Re: Blood Clot or what ??? long

July 14, 2002

Hi ,

I'm sorry to hear about the problems your husband is presently having.

Personally, I've never heard of RA causing a symptom like that in one leg.

Usually my RA is bilateral. Because of the risk involved in the blood clot

moving to the lungs, the doctors are certainly being cautious. I know it's

frustrating to have him hospitalized with no answers, and their conflicting

diagnoses make the situation seem muddled. I would say that erring on the

side of caution is prudent, though.

I hope the situation is resolved soon, and he's feeling better.

Oh, and welcome!

Hugs,

Carol (in FL)

[ ] Blood Clot or what ??? long

Hi friends...

I have a question for you all. My husband Joe is gonna be 33 in August, he

has Rheumatoid and Osteo Arthritis. Joe is in the hospital since

Wednesday--today is Sunday. He went to the famiy DR on Mon last week cuz he

was sick. While there he told the DR he has pain in his knee and its really

swollen. The DR said its probably a bad flare. So he comes home, goes to

work the next AM and later that nite (now its Tuesday) I told him he should

go to the ER that he is showing signs of a blood clot. I took him and the

ER DR said 3 tests taken--2 showed negative for a clot yet the d-dimer test

was positive and she wanted a doppler in the AM. OK--so we get that done.

I call the family DR and they tell me its negative for clot but he wanted a

Accutek test done..this is a radioactive dye test and then you wait an hour

and they take pictures again.................anyway he gets admitted cuz the

radiologist says its a DVT (deep vein thrombosis). I forgot to tell you his

symptoms: swollen and red from the knee to the ankle, hot to the touch and

painful on the side of his calf muscle. They call a vascular surgeon in to

get his opinion and make sure they dont need a screen put in--he SAYS, there

is no clot he dont know why he is hooked up to all the blood thinners

(Heperin and Coumadin by mouth). Meantime our reg DR goes on vacation ad

has his asst cover............shes at a loss. He told him if she sends him

home and its a clot and it travels it will go tot his lung and can be

fatal. He was scheduled for a venogram on Friday, they claim all 5 veins in

the top of his foot that they tried callapsed. I am not sure they know what

they are doing personally since the nurse said its a test not common.

ANYWAY---does he have a clot or not and if he dont have a clot what could it

be? These are the ? we all have. They are gonna redo the venogram in the

morning (Mon)...if this is a failure I want hi outa there and to a different

hospital. Has this happened to any of you? I am beginning to think maybe

its a complication from the RA and these guys just arent up on it and what

can happen in an RA patient. I know there are other things that come along

w this disease, and I am wondering if this isnt one of them and the DR arent

catching on. I did read where anyone w a suppressed immune system can be at

risk for a clot. Could his swollen knee have brought this on? It was worse

then he ever felt or seen, yet I know some flares are so painful. So I

guess I juts wanted to see if any of you had experienced this and know where

I might search the net for problems associated with this disease so I can be

informed and better inform the DR if I need to. I am gonna have the DR

speak w his rheumatologist tomorrow...my main family DR is in Canada on

vacation--this would be our luck! ANy hints for us? Any experience w this?

Thank you all so much in advance. Im in a hurry so I hope I told you it

all--lol Going to the hosp now. Will check email after 8 tonite. Thank

you all again!

and Joe in Pennsylvania

July 14, 2002

, I'm very sorry to hear about this latest development with Joe.

The hospital is the best place for him if they suspect a clot. The

symptoms you describe sound suspicious for a clot. Another possibility

is that something ruptured (Baker's cyst or a tendon). I would

definitely get Joe's rheumatologist's input ASAP.

If you don't think the hospital he is in knows what they are doing, I

would move him to a different hospital.

It is thought by some investigators that RA patients are more likely to

have heart disease and acute blockages of the blood vessels:

http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?article=3289

What medications is Joe on right now?

I have seen DVT mentioned as part of the medical history of at least two

members of the group.

A couple of links on DVT:

http://www.medstudents.com.br/medint/medint5.htm

http://www.medmedia.com/o16/12.htm

Good luck to both you and Joe, ! Please let us know what is

happening.

[ ] Blood Clot or what ??? long

> Hi friends...

