Hello,
A little back story about me - I have never had a blood clot before and I am 4 weeks postpartum. I also have quite complex health anxiety. I am not after a diagnosis online, I understand the best thing for a suspected blood clot is A&E and know nothing that is said on here can rule in or out DVT.
About a week ago, on my foot, I noticed a swollen vein that when touched caused what I can only describe as nerve pain in my foot. I went to Urgent Care - the initial checking in nurse said they would have to send me to A&E as while they could diagnose and treat DVT there, for some reason they didn't see women who were postpartum. A dr saw me though before I left and confidentally felt that it was not a deep vein (you can see this vein is one close to surface of foot) and said I didn't need to go. She said "I don't take risks when it comes to blood clots but I feel certain that this is not one". The pain disappeared.
Then a week later, the pain in the foot returned. This pain is also joined by ankle and knee pain and some pain in back of calf and thigh. Sometimes at the front of my leg - it does not stay in one spot. It's not a pulled muscle pain and does not get worse when walking. If anything the pain disappears when weight bearing and I notice it more when still. The only thing I can compare it to the feeling of being on your feet all day and needing a good squeeze. A slight achy burny sensation. I have got some aching in left leg but mostly my right and I notice it more when thinking about it - which with health anxiety I obviously do. It also can disappear for hours at a time. I'm not in agony, I am not limping, in fact the pain isn't that painful at all - I took paracetomol just to stop worrying about it. There is no redness, swelling, firmness or tenderness.
I called my midwife who said to keep an eye on it but based on the fact that it wasn't in one spot, pain not typical for DVT and no other symptoms, she felt it was something to keep an eye on. I am also seeing another midwife this morning who I will go over symptoms with also.
Here is the dilemma though - my anxious health conscious mind is saying 'you have a blood clot and you are going to die if you don't go in - why are you home?' but my logical brain is saying 'I don't have any symtpoms, and the one that I may have dosent seem typical for DVT'. I am sleep deprived (literally 2 hours in 24 hours) and have a newborn who I am exclusivley breast feeding and going to A&E would mean I would have to take my newborn into a room filled with sick people. I also have bad bad memories from going to A&E and current wait times are over 8 hours. Yes going to A&E will help remove my fear of DVT but it's going to add to anxiety with my newborn and potentially put them at risk. If am going to go to A&E I want it to be based on logical thinking if that makes sense?
My current plan and the plan I am following is to wait until today's midwife appointment and follow her advice from there. Essentially, based on everything and based on the fact that I am not ignoring anything and following up with someone today, does this seem reasonable to you? Like, based on what I have said, is there anything that makes you go "this IS DVT". I know that you can't say it isn't and that this can't be ignored but am I responding to this in a way you'd expect?
Thank you in advance and sorry for long message. Just to mention that I have a lot in place for my mental health- I guarantee whatever is suggested for that, I am doing. Reassurence seeking is not a healthy behaviour I know BUT neither is going to A&E for every ache and pain and right now I am fighting that voice.