Will you be admitted to the hospital or sent home? If a DVT is confirmed, you may be discharged and sent home with injectable or oral anticoagulant medication (sometimes called a blood thinner). That said, every patient is different, and you may be admitted to the hospital if the ER doctor believes it's necessary.
During the treatment, your provider will use imaging like CT or MRI scans to make sure the clot is dissolving correctly. You'll usually need to stay in the hospital for at least 1 day after the procedure.
For years, if you had a DVT, your doctor would order bed rest. This was thought to lower the risk of a clot traveling through your bloodstream to your lungs. But recent research suggests that bed rest doesn't help people with DVT and that it may be fine for you to get up and move around.
DVT thrombolysis involves inserting a small catheter into the leg using ultrasound and x-ray guidance. Clot-dissolving medications as well mechanical devices may be inserted into the catheter and used to remove or reduce the clot.
Seek emergency care if you experience: Cough that produces bloody sputum. A fast heartbeat. Lightheadedness.
How long is hospitalization? The time a person spends in the hospital depends on how severe the clot is and whether the person's body is dissolving the clot on its own. Some people may not need to stay in the hospital at all, while others may require 1 week or more.
For venous clots, you will take blood thinners (a)nticoagulants to prevent the clot from growing and help blood flow past the clot. You may also need a procedure to place a filter in your vena cava, the large vein that carries blood to your heart. The filter will stop the clot from entering your heart or lungs.
Deep vein thrombosis can be serious because blood clots in the veins can break loose. The clots can then travel through the bloodstream and get stuck in the lungs, blocking blood flow (pulmonary embolism). When DVT and pulmonary embolism occur together, it's called venous thromboembolism (VTE).
Many patients worry that being physically active might cause a DVT to break off and become a PE. The risk of clot breaking off and forming a PE is mostly present in the first few days, up to ≈4 weeks, while the clot is still fresh, fragile, and not scarred.
DON'T stand or sit in one spot for a long time. DON'T wear clothing that restricts blood flow in your legs. DON'T smoke. DON'T participate in contact sports when taking blood thinners because you're at risk of bleeding from trauma.
Following a DVT, your leg may be swollen, tender, red, or hot to the touch. These symptoms should improve over time, and exercise often helps. Walking and exercise are safe to do, but be sure to listen to your body to avoid overexertion.
In most DVT cases, blood thinners are enough to stop new clots from forming or traveling while your body gets rids of the existing clot. But severe clots may need more complex treatments or even surgery. In this case, you might need more time off from work.
The Importance of Exercise if You Have DVT
Studies show that exercise also can improve symptoms of DVT, including swelling, discomfort, and redness. Physical activity can also make you feel more energized. If you have DVT, being active is especially important for your legs. That's where blood clots usually form.
If you notice possible signs of DVT and can't reach your doctor, go to the emergency room right away.
Both DVT and pulmonary embolism need urgent investigation and treatment. Seek immediate medical attention if you have pain, swelling and tenderness in your leg and develop breathlessness and chest pain.
People want to know when they will recover. “Most patients with DVT or PE recover within a few days or weeks without significant complications or lasting effects,” Dr. Moll says. The risk of a clot breaking off and forming a PE is present mostly during the first few days while the clot is fresh and fragile.
Approximately 60% of patients will recover from a leg DVT without any residual symptoms, 40% will have some degree of post-thrombotic syndrome, and 4% will have severe symptoms. The symptoms of post-thrombotic syndrome usually occur within the first 6 months, but can occur up 2 years after the clot.
Many DVTs will resolve with no complications. Post-thrombotic syndrome occurs in 43% of patients two years post-DVT (30% mild, 10% moderate, and severe 3%). The risk of recurrence of DVT is high (up to 25%). Death occurs in approximately 6% of DVT cases and 12% of pulmonary embolism cases within one month of diagnosis.
DVT can be very serious because blood clots can travel to your lungs. This is called a pulmonary embolism. A pulmonary embolism can be life-threatening and needs treatment straight away.
Elevate your legs above the level of your heart.
Elevate your legs when you sit or lie down, as often as you can. This will help decrease swelling and pain. Prop your legs on pillows or blankets to keep them elevated comfortably.
leg pain or discomfort that may feel like a pulled muscle, tightness, cramping or soreness. swelling in the affected leg. redness or discoloration of the sore spot. the affected area feeling warm to the touch.
5. Can I drive after a DVT or PE? As long as you didn't suffer a loss of consciousness, and you can move your leg freely, then there are no restrictions on driving.
The pain associated with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can vary from person to person, and may not always be constant. The pain may come and go, or it may persist and worsen over time. However, other symptoms such as swelling, warmth, and redness in the affected area may be present.
Get advice from 111 now if you think you have a blood clot
throbbing or cramping pain, swelling, redness and warmth in a leg or arm. sudden breathlessness, sharp chest pain (may be worse when you breathe in) and a cough or coughing up blood.