# Cycling with DVT



## MilkRace (2 Feb 2019)

I'd be interested to hear if anyone here has, or has had DVT and what, if any, impact this had on their cycling, both short term and long term. I'm not after a diagnosis, been there, got that or advice on treatment, just personal experiences. Thanks


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## Slow But Determined (3 Feb 2019)

MilkRace said:


> I'd be interested to hear if anyone here has, or has had DVT and what, if any, impact this had on their cycling, both short term and long term. I'm not after a diagnosis, been there, got that or advice on treatment, just personal experiences. Thanks



I had a P.E. first about six years ago then a DVT in left leg a couple of years later. Obviously now on thinners for life but it hasn't affected my cycling one iota.

Just remember to carry your alert card should you be in an accident, don't know what you are on but the ones I am on have no reversal.


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## ColinJ (3 Feb 2019)

Don't get me started on that subject again! 

@MilkRace - I was seriously done in by a DVT in my left leg in 2012. In my case it wasn't caught in time, the clot broke up and got swept 'upstream' through my heart and it then lodged in my pulmonary artery causing a near fatal blockage - a pulmonary embolism (PE). I survived that but had a relapse in 2013. I not only ended up with a damaged leg, I also have residual lung damage.

If you were fortunate enough to '_just_' have the DVT then presumably it is only a leg that you have to worry about? (I'm assuming that the DVT _WAS _in a leg? They can occur elsewhere, but most of the time it is in legs.)

DVTs are often in a calf, but mine was caused by overtight trousers so it was higher up, in my left inner thigh. 

The blockage caused a pressure build-up in the leg which damaged the little non-return valves in the veins. They don't heal and they are too delicate to repair so once wrecked they tend to stay wrecked. As a result, my left leg has developed some varicose veins and swells up if I stand around for long. Fortunately, if I move around then the pumping action of the muscles keeps the blood flowing and my leg feels ok. I took a year to build my fitness back up but after that I could cycle or walk long distances again.

I have to elevate my leg when sitting still or it starts to swell. That makes sitting at a desk or table very uncomfortable after a while. I find that wearing a compression sock or sleeve on the left calf keeps the swelling under control. I sometimes wear them when cycling, not because I need them on the bike, but they help at cafe stops or when travelling to or from distant rides.

I used to wear leg warmers which have elastication exactly where the clot was in my thigh. There is scar tissue in the vein there which probably is what caused my second clot. I therefore don't like wearing anything tight round my thighs any more because I don't want to risk a third clot. (When you have had one DVT you are at increased risk of getting another one because the scar tissue can start localised clotting.) Apart from which, it is bloody uncomfortable.

So, to sum up - no long term effect on my legs for cycling. Long term damage is annoying off the bike. Be vigilant for future clots.

If you also had a PE, I could tell you a lot about that experience! (Summarise as - _AVOID AT ALL COSTS!_)

PS Oh, the other factor related to cycling is that I am on anticoagulants (warfarin) for life. That doesn't stop me riding, but it does mean that I would be at greater risk from heavy bleeding after a serious accident. I always wear a medical dog tag round my neck to alert paramedics to that fact in case I am ever injured and unable to tell them myself.


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## Slow But Determined (3 Feb 2019)

ColinJ said:


> Don't get me started on that subject again!
> 
> @MilkRace - I was seriously done in by a DVT in my left leg in 2012. In my case it wasn't caught in time, the clot broke up and got swept 'upstream' through my heart and it then lodged in my pulmonary artery causing a near fatal blockage - a pulmonary embolism (PE). I survived that but had a relapse in 2013. I not only ended up with a damaged leg, I also have residual lung damage.
> 
> ...



Must admit Colin when I had my PE I did not have a clue what it was, the pain was so intense at first I thought it was a heart attack. 

Just a special mention at this point to the staff at my local A&E who without their knowledge and speedy work I doubt I would be typing this now. To make matters worse it was a Saturday night when I was rushed in and the sh-t the staff have to put up with from drunks etc doesn't bear thinking about.


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## ColinJ (3 Feb 2019)

Slow But Determined said:


> Must admit Colin when I had my *PE *I did not have a clue what it was, the pain was so intense at first I thought it was a heart attack.
> 
> Just a special mention at this point to the staff at my local A&E who without their knowledge and speedy work I doubt I would be typing this now. To make matters worse it was a Saturday night when I was rushed in and the sh-t the staff have to put up with from drunks etc doesn't bear thinking about.


Horrible things!!!

One GP didn't pick up on mine at all. That (and my own stupid optimism - "_Well, I think I am feeling a bit better today ..._") led to a near-fatal delay in treatment. A subsequent GP immediately worked out what it was. Emergency admission to hospital, bypassing A&E!

A year later, the second PE came on. My sister drove me to her local hospital. I got to the reception desk and the woman there did the triage thing ('_Go home_', '_Join the queue_', '*EMERGENCY!*'). The conversation went something like this ...

Receptionist: _Hello, how can I help you?_

Me: _Hi. Er, I think that I am becoming seriously ill with a pulmonary embolism_.

Receptionist (clearly thinking '_Dr Google strikes again ..._'): _Oh, so you have medical training do you?_

Me: _No, but I do have a very vivid memory of almost dying of a pulmonary embolism a year ago and I have exactly the same symptoms now - extreme shortness of breath, heart racing for hours, alternating bouts of shivering and sweating, nausea, and feeling faint!_

Receptionist: (Under breath - _whoops ..._) _Please take a seat over there and I will make sure that you are seen very quickly!_

Tested and admitted in less than 3 hours.


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## MilkRace (3 Feb 2019)

ColinJ said:


> Don't get me started on that subject again!
> 
> @MilkRace - I was seriously done in by a DVT in my left leg in 2012. In my case it wasn't caught in time, the clot broke up and got swept 'upstream' through my heart and it then lodged in my pulmonary artery causing a near fatal blockage - a pulmonary embolism (PE). I survived that but had a relapse in 2013. I not only ended up with a damaged leg, I also have residual lung damage.
> 
> ...


