Blood clots in legs!!!

Hi. I'm Diane....first entry...a newbie. Just had surgery Oct. 25. 004. Was doing great....incision looks good....lost 27# BUT...on my 2 week post-op check up ...c/o lower leg pain & discoloration....testing showed blood clots & was sent to hosp. immediately for admission & IV Heparin. Still doing therapy at home this week...had to give self Lovenox injections & on Coumadin Rx. Had to be on bedrest at first & limit activity. I was doing so well after surgery that I went back to work in 1 week. I guess I didn't realize how fragile I still was. I don't know how long it will take to be out of danger from these clots but would like to hear if anyone else had this experience. Diane

Hi Diane, I had surgery on the same day. I went back to work after 9 days. Last Thursday I had to go to the hospital for sonograms on both legs. Turns out I had philbitis. This was more painful than the WLS. I have been doing great since the WLS. No pain, no dumping, etc., however, the pain in my left leg made up for everything. I am wearing a medical stocking on my left leg all day. It feels much better now. I went back to work on Monday. I started to think I went back to work to soon. Take care and let me know how you are doing. Charlene

Thanks Charlene. I appreciate your reply and am glad you are OK now & back to work. Hopefully, I will be soon too. Diane

Diane--I had a DVT in my leg almost 10 years ago, and I too went back to work too soon--I was in the hospital on heparin for a week, and home for a week before I went back. My leg swelled up huge from not keeping it elevated. Kind-of hard to do at work'-) Anyway, what happened is my leg developed vericose veins and has given me trouble ever since, plus that leg and foot have since been a bit larger than the other. Makes shoe buying interesting. Fast forward to 10/12/04, the date of my WLS. I developed a blood clot in the same leg after day two in the hospital. I was put on heparin immediately, and am currently on coumadin. I was in the hospital for a week. When I got home, I kept my leg elevated at all times, and was determined not to go back to work too soon no matter what. So far, everything is going ok. My leg gets a little swollen from being at work, but nothing like it was 10 years ago. As far as how soon before you are out of danger, I would ask your doctor, however I would guess that you are somewhat out of danger for the time being, or they wouldn't have let you out of the hospital. At least that's what I was been told. I couldn't go home until my pro-time (blood test) was over 2, and now I'm told that they want it to be between 2 and 3 to be "therapeutic". I got it checked twice a week for about three weeks, and now I'm on an every other week schedule. I'm sure you're getting your blood checked too, aren't you? Anyway, I hope this helps. And GOOD LUCK!! Janelle P.S. Keep you leg elevated!!

I developed a DVT about 6 years ago following knee surgery. I was 19 at the time and had no idea the seriousness of blood clots. I was hospitalized and on for heparin for a week and was on coumadin for about 6 months. This was obviously a big concern when I had my WLS on 10/27. Since released I have had to give myself heparin injections twice daily and have to be sure to not lay around. I wish you the best of luck. Take care of yourself!