Blood Clot in Leg?

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xJillx

xJillx

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Joined
Jan 7, 2011
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I have been having pains in my right leg for a little over 2 weeks now. At first I thought I had just pulled something, but the sensations are a bit different. The pain/ache/swelling starts in my knee (mainly in the back) and then radiates through my calf. It feels tight and gets swollen, and I get a tingling and numbing feeling, as well. Wearing an ace bandage does help with the pain.

I have tried to dismiss it and waited for it to work itself out. However, the concern of a blood clot has been in the back of my mind being that there is an increased risk with Crohn’s, and I am on the pill. My friends at work and mom immediately questioned the possibility of a blood clot without even knowing the increase risk with Crohn’s. So, they have forced me to make an appointment with my GP, which I have later today.

Have you ever had a blood clot? Do my symptoms align with a blood clot? How can you determine for sure you have one or not?

Thanks!
 
is it hot to the touch? Most blood clots will cause pain and heat at the clot sight. I get pain from the back of my knee down my leg because my ligaments are ridiculously tight. If you are concerned you should see the doctor. If it is a blood clot it needs to be treated.
 
I have had days where it has been hot to the touch, but not always.
 
Edit - Only read the first half of your post. :p

Blood clots are serious, don't mess around with them. One of the main things doctors look at (or tests they do) involve the calf or the back of the knee. Don't wait around, get it checked out.

I hope you don't have a blood clot! But better safe than sorry. Hope they figure out what is causing the pain and give you some peace of mind.
 
As a general rule with blood clots you will have the following:

-Swelling, it will be present all the time.
-Warm to the touch.
-Redness over the area. A bluish tinge is more serious.
-Pain on standing or walking may be present.
-If the clot is located in your calf there is often a tell tale sign of a clot when you slightly flex your knee and flex your foot toward yourself. You will experience sharp pain.

Good luck with your appointment hun! Everything crossed you don't have a clot...

:goodluck:

Dusty. xxx
 
:oops: forgot to add. They can usually be diagnosed when the doc examines you and from your history. If the doc suspects you do have one they will normally send you for a doppler (ultrasound) to confirm it.

Dusty. :heart:
 
Good luck today Jill! I hope it's nothing serious - weird sensations, aches and twinges can come with the territory for some! Oh the joys of IBD :)

p.s. maybe you're just over-doing it on the excerise bike - try watching TV on the sofa like a normal person ;) x
 
red hot swollen tight calf with deep pain worse when you bring your toes up towards yourself are tell tale signs especially if you think you haven't pulled a muscle just go straight to a & e and ask for a doppler as dusty suggested if they can't do the scan immediately they porb will give you clexane inj. Do they run in the family or have you had any recent procedures?. If you get any shortness in breath call an ambulance
 
Jill, do you sit a lot? I've read that blood clots in the legs can happen more easily to people who sit all day, like truck drivers. I sit at a desk in an office all day, but I try to get up every hour or so (I usually have to pee that often anyway, if not poo, so it's just as well!). Whatever it is, I hope it's nothing serious and that you can get it taken care of easily and quickly! Keep us posted, worried about you!
 
I had them in each calf last year. It started out like the muscles were feeling tight and then it became very painful to do anything. And then after a week of eating percs like they were tic tacs my feet began to swell.

See a doctor.
 
Update

I went to my GP, and after a thorough exam, he is quite sure it is not a blood clot. He believes I have a Baker's Cyst in the back of my knee. Basically, I have fluid behind my knee. I have no idea how I got this, as I can’t recall any injury, and I haven’t been doing my usual AM work out (no bike for me lately, Ian – LOL) because of my recent flare.

So, he wants me to watch it for the next few days. If it persists (which after over 2 weeks, I am sure it will), he can drain it and give me a cortisone shot. Funzies!

I am happy I got it checked out. I was really concerned about a blood clot. With Crohn’s and being on the pill, I know I was at risk, though there is no history in my family. Also, as Cat mentioned, I sit at a desk job all day. And apparently the symptoms (swelling, tightness, numbing feeling, pain, etc) of a Baker’s Cyst are very similar to a blood clot. So, at least I didn’t come off looking too crazy this time! :biggrin:

Thank you to all for your concern. Love you guys!
 
I'm glad to hear it's not a blood clot! I hope the cyst goes away without too much trouble.
 