> I have a question for you all. My husband Joe is gonna be 33 in

August, he

> has Rheumatoid and Osteo Arthritis. Joe is in the hospital since

> Wednesday--today is Sunday. He went to the famiy DR on Mon last week

cuz he

> was sick. While there he told the DR he has pain in his knee and its

really

> swollen. The DR said its probably a bad flare. So he comes home,

goes to

> work the next AM and later that nite (now its Tuesday) I told him he

should

> go to the ER that he is showing signs of a blood clot. I took him and

the

> ER DR said 3 tests taken--2 showed negative for a clot yet the d-dimer

test

> was positive and she wanted a doppler in the AM. OK--so we get that

done.

> I call the family DR and they tell me its negative for clot but he

wanted a

> Accutek test done..this is a radioactive dye test and then you wait an

hour

> and they take pictures again.................anyway he gets admitted

cuz the

> radiologist says its a DVT (deep vein thrombosis). I forgot to tell

you his

> symptoms: swollen and red from the knee to the ankle, hot to the touch

and

> painful on the side of his calf muscle. They call a vascular surgeon

in to

> get his opinion and make sure they dont need a screen put in--he SAYS,

there

> is no clot he dont know why he is hooked up to all the blood thinners

> (Heperin and Coumadin by mouth). Meantime our reg DR goes on vacation

ad

> has his asst cover............shes at a loss. He told him if she

sends him

> home and its a clot and it travels it will go tot his lung and can be

> fatal. He was scheduled for a venogram on Friday, they claim all 5

veins in

> the top of his foot that they tried callapsed. I am not sure they

know what

> they are doing personally since the nurse said its a test not common.

> ANYWAY---does he have a clot or not and if he dont have a clot what

could it

> be? These are the ? we all have. They are gonna redo the venogram in

the

> morning (Mon)...if this is a failure I want hi outa there and to a

different

> hospital. Has this happened to any of you? I am beginning to think

maybe

> its a complication from the RA and these guys just arent up on it and

what

> can happen in an RA patient. I know there are other things that come

along

> w this disease, and I am wondering if this isnt one of them and the DR

arent

> catching on. I did read where anyone w a suppressed immune system can

be at

> risk for a clot. Could his swollen knee have brought this on? It was

worse

> then he ever felt or seen, yet I know some flares are so painful. So

I

> guess I juts wanted to see if any of you had experienced this and know

where

> I might search the net for problems associated with this disease so I

can be

> informed and better inform the DR if I need to. I am gonna have the

DR

> speak w his rheumatologist tomorrow...my main family DR is in Canada

on

> vacation--this would be our luck! ANy hints for us? Any experience w

this?

> Thank you all so much in advance. Im in a hurry so I hope I told you

it

> all--lol Going to the hosp now. Will check email after 8 tonite.

Thank

> you all again!

> and Joe in Pennsylvania

July 14, 2002

- I am sorry that you and Joe are having such a

tough time right now. It is so hard to hurry up and

wait especially if you are waiting for news that is

this important. I agree with Carol about erring on

the side of caution. If it turns out to be OK, that

is great and you only lost a few days in the hospital

but if it isn't, being there could save his life.

Patience is definity a virtue because it is so hard to

have. I'm thinking of you today and hope to hear from

you later. Iris

--- Carol <carol@...> wrote:

> Hi ,

>

> I'm sorry to hear about the problems your husband is

> presently having.

> Personally, I've never heard of RA causing a symptom

> like that in one leg.

> Usually my RA is bilateral. Because of the risk

> involved in the blood clot

> moving to the lungs, the doctors are certainly being

> cautious. I know it's

> frustrating to have him hospitalized with no

> answers, and their conflicting

> diagnoses make the situation seem muddled. I would

> say that erring on the

> side of caution is prudent, though.

>

> I hope the situation is resolved soon, and he's

> feeling better.

>

> Oh, and welcome!

>

> Hugs,

> Carol (in FL)

>

> [ ] Blood Clot or what ??? long

>

> Hi friends...

> I have a question for you all. My husband Joe is

> gonna be 33 in August, he

> has Rheumatoid and Osteo Arthritis. Joe is in the

> hospital since

> Wednesday--today is Sunday. He went to the famiy DR

> on Mon last week cuz he

> was sick. While there he told the DR he has pain in

> his knee and its really

> swollen. The DR said its probably a bad flare. So

> he comes home, goes to

> work the next AM and later that nite (now its

> Tuesday) I told him he should

> go to the ER that he is showing signs of a blood

> clot. I took him and the

> ER DR said 3 tests taken--2 showed negative for a

> clot yet the d-dimer test

> was positive and she wanted a doppler in the AM.

