DVT?

[Lawson58]

I have just taken my husband to our local clinic as I am very concerned about him.

He has very bad varicose veins in one leg and it has always been a bit puffy around the ankles. A couple of days ago it started to swell from the toes to the knee and today it was so swollen that the varicose veins had almost disappeared.

We have managed to get him in for an ultrasound in the morning but the doctor is quite concerned as she says that even though he has been warfarin for years, she can't rule out a deep vein thrombosis just from the way it looks. She of course is hoping that it isn't but I was wondering if anyone on TP has seen this before.

Our own GP is on leave so this doctor was new to my husband but she was great. She told him that after he had told her what was wrong she was going to get me to fill in all the bits he had left out. So it made it so much easier to say what I needed to, such a practical approach when dealing with a PWD.

 

[Grannie G]

I've no experience of a DVT @Lawson58 but am delighted to read about your understanding Locum GP. A breath of fresh air.

 

[lemonjuice]

My experience is that DVT's are caused by the veins deep inside the leg, rather than the visible varicose veins.
My father, who had never had problems with varicose veins, complained of his leg hurting and swelling, but decided to put a heat lamp on it for a couple of days.

Unfortunately that was the a really bad idea and he collapsed a few years later and died within 20 mins, so your GPis right to want to get him checked out, and I suggest you do it quickly.
A few years later I had been out shopping and suddenly couldn't put any weight on my leg, without enormous pain anyway and as I had to drive past the hospital on my return home a couple of friends helped me and I went to A & E. There was no sign of any varicose veins, but the Drs decided it was one on my internal veins which had burst. Did heal itself and had it not been for my experience with my father I would not have had it checked.

 

[Lawson58]

My experience is that DVT's are caused by the veins deep inside the leg, rather than the visible varicose veins.
My father, who had never had problems with varicose veins, complained of his leg hurting and swelling, but decided to put a heat lamp on it for a couple of days.

Unfortunately that was the a really bad idea and he collapsed a few years later and died within 20 mins, so your GPis right to want to get him checked out, and I suggest you do it quickly.
A few years later I had been out shopping and suddenly couldn't put any weight on my leg, without enormous pain anyway and as I had to drive past the hospital on my return home a couple of friends helped me and I went to A & E. There was no sign of any varicose veins, but the Drs decided it was one on my internal veins which had burst. Did heal itself and had it not been for my experience with my father I would not have had it checked.

My husband also has heart failure which I understand increases the risk of a DVT. We will know more in the morning after he has had the ultrasound. He had quite a lot of pain but that has eased.

My big concern is that I have no idea of how they could treat it. Normally they would use anticoagulant meds but my husband has been on warfarin for at least 14 years and he has a history of bleeds. He was recently hospitalised for a nosebleed that lasted 5 hours and a couple of years ago he had a major internal bleed. He frequently bleeds quite profusely from a mere scratch or a shaving cut.

Thanks for your reply. I am glad that I insisted that he see the doctor and she was very quick to set things up for the morning.

 

[Lawson58]

I've no experience of a DVT @Lawson58 but am delighted to read about your understanding Locum GP. A breath of fresh air.

Hi Grannie,

Happily, the doctor we saw is another doctor at the practice, not a locum so she is a regular. I have been to her but my husband hasn't met her before and I was so impressed how well she managed my husband. There seems to be a culture at this clinic that manages people, their carers and the confidentiality bit very successfully.
The receptionists are fabulous and when I phoned this afternoon to see if we could see a doctor, they squeezed us in with half an hour's notice. They make a point of using our first names and the nurses all make a fuss of my husband when he goes to have his INR checked.

Care, compassion, respect and I am truly grateful for them all.

 

[Grannie G]

There seems to be a culture at this clinic that manages people, their carers and the confidentiality bit very successfully.

Hold on to them. @Lawson58 and don't let go.

 

[Lawson58]

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[Lawson58]

So my husband had the ultrasound this morning and it didn't show any DVT which is a relief. His leg is still very swollen and he finds his compression socks too painful to use so he goes back to the doctor midweek. Unless things go from bad to worse of course when we will need a visit to the Emergency Department.

One of those weeks really - the vacuum cleaner died so I had to buy a new one. The TV in the study turned up its toes so I had to buy another one, then a power board in the study malfunctioned and OH ended up in a panic because he couldn't get the PC to turn on.

Then his leg swelled up and we still don't know why.

 

[Lawson58]

Just a quick update.

Tentative diagnosis about my husband's swollen leg, doctor seems to think that he has cellulitis so at the moment he is on antibiotics. So he has to see our own GP who is now back from his globetrotting on Monday. GP will review how his leg is doing and do an INR because antibiotics tend to mess with my husband's warfarin.

We had to see a different doctor this time and he too was great in dealing with my husband. He talked to us as a couple and sought details from me when needed and it seems to me that it was as if my husband has a health problem then I had to be involved too. When I read about the hassles many of you have when dealing with GPs, I think we are really blessed with the staff at our local clinic.

 

[Saffie]

I’ve had a DVT and Cellultis and the more painful was the latter. I hope the ABs work quickly and the swelling and pain subside soon.