Wow.....that is some epic horror story.....I trust all is well now, or at least as well as can be...?

I only got the bad news last week, and yes, it was calf pain that gave it away....just after another long haul flight too. Did a few rides with it before the diagnosis as I thought it was just a calf strain, and had no problems whilst on the bike.....ached like hell when I got off though. Thankfully my doctor was cautious and sent me for a scan which revealed the 21cm long blood clot.....quite a big one by all accounts...!

Now on thinners for at least 6 months....maybe longer who knows, but so far, so good. Pain has (almost) gone, and back on the bike, albeit a tad slower and for now at least, only moderate one hour(ish) sessions.

The "bleeding" bit is a bit of a worry.....but again....so far so good.

I guess the biology bit I kind of knew about. It's the psychological bit.....fear of the unknown, that I guess I'm slowly coming to terms with.

Staying positive is the key I suppose.....either that or take up crossword puzzles as a hobby.


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## ColinJ (3 Feb 2019)

Slow But Determined said:


> ... it was a Saturday night when I was rushed in and the sh-t the staff have to put up with from drunks etc doesn't bear thinking about.


On my A&E visit there were 2 young drunks who had broken bones in drunken antics. They were at least pretty cheerful.

What was funny was that one drunk was English and one was French. The French drunk was speaking to the English one in dodgy English and the English drunk was replying in dodgy French. If they had been sober they would have realised that they could both understand each other better if they had stuck to their native languages!


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## MilkRace (3 Feb 2019)

Slow But Determined said:


> I had a P.E. first about six years ago then a DVT in left leg a couple of years later. Obviously now on thinners for life but it hasn't affected my cycling one iota.
> 
> Just remember to carry your alert card should you be in an accident, don't know what you are on but the ones I am on have no reversal.


Don't have an alert card, or anything for that matter.....Just hoping the doctor thinks its "unnecessary" and not....'not worth it".....might ask next time I go for a check up. Thanks for the heads up.


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## ColinJ (3 Feb 2019)

MilkRace said:


> Wow.....that is some epic horror story.....I trust all is well now, or at least as well as can be...?
> 
> I only got the bad news last week, and yes, it was calf pain that gave it away....just after another long haul flight too. Did a few rides with it before the diagnosis as I thought it was just a calf strain, and had no problems whilst on the bike.....ached like hell when I got off though. Thankfully my doctor was cautious and sent me for a scan which revealed the 21cm long blood clot.....quite a big one by all accounts...!
> 
> ...


Well, there _is _an epic thread describing my tribulations over an extended period but it might be better to avoid that ...  (If you are curious, just search for threads with DVT in the title and it will pop up!)

It's bloody lucky that your doctor was on the ball. It's bad enough having the b*st*rd clots in a leg, but having them in more important places is a nightmare.

I think I was on warfarin for 8 months the first time. I came off it but then clotted again about 3 months later. As I mentioned above, there is always an increased risk of clotting after the first time. It is a judgement call whether to take the risk of further clots or the bleeding risk of the anticoagulants. I definitely don't want to go through it again so I'll stick with the pills. I seem to get on fine with warfarin. It is only the bleeding risk in accidents that worries me about it now.

I understand exactly what you mean about the 'psychological bit'. If you do venture into my hugely long DVT thread, it will be fairly obvious that I became obsessed with clots! I think I was suffering from PTSD. One day one feels immortal and strong, the next one becomes _very _aware of how fragile health and fitness are.

I don't think I will ever feel 100% mentally ok again because the emotional trauma of it lingers on and there are lots of physical signs (swollen leg, scar tissue in chest, reduced lung power) to remind me if I do start to forget. Still, I have managed to get from about 1% mental health to 80+%, so I am not going to complain.

I actually do crossword puzzles for a hobby, preferably when relaxing after a decent bike ride! 

There are quite a few of us on CC recovering from clots, so feel free to post on the subject again if you want to ask more questions or just unload the stress! 

Good luck with your recovery.


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## Shortandcrisp (3 Feb 2019)

You’ll be fine! I had a DVT in the calf in 1988 at the age of 28 after a long haul flight. Undiagnosed for a while by which point it had spread through the knee and up to the thigh, so extremely lucky not to suffer ColinJ’s fate. Took about a year for the pain to subside.
Thirty years on and I never even think about it. Has no negative effects on my cycling that I’m aware of. Lack of talent, now that’s another issue!


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## vickster (3 Feb 2019)

@DavidS was diagnosed last year, not sure how he’s getting on now

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/c...lot-in-leg-originally-lower-back-pain.230205/


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## Slow But Determined (3 Feb 2019)

MilkRace said:


> Don't have an alert card, or anything for that matter.....Just hoping the doctor thinks its "unnecessary" and not....'not worth it".....might ask next time I go for a check up. Thanks for the heads up.



I just carry this, there is one in every packet of tablets I get.


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## ColinJ (3 Feb 2019)

Ah yes, I had to tell my dentist about the warfarin. They even want to know my latest INR** test results for hygiene appointments, presumably in case they cause gum bleeding.

People on the newer drugs such as Xarelto don't need regular blood tests. I was given the option of changing to one of them in 2013 but those drugs were fairly recently developed at the time. I decided to stick with warfarin because the medical profession had 60 years of experience with it.

**INR stands for International Normalised Ratio, a measure of how clotty/bleedy the blood is. It is used to make sure that the correct dose of warfarin is being taken. An average person has an INR of 1.0 (that is the 'normalised' part). Mine is supposed to be kept in the range 2.0 - 3.0, and I have regular blood tests to keep it there. It was 2.5 a couple of weeks ago. That means that an injury that would bleed for 10 minutes in an average person could bleed for 25 minutes in me. That wouldn't be too bad, but you can see how a nasty cut bleeding for 2.5 hours instead of 1.0 hour could be pretty serious!


