Anyone here know anything about blood clots?

[Sarah93advice]

Hi everyone.

Yesterday I woke up from a nap with muscle soreness in my upper thigh. More towards the inside. I’m 26 weeks pregnant.
It got worse with movement and honestly felt just like when you’ve been on a long run or at the gym and your Muscles feel painful the next day. The other leg was fine.

I’ve done nothing to strain my upper thigh muscle, in fact I’ve been in bed for 3 days on account I’ve had a bad cough and cold (unlikely to be COVID but I’m keeping weary) the rest of my body was not sore in any way so I doubt attributed to my illness.

I had been warned in my pregnancy with DS1 that blood clots can manifest as muscle pain and usually needed urgent attention. Obviously due to me having a cough I couldn’t just walk into the local A&E so I called 111.

111 were... pretty useless. I was eventually passed through to a doctor who said that because my thigh didn’t feel warm, wasn’t red or swollen it was ‘unlikely’ to be a blood clot and told me to just call my GP the next day to get someone to look at my leg.
I told him my GP surgery was closed until the afternoon (today) and I didn’t feel safe leaving a potential blood clot. He again said he didn’t think it was a blood clot and to call my GP when I could.

I went to bed as I didn’t know what else to do. Couldn’t turn up to the A&E with a cough and put others at risk. I woke up this morning and the sore thigh is still slightly sore but much less painful than it was yesterday.
As expected, I couldn’t get through to my GP surgery at all this afternoon so have just had to leave it. I did call the pregnancy assessment unit who advised I went to the A&E. I told them I couldn’t due to having a cough - they told me to call 111. It’s a repeat circle.

Any advice here? I’m so terrified it’s a blood clot. I have read that sometimes they don’t cause anything other than pain and tenderness in the leg. So I’m not sure why the 111 doctor told me otherwise.

Thanks

My understanding of a blood clot is the affected area would be red, swollen and warm to the touch. Last year I had cellulitis in my ankle ( symptoms are ....redness, swollen and warm to the touch) I had a telephone appt with GP and he insisted I came in to 'rule out a blood clot'. So I would think it is highly unlikely you have one, but there is no harm in ringing your GP again to totally put your mind at rest.

I had one in my first pregnancy, and at the beginning I thought I'd pulled a muscle. I don't remember there being any swelling or red patches.

after a few days my leg went blue and hot and it was quite obvious.

I work for a company who sells a drug for blood clots- like others have said keep
An eye on it and amy redness and heat you must go to A and E

Don't want to worry you but Covid is known to cause blood clots and dvt so I think needs to be taken into consideration

Any breathlessness ring 999 in
Case of Pulmonary embolism

You’ve had medical advice from real medics - no one on here should be comfortable telling you anything different. You can go to ED with a cough - that’s how most of the covid positive patients are getting in. With a cough you’d need to be treated as being at high risk of having the virus rather than low risk but that doesn’t mean you can’t go. Pregnancy & covid are both risk factors for clots & the only way to exclude one is to actually see someone and get the tests done. Even if you decide not to take the medical advice you’ve been given re. a clot you should get a covid test - it could still be positive even if you don’t think it’s likely.

OP why do you think your cough is unlikely to be Covid? I hope you manage to get your leg looked at.

DH and I haven’t left the house since Christmas Day! All our food has been delivered straight to the door, however I have booked in for a swab test tomorrow just to be safe.
Our hospitals policy says strictly nobody should enter with COVID symptoms without contacting 111 first, that’s why I’m a tad worried and confused :-(

Have you had a covid test? YOu say you've had a cough for 3 days - why have you not had a test? You can get a result in 24 hours - why don't you do that, and if it's negative, then head to A&E

Personally I'd go to A&E anyway - being immobile can be a cause of getting a blood clot in pregnancy by the way.

Personally I'd go to A&E anyway

God no, don't turn up at A&E with covid symptoms

Call back 111.

Blood clots don't always cause redness and swelling and nobody can say over the phone what it is.

Agree with above poster - blood clots don't always cause redness and swelling.

It must be so hard for you, I wouldn't have a clue what to do about cough. Quicker you get a negative result back the quicker you can be properly checked out.

I had a clot which travelled to the lung, no redness or swelling at all.

Your first port of call should be your midwife. They are trained to consider the possibility of DVT and PE.
You should measure your thighs at the same point in each leg, examine carefully for any prominent veins on the affected side or any swelling.
Is there any family history of blood clots?
Is there a 24 hour number on your maternity notes?
Dvt isn't necessarily just in the calf, it can be anywhere. There is a check list that a midwife should go through with you.
I am sorry, it is worrying, but you should persevere in order to speak to someone. If you have chest pain or breathlessness you should call an ambulance.

Immobility for 3 days plus fever/ viral infection is important to mention.