Obesity is related to a variety of chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. But being overweight or obese doubles your risk of developing another condition—deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or blood clots. If these clots move into your lungs, they cause pulmonary embolism (PE), which claims more lives in the United States every year than breast cancer and AIDS combined. You’re probably thinking that won’t happen to me, and I thought the same thing until I was stuck in a hospital for nine days—without any dramatic warning.
It began with pain in my left calf, which I thought was just a bad charley horse. I couldn’t remember hurting myself, so for five days I iced my leg, popped a few ibuprofen, and kept up my morning 3-mile walks, thinking I could work the pain out.
I Googled my symptoms online but completely denied the diagnosis. Deep vein thrombosis? No way! I walk almost every day—I’m only 40! Sure, I was using hormonal birth control, but who thinks the fine print–warning about blood clots will ever apply to them? Even worse, at the end of the week, I got on a plane and flew halfway across the country, hobbling on my sore leg through three airports.
One morning the pain in my calf got worse, and, mysteriously, my thigh started hurting. A trip to the nearest emergency room, an ultrasound of my left leg, and a CT scan of my chest confirmed I had a blood clot in my calf, one in my thigh, and some small blood clots in my lungs. The cause? My birth control and my weight.
I’m lucky—my clot hurt. But many people don’t know they have DVT until the blood clots move into their lungs and make it hard to breathe.
If I’d waited a day or two longer, the clot in my thigh would have moved and blocked my pulmonary artery. It could have killed me.
Now, with a newly developed fear of flying, I’ve also made a few lifestyle changes. I take aspirin every day to prevent future clots and have stopped taking hormonal birth control. The convenience I was trying to add to my life has now made things complicated! I’m sensitive to nonoxynol-9, the chemical found in latex condoms and spermicides. Left with only a few options, I’m now using lambskin condoms. But reliable birth control is more important than ever. The chances of developing blood clots increase during pregnancy, and a woman with a history of DVT will need anticoagulants throughout her pregnancy and afterward.
So let me be your example—in fact, let’s be examples for each other. March is National DVT Awareness Month, and March 10 is National DVT Screening Day. Check your risk online, and learn more from the Coalition to Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis at www.preventdvt.org. Have you had a health scare or condition you think other people should be aware of?
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Comments (12)
Hi I’m 21 years old and when i was 15 I was put in the hospital with DVT, I had a factor missing from my blood and I was also taking birth control hoping my skin would clear up. Now I’m 21 and Im a little overweight, Im trying to loose weight in order to be healthy but lately my leg has been getting very tight and swollen, I’ve gone to my doctor twice but they think Im overreacting…its very fusterating, I don’t take anything for it, and I’m also allergic to latex So I had an IUD. I’ve started to take asprin and elevate my leg every night, I have no idea what to do…
Maybe look for new docotor? I’m concerned.
Erica, you need to get treatment immediatly. I have a factor 5 condition and clotted twice in my lifetime. You need an ultrasound and you need to be on warafin for life.
Such interesting read and information, thanks for sharing this post, I’ve already bookmarked your blog. I can see that you are putting a lot of time and effort into your blog and detailed articles! I am deeply in love with every single piece of information you post here. Will be back often to read more updates!
Cheers,
RHT Seamed Stockings
Sorry to hear so many are in pain. Just thought I’d point out that doctors often recommend that people with DVT or a related condition called post thrombotic syndrome wear compression stockings to aid in blood circulation in the lower body.
Amelia
http://www.aboutcompressionstockings.com
THANK YOU FOR INFO, I E MAILED IT TO A FRIEND. SOMETHING EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW.
hi to all. i am 50years old and for 18 years ive had pain .i dont know what its like to be pain free,ive got back problems tingaling, numbness,pains all over my body.my right arm gos all numb and there is know feeling at all im so depressed when i do anything the pain go worst .i wish one day i could wake up and there be know pain at this moment me doing this my neck is burning and paining is this my life now as it will get worst.and my right leg swels up aswell im so depressed as any one got these smtyoms if so please say.thankyou.xx
I have had a lump that really hurts on my left leg along side of my shin bone for 2 years. Any Dr. that I have gone to does not know what it is. It especially hurts at night.
I also have what i thought was a Charlie Horse on my calf of my left leg. Scans came out normal. I don’t know where to turn.
Maryjo, first of all, you are taking charge of your health. Please don’t be disheartened. We all get something and you are not alone. It sounds like the best thing you do for yourself is stay busy. Don’t feel depressed, even though pain makes us feel that way. Just take charge like you are doing. I am sure with proper treatment etc., you will feel better real soon. Rooting for you.
I’m not a doctor, but i have diabetic,osteoporsis affected 76 yr.’s old mom.I think u have like all diabetics circulation problem, some medication side effect. Control u’r blood sugar, walk a little be happy u r younger than most people at heart.
hi there,i am very young and i constantly wear high heels. when i get older will my feet be messed up?
Hi Rickeyah – Check out our Guide to Happy, Beautiful Feet here: http://living.health.com/2008/09/26/healths-guide-to-happy-beautiful-feet/
I am female and 61 years young.
I am diabetic, have some arthritis in my right knee and right ankle due to an old injury.
My left leg began to swell several months ago. I went to my doctor. He thought I have a blood clot so he sent me for a doppler and cat scan. It all came back okay. Then I began to have a strange rash like appearance on the inside of the upper part of my left and right arm and inside the elbow of my left arm. In a week or so the rash appeared in the front upper part of my thighs. My doctor said I had ring worm (which shocked me, I cannot imagine where I would get ring worm and in the winter)
I have arthritis in my right knee and ankle. It hurts most of the time. My doctor had me on an arthritis medicine so when the rash developed he took me off of it.
My doctor says “You are a puzzle.” Really?
I asked to go see a cardiologist. (I had been in 2004, after my brother had a severe heart attack and had a stint put in the main artery along the breast bone). I went to the cardio doctor and had a stress test, EKG, echo cardiogram, etc. It all came back okay, which I am so grateful for.
I asked to go to a dermatologist. I had a biopsy done of the rash and it came back that I have Granuloma Annulare. The doctor told me she thought it was this before I left her office and gave me some info regarding it. She also wants some additional blood tests; a ced rate and crp or something like that. She talked to me about some possible issues; Thyrod problems and my diabetes might be causeing this flare up.
My hands and been going to sleep off and on. They wake me up in the night hurting and burning.
I suddenly feel like I am falling apart. I am getting depressed. I work a permanent part-time job and 3 days a week I go to my grandchildren’s home early in the morning to get them up and ready for school and then I take the 3 of them to 3 different schools. I love to work outside in the yard; dig in the dirt, plant and care for flowers and a small vegetable garden. I am so afraid I will not be able to do that this spring. It is something that my husband and I enjoy to do together. I am finding it hard to get around and I am afraid. I know I probably need to get involved in an exercise program but I am miserable and I hurt. I am very frustrated.
I am so glad you found early what your problem was and got the right kind of help.
My husband is wonderful but his comments lately are
making me feel terrible. He said I am walking like an 85 yr old woman. How does an 85 year old woman walk, anyway? If she’s not hurting and healthy, I imagine she walks fine. If she hurts and she’s 40 I imagine she does not walk so well.
Maryjo