Anyone driving with DVT (Deep vein thrombosis)

Discussion in 'Driver Health' started by Lil Joe, Dec 4, 2008.

  1. Lil Joe

    Lil Joe Bobtail Member

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    Feb 22, 2008
    Dallas, TX
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    Hi
    I have been driving for several years now and really didn't know much at all (actually none) about DVT until I got it about 3 weeks ago myself. Still very new to this and looking for others drivers with it. The company I drive for has safety meetings every month and DVT has never been talked about in my 4 years with them. very surprised. I am currently taking my daily Coumadin and have not yet returned to work due to several upcomming blood work and Dr appointments. 46 year old (smoker) unload all freight and healthy. What's up
     
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  3. stranger

    stranger Road Train Member

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    A lot of drivers have had this and never knew it. Some never knew it until they got out of the truck and started walking and fell over dead.

    This is very common among truck drivers. This is why I will stop and get out of my truck every few hours, even if I just pull off an exit and walk around the truck a few times.

    When sitting for extended periods of time blood will pool in the legs and ankles. This blood will tend to clot after a while. A person could think they have a cramp in their thigh, and after getting out of the truck the pain eases some. Shortly they may have some chest pain where the clot has now moved to.

    Some people will be lucky and the clot will dissolve, others the clot will move to the heart, and it's good bye.

    The drivers who say shut the door and don't stop to make any money are taking a real risk with their life over a few more cents in a days time.

    Companies want you to keep moving. They can replace you if you die, just don't stop and be late with the freight. I am sure many companies don't know anything about this also.

    I hope things get better for you. How did you know you had this happen? In other words, what were your symptoms that alerted you that something was wrong.

    Maybe you can help keep someone else from having that happen to them.
     
  4. gearjammer-2000

    gearjammer-2000 <strong>Clutch User</strong>

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    Dec 18, 2007
    columbus Ohio
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    I had a DVT years ago due to hip replacement and let me tell you it ain't fun I spent over a week in critical condition the clot went thru my heart and lodged in my lung.

    I now take an asprin a day to reduce the chances of getting anothe one, there is also a filter they can insert into your body called a greensfield filter I didn't get one but the doc said that if I ever had another and survived they would have to put one in.

    the only advice I will give you is to do EXACTLY what the doctor says Coumadin is some serious medicine and has its own risks mine got too high once and I got a paper cut that put me in the hospital for a few days to get the bleeding stopped. I also had my hand swell up so bad that I couldn't move my fingers just from slightly bruising it.
    vbe very,very careful while you are on that stuff.
     
  5. Lil Joe

    Lil Joe Bobtail Member

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    Feb 22, 2008
    Dallas, TX
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    That is so true, most drivers and companies, know nothing about this life threatening occurence or the employer knows but does not bother discussing with their drivers (potentially bringing liability onto themselves). In addition, companies wanting their freight yesterday. Hardly worth a life or the down time required after a blood clot is discovered.

    I also, being competitive- thought "I was one of the Super Trucker's". I was going to get the delivery to it's destination in less time than the other guy. Driving from Florida to Dallas within 11 hours, delivered the load and reloaded. I was then ready to drive the next 11 hours non-stop.

    As of recent, I believed I was healthy...never sick, staying active while at home on weekends, regular physicals, regular check ups. Had extensive blood work completed weeks ago, results coming back even better than what I had thought. I was ready to be told if anything, that I needed to improve the good cholersterol, watch salt and all the other stuff we eventually have to change. I am 46 years old and today I can only drive across town. My situation causes a forced desire within, to provide awareness and what ever information I can, to the "OTR Driver".

    The morning after completing my runs for the week and home for my typical three day weekend. I woke up feeling cramps in my leg (calf area). I went out to mow, thinking I needed to stretch my legs out and put in some good physical activity. Days past, still felt an undescribable aching (perception anyway, right..to all pain is different). After another weekly run, I then make an appt with an "Internest" (suppose to be more educated than a General Practioner Dr.), He expresses concern and sends me to the emergency room. After spending all night in the emergency room and having sonograms performed, I am assured that their initial concern of my having a clot in the calf area did not exist and also explained the urgency of their actions in fear of a clots existance and what would happen if not discovered.....I would not be here today, writing this for you.

    Several weekly runs pass. Aching, pain remains, I continue the pain pills at night and anti-inflamatory medicine, I am taking several breaks to get out of the truck. Doing all the things I believed necessary. Several events with Doctors's and my employer took place but I will shorten this writing by saying: Drivers should be checked by a "Vascular Doctor". I have now learned, the equipement used to diagnose can vary, giving the ability to provided more or less accurate results. My results: Blood Clot, exactly where the emergency room doctor had informed "they would be very concerned had one been there".

    I was wheel chaired into the hospital, (thought I was only attending my scheduled Dr. Appointment). The medication began before they brought the wheel chair.

    I am not sure what my total in medical bills after iinsurance are yet and now trying to determine if I am suppose to file workman's comp. or short term disability. As of this moment, I have not received enough information to figure all his out. I have only come to the point of amazement that I have never learned of this life threatening possibility earlier in my career and that there are know requirments in place that drivers be educated on this "work hazard or disease?". and what preventive measures can be taken to reduce the occurance.

