Blood Clot or Something Else?

[givemehorses]

I had a tonsillectomy on Jan 2nd so just over 2 weeks ago, I've been mostly bed bound but up and walking about inbetween. I do need to drink more water though.

I've been having other problems and ended up in hospital on Friday with palpitations, chest pain etc. ECG, chest x-ray and bloods all came back as normal (inc. the ones for blood clots I believe).

Leg pain started on wednesday, so before I went into hospital. I have been in twice since Friday and everything has been fine apart from the fact my heart rate is raised and I've been having the other symptoms.

First doctor said not to worry about the leg pain, third doctor felt my legs and there was no tenderness to touch and no warm spots and wasn't then concerned.

With everything else I am under investigation for, I am developing health anxiety :(

My leg pain started when sat down, felt like a mild muscle cramp and went away within 20-30 minutes. I can't remember if I felt it on Thursday as thats when everything else started, but it was there on Friday. Saturday I don't remember, and same for Sunday. I think it was there Monday but again went away on its own, and same for Tuesday. Wasn't there for most of Wednesday, but came on in the afternoon and came on today.

It isn't sore nor does it feel like an ache, it's this staticy type pain that comes with muscle spasm. It's mostly on the side of my right calf behind the knee sort of mid calf, but not directly behind the knee. There has been no redness and no swelling. Walking can help, warming it up can help, and elevating seems to help. I've been getting muscle twitches in both legs and some pain in my hamstrings and inner calf too (same type of pain).

I do have an injury in my hip and around my SI joint, so not sure if that is related or not. I also have had nerve issues in my neck before too.

I'm going to have to go to the out of hours doctor tonight as I have been put on Propranolol 40mg 1x a day and have been on it for 4 days but am really reacting to it, my poor toes were blue earlier and I had to warm them up in warm water. Just hope doing that hasn't possibly made anything else worse!

Any reassurance much appreciated x

You poor thing, have you called 111 for advice or managed to speak to your doctor, you should get this checked out.

I always panic about blood clots and have been to A&E a few times worried and tests have been fine.

I have always been told that if your leg swells or goes warm then get to hospital straight away. Also if you have any trouble breathing.

But I would imagine it's just from laying down a lot. Just stay hydrated and keep legs moving now and again if you can. Blood clots are very very rare x

we don't have 111 here so can't call them. didn't manage to get to see GP so hopefully can get to see out of hours and if they want me to go to A&E I can go.

I've been feeling awful on this Propranolol and it hasn't helped much with anxiety etc. so will see what they say if I can get through to them. I really don't want to have to go in to hospital again as I've been in so many times over the last week.

Where about are you living? Can you get to out of hours tonight.

I'm in NI, just waiting to get through to out of hours. Been on hold for nearly 10 minutes.

Thankfully the chest pains aren't as bad, but I think worrying over my leg isn't helping. I've never been like this with anxiety, but its with being under investigation and not knowing what else is going on everything is now a super big worry to me.

As someone who almost tripped off this mortal coil from a pulmonary embolism after surgery (leg/knee surgery though, much easier to get a DVT) in March I am hyper vigilant. Is your breathing OK? I went from being relatively OK (albeit in pain from the surgery) to hardly being able to move without feeling like I'd just run a marathon - I even said as much and in hindsight the signs were bloody obvious.

My first "shit I'm in real trouble" sign was palpitations, but these were caused by the clot being so big that my heart had enlarged but you've had yours checked out (it would show on an ECG) so sounds doubtful they are anything to do with a clot. plus they would probably have checked your troponin level (the protein your heart throws out if it's in trouble) and your d-dimer (not absolutely conclusive but pretty good at indicating clots, yours may be slightly elevated from the surgery after effects anyway).

Anxiety can also manifest itself in many physical ways, including chest pains and palpitations.

BUT I think you're wise to get checked out again, things can change and if you're still having symptoms I think it's a good idea.

Breathing isn't bad but it's not perfect, if that makes sense? I also think thats an issue with the propranolol as well as I think as it begins to wear off it impacts on my breathing - I have really really mild asthma (that the Dr knew about when he put me on it)

I was blood tested for clots when I was first in, and probably the second time too. As the tingling started before I was tested I'm hoping that's a good thing, but then you never know.

The chest pain and palpitations are most likely related to how high my heart rate has been, as is some of the anxiety.

Just trying to get through to out of hours, got to the point a human picked up the phone twice only to have the line seem to cut out and them not be able to hear me! Frustrating as I was on hold for 10 minutes and then for 5 minutes and now have been on hold again for 5.

That's a pain in the arse - hopefully you'll get through soon. I'm on propranolol myself - have been for years. It can have some funny side effects when you first start.

