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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

DVT

41 replies

peacemakerukuk · 11/10/2006 12:35

Hi,
Has anyone had a DVT while pregnant? The hospital think I may have one. Spent most of yesterday afternoon in walk in centre then A&E. Had the blood test done that supposedly tells you if you have a clot or not. It came back positive but the doctor said that in pregnant women the test nearly always comes back + if you have a clot or not. I am having a scan this afternoon which will hopefully be conclusive one way or the other. The doctor told me they can treat me for the clot but it can cause miscarriage. I've already had 2 miscarriages and the threat of having treatment which could cause one is freaking me out. I'd love to hear from anyone else who has had a DVT or a midwife with some advice. Thanks.
Sue

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lulumama · 11/10/2006 12:40

i had a suspected clot - the test said it wasn;t but my blood levels were out and my mum & twin sister have both had DVTs and my symptoms were exactly, but exactly the same. took low dose aspirin for the last trimester of the preganancy . did you have d-dimas (sp ?) test , a venogram ? they told me i didn;t have a clot, but couldn;t tell me what it was

had inflamed , swollen, calf, couldn;t bend foot to walk properly...excrutiating pain.......

hope you get sorted...

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 11/10/2006 12:50

Hi lulumama,
I don't know the name of the blood test but thats all I've had so far. I've got none of the other symptoms, just pain, no mottling, no swelling, nothing, but the blood test did come back positive. Aspirin is a preventative, no good once you have one.

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Overrun · 11/10/2006 12:53

Can't they put you on heparin, thats what they did with me, but that was preventative. Did you post a couple of days ago about pain in calf, and the gp had said it wasn't a clot?

lulumama · 11/10/2006 12:54

blood levels can go wonky when you are pregnant!!!

why did you think you have a clot..? just wondering as can be hard to diagnose - my sisters was missed initially....it was in her calf and they only scanned her thigh initially.

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 11/10/2006 13:04

Hi Overrun, Yes I did post about my calf pain a couple of days again. The GP hadn't said anything as I hadn't seen her but I'd looked at the symptoms on the internet and the only thing I had in common with a DVT was the calf pain.

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Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 11/10/2006 13:06

lulumama, I didn't think I had a DVT, it was the hospital who mentioned it as a possible yesterday. I can't walk without a lot of pain hence me going to the hospital in the first place because my GP had no emergency appointments left.

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lulumama · 11/10/2006 13:46

i'd be interested to know the final diagnosis - as i;m sure you are...hope you are ok..

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 11/10/2006 20:24

Just back from the hospital. I do have a DVT. Had my first of the daily injections I will be having for the next 7 months

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lulumama · 11/10/2006 20:25

aaaaaaaahhh. (((hugs)))) my sister had to do the injeciotns and stuff when preggers....shall i see if she has any info?

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 11/10/2006 20:42

any info would be gratefully received lulumama, thanks.

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lulumama · 11/10/2006 20:44

ok - will have a chat with her....

do you want to cat me or shall i put a shout out for you on the pregnancy board in a few days/.....

what have they prescribed....

Pollybloodyanna · 11/10/2006 20:47

I had a dvt in my first pregnancy and had to inject in that and in my 3 subsequent pregnancies. Mine was quite bad and I had to stay in hospital for a couple of weeks while they got the blood levels right.

You do get used to injecting (honestly) and if you can bare it, it is easier in the stomach than the thigh - it hurts and bruises less - at least until the skin gets really taut. After the birth you will be able to switch to warfarin (tablets) and in any subsequent pregnancies you will be on clexane/warfarin again. Probabably a few months after the birth they will test your blood to see what caused the dvt - in most cases there is no cause.

I was freaked out by having this, and in each pregnancy I had occasions where I rushed to the doctors with pains which I were convinced were dvts or coughs/chest pains which I were convinced were blood clots on my lungs. The doctors are very understanding.

xena · 11/10/2006 20:58

Hi peacemaker I had a DVT in my last pregnancy. I hated the injections they sting don't they . I switched to warfarin 12hrs after delivery and then had to stay in hospital whist they got my inr correct and I could come of the clexane injections. I had to take them up until last sunday (now i'm a little scared that i'll get another) and after I have been off warfarin for 6 weeks i'll have a blood test to determine whether I have pre disposition to DVT so it has been a long journey. I had to spend quite a bit of time in hospital whilst pg (it was my fourth baby) and that was hard on the other children. I am so glad that he was my last baby as I wouldn't have wanted to go through it again. Hat of to pollyanna!! Your consultant will need to make a birth plan with your hematology sp? consultant and they should cc you in on any correspondance. Hope this helps and if you need anymore info ask away.

Overrun · 11/10/2006 22:22

Agree that heparin injections do sting, but you do get used to them, best not to think too much about it but just jab quickly. i always bruised a lot but agree that stomach is best
Good luck

Pollybloodyanna · 11/10/2006 22:25

have they given you the stockings to wear peacemaker?

