DVT (deep vein thrombosis) prevention and treatment

I see my primary internist tomorrow and hope to have more info from her, a ultra sound on my leg since first diagnosed April 1st and will ask many more questions about fatigue and lightheadedness. Thank you so much for sharing!

@babheart
Thank you for sharing.

I've been on Xerelto for many years because of my history of numerous DVTs.

@kelcie21 yes. had PEs and a R lower lobe infarction 3 yrs ago. After going home on Eliquis I was so lightheaded short of breath and felt so fatigued. All my vs were fine! Back to ER and a smart nurse hooked me up to a traveling pulse ox while I walked with her and my O2 level was in the low 🤨80s I think. 4 mos on supplemental O2 and at home pulmonary rehab got me back to pretty much pre-pe status. Though I did retire since I’d passed my 75th during the seige. Talk to your docs Also check out Vasculearn Network - helped me

Welcome @kelcie21, I had calf pain in my right leg back in 2023 and my primary care ran a D-dimer blood test and then sent me to the ER in Rochester where they treated me for a DVT after 5 or so hours in the ER pumping blood thinners through me. Sent me home late that night and I had chest pains in the middle of the night and went back to the ER where I was diagnosed with a blood clot in the lungs. I stayed in the hospital for 2 days and was put on 5 mg Eliquis twice daily for a few months and now on 2.5 mg Eliquis twice daily. The first year I met with the Rochester Mayo cardiologist twice for a follow up and now I just meet with her once a year to see how I'm doing. I do remember some fatigue but don't remember it being extreme or having any light headedness.

Prior to having the blood clots and did have a short period of time with quite a bit of fatigue and my primary care ran some blood tests which showed I had a really low iron level. I ended up having a few iron IVs which brought me back to normal levels. Have you discussed the fatigue and light headedness with your primary care doctor?

April 1, 2026 I was diagnosed with a large blood clot DVT in my left leg. A few small clots have been found in both lungs. I am on Warfrin. I was hospitalized for 4 days and given Heprin drips and Warfrin. I am seeing an Internist through Heath Partners in Maple Grove, MN. I have two questiions. Do most DVT patients see a Hemotologist, or Pulmonary Doctor in addition to your regular doctor? Do DVT patients commonly have extreme fatigue and light headedness the first part of each day? My blood pressures varies each day for I am on a new blood pressure medicine as well.

@ticket I think you can request free samples from your doctor.

I took apixaban, Eliquis, 5 mg twice a day for a year and a half since my DVT and PE episode. Since I take another medication twice a day my haematologist went with apixaban. It seems a lot of people forget the evening dose unless they are used to that routine. Rivaroxaban does the same thing but is 1 dose a day. Last week I learned I have a 6 inch clot in the same area again. I learned that the anticoagulant oral medications have about the same level of efficacy and that repeat clots can occur. They’ve doubled my apixaban dose for a week and will be doing a CT and a blood test for autoimmune disease. I have a heparin allergy and fewer options because of that.

@mcalcagno

This is a difficult issue and I wish that there would be a good solution for all of us. I had a DVT almost 5 years ago and am still taking another anticoagulant, Eliquis. The way I understand it, the DVT permanently damaged at least one of my leg veins and the leg ulcers are a result. I don’t know of any sure easy cures. I see a vascular surgeon regularly and follow his instructions such as wearing the right compression, exercises and other leg treatments. This all has been moderately successful in decreasing my leg ulcerations. But not a certain cure all. Best wishes for the future.

@mcalcagno Does blood pressures differ significantly between the arms and legs? My guess is that circulation to those legs is sluggish due to microvascular insufficiency