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Go Directly to the Emergency Room if you Have Any Symptoms: Lucy’s Story

Go Directly to the Emergency Room if you Have Any Symptoms: Lucy’s Story

I’m a three-time deep vein thrombosis survivor. My story starts during my first pregnancy. I experienced bleeding during the first and second trimesters and the baby was same for gestational age. I tried to get the obstetrician to look into it, to no avail.

For my second pregnancy, I had emergency C-section. The baby’s heartbeat was failing. Fortunately, they survived! However, the day after the surgery, I had pain in my left leg.

Because I had pain from my abdomen down, I just assumed it was related to the C-section. I did inform the nurse about the pain, and she was supposed to get an ultrasound scheduled but they, as well as I, forgot about it.

I went home and about a week passed. My leg hurt badly and elevating it didn’t help. I was dragging my leg. I knew something was wrong and I had to get help. My obstetrician scheduled an ultrasound and told me to get to the hospital. I was diagnosed with a DVT and was put on IV for heparin.

Then ran tests and I was diagnosed with factor V Leiden and factor II. I was given heparin injections to take home and put on warfarin for six months. That was in 2004.

My second DVT happened in 2019 and was unprovoked. I had a third DVT in 2021 after long road trip. I’ve been on blood thinners since 2019. I did not have any swelling or redness or severe pain with my second and third clots, it just felt like I pulled a muscle. But I always listen to my inner voice or intuition.

Go directly to the emergency room if you have any symptoms! Do not wait, please!

Resources

Women and Blood Clots
Signs and Symptoms
Know Your Risk

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