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## Slow But Determined (3 Feb 2019)

Milk Race.

One area where it will impact you is Travel Insurance.

On the other hand if you are negotiating an annuity it can work in your favour.


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## PK99 (3 Feb 2019)

Slow But Determined said:


> Milk Race.
> 
> One area where it will impact you is Travel Insurance.
> 
> On the other hand if you are negotiating an annuity it can work in your favour.



My insurer accepted my DVT and lifetime Rivaroxaban with no hassle. Policy linked to bank account

Unfortunately other non DVT related health issues mean I've been unable to cycle since the DVT in april 2017 so can't help on that score.


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## Globalti (5 Feb 2019)

Sorry about the momentary thread hijack but a couple of points:

1 - We need to know more about @ColinJ and these tight trousers that caused the original problem. They must have been damned tight - were you a rock star in your former life, Colin?

2 - You mention the reaction of the A&E receptionist when you arrived with a PE. I had exactly the same when I went to Urgent Care having fallen off and bust my clavicle, my cycling buddy who is a physician having confirmed it and a lump of bone end sticking out and my shoulder flopping unsupported. "Oh", says the nurse, her voice heavy with sarcasm. "So it's a broken collar bone? And you're medically qualified, are you?"


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## ColinJ (5 Feb 2019)

Globalti said:


> We need to know more about @ColinJ and these tight trousers that caused the original problem. They must have been damned tight - were you a rock star in your former life, Colin?


I _wish_! 

I was going on holiday and was in a bit of a rush so I put on the first pair of clean trousers that came to hand. They had fitted me perfectly when I weighed 85 kgs. Unfortunately, by then I had gone up to over 110 kgs! 

I breathed in and somehow managed to get the trousers done up. They were really tight when I walked about, but the big problem came when I sat down. The tops of the trouser legs were acting as tourniquets on my thighs. Still, no time to waste - we had to be setting off.

My friend and I caught a train to Manchester, and then a coach to Birmingham where we met up with the rest of our party for a drive to Snowdonia. We all know about the risk of DVT on long haul flights (as illustrated by previous posters in this thread); well, I discovered that one can develop them at ground level too! My legs were numb by the time we arrived at our holiday cottage.

If the DVT had made itself obvious immediately then I probably would have realised what it was, but it was a bit more subtle than that and took its time to become a problem. It might be that it was actually caused by the drive/coach/train home a week later.

When I was hospitalised with my second PE, I was kept in overnight and saw a consultant the next day. He asked me if I had any idea what had caused the original DVT so I told him my story of travelling for many hours wearing tight trousers. At that moment, it struck me that he was as obese as I had been (big risk factor), was even taller than me (being above 6' tall is also a risk factor), AND was wearing tight trousers... He was obviously thinking along similar lines to me because he gave a nervous laugh and announced that he was going to go shopping for new trousers after work!


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## FlyingCyclist (21 Feb 2019)

vickster said:


> @DavidS was diagnosed last year, not sure how he’s getting on now
> 
> https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/c...lot-in-leg-originally-lower-back-pain.230205/



Hey guys, Haven't been on this forum til now.

I'm all well and haven't had any problems since I came off Rivaroxaban. Didn't effect cycling


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## mrneil (16 Apr 2019)

New to this forum!

I've suffered two DVTs in just over a year. WIll always be prone to them i guess!

First one was after a sportive in the UK and then a long haul flight the day after. Didnt realise for about a month or so, just thought i'd pulled my calf muscle!
Second time, when I went to A&E i had the same reaction - so you're a doctor are you? Nope, but i've measured my calf and remember the pain. An hour later, all but confirmed with blood tests. Ultrasound to confirm, and I could pinpoint where the clot was!

Took some time off after the first one, about 3/4 months. Not as long after this one.
I've ordered a dog tag from Road iD (got a Spring sale on at the momebt incidently), and also a wristband - covering all bases!

The cycling is going grand, distance improving. Like others have said, its just the fear of falling off and bleeding thats the worry.
But I try and put that in the back of my mind and also make the other cyclists in the group aware of my condition - its all good!!


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## ColinJ (16 Apr 2019)

Obviously, the 'Like' is only for the last part of your post!


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## MartinQ (17 Apr 2019)

Another fellow clotter here ... had a few rounds of PEs and DVTs since 2012.

Lots of details I won't bore you with, but cycling wise, few effects of PTS (post thrombotic syndrome), but had constant leg/arm tingling since the first set which gets worse with exercise and my legs constantly feel wooden (like you've done a long ride the day before). Not had a proper explanation, but I'm just presuming my veins are a bit knackered and its hard for the blood to circulate. Similarly, the clots in my lungs never properly cleared up and feel constantly tired / dizzy. Cycling wise, I try not to fall off my bike, but its obviously limited the amount I do. Many people get over the effects of DVTs/PEs within a few months, but sometimes it takes a bit longer .


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## nagden (30 Apr 2019)

I had a Pulmonary embolism just over three years ago. Fortunately I made a full recovery. I am still on blood thinners but cycle more than before.


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## FlyingCyclist (4 Jan 2020)

Suffered a second blood clot in my other leg last year. Now on anticoagulants for the rest of my life.


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## ColinJ (4 Jan 2020)

FlyingCyclist said:


> Suffered a second blood clot in my other leg last year. Now on anticoagulants for the rest of my life.


Damn - bad luck! 

I went back on warfarin after my second lot of clots 7.5 years ago. I don't give the drugs (or clots) much thought now, except when I cut myself. Oh, and I got some bad nose bleeds last time I had a cold.

My consultant asked if I wanted to come off the drugs (and risk clotting a third time )... I politely declined!

Oh, considering your new forum name... did you get your DVTs when flying, or does that refer to how fast you ride your bike!


