To say that I am completely fed up with my recent calf muscle tear injury is somewhat of an understatement.

It went from being a tear to a small clot and now a clot that extends the entire length of my lower vein. The clot now extends up to a deep vein that goes to my lungs meaning I am now on a medication called Warfarin which is an anticoagulant. The downside of this drug is you have to be really careful what foods you eat as it can mess up your blood levels. For instance, vegetables containing Vitamin K need to be eaten less frequently than I would have liked. This is a shame because I love green leafy vegetables! Worse still, I am now on this medication for 6 months!

What really is frustrating about this entire saga is I have had little control over the outcomes to date.
When I initially tore the calf muscle I was well aware of the risk associated with lower leg injuries and DVT’s. I knew from family history that I was at a higher risk of getting a clot so did everything I could to limit the possibility of getting one.
When you tear a calf muscle it is extremely difficult to walk. Frankly, you look completely ridiculous when walking as your foot and leg are more of less frozen in one spot for a period of time. I sort of looked like a zombie at the start but a really old fragile zombie with a major limp.
But I walked every day and tried to move my leg every hour to limit the lack of mobility associated with blood clots.

My first ultra sound was clear of clots and this was 3 weeks after the injury so I was really happy with my progress. 2 days later I felt the pain and throbbing you can get when a clot starts.
An ultra sound confirmed a clot in the top of a vein in my lower leg but even though I had a family history of DVT’s, the ER doctors decided to go down the conservative route and not treat it. Instead they told me to get an ultra sound in 3 weeks time and it should be gone by then but did note a small risk the clot may end up in my lungs.

So this is where I want you to take note. You know when sometimes you get a feeling in your gut that what your being told isn’t quite right? You know the one, we all have them. It’s a sort of niggling feeling that leaves you a bit worried.
Well when you have that feeling, speak up. Say something. Don’t just sit there and be nice and do what the Doctors tell you. Ask the questions, request a second opinion and demand some action.
This is really important, especially when you are dealing with something that could potentially kill you.

I had this feeling and even though I felt really uncomfortable with their decision, I smiled and thanked them for their advice and went home.
My partner and family on the other hand were absolutely furious. Angry that the Doctors had taken this course of action and angry I hadn’t spoken up.
Again, family history on both sides are full of fatal DVT’s, strokes and amputations due to DVT complications.

It was on my families insistence that I called my local GP who immediately arranged for another ultra sound which showed that from the time I had seen the ER Doctors to now (5 days), my clot had increased, quickly and rather dangerously.

So here I am now, stuck on medication that I am all too familiar with – both my Nan and Aunty are now long term users of the product. 6 months of checkups starting with weekly blood tests and then monthly once my blood levels are where they need to be.
Having to keep an eye on the food, medication and activities I am involved with as they can all affect my blood levels. Being careful not to cut myself too badly as I can bleed for long periods, due to this medication.
And finally, I am now wearing a knee high compression stocking for 6 months every day. Summer is coming…oh my, what a look!

So the point of this post, take control of your health when you have control.
Sometimes we suffer injuries and complications that we have absolutely no control over. Fitness levels, family history or just plain bad luck can all be factors in this but when you seek medical advice, be proactive. You need to demand action, even if you feel uncomfortable doing it.
I am not sure what would have happened if my family hadn’t forced me to call my GP to seek a second opinion. I know from speaking to him that my clot would not have gone away on it’s own. And I know it is close to a vein that is deep and goes to my lungs. I know that clots in your lungs are not good, at all.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not feeling sorry for myself. I am very grateful to be stuck wearing my beige, knee high stocking and taking medication with blood tests for the next 6 months. I really am, the alternative may have been much worse.


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