I had given birth via C-section, and my daughter was sent to the neonatal intensive care unit at a different hospital. My legs were swollen for a couple of days after giving birth, but I figured it was normal since they pumped me with so many fluids when I was in labor and delivery.
Six days went by and my swelling hadn’t gone down, so I went to my OB/GYN clinic to ask if it was normal and they said yes. They gave me the okay to go to the hospital an hour away, where my daughter was.
I didn’t think much of the swelling, other than the fact that my legs felt super tight and my toes felt like there was thread wrapped around them. My cousin became worried and kept pushing for me to get checked at the emergency room to see if I maybe had preeclampsia. Since we were already at the hospital to see the baby, we figured that I might as well go to the same ER.
We were there for a total of 12 hours. They did a CT scan, X-rays, blood work, urine sample, and an ultrasound. I had never gotten so many tests done, so internally I was freaking out. Finally, they diagnosed me with a DVT in my right thigh, and thankfully it was caught early.
They admitted me for observation. I got started on enoxaparin, and my life changed dramatically. I had to be super careful because I was at risk for bleeding or bruising.
It’s so sad to me that my OB/GYN failed me and was so dismissive because it could have become a life-threatening situation had I not gone to the ER. I’m now on shots twice a day, every day, for a total of three months, and then afterward comes testing to see if this is genetic or just because of giving birth.
Please let this be a lesson to never ignore your health, especially if something seems off.
Resources
Women and Blood Clots
Know Your Risk
Hospitalization and Surgery
