose a DVT simply from a blood test. Sounds like she may need an ultrasound scan of the leg. I would suggest she call her GP/the hospital back and ask them to explain things again.

Sorry to hear this... I'm afraid I'm not a medic, but my own mum had a DVT many years ago now. I'm really surprised that the hospital just left it at that! DVT is very serious. If I were you I would phone the hospital and ask for advice (or her GP at the very least). Do you think there's a chance that your mother didn't want to go to hospital and the hospital didn't push it?

My own mum was in hospital for several days (the clot travelled to her lungs - she was lucky to survive) and was on intravenous heparin & warfarin throughout. Things may have changed now but it sounds very casual for a very serious event.

Good luck and I hope you get some answers