Blood clot in leg

My husband had a three inch clot behind his knee... Had the usual Coumadin treatment for one year and a 'filter' placed in the ascending vena cava... He is driving our truck as I type

 

I don't OTR, but I do pick up and deliver customer's trucks, roadtest etc. I am blessed with a birds nest filter too. Along with 3 stents after a heart attack in 2008. I had a hematoma from the cath plug that produced a clot, that went into my right calf. The vena cava filter was installed for a back up plan. Them pulmonary embolisms are deadly, for sure. I got tickled at the vascular surgeon when he told me he was going to install a bird's nest filter, being the consumate jokester, I asked him how often that filter needed changing. I didn't know what to think about his sense of humor, when he said it had a lifetime warranty.

 

My doctor does not really like the filter treatmnt, she opts for stent implantation instead. The stents are normally not metal, unless they are placed in the iliac openings. I am still on warfarin and plavix. Tell your husband to calf raises and heel flexes as this simulates walking. This is what i am doing now. Did the doctor that place the filter diagnose the cause of the clot? Was the clot in the left leg? This is where mine started. Also make sure he stops every couple hours and walks around. Go to venous.com for more info. On causes treatment and prevention.

 

Statistically 1 out of every 1000 people in the u.s. Will develop a clot. There are approx between 2 and 3 million cdl drivers. If you use the national statistical average, that equates to 20 nd 30 thousand drivers who might be driving with dvt and don't know it. There is also the possibilty of higher instnces due to lifestyle, diet, lack of exercise,etc. Approx. 5 percent of people who develop dvt will also develop pulmonary embolism. I have been researching this disease extensively. The filter is there to stop the clot from getting to the lungs. AS FOR ME , I DO NOT HAVE STENTS OR FILTERS, AND MY ULTRASOUND DONE LAST WEEK, SHOWED BOTH OF MY LEGS TO BE CLER OF CLOT. IN FACT MY DOC SAID MY LEGS LOOK BETTER NOW THAN WHEN I LEFT THE HOSPITAL. I DO NOT WANT TO BE FLAT ON MY BACK IN ICU FOR 13 DAYS AGAIN. THE LACK OF MOVEMENT IS HELL, AND IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO REGAIN STRENGTH, STILL TRYING TO RECOVER THAT.

 

The cdc website a lot of info on this. They say if you developed dvt, you are likely to develop another in appeoz 1 year.

 

Are you tall? This is a major factor also, as it puts your legs and torso in a constant l position. There are also hereditary factors as well as physiological, i.e. Small iliac openings. There are five hereditary factors, plus lupus and cancers that can cause this. You can have your doctor test your blood for genetic predisposition. I had every blood test conceivable, all coming up negative, the only factor is otr driving and me being 6'-6" tall. Another clot falls under is possible but you can possibly prevent by doing toe raises and calf stretches while you are driving. Also, get out of the truck every 2 hours and walk around for 20 minutes