Question:
6 weeks post-op...having calf pain

My left calf is sore and I've had some pain in my mid-back that radiates. It's not bad enought to take pain meds, but it makes me worry. I had redness and tenderness around my knee on Monday, but my doctor and I just thought it was cellulitis because I get that a lot...but I didn't have a fever this time. Back in April, I had an ultra sound of my leg and it was clear. Am I just overreacting or should I get to the ER because this could be a blood clot?    — Sarahlicious (posted on May 21, 2003)

May 21, 2003
Sarah, have you been drinking all your water? I sometime have leg pain and swelling when I don't drink enough. However, it certainly wouldn't hurt to go to the ER and have them check it out. I'd rather see you go and it turn out to be nothing then to stay home and it actually BE something.. Good luck
   — SJP

May 21, 2003
Sarah: If I were you I would definatly contact your doctor as soon as possible about the pain in your calf. When I had my surgery I had very bad pain in the ball and heel of my right leg while in the hospital. I remember when they got me up to walk it hurt and I mentioned it several times to the nurses. When I came home I was so tired and trying to recover from surgery. Each day I got worse, more short of breath and this pain that was in my heel was now in the calf of my leg. I remember trying to walk and get out and feel better and stronger and it was not happening. Finally all the advice people were giving me was not working. I had had a pulminary embolis about 15 years before after a fall and a broken leg. As a result of this my surgeon this time inserted a Greenfield Filter before my surgery. As each day passed by, I got more short of breath and knew something was very wrong. I had my husband take me to the emergency room where it was found I had about 60% of my lung capacity gone with another pulminary embolis. I was then put in critical care and another hospital stay for a week. I have many questions about the greenfield filter and where did that blood clot come from. Please do listen to your body. Demand that your doctor do a venous doplar on your legs to determine if there is a blood clot there. You do not want it to rise above your calf. Let me know what happens and I hope I have helped you. Sarah Brackett
   — Sarah B.

May 21, 2003
Original poster: Just got back from the ER...I thought it's better to be safe than sorry. They agree the symtoms of a blot clot and my cellulitis/lymphedema are similar so they wanted to rule out/treat as if it was a clot. I got two shots of a blood thinner and they ran some blood test and gases. I have to call in the morning (about 4 1/2 hours) and schedule a doppler study. Even if it is just my cellulitis obviously the oral meds aren't working and I'm going to need IV because my leg is worse than it was on Monday.
   — Sarahlicious

May 21, 2003
Not to alarm you, but as someone who has survived 3 episodes of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), don't let this slide. The symptoms you describe sound exactly like the times I have had blood clots in my legs. Be very persistent in pursuing this. My episodes of clotting all started with a tightness in the calf, like I needed to stretch it, but couldn't. Then the lower part of the leg started to look red and swollen. This was followed by rapid onset of swelling in the entire leg. Again, not to scare you, because it is definitely treatable, but I would not take "no" as an answer from any physician in pursuing the cause of this.
   — Greg P.

May 22, 2003
As a deep vein thrombosis survivor, I can tell you to get to the hosp or doc asap to have that checked....I had a blood clot start out that way that made it all the way up my leg to the groin...I still have vein damage 5+ years later despite exercise and diet work. Please don't let that calf pain go too long without getting it checked!! Blessings to you.
   — hibou21