DVT
I Had No Idea That the Pain in my Knee Was a Warning Sign: Mark’s Story
About a week after having an arthroscopy on my left knee, I was icing the top of the knee and commented to my wife that I really should be icing the back of my knee. What I did not know at the time was that the back of the knee hurt because I was passing…
Blood Clots in the Arm are Rare, But I Had One: Kiersten’s Story
About 15 years ago, my dad had a blood clot in his leg (deep vein thrombosis) and testing showed he had factor V Leiden. Since it’s a genetic disorder, my two sisters and I got tested. I tested positive for factor V Leiden as well as one of my sisters and one did not. So,…
It Started as Leg Pain: Rusty’s Story
It started as a sharp pain in my leg when I walked. I thought it was from my shoes, or maybe I had bruised my foot at some point. After about a month of these symptoms, my other leg started to swell and turn red. My wife, who is a nurse, and my doctor both…
Go to the Hospital Instantly If You Have DVT or PE Symptoms: Bogdan’s Story
I played soccer for 20 years until January 2023, when I had a muscle rupture in my thigh, which kept me away from training and matches. At the end of April, I had a throat infection. Within a few days, I was experiencing shortness of breath and felt tired after taking a few steps, but…
Water Aerobics Keeps the Swelling Down: Gus’ Story
I woke up one morning in 1978 to find that my right leg was swollen to twice its size. I called my doctor, who told me to come in immediately. He pressed his thumb into my ankle and created a ½-inch dent to show me how swollen I was and sent me to the hospital.…
I Live Every Day Freely, With Love and Intent: Egypt’s Story
After walking up five flights of stairs to a friend’s Manhattan apartment, I rested at the top of the staircase. It took me almost 15 minutes to gain control of my breathing. I chalked it up to the extra pounds I had gained. A few days later, my bottom lower right extremity began to swell…
I Heard the Doctor Say my Outlook Wasn’t Great: Morgan’s Story
In March 2019, I was recovering from a broken ankle when I began experiencing odd, unfamiliar symptoms, like shortness of breath and back pain. I thought it was anxiety. My husband picked me up from work one day, and the second I got in his car, I couldn’t breathe, then I passed out. When he…
Be Cautious and Know It Can Happen to Anyone: Erin’s Story
I have been an athlete my whole life. I am a Division 1 swimmer and work out every day. One day, I started feeling a sharp pain in my lower back after lifting weights and thought I overdid it or used incorrect form. It began to progress and I started getting extreme pain that radiated…
Life is So Very Precious: Daisy’s Story
I’ve experienced deep vein thrombosis twice in my life so far. In 2010, when I was six weeks postpartum, I had cramps in my calf that lasted for three days, but I had no discoloration or swelling. I called my doctor and they had me come in “just in case.” An ultrasound of my right…
I Was Told it Was Just Inflammation: Alphonso’s Story
I am a 48-year-old male and in March 2023, I was diagnosed with a blood clot spanning from my lower right calf up to the pelvic area. This was the result of a meniscus procedure I had done on my right knee approximately four weeks earlier. The first symptoms I experienced were tightness, swelling,…