May Thurner Syndrome Forums

I recently had lower jaw surgery (August 11, 2009), and so I took a month off from work to heal. About a week post-op, I started to have some pain in my butt on the left side that traveled down my leg. I remembered reading some stuff online that said laying around after surgery often causes soreness in the limbs, so I attributed the pain to that. It felt like I had pulled a muscle, almost.

However, the pain got worse, and soon it extended all the way down my leg. My boyfriend urged me to go see the doctor, but I wasn't too worried about it (stupid me!). By Friday the 21st, the pain was really bugging me--I had to constantly move my left leg into different positions while sleeping, and I was starting to have pains in my lower left abdomen. That Friday afternoon, I went out to grab the mail and could barely make it back into the house. My boyfriend was alarmed when he looked at the bottoms of my feet side by side--my left foot was a purpley shade, and looked a little swollen. He called my mom for advice (ha ha ha), and she said "Take her to the E.R. I'll meet you there."

Thanks, mom!

I was admitted to the emergency room, where the doctor took a look at my leg and said "I'm pretty sure we're dealing with a clot." What?! I'm too young for a blood clot!! Right?! I was terrified!

The doctor ordered a CT scan and then an ultrasound of my leg. The ultrasound confirmed that I had a clot, but to my surprise it extended from the bottom of my calf halfway into my abdomen. Yikes! The next morning I was sent down to radiology, where a doctor explained to me that my immobility after surgery, my taking birth control pills, and my having May Thurner Syndrome all contributed to my two-foot clot.

I was then started on a clot-busting medication and doctors used a catheter to clean out the clot (a type of angioplasty?). They implanted a stent in my leg and also an IVC filter below my heart. I was in the ICU for three nights, and released from the hospital on the sixth day.

I am now on warfarin, and had to take Lovenox shots for the first few days. As a person who felt faint at the mention of blood, veins, or arteries, I can tell you that this whole experience has pretty much cured me of my squeamishness!! At one point, I had three IVs in me, and two weren't giving blood anymore. I was in a lot of pain, but I am so thankful to be okay.

I thought as a (considerably) healthy 22-year old, who before my jaw surgery had never even had a stitch or any problems with anything before, I was in the clear. I must admit that I am worried about my future. If these things are happening to me now, what is in store for me later? My whole life is different, and it scares me.

If you've read all this, thanks. I appreciate it. I look forward to discussing options and the future with others like me.

Hi Melissa, I know what you mean. I, too, am very apprehensive about my future. I hope and pray that I am now "fixed" and that everything will be okay. But, I hold my breath with every pain or strange tingle that I feel now. Even a stomach growl makes me jump... I'm just a 1 1/2 weeks past my angioplasty, so hopefully I will calm down as time goes on. Best of luck to you!

Your story sounds a lot like mine!! I am having trouble finding out answers as to what the likelyhood that I will get another clot is esp. since I have a stent in my leg. I just found out that I am pregnant and I am nervous about what issues I may or may not have with having MTS and a stent. Good luck to u!