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 12/10/2006 09:11

Thanks for your comment everyone. I've also been prescribed Celaxane. I'm very surprised by everyones comments that the stomach hurts less than the leg. I was planning on asking the nurse to do it in the leg today because I thought it couldn't possibly hurt any more than the stomach, and it freaks me out that its closer to the baby than the leg - I may rethink this. I've not been given any stockings or anything but maybe when I go to the hospital today they may do. I just can't wait for the leg pain to go, I'm tired of hobbling around. The doc said it could take a couple of weeks to go though

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Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 12/10/2006 09:11

lulumama, if you give me a shout on this thread when you have any info for me that would be great, thank you.

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Charleesunnysunsun · 12/10/2006 12:21

Hi peacemaker i am only daily Celaxane injections i had a Pulmonary Embolism on my lung when i was 9 weeks pg, i misscarried the next day, i also had one when i was 16 weeks pg with ds and he's now 2 so everything was fine with that.

I do the injections myself daily in my leg i can't bare to do it in my stomach.
If you have any questions or wanna chat let me know im a Clot veteran

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 12/10/2006 17:06

Thanks Charley
I've just been to the hospital for my 2nd injection and they showed my DH how to do it. I'm quite shocked that all they've done is show him the once and from now on he's doing it for me at home. Is it true that it hurts more in the leg than the stomach? We wanted to avoid the stomach if possible because my DH likes to rub my stomach every night with massage oil but I won't want him touching my belly after the injections. I can't believe how long it hurts for afterwards. Which part of the leg do you inject into?
Thanks
Sue

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taylormama · 12/10/2006 17:28

hi - i had 2 DVTS prior to my PG and a suspected one during. I had the D-Dimers test which i think is the one you may have had as it does tend to come up positive in all pg women. because of my past history i went onto a drug called Clexane (heparin) from 20 weeks till i had the baby ... i am not sure if this is what you will go on. The possibility of miscarriage was not mentioned with this drug - in fact i thought it helped to prevent it as it thins the blood so there is less chance of clots forming in you and or/umbilical cord etc.
I had to inject myself every day but i gace birth a very healthy baby boy at 38 weeks pg.
Some tips if you have a DVT - support tights or surgical stockings (not sexy but they really help), elevate legs as much as you can, plenty of fluid to keep you hydrated and less chance of swollen ankles ...
Please ask if you need more advice - i will try to help. Good luck with it all and i know it sounds silly but try not to panic ...
xxxxx

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 12/10/2006 17:33

Hi Taylormama,
Yes, thats what I'm on too. I was told that in the drugs book it said only give to pregnant women if absolutely necessary - but who knows! I have not been given support stockings and when I asked the doctor yesterday whether there was anything in particular I should do as regards to putting my feet up or down etc. she said it didn't make any difference. I guess its all down to the personal views of the doctor you see. I do drink alot anyway. I'm not too panicy now but I was last night, I think its just the shock of it all, had terrible trouble trying to sleep and the pain in my leg is still there which didn't help.

Sue

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taylormama · 12/10/2006 17:34

I just read you do have a DVT - so sorry hun. I am Lulumama's sister BTW. Anway i injected every day - the best place was my upper thighs - you can do your upper arms too. Pinch as much of the skin as you can so you get a big chunk to inject into - this wasn't a problem for me LOL!!!! I used to inject into my belly as well (well to the side of the bump) - try not to rub the injection site as this makes it sting less.
Definietly get the surgical stockings - you should get them free and they are great altho' hard to pull on with a big bump. They also help to "push" the veins that have been stretched by the clot back into place so will help legs to feel less heavy and recover more quickly ... Will post more if i think of anythine else. Good luck - you are having the best treatment.
xxxxxxx

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 12/10/2006 17:38

taylormama,
Thanks for that. Which part of the upper thigh did you inject into, the inside or outside? She told me not to do it in the arm because it would bruise. A tip she gave us aswell to stop the bruising was to make sure there was air on top of the liquid as that stops you bruising.

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taylormama · 12/10/2006 17:40

((((((((hugs))))))). The pain in the legs does go but it takes a few days. I did find that elevating my legs really did help - i had a stool under my desk at work so i could do it as much as poss. The support stockings were brill too ... luckily i didn't really have a bump until i was 6 months pg so i could still pull them on.

have they talked about treatment after the baby is born - i was on warfarin for 6 weeks after i had my baby and i have been tested for lots of conditions which can cause DVT so make sure they do this for you ... the most common cause is Hughes Syndrome/Sticky Blood and another is Factor 5 Leiden ... however me, Lulumama (my sis) and my mum have all had blood clots and we don't have any of the recognised conditions so can just be bad luck too. Really hope you feel better soon ... xxxxxxxx

lulumama · 12/10/2006 17:41

thank you taylormama! and hope you feel better peacemaker....

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