DVT Treatment

[trixilator]

46 yr old friend - health freak - cycling, gym work-outs, marathon runner, triathlon, swimmer - just been diagnosed with blood clot in calf. Is undergoing recognised treatment - fragmin, warfarin. Has conflicting medical advice regarding what exercise he can take. Swimming, he says, is bliss for the condition and he has been doing just that, however Clinic doctor tells him NO EXERCISE at all in case the effort breaks up the clot and sends it through his system while other doctor tells him swimming is 'good'
Anyone with similar experience? Please comment. He is devastated at not being able to work-out. Thanks

[Sqad]

It has been diagnosed and is on anticoagulants.

Pulmonary emboli (blood clots moving to the lungs) are not a common complication of DVT undiagnosed and even less common with anticoagulants.

It doesn't matter one jot whether he exercises in the acute phase or not.

[nannybooby]

I have just finished a course of fragmin after a knee replacement I was given circulation exercises and deep breathing exercises , also told to do excersises in bed or on chair for my knee , walk little and often and rest. I suspect that this is what they call excersise untill he is given the all clear .

[masma]

I'm 8 weeks in after an extensive DVT (groin to back of knee) I had the fragmin injections and am now on warfarin. The advice given to me was 'gentle exercise' only. I walk the dog appox 1 hour a day. All very different to the first DVT I had in 1980 when I was given bed rest for 6 weeks then very gentle exercise for another 3 months!

[scrummyyummy]

Masma, just out of interest, how did you know you had a clot? Did you have obvious symptoms?

[masma]

Both entirely different scrummy... The first one was I think classic, a hot, swollen calf and ankle - VERY painful. This last one.. I'd had a swollen ankle for a few days and my leg felt achey and heavy, I went to the local shop and could hardly get back for pain in my outer thigh. My son suggested going to the doc's as we were going away for the weekend. Doc sent me straight to the hospital for blood tests and a scan. Because the symptoms were so different I really didn't think it was a DVT second time round.

[scrummyyummy]

I'm sorry to hear that you've suffered DVT twice, Masma. It's scary enough having it the first time so poor you having it again. I presume you had blood thinners when you got it the first time? I thought that would have helped to prevent it happening again. I was asking about symptoms because I wondered if there are situations when people don't actually have symptoms and therefore didn't know they have a DVT which could have a serious effect. It's a good job you went to the doctors instead of ignoring it. I wish you well and hope that's the end of your DVTs now!

[masma]

Well scrummy I'm on warfarin for life now due to the fact that this last one was unexplained, ie not ill or long haul travel. Don't think I'd have gone to the doc unless my son had nagged me due to the fact the symptoms were so different.