What is a deep venous thrombosis? Why is it dangerous? Could it happen to me? How can I try and prevent it?
A deep vein thrombosis is a clot in the veins of one or both of the legs. It usually causes pain and swelling in the leg, although some people do not have symptoms. The danger is that the clot can break loose and travel through the circulation to the lungs or elsewhere. Once in the lungs it is called a pulmonary embolism. That means the clot has travelled to the lungs, and then into the pulmonary artery. This can be very dangerous, even fatal. Clots in the legs and pulmonary emboli can be treated with blood thinners, usually initially heparin. After the blood is thinned enough, eventually you can be treated with an oral medication called Coumadin. All of this requires monitoring and blood tests.
If you have pain or swelling in one or both legs, tell your doctor immediately. If you develop chest pain and/or more severe shortness of breath, you need emergency care.
You may be more likely to develop blood clots because you are not up and around as much as normal. The blood in the veins of your legs is not pushed out as much by you using your muscles walking and doing other things. The blood tends to pool and then clot. Also some patients with mesothelioma may have too many platelets, the little cells that help make clots.