    I know how it is out on the road, I have a family and I thought I could do it all myself. I know the the shippers and receivers take a lot of our "hours of service" but it's not worth your life. I know that nobody wants to drive thru Atlanta at 5 in the afternoon so we just keep on driving to beat the rush, been there done that. Please take several breaks, elevate your legs when possible, see a vascular Dr. if something just does not feel right, inquire about "compression socks" (by prescription).
     
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  6. Lil Joe

    Lil Joe Bobtail Member

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    Feb 22, 2008
    Dallas, TX
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    Be careful, asprin can also cause problems but you are right and I hope that our message gets out there to everyone. Thank you
     
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  7. Mrs T

    Mrs T Road Train Member

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    planet earth
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    Long story short .....
    Risk factors -
    - sitting for 4 hours or more at a time. Used to be thought it was only air travel that was the problem, not so. Long distance road travel does it too. As will being generally non-active.
    - smoking
    - high cholesterol, eating a lot of fatty foods

    Symptoms-
    - pain in your calf, swollen, red, hardened area, (think BAD, infected mosquito bite!), and its usually pretty hot to the touch too.


    What to do -
    see a physician / ER as soon as possible. This is a CLOT, which if left, can travel around the body in the bloodstream. If it gets to your lungs, its dangerous, and you can wake up dead.

    Treatment is medication to dissolve the clot and thin the blood, (aspirin, warfarin), once its been diagnosed, which is usually by bloodwork, test is called a D-Dimer.
     
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  8. jeepskate99

    jeepskate99 Road Train Member

    This is a serious concern for drivers. But in all honesty, you will not "wake up" dead. You just won't wake up. ;)
     
  9. Mrs T

    Mrs T Road Train Member

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    OK, that's just my ER sense of humor! LOL
     
  10. Bigstretch

    Bigstretch Light Load Member

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    NW IL
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    Something that has a HUGE difference for me, was buying an Air Hawk seat cushion. The OEM seats SUCK, and the cushion has helped immensely. They aren't cheap, but have been worth every penny. I wore my first one out after 300k miles, and bought a new one earlier this year. The first few days I didn't like it, but once I got the air adjusted right, it was awesome. :D No more, or extremely reduced occurrence of pain.

    Bought mine from Iowa80-
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 23, 2008
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  11. poellot

    poellot Bobtail Member

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    May 30, 2010
    Norfolk nebraska
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    I know the D-DIMER TEST WILL NOT HELP MOST TRUCKERS. the d-dimmer is what they did to me and it came back normal and they released me to drive.
    the D-dimer test tells them if a clot is actively forming. Not if u have one slowly disolving.