Oh good, glad to hear it's not a clot after all! Phew! Not fun that it's a cyst, but definitely less scary than a clot.
 
Hi again, Jill!

Ok, I am the exception to alot of rules :p , and apparently clots are no exception to that, erm, exception...!

Dec '09 I was dx with multiple superficial clots, a dvt, and bilateral pe. I had no swelling. I had no leg discoloration. My legs were not hot to touch. And as for the pe's, I had no shortness of breath (I did, however, have a weird sensation like I was breathing cold air). Two docs misdiagnosed my horrible calf cramps before a third doc ordered a dopplar ultrasound and found the leg clots/dvt.

So, I really hope that you don't have clots, but if your doc didn't do a dopplar ultrasound I'd call an request one.

I don't know what your doc is like, but don't worry about "looking like a crazy patient"! The crazy ones are the docs who miss really big things because the symptoms are not "usual".
 
My leg still bothers me. Some days are better than others. My GP was very confident it wasn't a clot ,and he made me feel like a crazy person for worrying. I am not his biggest fan at all, but I stick with him because his staff is amazing and they are so good about all of my needed referrals (with my insurance all referrals have to go through my GP even if my GI orders any tests or what not). I have debated calling him again about the issue, but I have to build up my nerve.
 
Do you have a habit of sitting with that leg under you? I had something that sounds about the same as you have. I had to break myself of sitting that way and it eventually went away. Don't know if that helps.
M
 
Aw Jill, I'm sorry - I've had lots of docs like that, unfortunately. Do you know why your doc is so confident that it's a cyst? Did he do any tests other than looking at your leg?

Also, if that office has a great staff is it possible to call and talk with a nurse about your continuing concern that it could be a clot? Maybe the nurse could ask the doc to order the ultrasound. (My current gp is great, but I still just deal with his nurse for the tests I need ordered). When I had the dopplar ultrasounds done it was at a hospital clinic, not my doc's office, so might be possible to deal with just a nurse at your doc's office and then the ultrasound tech without you having to deal with your doc?

Sorry it's so stressful to deal with your gp - I really don't know why he wouldn't just order an ultrasound... it's non-invasive, and while not exactly cheap it's not crazy expensive, either (I didn't have insurance when I initially had the ultrasounds of both my legs, and the bill was under a thousand dollars).
 
@marsham - I do sit a lot at my desk job, and I have made a habit of getting up and moving around, uncrossing my legs, etc. I can't say I have noticed an improvement. Also, it continues to hurt on the weekend when I am not confined to my desk. The only thing that does seem to help is wearing an ace bandage.

@ Sabrina - He says he felt the cyst. I personally don't feel anything, but I am not a doctor. He even said, "I don't think an ultrasound is necessary as I am confident they won't find anything." But, yes, I could just go through his staff to order an ultra sound. I have done that before.

I may touch base with his office tomorrow (they are off today) and see what they say. Thanks again for all of your advice!
 
I don't know if it differs where you live but in the uk we can go to a&e and see a doc and get assessed, long wait usually but might be an option?
 
@archie - We have the ER, but it is for serious emergencies. However, I did set up another doctor's appointment for next week. I am not sure what I'll get out of it, but I guess I will wait and see.
 
well if it is a blood clot it could be serious, does your foot go cold or discolour? check if you can feel your pulse in your foot it's found on the top of the foot roughly the centre near the ankle. These are also signs of a clot including the usual red hot swollen calf.
 
Hi Jill,

It wouldn't be a bad idea to schedule a doppler. Yes anyone with IBD is more prone to clots. I'm pretty sure I have a superficial clot...less serious than a DVT. When it acts up, I get swelling and pain in the lower part of my calf. I've had 2 dopplers, but my surgeon wants me to schedule one with his hospital group.

If you have decent insurance, try to get a referral to a vascular disease specialist. That way, you're dealing with an MD that's seen hundreds of variations of clots.
 
Hey Jill! I was just thinking about you and wondering if you've been in to see your doc yet this week. I hope you're doing ok!
 
Aww, thanks for checking in on me! I am actually off to the GP today after work. I'll let you know how it goes.
 
No update to report. My GP stood me up! I had made the appointment with his fill in secretary on Saturday, who has made mistakes concerning me before. She obviously never wrote me in the book, because when I arrived at 5pm, the office was closed!

When I get a chance today, I will call to reschedule.
 

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