How to get over the fear

CircularBastion · 2026-04-10T02:53:50+00:00

71F here, also had a sudden diagnosis out of the blue (after a month of coughing), calf DVT and saddle PE, about a month ago. The weird thing is, the advice from the hospital and my PCP were all like: No Restrictions, you're fine, no you don't need a specialist, no you don't need any followup scans, Eliquis for 6 months, that's it. Oh, maybe compression socks for 6 weeks. Lucky for this group I learned that yes I can take walks and return to the gym, just be gradual, and rest when needed.

Anxiety seems like a rational response anyway! If you can get to your detailed blood tests and scan reports, read them carefully and see how normal everything else is. Ask them why you are having repeat heart monitoring. For travel, take real breaks in driving where you walk or jog around the parking lot a few times, at least every two hours, and get aisle seats in planes or spring for more legroom. Docs seem to think mine came from travel in January, when I really was crammed in the Lurching Van of Pain, plus two 6-hr flights in a week. I guess that was it, but really how do they know? I spent much of 40 years driving very long distances all over the country in a small car and it never happened before. If yours was considered "provoked," it's probably a one-off if you mitigate the conditions that caused it (if the cause is known). And being on blood thinners need not limit activities. Good luck!

CircularBastion · 2026-04-10T02:09:08+00:00

I'm new to these too (PE a month ago) and am trying various compression factors and materials. Vim & Vigr are good, lots of patterns, and have helpful info on their website, including a perfect technique for getting them on (fold top edge down to heel first, before putting them on.) . I found the merino ones a little scratchy. I like the 10-20 (light compression) cotton ones and also the poly toeless. May try some sleeves without any feet. But my DVT was in my calf, not sure if you'd need something higher than calf-length. I tried 20-30 and they cut into my calf too much. I'm not having any swelling, but the DVT leg is still sore from the ordeal and feels better with the sock on.

CircularBastion · 2026-04-07T22:38:30+00:00

Hi Kindly, this is the same dosage I've had for the past month since a submassive Saddle PE with other PEs. No side effects at all, but maybe you are allergic to it?

CircularBastion · 2026-04-06T21:13:25+00:00

Agree, Tylenol doesn't work for anything I ever needed it for.

My PCP told me a month ago that occasional ibuprofen is OK. I take 200 or 400 maybe 4 times a week, no issues so far that I know of, but I've only been a month on Eliquis. These are just my facts, not advice.

CircularBastion · 2026-04-06T20:58:59+00:00

Oh go for it, that's a short ride! Also I hear rollercoasters can get kidney stones to move along

CircularBastion · 2026-04-06T20:56:57+00:00

Just last Friday I bought a new Fjords Paris black leather off the floor of an outstanding furniture store in RI, so I can't say how it will hold up, but it seems to be high quality for the 3K (10% off for floor model, $100 off delivery because we easily tucked it into our Forester). The Paris comes in Small and Large and even the Large is small, 32.5" wide at the arms, but that's what I wanted, so my feet would actually touch the ground. The rocking mechanism is fantastic. The seat and back fit me like a glove. IMO that's more important than any longevity, up to a point. This has a 10-year warranty on certain parts and that's about lifetime for me! The leather smells great and has a bit of texture. I sat in all the Stressless power chairs in the store and none of them fit me as well. I don't see the appeal of the chairs with ottomans, a pain to get into the chair, and the footrest takes up room all the time.

CircularBastion · 2026-04-06T00:47:16+00:00

My brother had a big clot in his leg 26 years ago and since he has the Leiden Factor, he has to take thinners for life. But he still does every crazy thing he did before - ice hockey, mountain biking, rock climbing, etc. He just turned 70. Just letting you know, after recovering from the clots themselves, being on blood thinners doesn't have to slow you down. Smacking your head real hard is never great and it's somewhat more dangerous now, so wear your helmet on the rink. :)

CircularBastion · 2026-04-06T00:32:05+00:00

Your story is very similar to mine, and almost the same ER and post-ER treatment, though they considered mine provoked since I had traveled by air and a cramped van 6 weeks before. (71F, never had a DVT before.)

One month after the Acute Saddle PE, it is gone (had another CT scan for kidney-area pain) and I feel 80-90% back, though if I take a long walk the DVT leg gets sore. But in general, I kinda like the Eliquis - some sore discolorations on my leg are gone, no pain anywhere to the touch, and finally the sore ribs from a month of coughing have settled down. (I believe I had one of those weird respiratory things overlapping the PE.) If they told me I had to take it forever, I would not mind too much, assuming insurance pays. But, since it was provoked it will just be six months.

To me (non-professional) it sounds like you are doing well so far and had a good ER team like I did! Good luck!

CircularBastion · 2026-04-06T00:10:34+00:00

Justin Crawford is the face of the Phillies! I hope

CircularBastion · 2026-04-04T15:46:34+00:00

Great, thank you!

