My lower left calf started hurting in Florida during Christmas break. I have completed nine marathons and two Ironmans, so I chalked it up to a strain.
I kept putting ointment on it and it always felt way worse in the morning. My friend Anne actually said, “Hey, be careful, you might have a blood clot.”
The pain eventually dissipated, and we flew back home to New York. I resumed my regular workout routine after the new year. My running still didn’t feel up to par and my breathing didn’t feel that great either, but I chalked that up to getting over a recent case of bronchitis.
Finally, New York had a severe cold snap, and I decided to swim that week and not run. The pain returned to my lower left calf and kept getting worse throughout the week. I thought this was strange as I wasn’t running and swimming never makes me feel sore.
I looked up the symptoms of DVT and realized I was experiencing many of these symptoms. I had my husband drive me to the ER.
The admitting nurse asked about my level of pain. I told her I was at an 8/10. She did not think I had a DVT.
Thankfully, the attending doctor came by and asked if I was on birth control. I said yes and I was admitted. A Doppler revealed that my lower leg was severely clogged.
I am lucky the doctor asked me the right questions and was there at the right time, otherwise the admitting nurse would have sent me home.
As an athlete, I am glad that I knew my body well enough to know that something wasn’t right. I’m thankful to the doctor who listened to my concerns that day. I am currently on a blood thinner for the next six months and am off birth control for good!
I have been swimming the whole time, which has helped resolve my blood clots dramatically. Everyone keeps saying they are surprised this happened to me since I am so active, but it can happen to anyone! I tested negative for any genetic blood clotting disorders, thankfully.
I was happy to stumble upon this organization on Instagram. I know there are many other medical conditions worthy of awareness, but blood clots need to be taken seriously.
