I woke up on February 1, 2014 with a purple leg.
Not only was it a stunning shade of purple, it was twice the size of my other leg. Pain radiated through my body; I could barely make it five feet before crying out to my mother. I had noticed pain for the past few days in my thigh but wrote it off as an injury from running earlier that week.
The rest of the morning was a blur: being raced to the ER, my dad having to carry me to the wheelchair, the look on the face of the ER physician assistant when I told her my symptoms.
When they finally suggested that we do an ultrasound of my leg to check for the “scary stuff” (aka blood clots), I realized the severity of my condition. Truth be told, I knew nothing about blood clots other than that you didn’t want them. However, these life-threatening clots are incredibly serious and can lead to a wide variety of health complications and even death.
Several hours later, a solemn ER doctor returned to tell me that I had deep vein thrombosis (DVTs), which are blood clots in the leg. She took her time explaining what the next few months of my life would look like as I went through treatment: daily blood thinners, multiple doctors appointments and weeks of rest. Apparently when you get a blood clot, you get a list of things you can and can’t do, such as:
- No eating green leafy vegetables
- Weekly blood draws to check how thick or thin your blood is
- Wear compression stockings
- Medication dosage tampering
The first two weeks after my diagnosis were filled with excruciating pain, copious amounts of doctor visits and complications with my university. Due to difficulties with professors working with me for a medical leave, I had to withdraw from one of my final semesters in college. Not only did I have to say goodbye to my classes, I also had to step down from my job and one of my internships.
The blood clots kept me from walking an entire month after I was diagnosed. Even when I could walk, my leg would swell after only being up for a few minutes and cause intense pain. Slowly but surely, I started the challenging process of returning to my university, going back to work and living a healthy lifestyle.
With no family history of blood clots, it was a difficult to figure out why I developed them. After tons of testing, my doctor informed me that it was a combination of my birth control and a genetic condition called Factor V Mutation. Not a single person in my family had ever developed blood clots, despite multiple surgeries, pregnancies and travel opportunities that could all lead to them. Because of the lack of family history, I had no idea that taking birth control would be the catalyst for my blood clots.
Today, I am blood clot free. After six months of obstacles, my journey to a DVT-free life has finally begun. According to my doctors, the leg with the blood clot will always be slightly bigger than the other from scar tissue and I’ll continue to have some residual pain thanks to a condition called Post Thrombotic Syndrome, the aftermath of having severe blood clots in your leg.
The lesson from my story is not that taking birth control will lead to blood clots, but rather that is important to fully understand your body and the possible outcomes of what you put into it. Know the risks of the medications that you take and familiarize yourself with your entire family medical history.
Losing so much of what I had worked for was devastating and frustrating, but now I cherish myself and my body. I marvel at the physical strength that I didn’t know I had and I have learned to love my body, despite its flaws. I am who I am because of this experience. Now, I find myself more appreciative and motivated by the opportunities that I have than ever before. Oftentimes in life, we learn the most valuable lessons during the most difficult events.
To learn more about blood clots and how to prevent them, check out WebMD’s article here.