I’ve had a lot of time off recently with other health problems and it’s becoming so hard for me. But I’ve just started feeling concentrated pain in my calf, that’s now started to radiate across my whole leg. I’ve also had cramps in my toes all just on one leg / foot side. It seems concerning and marrying up to classic symptoms for DVT. But the pain isn’t too bad yet. Can a regular family doctor deal with it or should I go straight to ER?
If you suspect DVT but it’s only mild pain, can you go to the regular doctor or should you go straight to ER?
SAME EXACT SITUATION. Mine was 6 weeks before I realized my Charley horse was actually a clot. By the time I got the ultrasound I had multiple clots on both side of lungs and a saddle PE. Never gamble with something that can kill you pretty quickly. Always go to ER.
Same. First sign was terrible almost crippling pain behind my knee but it would leave for a few days then come back. Then it showed up in my calf then my groin. Finally after about 6 weeks went to ER and my clot was from my knee down my leg and back up to my groin.
The dumb part was around week 3 I had good suspicions it was a clot but I was scared to go to the er and just hoped it would go away 😅
same same same
Sad to hear, but thanks for sharing. So similar, I was hobbling around for 2 weeks thinking I pulled my calf muscle till my GF said to go to the doctor (orthopedic). I could barely walk. He correctly diagnosed me and thankfully didn’t get as bad of PE’s as I hear from others here.
Better to get it checked sooner rather than later. The consequences of waiting (and being incorrect with that decision) are just too great.
Just go and get it checked and then you'll have piece of mind.
I never had any leg pain at all- none. It wasn't until my clots moved to my lungs that I realized anything was wrong. Both lungs had multiple PEs.
Your pain, or lack of pain, isn't necessarily an indicator for how bad your clot may or may not be (if you even have one)..
You CAN go to your PCP. I would only recommend this if you can get a same day appointment or get seen within a few days. But yes, they can usually order an outpatient ultrasound (you just show up at whatever lab they sent the referral to and they’ll do it). If they find a DVT they’ll likely call you/have you come back in and start you on anticoagulants. If symptoms worsen at any point during this time (particularly if you have shortness of breath, chest pain, tachycardia, or low O2), then you should go to the ER immediately, regardless of what point you’re at in this process (even if your appt is in a few hours or they already ordered an ultrasound).
Edit: I would also recommend calling the PCP office rather than scheduling online (if yours has that option), because if they feel they don’t have the capacity to check for DVT or are concerned about urgency, they can let you know to go to the ER rather than having an extra unnecessary appt where they’ll just immediately tell you to go to the ER anyway.
As another poster said, I'd probably go to my primary care doctor, or at least ask her to order me a D-Dimer, which is something she's agreed to do as requested based on my history of PE. But only if those things could happen the same day.
The pain just isn’t very bad… at first it felt like a cramp but went away then came back today more spread across my whole leg. I feel like they just won’t take me seriously at the ER if I say the pain is at a 1/10. It’s happened to me before, gone into the ER and been sent home with nothing really wrong. I do have health anxiety. I understand for strangers on the internet it is a tough situation to advise on of course. I think I will call my PCP for an urgent appt instead cause they have more time to sit and chat to me about it, at the ER they tend to roll their eyes at me.
You have to be your own advocate. Listen to your gut. It’s when I finally listened to my own body and my gut and made it happen thats when they finally listened and found it before it was too late. I didn’t have any of the PE symptoms for how bad my chest scan was. The Cleveland Clinic ER doc said he never saw a scan like that with how little symptoms I was feeling (no shortness of breath, no chest pain, no need for oxygen). I always lean towards better safe than sorry. Good luck and hope anything is ok!
I'm sorry you've been treated that way. Over the years I've learned to advocate for myself. We know our bodies and when something is off we can often tell, even if the signs aren't there to the doctors. When I discovered my PE, the ER doc would have sent me home except that I happened to ask for a D-Dimer.
Since you've had this pain, I wouldn't rest until someone gives you the D-Dimer test. I'm pretty convinced my PE began as a blood clot in my leg that moved the morning of my ultrasound to look for it. I remember saying, "It stopped hurting this morning." Looking back that's when my heart rate started to rise and my overall anxiety started to get intense.
If it's below the knee it probably won't travel, but your doctor isn't likely to have ultrasound equipment in office. I'd advise you to call your doctor and ask his opinion.
Depending on your country and insurance situation, I can understand the reluctance. Especially with the atrocious wait times here in the USA. I'm on tricare so I can the nurse line, described my symptoms and why I'm positive it's DVT. She had me go to the nearest ER, but now it's on record that I was medically advised to go.
not true mine was in my calf ended up with a PE
Mine was also in the calf following an ankle injury when I fell down some stairs. It certainly travelled! And spread!
it’s most likely not a DVT but i’d still get checked. i was such an idiot waited. weeks i was limping finally addressed it and ended up with a PE
If you have a good working relationship with your regular family doctor, I would recommend consulting with them first.
With my DVT, I hadn't even heard of DVT before, but my leg felt odd and I called my PCP, saying that I was favoring my other leg and thought that something circulatory in nature was happening. She ordered an ultrasound at the nearby hospital that afternoon and sure enough I had DVTs in both the popliteal and peroneal veins. No ER visit needed and my PCP took the lead in treatment.
please go to the hospital immediately if you think you have DVT, i waited and ended up with bilateral PE’s along with the DVT in my leg. its not worth the risk of your life. worst case, your fine and they send you home
I'd advise going to ER. I walked (or more like hobbled) around with DVT for four weeks thinking I'd pulled a muscle in my calf badly from walking strangely after an ankle injury. The pain vanished after those four weeks. Then 3 or so weeks later I was in ER with clots ALL over both lungs. If you're in any doubt, go and get it checked out by a pro straight away.