Kristi
Kristi shares her experience with pregnancy and blood clots.
I was 27 years old and pregnant with my first and only child. My pregnancy was difficult, having experienced issues with high blood pressure, severe migraines, and eventually severe preeclampsia. Because of these issues, I needed to undergo an emergency C-section six weeks early.
C-section Precedes Clotting Symptoms
Shortly after my C-section, I began to experience a cramp-like feeling in my left calf. Staff in the hospital brushed it off because I had no pain when pointing my toes up towards my face. I was discharged and sent home.
Eight days after his birth, my son was discharged from NICU and I took my baby home. Two days later, the cramp-like feeling in my calf moved up to my inner thigh. At that point I knew something wasn’t right and called my mom. She tossed out the words “blood clot,” so I called my doctor’s office. The person who answered asked if my issue could wait since I already had a follow-up scheduled the following Monday. I said “no” and insisted to be seen by my doctor that afternoon.
Thank goodness I did. When he checked me out, although he saw no visible signs of a blood clot, he sent me to have a doppler ultrasound to be on the safe side. When the sonographer put the wand to my groin, she immediately saw clotting and asked another sonographer to call ER and let them know I was coming. She finished the ultrasound and I was whisked off to the ER so they could begin treatment immediately.
It turned out that the cramp-like feeling in my leg was indeed a blood clot. Over the course of a little over a week, it started breaking off and moving, through my groin, through my heart and into my lungs. The vascular surgeon drew the size of the clot on my palm with a Sharpie and told me I was lucky because, “if this whole thing had decided to move at once, you’d be in cardiac arrest.” He called me a ticking time bomb.
Clot Recurrence
I spent 18 months on Coumadin, had genetic testing done that came back normal, and returned to life’s routines. When you experience a clot, you’re prone to recurrence within the first 10 years. Having passed that point with no new clots, I was elated. However, just six days before my 40th birthday, I ended up back in the ER with a massive bilateral saddle embolism. Thankfully, I knew the symptoms from my previous experience and research. I am now a lifer on blood thinners.
What I have learned over the course of my battles with blood clots is this: you know your body better than anyone else. You MUST advocate for yourself. As a woman, you should educate yourself about the risks of blood clots, especially during and after pregnancy. No one ever told me this was even a thing — I had to find out first hand and navigate this with little information.
I am forever grateful to my OB for his decision to send me to be checked that day, even when I didn’t present with normal symptoms. Because of his proactive decision, I am still here today to share my story in hopes of helping others who may find themselves in a similar situation.
