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DVT

Don’t Dismiss Pain: Stephanie’s Story

I was three weeks away from turning 18 and I was working in checkout in a supermarket when I got what felt like a cramp in my left calf. My family told me to try drinking salt water, but after three days, I woke up with my left leg doubled in size, looking purple, and…

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We Have to Keep on Living: Ayesha’s Story

Two weeks after giving birth to our second son, I got out of bed and noticed my leg was hurting, and I was barely able to put weight on it. I went about my day as normal, but I started to feel heavy and tired. When I sat down and put my feet up, I…

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Stay Positive and Keep Pushing Through This: Elizabeth’s Story

I fully tore my ACL and partially tore my MCL and meniscus in March of 2024 playing volleyball. I first started developing blood clots in mid-April 2024 before my knee surgery. I started feeling nauseas, but ignored it, thinking it was from my menstrual cycle. The signs started coming one after the other: purple discoloration…

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I’m So Happy to Be Alive: Karen’s Story

In October 2022, I was having issues with a low heart rate. I started having severe, right-sided back pain and dizziness so much that I was crawling to avoid falling. I had no shortness of breath or swelling in my leg. A few days later, I coughed up blood and contacted my physician, who sent…

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Blood Thinners Need to be Available at a Lower Cost: Lydia’s Story

I had my first child in 1989 by C-section. Four weeks later, my left leg was hurting so badly that I could hardly walk. I went to the hospital and was told I had a blood clot in my left leg (DVT) and had to stay in the hospital for one month. This was hard…

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I Knew Something Was Off: Sara’s Story

I ran my first marathon in April 2024 and eagerly began training for my second one. I quickly noticed that training was a lot more challenging than usual. I chalked discomfort in my shoulder up to lifting heavy weights in the gym and chest pain up to my sports bras being too tight. My heart…

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Diagnosed With Five DVTs After a Scooter Accident: Xio’s Story

In March 2011, I had a C-section and developed a superficial clot in my left leg, My treatment was compression socks and I felt better after a week. Years later, on March 30, 2024, I had a fall from an electric scooter. All my weight fell on my left leg, but somehow, I got up…

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My Doctor Dismissed My Leg Pain as Sciatica: Ashley’s Story

At 31 weeks pregnant, I was getting ready for the arrival of my baby when I started experiencing extreme pain in my left leg. I remember going to my baby shower and barely being able to walk. This was very concerning, so the next day, I called my OB/GYN and explained my symptoms. Unfortunately, she…

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Stay Resilient, Listen to Your Body and Advocate for Yourself: Lauren’s Story

In the fall of 2023, I was a healthy 21-year-old college senior busy with graduate school applications and interviews. I was working out multiple days a week and going to class, trying to enjoy my last year of college. One night, I went bowling for the first time in a while and woke up the…

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Use This As Your Reason to Live: Tilly’s Story

It began with excruciating back pain and shooting pains up my left leg. I felt unable to walk. The week that I noticed my first symptoms, I was back and forth to urgent care and the doctors. They kept saying the same thing, “You have nerve damage” (sciatica). They gave me painkillers and told me…

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