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## FlyingCyclist (5 Jan 2020)

ColinJ said:


> Damn - bad luck!
> 
> I went back on warfarin after my second lot of clots 7.5 years ago. I don't give the drugs (or clots) much thought now, except when I cut myself. Oh, and I got some bad nose bleeds last time I had a cold.
> 
> ...



I cut myself after getting home from shopping one friday, the bleeding didn't stop even though it was a small cut on my finger.
I'm on Rivaroxaban (Xarelto) 20mg once per day.

DVT is from sitting at the computer all day every day and not getting enough exercise. But this year will change.
Like I've told my fellow pc gamers, I don't want to say why I changed my name, but it's something to get me cycling and becoming fit.


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## ColinJ (5 Jan 2020)

FlyingCyclist said:


> DVT is from sitting at the computer all day every day and not getting enough exercise. But this year will change.
> Like I've told my fellow pc gamers, I don't want to say why I changed my name, but it's something to get me cycling and becoming fit.


I can relate to that... I spend an awful lot of time every day on the computer and after that I typically watch TV. It is only the bike that stops me being a total couch potato!


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## CXRAndy (5 Jan 2020)

I use statins and take mini dose of aspirin. I hope that keeps these nasties away


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## AlanW (11 Jan 2020)

Woke up Thursday morning with a swollen and very tender right calf. Gave it 24 hours assuming it was a muscle type strain.
However, a day later and it was getting worse. Rang 111 and got told to consult my GP ASAP.
Fast forward a few hours and a number of tests later, yes l have DVT plus a bakers cyst and the finish the set off, thrombophlebitis, all in the same area.
Then the GP rang me late Friday afternoon and told me to go for a chest x ray, sooner rather than later?


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## MartinQ (11 Jan 2020)

Chest xrays are generally used to rule other things out. Youd get a ct scan to see if you have PEs.
As the doc says, get yourself sorted asap and good luck.


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## ColinJ (11 Jan 2020)

AlanW said:


> Woke up Thursday morning with a swollen and very tender right calf. Gave it 24 hours assuming it was a muscle type strain.
> However, a day later and it was getting worse. Rang 111 and got told to consult my GP ASAP.
> Fast forward a few hours and a number of tests later, yes l have DVT plus a bakers cyst and the finish the set off, thrombophlebitis, all in the same area.
> Then the GP rang me late Friday afternoon and told me to go for a chest x ray, sooner rather than later?


Yikes, good luck with that lot!

As fellow-sufferer @MartinQ pointed out, clots don't show up well on x-rays, but do on CT scans. 

If you aren't already on anti-coagulation, do NOT hang about getting it sorted out - if a clot breaks up and moves further up your body then you could be in BIG trouble very quickly!


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## AlanW (20 Jan 2020)

The GP started me on a course of Xarelto almost straight away, and thankfully that reduced the swelling and also the extreme tenderness within a couple of days. But we are still waiting for the results of the chest x ray and the GP has now asked for a CT scan of my abdomen.

When asked, she did initially say that it was okay for me to carry on riding my bike. However, when she found out I'd done a 70 miles ride prior to my doctors appointment last Friday, she wasn't very impressed. Needless to say she has now told me to stop for at least two weeks 😢

On the positive side, the results from the initial blood tests have come back free from anything sinister, but she wants to do some more blood tests but I have to wait till I've stopped taking the Xarelto first.


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## MartinQ (20 Jan 2020)

The first time I was diagnosed on a Monday, it was suspected dvt so the doc arranged a hospital appointment with the clot nurse on Wednesday morning & put me on heparin, so I cycled up to the hospital on Wednesday morning. The bike was there for ~1 week as I was kept in with massive PEs and .... Must admit, I didn't admit this to the nurse / docs :-).

Have they done an ultrasound of your leg? The chest x-ray rarely shows PEs and thats what a chest CT scan is for. Not sure why they're scanning your abdomen? TBH, it doesn't really matter if you have PEs as well as the treatment is the same. And keeping off your bike for a few weeks is probably sensible as they want to allow the clot time to harden rather than break off and go to your lungs (PEs). Although, I'm not always sensible ... Again, its generally fairly boring after the initial diagnosis. Just give things a bit of time to settle down and keep taking the anticoag. 

The extra blood tests are to see if you have anything which is known to cause the clots to recur. The rule of thumb is that 30 years ago, 30% of the cases could be explained. Now its something like 60%. However, there are a reasonable number (me included) who are unprovoked (not a known cause).


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## AlanW (20 Jan 2020)

MartinQ said:


> Have they done an ultrasound of your leg?



Yes, and this confirmed the DVT plus a bakers cyst and thrombophlebitis! 



MartinQ said:


> The chest x-ray rarely shows PEs and thats what a chest CT scan is for. Not sure why they're scanning your abdomen?



No idea, I'm just doing what she asking me to do. But considering I would class myself as being fit and active, (circa 300 miles every week, week in week out) and the speed at which its reared its ugly head, it would be nice to understand what has caused it so suddenly?


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## MartinQ (20 Jan 2020)

AlanW said:


> Yes, and this confirmed the DVT plus a bakers cyst and thrombophlebitis!
> 
> No idea, I'm just doing what she asking me to do. But considering I would class myself as being fit and active, (circa 300 miles every week, week in week out) and the speed at which its reared its ugly head, it would be nice to understand what has caused it so suddenly?



You may get an answer ... and you may not. Sometimes being fit can be a risk in itself, for instance slow blood flow/slow resting heart rate etc ...
https://www.bicycling.com/training/...idden-risk-of-being-a-healthy-active-cyclist/


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## AlanW (20 Jan 2020)

Thats a thought provoking read isnt it!


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## MartinQ (20 Jan 2020)

AlanW said:


> Thats a thought provoking read isnt it!



