Fear the doctors have missed a dvt!!! Help!

Posted , 7 users are following.

Hello, I woke around 12 days ago with cramps in my right calf. I went to the doctor 5 days later bcs it turned into an all day and night type of nagging pain. He sent me for a duplex ultrasound that was negative for any dvt. I am still having the pain without any improvement so I decided to go to a different hospital yesterday that has a vascular lab. They did another ultrasound and this one was negative as well! I still have this major fear that they somehow missed a dvt and that I'm a walking time bomb! Should I seek another ultrasound or should I just stop worrying? I'm 32 years old 117lbs don't smoke or take birth control!

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi,

    It is nearly impossible to miss the diagnosis of a DVT. Certainly one big enough to cause and drastic health concerns. Pain is not the main symptom of a DVT anyway, leg swelling is. In short I think you can stop worrying.

    Best wishes,

    aa

  • Posted

    Check out a Bakers Cyst and see if the symptoms are what you describe. I was diagnosed with this and the pain is similar to a DVT in the calf. About 12 months after this I did have a DVT in the same calf. Beware A and E tho because I was told originally it was old age and arthritis! And I was 41!
  • Posted

    If you don't have swelling ( ie difference in calf measurements between L/R leg)or redness and there are no other factors that increase your risk for DVT ( recent injury, surgery of leg/foot/abdomen,extended period of immobility,current cancer diagnosis or previous DVT pretty much covers it) then you're very unlikely to have a DVT. Did either of the hospitals do bloods?

    • Posted

      I have no other risk factors for dvt. And no they did not do any blood work on me. The e.r. doc pretty much told me a couple days ago that they had their most well trained tech in the vascular lab do my second ultrasound (she was very thorough, and took her time) and that he was completely confident with that ultrasound and the previous one a week early being negative that I did not have a clot! I hope he is right!
    • Posted

      I'm sure that they were both right. Here in the UK you woudn't have got one ultrasound, let alone 2. I do think its bad that they didn't do bloods, but that's US Healthcare for you.

    • Posted

      Hi Alisha

      You are lucky to have had the ultra sounds, I've seen three doctors now over the past three weeks, with pain in my calf and thigh, chest pains and dizzy spells, sleeping is impossibl.

      First doc said it was a pulled muscle, it's definitely not that!

      Second one said I had restless legs, I'd never heard of that but after looking it up, I don't have the symtoms to match it, she gave me a prescription to help calm my legs so I can sleep, four days on and they haven't kicked in yet. I had bloods done to check for vitamin deficiency.

      Third doc said, all bloods were fine, so obviously not that then, anyway after telling this doc my symtoms, he's come up with a prescription for cramp! I haven't got cramp.

      I told him my concern about dvt as a friend suddenly died last year, he said no its not dvt but as I expected put it down to suffering with Anxiety, every time I go it's because of anxiety that none of my complaints are taken seriously the answer is always you have anxiety!! I have pain in my calf and can't see how anxiety would cause that.

  • Posted

    Hello alisha

    They do more than one test for dvt. Dvt symptoms can vary from patient to patient.  If an ultrasound shows negative twice then I would not worry. Instead go & talk to your GP or Nurse Practitioner at your local doctors. 

    Your GP can physically check your leg & elsewhere for clots. Mine went undetected after surgery for a couple of months. I developed a dvt which then some broke of & travelled to my lung. X-Ray's showed anomalies so they sent me for ct scan with contrast. Even after this they are very difficult to detect. But if your family history of blood clots is not there then it would be caused by something else. Long haul air flight, surgery that lasts over an hour or family history.  DONT WORRY SEEK ADVICE.  

    Regards

    Christine

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.