    If u drive to long. Or in my case sleep on your arm by mistake you can end with a clot. I drove all day with tingling in all 4 fingers on my right hand. I thout it was a pinched nerve. About 3 in the afternoon I was driving on a 2 lane blacktop and I rubbed my arm. I felt a spot of pain on the top of my arm. I gently rubbed it more. All At once it was like flipping a switch. The tingling in my finger was gone. Still I thought it was a pinched nerve and I must have found it. Then my arm got real heavy. I could hardly hold it on the steering wheel. I trier to stretch it out. Bad idea. I felt a felling like someone took there finger and gently went down the bottom of my arm to my armpit and into my chest. The heavyness was gone in my arm. Then my heart skipped a beat and tumped real hard. Then I could hardly breath and my left arm felt real heavy. By this point I was slowing down and stepping the break peddle. I thought I was having a heart attack. But I'm only 23 years old. About 2 seconds and I could breath again. Then I got a bad pressure in the back of my neck up into my head. I rubbed a little but no change. It diddnt hurt and my arm still felt OK so I kept on driving. I went about 40 miles the where I needed to load. I wieghed and went to get out of my truck and for a split second I felt dizzy then just snapped out of it and felt OK. I walked it to get my scale ticket and by the time I got to my truck I realised the pressure was gone in my neck and head. My arm still felt a little heavy but no pain. So I loaded and left. Drove about an hour and stopped at a truckstop for the night in Lincoln, Ne. I was there about an hour and my arm felt heavy yet. I walked to the truckstop and got food and pop. Went to the truck to eat. When I was done I was going to sleep. I layed down and about 2 or 3 minutes I felt a pain in my chest. Like someone was pushing a finger into the bottom of my sternum. I felt the same filling I had before like someone ran there finger on my arm but it was going up my leg. It went to my groin.I got up quick. That was the worst feeling I have ever had. I almost forgot about the pain in my chest And that I couldn't breath very good. I got out of the truck holding my sack for about five minutes looking like a ###### by my truck. I could feel the feeling go back down my leg slow. It went to my foot so I got back in my truck. My groin felt fine now. I called my girlfriend and told her I think I might have a blood clot. She said go get some aspirin. I walked to the truckstop and my Arm still felt real heavy and now my ankle too. It was hard to walk. I got the aspirin and took 2. The pain still had not reduced in my chest and still hard to breath. I though I was going to die in my truck. I looked on the internet for the symptoms I had. I found all the pages listed said blood clot. A page said if you have any of them go to a hospital. I had every one except for redness in my skin. I thought well maybe I can walk it off. Its not too big. My girfriend has had blood clots that were real bad. If its going to desolve it should be starting to by now. I maybe fell asleep for a half hour twice sitting in my seat cause I was scared to lay down again. I thought i was going to die in my truck. So I called a taxi. ..didn't think and ambulance would be needed. I got to a hospitall the closest one to the west side of lincoln. I told them everything. They did a d-dimer test I think is what they told me. It came back normal and sent me out the door. Gave me a note saying I was OK to drive. I felt OK. The pain in my chest was still there but over the hours had reduced some. I got back to my truck and by that time I was well over my 10 hours off and wasn't tired. I thought I would be fine to go 80 miles unload and drive home. I left the truckstop and drove about 25 miles down the interstate and pulled into a rest stop to walk around. Got back in my truck and couldn't get the clutch down. I had to use my right foot to get rolling. I drove about 50 miles to my exit at aurora and still couldn't get the clutch down. I got out at the truckstop there and walked around for about 10 minutes and I got back in I could get the clutch down now. So I drove to inland where I needed to unload as I drove I felt the felling again going from my knee up my leg but very slowly. when I was just pulling in I felt my heart skip a beat and thump realty hard again. That scared me. Again I got the clutch down. I hooked up my pump and hoses and started unloading and walked around my truck five times or so and felt good. I got done and pulled out to the road and stoped. My boss told my I should try to get in to see a doctor. And I told him I didn't think I should drive all the way home. I was about 8 miles away from hastings but the soonest I could get an appointment was 4 hours. So he told me he would come pick me up and drive my truck home and have another Guy drive me home. I felt OK so he said if u can try to meet us half way to go ahead. Bad idea. Very bad idea. I left and hadn't got 10 miles yet and my left arm went compleatly numb. I couldn't hold the wheel. I got back the truckstop at aurora and tried to step the clutch and couldn't. I used my right foot to get the clutch and grabed the sifter and trew it in neutral then grabed the wheel again. Coasting to truckstop I pulled in and backed it into a spot. I called my boss and told him where I was and that's all the farther I can go. When he got there I told him I think I need to go to a hospital my arm have very little feeling. My ankle and knee had heavyness and pressure. No pain though. So he took me up town. They took blood and did the same test along with numerous other blood tests and heart test. They said they could not find anything wrong but my potasium was just under the normal mark but that shouldnt cause any problems like this. Said its probly nerve damage. And I need to see a neurologist and may need surgery because It could be in my neck. By the time I left my foot and knee felt some better and my fingers were getting more movement. We drove home and I still felt the same. I woke up today with about the same movement. But no problem at all in my. Leg. After a few hours of being up I got almost full movement of my hand and arm. Its night now and have no pain full movement and full strength back in my hand and arm. I feel completle fine now. If I have nerve damage it shouldn't go away in a day. And why did my heart do that and why couldn't I breath. Why did it go from my right arm to my left.and my chest and leg. I'm almost sure I must have got a clot over night due to no blood to my arm. When i rubed it, it came loose it went to my heart then my arm and lungs. From there to my neck and head. Then after leaving my head it went back to my body and my leg. When I lied down part of it went to my chest and part up my leg. The doctors all told me you can't feel a blood clot move and acted like i was retarded. Why not. If I hold my had real low and let my veins bulge out then lift my arm I can feel the blood go back down my arm. Its not acualy the blood I feel but the slight expansion of my veins. So why wouldn't I be able to feel a clot move. Its the same. A small expansion of the veins or arteries. They just acted like I was stupid and sent me out and told me its nothing serious u can drive. But I couldn't, I wasn't okay, it was serious, I about wrecked my truck and died. If a clot goes through your heart it can kill you, if your heart is weak or it get stuck. If it gets through your heart it can go to your lungs right. If it gets through your lungs it can go to your head right, that can cause a stroke right, I'm only 23 and have a strong heart I feel great now and can't possibly have nerve dammage. What else can it be. I had every symptoms of blood clot. Like I said the d-dimmer test will tell them if a clot is actively forming in your body. Look it up. When your body tells your blood to clot to stop bleading from a cut it contains fibrin that's what they test for if it comes back normal it means you body isn't trying to clot blood but when you have a clot that your body its trying to disolve it wouldn't be high. If anything it should be low, I'm not sure about that though but your body is trying to break down the clot. Not stop bleading. It could have killed me and they just acted like it was a joke and told me I can drive. I have no Prof there was a clot or I would Sue the doctor that about killed me. The second hospital they didn't do anything wrong. They couldn't find the problem but he didn't completely rule out a clot and told me I shouldn't drive yet. Atleast they tried to find a problem in Aurora. Lincoln they just thought I was stupid told me I can leave and go back to work. Well it about killed me. Don't always listen to doctors.
     
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