Woman
Don’t Accept a Diagnosis if Your Intuition Tells You Different: Jasmine’s Story
When I was 32 years old, I experienced terrible pain behind my knee for weeks. My doctor said it’s from standing, and I need physical therapy. I did that, but the pain persisted. Eventually, I went to a vascular surgeon who did vein stripping surgery. Seven days post-op, I felt sick, like the flu, but…
I Feel Lucky to Have Gotten a Second Chance at Living: Kara’s Story
In May 2021, I was experiencing extreme perimenopausal hot flashes, and hormone replacement therapy wasn’t helping, so I started estrogen-based birth control. Things were improving until one day, I lost my breath while vacuuming. I sat down and thought I might have caught Covid, but I started feeling better, so I got back up, but…
I Still Deal With PTSD From Thinking I Could Have Left My Children Motherless: Victoria’s Story
Towards the end of my fourth pregnancy, I felt many random aches and pains. My loved ones would write it off, saying it was likely due to being pregnant with my first son. The day after a wedding, I told my doctor I woke up with a terrible charley horse going down my leg. She…
Do All You Can to Prevent Clots During Travel: Misty’s Story
In July 2023, our 16-year-old daughter passed away. Later that year, a work trip offered a chance to travel to Hawaii, and I thought it would be a good break for us. We traveled from Virginia to Maui in December. The flights were very long, and I tried not to get out of my seat…
I Had Constant Leg Pain That I Mistook for Soreness After the Gym: Alexia’s Story
On March 14, two months before I was to get married, I fell off my front porch steps and thought nothing of it. I went to work and walked normally for eight hours. In the last 30 minutes of my workday, I started experiencing extreme pain in my left foot. I went to the ER,…
I Beat Astronomical Odds: Anita’s Story
I’ve had two unprovoked DVTs, one in 2006 and one and 2022. Both times I somehow avoided getting a pulmonary embolism (PE). In the first incident, I had cramps in my calves and edema/swelling in my legs for days. I decided to go to the doctor, and he pressed hard on my leg, which left…
As a Nurse, I Knew Something Was Very Wrong: Donna’s Story
From January to mid-April, I traveled weekly from New Jersey to California for work. I’ve never felt any pain in my legs, and I always tried to move them during flights. On May 4, I drove from New Jersey to my daughter’s home in Maryland, about a four-hour drive. I stopped for a break after…
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…
My Blood Clots Were Provoked by Travel and Pregnancy: Kayley’s Story
At 30 weeks pregnant, we took a road trip 10 hours away. We drove through the night, and I slept the entire drive. On our way back, I got an excruciatingly sharp calf pain and started crying. I called my midwife and she said it was from dehydration. A week went by. My leg turned…
I Listened to My Body and Begged For Answers: Carrie’s Story
On April 4, 2025, I awoke around 4:30 a.m. with the worst charley horse under my left breast, wrapping around to my back and up my arm. I went to the emergency room and was diagnosed with abdominal pain and sent home with naproxen. Two days later, I returned to the ER with worsening pain…