There were apparently quite a few cases of thrombosis (dvt, pe, ...) in the pro community when doping was rife. Transfusions and performance enhancing drugs can cause clots. Without suggesting anything, Horner had some PEs a year or two before his Vuelta win and american football has had a few cases etc.

But more mundanely, dehydration, slow resting heart rate, ... are all risk factors as well.


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## MartinQ (20 Jan 2020)

AlanW said:


> However, when she found out I'd done a 70 miles ride prior to my doctors appointment last Friday, she wasn't very impressed. Needless to say she has now told me to stop for at least two weeks 😢



On the plus side of that, I was struggling to ride 100 m (metres) when I had my first set of PEs. So (not) medically speaking, even if you had some PEs, you're not too badly off.


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## ColinJ (20 Jan 2020)

MartinQ said:


> On the plus side of that, I was struggling to ride 100 m (metres) when I had my first set of PEs. So (not) medically speaking, even if you had some PEs, you're not too badly off.


Not realising what was wrong with me, I went out on a ride to celebrate Wiggins winning the Tour de France and took well over an hour to grovel up the 8 km Cragg Vale climb (which I normally do in less than 30 minutes). I felt like I was in danger of dropping dead at any moment, not realising that I actually _*WAS *_in danger of dropping dead at any minute!


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## MartinQ (21 Jan 2020)

ColinJ said:


> Not realising what was wrong with me, I went out on a ride to celebrate Wiggins winning the Tour de France and took well over an hour to grovel up the 8 km Cragg Vale climb (which I normally do in less than 30 minutes). I felt like I was in danger of dropping dead at any moment, not realising that I actually _*WAS *_in danger of dropping dead at any minute!



The 100 metres outside my house was very slighly uphill (maybe 1%) and I was getting stinking headaches & nearly blacking out. It was still a couple of months before I was finally diagnosed. Cragg Vale in an hour+ would have been positively speeding :--).


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## ColinJ (21 Jan 2020)

MartinQ said:


> The 100 metres outside my house was very slighly uphill (maybe 1%) and I was getting stinking headaches & nearly blacking out. It was still a couple of months before I was finally diagnosed. Cragg Vale in an hour+ would have been positively speeding :--).


It took me several weeks after that to realise how ill I actually was and to get to the blacking out stage! I couldn't even walk 400 metres to the health centre unaided then. A friend half carried me there. The doctor took a quick look and told me to go to hospital immediately. _And then sent me home to wait for an ambulance..._ The walk back (nay, _staggering_ back) almost finished me off!!!


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## AlanW (22 Jan 2020)

I had my CT scan last night, having never had one before it was a whole new experience. That's one hell of weird sensation why they inject the dye into your arm for sure


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## ColinJ (22 Jan 2020)

AlanW said:


> I had my CT scan last night, having never had one before it was a whole new experience. That's one hell of weird sensation why they inject the dye into your arm for sure


It _IS!_ I felt a coldness spread through my chest. 

I had a cannula put in the back of one hand and I am a needlephobe so I found it very unpleasant. 

The thing that _really_ worried me was that my brother-in-law once had an allergic reaction to the dye causing a heart attack during his scan!  (He survived.)


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## AlanW (6 Feb 2020)

So Ive just had the doctor contact me regarding my CT scan, it seems that they have found a node on my lungs so she has requested another CT scan....great!!! I'm so looking forward to going through that process again....NOT!

She also muttered something about some irregularity with the arteries in my abdomen, but I was still digesting what she had said about the node on the lungs to fully digest what she was saying. 

Oddly, but no mention was made regarding the DVT?


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## MartinQ (6 Feb 2020)

AlanW said:


> So Ive just had the doctor contact me regarding my CT scan, it seems that they have found a node on my lungs so she has requested another CT scan....great!!! I'm so looking forward to going through that process again....NOT!
> 
> She also muttered something about some irregularity with the arteries in my abdomen, but I was still digesting what she had said about the node on the lungs to fully digest what she was saying.
> 
> Oddly, but no mention was made regarding the DVT?



I've probably had a dozen or so CT scans. Its no biggie, not the most pleasant thing but .... Similarly, unless you are having continuing problems with your leg, I'd be surprised if they mention it much again. My first proper leg scan was 2 years after the original PEs / DVT. Originally, they found some clot flapping away right at the top of my leg so just stopped there and booked me into the ct scan later.

Not sure what the lung node is, but at least they're on top of things. Hope it turns out not too serious.


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## ColinJ (6 Feb 2020)

AlanW said:


> So Ive just had the doctor contact me regarding my CT scan, it seems that they have found a node on my lungs so she has requested another CT scan....great!!! I'm so looking forward to going through that process again....NOT!


Oh - I hope that isn't something sinister - good luck!



AlanW said:


> She also muttered something about some irregularity with the arteries in my abdomen, but I was still digesting what she had said about the node on the lungs to fully digest what she was saying.


When I had my first CT scan done they were looking at the lungs but also caught the top of my kidneys. The doctors spotted signs of calcification but decided that there wasn't a serious problem. 

While scanning the lungs they may have also spotted early signs of an abdominal aortic aneurysm? If so, they would want to keep an eye on it. My brother-in-law has a scan every 6 months because he is in the early stages of developing one.


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## mazzerfox (17 Jul 2020)

ColinJ said:


> Don't get me started on that subject again!
> 
> @MilkRace - I was seriously done in by a DVT in my left leg in 2012. In my case it wasn't caught in time, the clot broke up and got swept 'upstream' through my heart and it then lodged in my pulmonary artery causing a near fatal blockage - a pulmonary embolism (PE). I survived that but had a relapse in 2013. I not only ended up with a damaged leg, I also have residual lung damage.
> 
> ...