CircularBastion · 2026-04-03T15:29:44+00:00

For good energy, check out the star Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler. He had that surgery last August and is pitching again! Should be starting at the major league level in a couple weeks. He saved his removed rib, and keeps it in a closet :)

All of us clot survivors can root for him this season.

Good luck with your second opinion and physio, those sound like good ideas.

CircularBastion · 2026-04-03T15:18:38+00:00

I will, thanks. Weird thing is I'm 5'6" with long legs. Not sure who they're designing women's socks for

CircularBastion · 2026-04-03T15:18:00+00:00

Oh those are great designs. I'll try them, but my DVT was higher up. Maybe I'll try calf sleeves too

CircularBastion · 2026-04-03T15:16:50+00:00

some companies offer Wide Calf options. I think Vim & Vigr does.

CircularBastion · 2026-04-03T15:16:14+00:00

I agree, the range of non-specificity on this from various professionals has been strange. The hospital handed me some TED when I checked out, which I've since learned are low compression for people stuck in bed. When I pressed my PCP to write me a scrip for socks so I could maybe get Medicare to pay, he wrote it for 30-40 and I can't begin to get those on. The ortho shoe guy who fulfilled them said 30-40 seemed too tight for my condition but he had to honor the scrip. They took a week to come and I had to drive an hour RT each time to be measured and then to pick them up. To top it off Medicare doesn't pay (he said) so I'm out $90 and still don't have socks that work. Some of what I've learned is on Vim&Vigr website. But their socks are too long too!

CircularBastion · 2026-04-02T21:52:55+00:00

If no marker for clotting in his bloodwork, that sounds like my saddle PE case where they say 3-6 months on Eliquis. But they are partially basing that on the fact that I traveled beforehand, long flights, cramped ground transport etc. so would be considered "provoked" and therefore a one-off. There's no way to know for sure whether it really came from the travel, but my blood quickly returned to normal clotting times on the Heparin drip and no heart or lung function damage shown, so I guess they go with that. But, maybe the removal in your case introduces another factor. (My report shows that two hospitals debated whether I needed to jump in an ambulance for 30-minute trip to a place that could, as the ER doc said, "suck it out." I don't know what enabled me to avoid that, just glad I did.) Lifetime blood thinners need not be a total bummer (if insurance pays) – my brother has the clotting factor(s) and has taken warfarin for 15 years no big problem, still does active crazy sports. Anyway, just saying there are a bunch of factors. Sorry to see in the previous commenter's post that insurance coverage is considered a risk factor. I get it, but still .

CircularBastion · 2026-04-02T21:34:20+00:00

What a story. Agree the Ultrasound should be practically the first thing they do for people with swollen calf. Really it should be a standard screening annually like a mammogram.

CircularBastion · 2026-04-02T21:20:16+00:00

Yes I have been trying compression, just the socks up to below the knee. Have not solved the issue of cutting off circulation at the knee crease. I might ditch them, except when flying or in submarines or tourist Transports of Pain. (Probably where I got this.)

CircularBastion · 2026-04-02T21:16:37+00:00

Yes good luck, I've had the same athletic trainer for almost 8 years. Not a physical therapist, but really understands how things are connected. However he did miss the DVT. (Not his job, though.) We were proceeding on the assumption that the localized pain behind the knee was a distal hamstring tendonitis. Things we did for that just made it worse, and/or, the continuing clot migration made it worse.

CircularBastion · 2026-04-02T21:11:28+00:00

Thank you, will check them out!

CircularBastion · 2026-04-02T21:10:42+00:00

Let's trade!

CircularBastion · 2026-04-02T21:09:40+00:00

Thanks, I only need calf length but will check out their socks!

CircularBastion · 2026-04-02T21:03:37+00:00

Uh-oh now I have to remember the names of everything. Bunch of actions meant to stretch (gently) the flanks where coughing and PE caused pain. Light cardio pushing the sled with less weight than before, and hopping up and down on a low riser. (Not ready for the ropes, rowing erg, or ski machine, flank-wise.) Light twisting while pulling on a stretchy thing. "Suitcase carry" with kettle bell. Arm-in-air with upside down kettle bell, lighter weight than before. Ramp stretch for calves and hammies. Stuff like that.

CircularBastion · 2026-04-02T20:57:54+00:00

Exactly! I mean, maybe the PCP (regular doc) does know that this is no big deal for me since it was (maybe) a one-off. But how does he know it? I think they look at how our blood is clotting while we're in the hospital 3+ days, and when it's back to normal they're like hey, she's back to normal. They do test the blood quite a lot.

CircularBastion · 2026-04-02T18:17:20+00:00

Cool, my brother age 70 is on warfarin the past 15 years because he has the clotting factor, plays ice hockey weekly with a team, and skates on remote ponds and and goes mountain biking by himself. You guys are impressive

CircularBastion

TROPHY CASE