How high is your heart rate now? Have you been able to take it? Not that I can diagnose you but can tell you if you're within normal limits still (ex nurse).

I have a leg that does this when I am inactive for a period of time. It is a varicose vein, you cannot see it but it does bother me. Never having three children again lol.

I also have a bad back. Visit physio. Sitting around at xmas as well as being bedridden with flu made my back bad again including pins and needles cold right foot. So I dug my physio exercises out again and started doing them. Within a couple of days the pins and needles had gone.

This very cold weather will aggravate your mild asthma. OH is wheezing like a train in the morning and needs his inhaler. You could ask for a peak flow test to see if your flow has dropped.

Have you seen the side effects of propranolol. You are showing some of them perhaps.

www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/heart-blood/a27652/propranolol-side-effects/

I'm at 89bpm now according to my fitbit, but I have just walked back upstairs lol. So I'm normal but high. My blood pressure was measured yesterday as I had a psych appt. and it was 140/90 which is high but it hasn't changed. I'm only on one 40mg once a day which I usually take around lunch time.

I have issues with circulation in my feet as well like Raynaud's except my feet are much much worse than my hands, and since taking the propranolol its got much worse which makes me also worry a bit about clots and circulation.

Pain in right leg has got a little bit worse and it does look a little bit swollen, but still no redness. Waiting on out of hours doctor to ring me back, but will guess they'll probably say hospital. It's all a bit scary, I'm only 22 :( if I'd known a tonsillectomy could cause all this, I'd have gone without one

Can you get yourself safely to hospital, can someone drive you if you don't call 999.

89 after walking upstairs is absolutely fine - 89 at complete rest is high but still within normal limits (although appreciate it might be high for you).

BP, again is on the cusp of being high but not worryingly high. Anxiety can easily cause this.

But, as per my earlier post, if symptoms are persisting/getting worse then you need to speak to someone - hopefully you'll get through soon.

I do worry about the accuracy of fitbits. Hope the out of hours gp gets back to you soon.

Sorry, misread your last post. If symptoms worsen and still no sign of the OOH doc I'd be inclined to go to A&E.

waiting on the doctor phoning me back, hopefully shouldn't be too long but I'm now panicking myself which isn't helping.

I'll see what the doctor says and then go from there, my brother is in so may have to bribe him to take me if needs be or will see if doctor can suggest something.

If propranolol affects and slows your heart rate then maybe the fitbit wouldn't be accurate

Nerve damage, sciatica? See an osteopath but check out more urgent problems too

True Cheesy, and BP. But don't panic OP, this doesn't mean they are definitely higher, but be sure to tell the doc that you're taking it.

Try to not panic - it's highly likely you don't have a clot, especially considering you've already been checked. Yes you've had surgery but not one that is likely to cause such complications.

Have to be at out of hours for 8 so they can check obs etc. and they will have a look at my leg too.

brother is taking me so hopefully it's not anything too scary

Hope you feel better soon

Lots of luck

Got back from doctors a while ago, and it's all good news :)

He said definitely no blood clot, and was able to access most of my blood work and my ECGs as well and confirmed nothing irregular. Felt my legs, said where I'm feeling pain and the type of pain isn't consistent with blood clots at all. He also said given that he was putting a lot of pressure onto my calves, definitely not blood clots.

My upper thigh has been sore though, as has where my sore hip is after he was poking around, so it's probably related to that. I've been getting some tingling in my right arm and the sides of my neck and my posture hasn't been great as I've been hunching over to use my laptop and already have issues with nerve pain in my neck so I'd say its most likely related to that.

He has also said to come off the propranolol, due to the side effects. He said just don't take it anymore and come off it, and the dose I'm on is low enough and I haven't been on it long enough to need to taper it down so will make sure I'm not on my own a lot tomorrow just incase. Also said if the symptoms that seem to be side effects persist to go to my GP on Monday and if the symptoms I'm on it for get worse. I'm meant to be going back to uni on Monday but may have to push that back a few days :(

I feel awful, drained and tired. I am so anxious and I think that's also contributing to everything going on and I don't know why. My HR is down to 80bpm right now according to my fitbit (it always goes right down when lying down and being a bit more relaxed) and I'm going to go out for a walk with mum tomorrow too. She also made me some marmite toast as marmite is meant to be a good source of B12. I'm going to start taking my B12 supplements again too and see if they help me at all.

I have been coughing a bit, and there's been a lot of mucus, but then my nose is also running and my chest sounds clear. Not coughing enough to be concerned anyway and thankfully nothing green or scary looking.

That's great news. I hope this helps alleviate your anxiety a bit. The Calm app is a great help if it gets too much. Hope you feel better soon.