My mom has blood clot (s)...is the Dr. doing all he can?

Question

My mom has vericose veins on her legs and about a month ago, one became very swollen and soar. She went to the Dr. and they did an ultrasound. No clotting. So he started giving her injections to break down the vericose veins but one of the veins became red and painful. She went back to him to let him know and he said that it's now a clot. He told her to take a blood thinner (bayer aspirin) and gave her an appt. to come back in two weeks. Now she has another swollen bump on the other leg. She is going back Thursday but I wonder if the Dr. is treating this seriously enough.

I am so worried about her. She also has high blood pressure. It was 189/? the last time she went. My family has a history of strokes and heart attacks but she's only 51.

Answer 1

I really think you should take you mother to see a doctor who specializes in vascular. Please don't wait too long, go asap. Blood clots are dangerous and you don't really want to sit around waiting.
You can even hit the emergency room if you want to be in contact with a few doctors at once. Since it is turning red and her blood pressure isn't normal, you might want to consider this.
Even though aspirin is a blood thinner, when a blood clot is in question (found by ultrasound, get another done if you have to) other medication specializing in the problem is used.

Answer 2

There are (basically) two types of clots in the veins of the legs.

1. Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) - these are the deadly kinds of blood clots that break off and go to the lungs. They occur in the deep veins of the legs and that's why they can reach the lungs. Simply treating with aspirin is NOT sufficient for these clots - a stronger blood thinner such as Coumadin is required (or if the patient cannot take Coumadin, a filter can be placed in the large vein in the abdomen to keep clots from going to the lungs). These are typically detected with ultrasound. If the doctor has a high level of suspicion for there being a DVT and the first ultrasound is normal s/he may elect to repeat the ultrasound in 1-2 weeks.

2. Superficial thrombophlebitis - these are in the superficial veins of the legs so they can't get to the lungs. They're merely annoying/painful. Treatment varies - can include aspirin, antibiotics, or warm compresses.

It SOUNDS like the doctor thinks that your mom has the second type of clot. Why not go with your mom to the next appointment and ask? Confess your worries that this could be something more serious and see what the doctor says.

Answer 3

The injections to treat the varicose vein are not that unusual, and it's also not unusual to have a lump show up at the site of the injection. It can indicate a clot has formed, but that's not usually a problem because the vein is not working properly to begin with. The treatment with aspirin is a conservative precaution, but because the clot would be in a nonfunctioning vein, it's not the same risk as the deep vein thrombosis you are fearing. Your mom's doctor should have recommended she stay off her feet as much as possible and she should have support stockings on her legs, but otherwise at this point conservative treatment would be the normal thing. The drugs that dissolve blood clots come with many other serious possible complications that aspirin doesn't, so a sensible doctor doesn't just automatically prescribe them if there is the chance something less aggressive will work. Treating a varicose vein isn't something that happens and you go dancing afterwards, you know? It takes many treatments sometimes, and there is a healing time involved afterwards. So be patient and give the doctor some time to work with your mom before you start doubting him.

Answer 4

Blood clots can kill, so I'd suggest getting another opinion about whether this condition is being treated aggressively enough. You might even try the emergency room.

Answer 5

Get a second opinion! My mom would still be with us if the doctor would have treated her condition quickly.