I had suffered with a sore knee for quite some time and eventually ended up needing keyhole surgery on it. I was on the combined pill at the time and was not told of any clotting risk factors before my surgery.
The operation was successful, and I went home with crutches, thinking that my knee issues were over. I followed the exercises the physiotherapist gave me, and my pain was minimal.
A few days after surgery, I stretched my right leg out and felt a very sharp pain in my calf. I thought I had pulled the muscle, so I tried to massage it, but the pain got worse. It was swollen, and I could barely walk. I still remember that pain today.
Over the next few days, after having my stitches out and my calf pain checked and dismissed, the pain subsided. I thought nothing more of it, but as time went on, I began to have a very fast heart rate. I rationalized it as anxiety until one night when it became unbelievably painful.
I was in the kitchen at home, and I started to feel as though my heart was going to explode. I couldn’t see properly, and I crawled upstairs to my partner. He rang for an ambulance, and they thought I had taken drugs, because my pulse rate was so fast. I couldn’t breathe properly, and my chest felt like it was going to burst.
I was informed that I had had a DVT in my calf and a PE, and I was lucky to be alive. I was injected with blood thinners and kept in the hospital for a few days. I went through various tests, including the horrendous blood gas tests, and I still struggle to talk about it today. I was diagnosed with PTSD afterwards, and I have had therapy for this.
Since my clots, I have come to discover that I have antiphospholipid syndrome, and so I will always be on blood thinners.
My advice is to listen to your gut instinct. I knew something was terribly wrong, yet I rationalized it. Always seek medical help if you are worried about pain or swelling. It took me a long time to recover, but I wouldn’t take any of it back. This made me a better person because I value my life.
Resources
Know Your Risk
Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Living Your Best Life on Blood Thinners
