Woman
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…
Losing My Mom to a Blood Clot Changed My Life Forever: Najma and Iram’s Story
As told by her daughter, Iram. On January 25, 2001, my world changed forever. That morning, my mom wasn’t feeling well. She told us she was having trouble breathing. We wanted to call 9-1-1, but she preferred to wait for my dad to get home and take her to the hospital. By the time they…
My Body Fought to Live, and I’m Living Every Moment: Shytasia’s Story
On June 21, 2020, I experienced a pulmonary embolism. I was at work when all of a sudden my arms went numb and my vision became blurry. I thought was talking to a customer, but there were no words coming out. An hour later, I couldn’t taste or hear and could barely see anything. I…
This Experience Cracked my Heart Open: Diane’s Story
I’m a single, 62-year-old woman and in June 2024, I was diagnosed with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. This came out of nowhere. I had been feeling down and unwell for a couple of days. I thought it was mostly dehydration. I was able to work from home and was typing on my laptop when noticed…
The Hardest Parts are the Unknowns and ‘What-Ifs’
I’m extremely active, working out 5-6 days a week with lifting and spin classes. Until recently, I have never had any health issues. But for about a year, I was experiencing pelvic pain off and extreme fatigue. I brushed off these symptoms as a result of my age and IUD. In March 2025, I had…
