You can have recurrent DVT while on anticoagulation, but your chances go way down. Some studies show about 2% to 5.5% of people with either DVT or PE have a recurrence within the first 3 months of treatment.
And blood clots can come back. Approximately one-third of patients who have a clot develop another within 10 years. However, with fast diagnosis—and specialized care—DVTs and PEs can be treated.
Yes. Medications that are commonly called blood thinners — such as aspirin, warfarin (Jantoven), dabigatran (Pradaxa), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), apixaban (Eliquis), edoxaban (Savaysa) and heparin — greatly decrease your risk of blood clotting. But they don't prevent blood clots completely.
People who have previously experienced deep vein thrombosis are at increased risk of another episode. But you can take steps to reduce that risk. Surgery, pregnancy, obesity — a number of factors can increase your risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot that forms in a deep vein.
It takes about 3 to 6 months for a blood clot to go away. During this time, there are things you can do to relieve symptoms. Elevate your leg to reduce swelling. Talk to your doctor about using compression stockings.
And once you've had DVT, you're a lot more likely to get it again. About 3 in 10 people get a second clot within a decade of their first. But your risk goes down with time. You're most likely to get another clot in the first months or years after the initial one.
Venous thrombosis is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. About 10%–20% of patients develop a recurrence within 5 y [4]–[6], and up to 50% develop post-thrombotic syndrome within several months after the thrombotic event [7]. The mortality rate after venous thrombosis is about 20% within 1 y [2],[8].
Typically, your body will naturally dissolve the blood clot after the injury has healed. Sometimes, however, clots form on the inside of vessels without an obvious injury or do not dissolve naturally. These situations can be dangerous and require accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Anticoagulants don't destroy or “melt” blood clots. Your body may naturally dissolve a clot, but sometimes clots don't completely disappear. When they don't, they usually shrink and become little “scars” inside your veins. Sometimes these “old” clots may result in leg swelling, but oftentimes they don't cause symptoms.
Taking too little of these medications may not be effective, and taking too much can lead to serious bleeding. Also, blood thinners may not be able to lessen the strong blood-clotting tendency of an underlying disease, such as cancer. Interactions with other medications, food and alcohol are common with warfarin.
Stopping blood thinners can increase your risk for blood clots, due to the underlying risk factor(s) for which your blood thinner was originally prescribed. Many times, these bleeding and clotting risks can be complicated for you to understand, and difficult for your healthcare providers to manage.
While many blood clots dissolve with the help of blood thinners, some dangerous clots require fast-acting clot-busting medications called thrombolytics. Because thrombolytics can cause severe bleeding, doctors usually give them only to people with large, severe clots that increase risk of pulmonary embolism.
It's also worth mentioning that the most common symptom after a blood clot is exhaustion and fatigue. So, be kind to yourself and rest when you need to. For the first couple of months, you might not feel like yourself; you might feel like resting is all you can do, and that's okay because that's part of this disease.
Because you are taking a blood thinner, you should try not to hurt yourself and cause bleeding. You need to be careful when you use knives, scissors, razors, or any sharp object that can make you bleed. You also need to avoid activities and sports that could cause injury. Swimming and walking are safe activities.
Life goes on after you've been diagnosed with a blood clot. While it may take time to recover, there's no reason why you can't continue to live the life you love.
Effect of Stress on Blood Vessels
Research has shown that extended periods of anxiety can increase coagulation, which decreases the normal circulation of blood through the body and raises the risk of developing blot clots.
Typically, it doesn't take too long to recover from deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Many people bounce back from this condition in months, if not weeks. However, up to 50 percent of those who have experienced DVT go on to develop long-term complications.
While a pulmonary embolism can be life-threatening, most patients survive DVT and need to learn how to live with the risk of recurrence. Your healthcare provider will probably prescribe anticoagulants, or blood thinners, which may be needed for as little as three months but can be lifelong treatment.
Most people are fully healed from a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) within a few weeks or months. But if you're recovering from this type of blood clot (which happens in a large vein, most often in your leg), you might be worried about how it will change your life and whether it will happen again.
For most people, walking or taking care of some housework are fine right after you find out you have DVT.
Exercises like walking or swimming can help you heal after a clot. They boost your blood flow and may make you feel better. If you had a pulmonary embolism, activities that get your heart pumping, like running or dancing, can make your lungs stronger. But talk to your doctor first about how much is right for you.
Expert groups suggest that people who develop a DVT but do not have a known risk factor may need treatment with an anticoagulant for an indefinite period of time. However, if this is your situation, you should discuss the pros and cons with your doctor after three months of treatment.