In April of 2024, I flew from Tennessee to California for work. The night after arriving, I woke up in the middle of the night with a bad calf cramp. The following day, my calf was extremely sore– like the worst muscle cramp I’d ever had. That same day, I took another flight from California to Washington State. On the plane, my leg was very achy, and it was a deep pain rather than muscle pain.
The following week while in Washington for work, my calf continued to hurt, and there was swelling around my ankle on the same leg. Flying back home to Tennessee only made the aching pain and swelling worse. I visited a walk-in clinic the night I arrived home. Lab work and an ultrasound were done, but there were no significant findings. In May and June, my leg no longer hurt, but continued to remain swollen around the ankle.
In July, I drove 5-6 hours from Tennessee to Ohio, and then back two days later. About a week after this trip, my performance at the gym significantly changed. My heart rate spiked high and stayed high, and I couldn’t complete the same workouts I had finished a week or so prior. My sleeping heart rate was high, I could feel the heart palpitations, I felt anxious, and I couldn’t take a deep breath. I have significant shortness of breath over the following two weeks — out of breath in the shower, walking in the backyard, getting into bed, and so on.
After a call to my asthma/allergist office to ask for different medications, as the maintenance asthma inhaler I had received was not helping, I was sent to a walk-in clinic and had normal vital signs. Lab work, a chest CT scan, and an X-ray were completed.
On Tuesday, July 30, I was diagnosed with significant bilateral PE and DVT. I was sent home from the hospital on direct oral anticoagulants, which I took for six months. I also stopped estrogen-based oral birth control. Four weeks after my diagnosis, I tested positive for factor V Leiden (heterozygous).
If my DVT had been caught earlier, I might not have had a PE! I am a nurse and I missed the signs. However, so did three other medical providers. We all assumed I was too young to have blood clots.
I take an anticoagulant daily and have made lifestyle changes: I changed to a standing and sitting desk, I’ve increased my physical activity and lost weight, I wear compression socks for travel, and I’ve done lots of research into this topic.
A friend who experienced DVT post-shoulder surgery recommended that I look into NBCA. I’m very thankful for NBCA, its community, and helpful information. I’ve learned to continue to push providers when signs and symptoms are present, be an advocate for my own care, and manage my condition closely.
Resources
Travel
Factor V Leiden
Living Your Best Life on Blood Thinners