> OK--so we get that done.

> I call the family DR and they tell me its negative

> for clot but he wanted a

> Accutek test done..this is a radioactive dye test

> and then you wait an hour

> and they take pictures again.................anyway

> he gets admitted cuz the

> radiologist says its a DVT (deep vein thrombosis).

> I forgot to tell you his

> symptoms: swollen and red from the knee to the

> ankle, hot to the touch and

> painful on the side of his calf muscle. They call

> a vascular surgeon in to

> get his opinion and make sure they dont need a

> screen put in--he SAYS, there

> is no clot he dont know why he is hooked up to all

> the blood thinners

> (Heperin and Coumadin by mouth). Meantime our reg

> DR goes on vacation ad

> has his asst cover............shes at a loss. He

> told him if she sends him

> home and its a clot and it travels it will go tot

> his lung and can be

> fatal. He was scheduled for a venogram on Friday,

> they claim all 5 veins in

> the top of his foot that they tried callapsed. I am

> not sure they know what

> they are doing personally since the nurse said its a

> test not common.

> ANYWAY---does he have a clot or not and if he dont

> have a clot what could it

> be? These are the ? we all have. They are gonna

> redo the venogram in the

> morning (Mon)...if this is a failure I want hi outa

> there and to a different

> hospital. Has this happened to any of you? I am

> beginning to think maybe

> its a complication from the RA and these guys just

> arent up on it and what

> can happen in an RA patient. I know there are other

> things that come along

> w this disease, and I am wondering if this isnt one

> of them and the DR arent

> catching on. I did read where anyone w a suppressed

> immune system can be at

> risk for a clot. Could his swollen knee have

> brought this on? It was worse

> then he ever felt or seen, yet I know some flares

> are so painful. So I

> guess I juts wanted to see if any of you had

> experienced this and know where

> I might search the net for problems associated with

> this disease so I can be

> informed and better inform the DR if I need to. I

> am gonna have the DR

> speak w his rheumatologist tomorrow...my main family

> DR is in Canada on

> vacation--this would be our luck! ANy hints for us?

> Any experience w this?

> Thank you all so much in advance. Im in a hurry so

> I hope I told you it

> all--lol Going to the hosp now. Will check email

> after 8 tonite. Thank

> you all again!

> and Joe in Pennsylvania

>

July 14, 2002

, I had something like that happen to me, my knee did not swell

though it was in the calf of my leg. It was swollen, just as hard as

it could be, and hot. I went to my regular doctor and they measured

it and said it was a blood clot, because it was in the lower part of

my leg it was not as serious as if it had been it the top of the

leg. They put me on an aspirin a day and told me to stay off of it

for at least two weeks, I babied it longer, it scared me. When I

went to my rhuemotologist he asked if they did any test, I told him

what they did and he rolled his eyes and didn't address it again. I

am on Methotrexate that can thin your blood (at the time 30mg.) and

anti-inflamatory, so he didn't think it was a blood clot, I guess.

My suggestion is keep on it till they know for sure, they can be

dangerous. Hope they find something soon and that he is feeling

better.

in WA

July 14, 2002

Dear ...I agree with everyone to err on the side of caution. I

know this is a difficult, stressful time. Please know you & Joe are in

my heart & in my prayers.

Hugs of Hope..

Tess

July 14, 2002

Hi ,

I am also Stacey in PA. lol. Sounds like a mess there. Did anyone consider

cellulitis. It can make the area sore, swollen, hot, and red. Just an idea.

I would follow the doctors though, as they know more than I do. Hope Joe

gets better soon.

Love and Hugs

Stacey in PA

July 14, 2002

Hello ,

I had a similar experience happen to me back in May of this year. My knee had

been terribly swollen hardly able to bend it. It was swollen , hot to the touch

and the inside calf of my leg was swollen hard and a redness kinda like a rash.

I could hardly stand any pressure against it.

I made an appointment with my DR. next day and he thought it looked like a

blood clot also ...so he sent me to the hospital immediately for a Ultra-sound.

The ultra-sound showed that I had a " baker's cyst " that had ruptured and ran

down into my calf. That was what had caused the swelling and inflammation in my

knee and calf. My Dr said this was quiet common for people with RA.

you're in my prayers.

Gail