Colin I read with interest your account. I had my first DVT in 2007 after a ski accident - broken leg and some other medication combo that was a recipe for disaster... medical negligence which I may now pursue as have just been diagnosed with a second..... I cycled last weekend with the symptoms and leg actually felt better after but monday morning it was really tight calf and lower hamstring area into knee and I didn't think it was superficial so got myself to A&E and was quickly diagnosed with a fresh clot. I have been training really well and consistently during lockdown and FTP is up by 35 so do not want to lose that .... they put me straight onto apixiban and although 1st 48 hours it really was sore every time I got out of bed or went to walk after being sat down for a while .... but it the pain and swelling seems minimal now though lower leg is pretty lumpy in places.... so how quickly were you out doing lower intensity rides.... I have to confess I have done 2 x 30 min indoor rides in endurance/tempo keeping an eye on heart rate so I am just interested in how you resumed - your post seems to indicate that you resumed once the pain subsided - slower and within a week??? But maybe I am not reading that correctly !!


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## ColinJ (17 Jul 2020)

mazzerfox said:


> so how quickly were you out doing lower intensity rides.... I have to confess I have done 2 x 30 min indoor rides in endurance/tempo keeping an eye on heart rate so I am just interested in how you resumed - your post seems to indicate that you resumed once the pain subsided - slower and within a week??? But maybe I am not reading that correctly !!


The leg clot wasn't the biggest problem for me - it was the resulting clots in the lungs. To be honest, I can't remember how long the leg hurt for because it seemed unimportant compared to almost being suffocated!

When ill the first time I was getting so little oxygen into my blood that I would have to stop 2 or 3 times walking up a single flight of stairs. It took me many weeks to be able to walk 300 metres to the local shops and then I had to stop 3 or 4 times in each direction. When I got home that would be me done for the day. I could no longer open jars and even struggled to get the screw top off a bottle! It was like going from being a healthy 56 year old to being a frail 96 year old in just a couple of weeks...

I probably could have got back on a bike after 3 or 4 months but I was very scared so I waited 8 months the first time. I had been building up my legs and cardiovascular system with power walking up a steep local hill for months before that though so the cycling improved pretty quickly. 

Second time round I got treatment earlier so I was back on the bike almost immediately. It took a long time for my breathing to get back to _almost _normal. (It still isn't quite right - it feels like I have only 1.5 lungs instead of 2.) My legs didn't swell up that time and I wasn't checked for a DVT so I don't actually know for sure that there _WAS_ another one, but I definitely got clots in the lungs and the chances are that they _DID _come from another DVT in the bad leg.

The first time round, the consultant preferred me to come off anticoagulants, saying that the risk of developing bleeding problems was probably higher than the risk of developing another clot. Once I clotted again, it seemed that the risk of me clotting was higher than the small bleeding risk
so I went back on the medication. After a year, I was given the choice whether to stop and risk a 3rd clot or just carry on. I don't want any more clots so I am taking the drugs for life and will just have to try to be careful not to get any serious cuts etc.

Does your doctor have any suggestions as to why you got the 2nd DVT? They often opt to prescribe lifelong medication unless they can explain why the 2nd clot happened and make sure that a 3rd one will not come along. Have they suggested that to you?


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## Eugeniu (3 May 2021)

Hello guys,

Clotting when doing sport seams to be related somehow since there are a lot of changes in your body and medical science related to clotting has evolved over 33% cases related to this are still unclear.
I had my first DVT 9 years ago, the cause was unclear, maybe because of the cycling, spinning, dehydration and the fact that I have Leiden V heterozygous disorder. After 6 months of Pradaxa I was back in business, doing more and more sport (triathlon amateur level) which gave me a lot of confidence and satisfaction. Two years ago, during a cycling competition I have started to have shoring of breath and, the days following that I was feeling tired and I couldn't go up one floor without suffocating. I went to many doctors : generalist, cardiologist , pneumatologist but they didn't discovered nothing wrong. 
My state was deteriorating and I was feeling old , despite the fact that I was doing sport every day. But I didn't gave up and, and, after 5 months with these symptoms, I have decided to do a full scan of my body. my luck was that the internal physician was also an hematologist, and when she saw that I have Leiden V disorder, she realized that I a have a PE and the CT confirmed that : my both lungs was full of clots. Since then I have been taking anticoagulants : Eliquis 5mg twice a day.
Last year, I was feeling a small pain in my thigh, and, after two weeks, my leg was swollen. I realized that something is wrong. The Dopler scan has confirmed that I had I big clot there, many veins were blocked : femoral, iliac etc. I didn't believed that this could happen, because I was on Eliquis anticoagulant.
I was on Heparin, in hospital, for 11 days and now I'm am Wafarin and everything is ok. My leg isn't swelling so much anymore and I have started to do some sport. I have started to enjoy life and to appreciate things more than before.


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## ColinJ (3 May 2021)

Yikes! I'm glad that the doctors finally worked out what is going on, but I'm surprised that it took so long, considering your health history... I hope that your health continues to improve.



Eugeniu said:


> I was feeling tired and I couldn't go up one floor without suffocating.


I had a similar feeling a few months ago. It felt like the early days with my previous clots. I'm not sure if I picked up another one, or if it might have been an infection (Covid-19 or something else). I was getting out of breath just walking up one flight of stairs. 

I'm feeling a lot better now. Not 100% better, but certainly 80+%.


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## Eugeniu (3 May 2021)

ColinJ said:


> I had a similar feeling a few months ago. It felt like the early days with my previous clots. I'm not sure if I picked up another one, or if it might have been an infection (Covid-19 or something else). I was getting out of breath just walking up one flight of stairs.


For how long, how many days have you had that feeling ?


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## Eugeniu (3 May 2021)

ColinJ said:


> I'm glad that the doctors finally worked out what is going on, but I'm surprised that it took so long, considering your health histor



I think they were somehow confused, because I was young and I was doing a lot of sport ... or maybe was because of lack of experience ... you know. It seams that there are rare cases, or, at least these cases doesn't go to them.


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## Eugeniu (3 May 2021)

Guys, how do you manage your INR level ? 
I'm for 6 months on Wafarin and my INR level is still not normalized, is varying and I'm quite constant in what I'm eating.


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## ColinJ (3 May 2021)

Eugeniu said:


> For how long, how many days have you had that feeling ?


I noticed that I wasn't feeling well. Then a few days later I was getting breathless walking upstairs. I stayed like that for a week or so then gradually started feeling better but still didn't feel up to doing much cycling. After another 2 weeks I felt much better and am back to cycling in hilly countryside again.


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## Eugeniu (3 May 2021)

But, what I want to point out is that the newer anticoagulants like Eliquis, Pradaxa, Xarelto are doing the job, but are not so sure like Wafarin since the last one is somehow personalized based on the INR level. Maybe these DOAC are safer for the ones with atrial fibrilation, valve replacement etc and less safer for those one with coagulation problems. 
I saw a lot of marketing related to these news DOAC, I was also using them, but, for the long time ... I don't know ... since the last clot that I had appeared on Eliquis.


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## Eugeniu (3 May 2021)

ColinJ said:


> I noticed that I wasn't feeling well. Then a few days later I was getting breathless walking upstairs. I stayed like that for a week or so then gradually started feeling better but still didn't feel up to doing much cycling. After another 2 weeks I felt much better and am back to cycling in hilly countryside again.



Maybe was better to do a CT scan, or to test your D-Dimeri level ?


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## ColinJ (3 May 2021)

Eugeniu said:


> Maybe was better to do a CT scan, or to test your D-Dimeri level ?


Not much point really since I got better. The 2 times that I DID have the tests and HAD got clots they just put me on warfarin, and I have been on it for 9 years now. They told me that without anticoagulants there was a good chance that it would keep happening because now I have scar tissue inside my blood vessels from the old clots.

I was offered the chance to switch to one of the other drugs when they started to be used but I figured at the time that they had a lot more experience with warfarin so I would stick with that. My INR is usually pretty stable as long as I eat a consistent diet and exercise regularly.

I think I have been sitting around the house too much during our Covid-19 lockdowns. Maybe it was just lack of fitness PLUS a bad cold, something like that? I did have some cold-like symptoms at the time.


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## Eugeniu (3 May 2021)

ColinJ said:


> I was offered the chance to switch to one of the other drugs when they started to be used but I figured at the time that they had a lot more experience with warfarin so I would stick with that



I very good decision !


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## recumbenteer (3 Feb 2022)

Cyclechat newby here. Just joined the DVT club last week. Leg still swollen 9 days in (been measuring with a tape measure each morning) and hasn't changed much in the last few days. However, my mobility is getting back to normal. After spinning on my exercise bike at 40W last week I'm now able to comfortably do 100W at 90 to 100rpm.


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## recumbenteer (3 Feb 2022)

Got cut off mid post ...

Able to walk more normally (and faster). Definitely getting better blood flow through the leg but suspect this is due to recruitment of secondary veins as swelling hardly changed. Very pleased that I can get around better but don't know what to expect in terms of how long will the swelling persist. Irony of it is that I thought I was reasonably fit and strong for a geezer who turned 66 two weeks ago. I felled a dead standing elm on the Sunday and had another longish session logging it up on the Monday, right arm slightly sore from heavy logs and chainsaw use. Thought I'd have a day to recover on the Tuesday and sat around reading a lot. 3pm leg started to swell up! So I think it was the stasis from relaxing all morning that triggered it. Arm fully recovered!

At what point did folks see swelling significantly reduced or other evidence of clot dissolution?


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## PK99 (3 Feb 2022)

recumbenteer said:


> Got cut off mid post ...
> 
> Able to walk more normally (and faster). Definitely getting better blood flow through the leg but suspect this is due to recruitment of secondary veins as swelling hardly changed. Very pleased that I can get around better but don't know what to expect in terms of how long will the swelling persist. Irony of it is that I thought I was reasonably fit and strong for a geezer who turned 66 two weeks ago. I felled a dead standing elm on the Sunday and had another longish session logging it up on the Monday, right arm slightly sore from heavy logs and chainsaw use. Thought I'd have a day to recover on the Tuesday and sat around reading a lot. 3pm leg started to swell up! So I think it was the stasis from relaxing all morning that triggered it. Arm fully recovered!
> 
> At what point did folks see swelling significantly reduced or other evidence of clot dissolution?



My consultant said they do not check for clot dissolution. Treatment is tge same either way.


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## presta (3 Feb 2022)

In retrospect I wonder if I might have had a clot that went undiagnosed.

In 2011 I had undiagnosed AF, and one day whilst cycle touring I fell off the bike. I wasn't hurt, not even bruises, but in the hours later I developed a very painful left calf. It wasn't particularly painful to walk or cycle, but even the slightest touch (eg bed clothes), and the pain was off the scale.

I didn't see a doctor because I was hundreds of miles from home, but I'm wondering if the fall dislodged a clot in my heart which then travelled to an artery in my leg.


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## ColinJ (4 Feb 2022)

recumbenteer said:


> At what point did folks see swelling significantly reduced or other evidence of clot dissolution?


The initial improvement took a few weeks and after that time my left leg wasn't ultra-swollen and red any more. It was still 2-3 cm bigger round the calf than the other one though. 

It is never going to get better than that - too much damage to the valves in the veins. 10 years on and the L calf is _STILL _2-3 cms bigger than the R!


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## PK99 (4 Feb 2022)

presta said:


> In retrospect I wonder if I might have had a clot that went undiagnosed.
> 
> In 2011 I had undiagnosed AF, and one day whilst cycle touring I fell off the bike. I wasn't hurt, not even bruises, but in the hours later I developed a very painful left calf. It wasn't particularly painful to walk or cycle, but even the slightest touch (eg bed clothes), and the pain was off the scale.
> 
> I didn't see a doctor because I was hundreds of miles from home, but I'm wondering if the fall dislodged a clot in my heart which then travelled to an artery in my leg.



That does not sound like DVT.

My experience was textbook - felt like a pulled muscle on the inner upper thigh that did not get better with RICE. Swollen, red, tense, sweaty in bed.

Gout on the other hand was_ "even the slightest touch (eg bedclothes), and the pain was off the scale". _ Not being able to stand the weight of bedclothes is oft described as a symptom of gout, which I have had at various times in the Achilles tendon and multiple toe joints. 

IANADB .. a clot moving from heart to leg sounds very unusual


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## ColinJ (4 Feb 2022)

PK99 said:


> IANADB .. a clot moving from heart to leg sounds very unusual


It sounded odd to me too but the blood does flow in both directions. DVT clots in legs break off, go through the heart and end up in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) - I felt the buggers do it, like someone had stuck a needle in my heart! AF can cause clots in the heart so I suppose one of those might end up going in the opposite direction, depending on where in the heart it formed?


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## recumbenteer (4 Feb 2022)

ColinJ said:


> The initial improvement took a few weeks and after that time my left leg wasn't ultra-swollen and red any more. It was still 2-3 cm bigger round the calf than the other one though.
> 
> It is never going to get better than that - too much damage to the valves in the veins. 10 years on and the L calf is _STILL _2-3 cms bigger than the R!


Ooops, sounds like I should get used to a permanently swollen leg. Power output is still improving. Did 7 mins at 120W last night after a warm up. Super hi tech Lidl exercise bike/ergometer bought Oct 2003 so not sure how accurate but at least repeatable. Set power output required and gearing adjusts to cadence to deliver required wattage. Finished my 7 days of double strength meds now. Been wary of anything more than moderate activity as don't want to risk breaking up the clot and getting a PE. Doctor last week said I could go back to heavier exercise after the 7 days - think I'll err on the side of caution.


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## heatstroke (26 Apr 2022)

Hi, I was just diagnosed with extensive dvt in my left leg from the knee to the groin. I thought it was a strained calf muscle 3 weeks ago but it progressively got more painful. There was some swelling after a hard ride. I'm now 50 and have been cycling since I was 23. I noticed during the past 3 weeks I would start to hurt after an hr over say 190w while my ftp is around 250. Left calf muscle would start to feel engorged. 

Was diagnosed this morning, and just had my first blood anticoagulant injection and am in hospital to make sure it is all ok for a few days. then to oral meds..... I am praying I can maintain my riding....


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## Dogtrousers (26 Apr 2022)

Welcome to CC @heatstroke wishing you well for your recovery


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## ColinJ (27 Apr 2022)

Good luck with that, @heatstroke. It sounds like they caught it before it became more serious.

Lots of us _do_ carry on cycling. My swollen leg is a nuisance but doesn't really affect my cycling much. (My lung damage is another matter, but you avoided that.)


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## recumbenteer (3 Jun 2022)

ColinJ said:


> Good luck with that, @heatstroke. It sounds like they caught it before it became more serious.
> 
> Lots of us _do_ carry on cycling. My swollen leg is a nuisance but doesn't really affect my cycling much. (My lung damage is another matter, but you avoided that.)


Sorry to hear about your DVT @heatstroke. About four months on from mine my left leg is still 3/4 to 1 inch bigger than my right (depends how tight I pull the tape measure) call it 2cm. Doesn't affect me in any way exercise wise.

However, I do wonder if I tried to walk in a straight line with my eyes closed... would the extra weight of the left leg cause a shorter stride and result in walking a gradual curve to the left?


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## heatstroke (4 Jun 2022)

The leg is improving significantly.. Treatment was clexhane for 3 days, now on Pradaxa. I will go in next week for a checkup.

I started some exercise immediately after being released :
Week 1 was easy rides at 25% effort daily for 1 hr.
Week 2-3. 50%, daily for 1 hr
Week 4, about 75% about 5 days a week for 1 hr.
Now at week 5. Just did a couple of 1.5 hr rides @ up to about 90% of preDVT efforts.
Swelling : No change pre and post ride. The left calf is about 10mm larger than the right ( but i don't know if this is back to preDVT size)


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## ColinJ (4 Jun 2022)

I'm glad that _your_ leg is recovering. _Mine _decided to celebrate 10 years of recovery by going a bit numb and swelling up more than usual a couple of days ago! 

I am trying to nurse the leg back to its mildly swollen state. I definitely don't want it to get worse than this.

The calf always swells more during rides but then usually slowly shrinks again back at home. I did a 100 km ride last weekend though and the leg didn't fully recover from that.


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## heatstroke (23 Sep 2022)

heatstroke said:


> The leg is improving significantly.. Treatment was clexhane for 3 days, now on Pradaxa. I will go in next week for a checkup.
> 
> I started some exercise immediately after being released :
> Week 1 was easy rides at 25% effort daily for 1 hr.
> ...



Its now month 5.
From week 5 I have been pretty much on the trainer or bike 5-6 days a week.
I have just had my ultrasound. Looks like 100% recovery - all the plumbing looks normal. Fitness is pretty much back to normal. No swelling pre/post ride and sizes are relatively similar between both calf muscles. 

One more month of anticoagulants - just in case, as cause is undiagnosed. Then I'll resume MTB.

Now to fix my dodgy knees....


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## heatstroke (23 Sep 2022)

ColinJ said:


> I'm glad that _your_ leg is recovering. _Mine _decided to celebrate 10 years of recovery by going a bit numb and swelling up more than usual a couple of days ago!
> 
> I am trying to nurse the leg back to its mildly swollen state. I definitely don't want it to get worse than this.
> 
> The calf always swells more during rides but then usually slowly shrinks again back at home. I did a 100 km ride last weekend though and the leg didn't fully recover from that.



Good luck..


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