Pregnancy
Thrombosis following pregnancy
Eva Seemann noticed a change in her left leg after her Cesarean section – and she responded quickly
Following complications during pregnancy, Eva Seemann gave birth to her baby via C-section. Having arrived home, the new mother noticed a change in her left leg and returned to the hospital. Her suspicion was confirmed: the physicians detected thrombosis. Find out here how Eva managed during this tough time, why she now pays very close attention to her vein health, and what role compression stockings play in her life.
When Eva Seeman became pregnant, the bright young woman expected a smooth time. “I was 25 years old and pretty fit,” Eva reports. “I exercised three to four times a week, and I followed a healthy diet. There was no doubt in my mind that there wouldn’t be any complications during my pregnancy. My gynecologists, too, encouraged me and said there’s nothing to worry about.”
But that was not the case: during a health check, Eva’s family physician noticed a lump on her neck. Further examinations followed. The result: thyroid cancer. “The physicians said that the cancer treatment could wait and I should first have the baby,” Eva explains.
Initially, her pregnancy progressed as it should – until the 35th week. “I had just moved from Kassel to Berlin, and my new gynecologist took an ultrasound to get a picture of the situation,” Eva remembers. “This suggested that my baby was one kilo lighter than it should be on average. At that moment, our expectations that everything would go smoothly just disappeared.”
The physicians were not able to find a reason for the lower weight – neither were they able to say what consequences this would have on the development and health of the baby. Thus began a time of worry about their child for Eva and her husband.
Birth via Cesarean section
Another thing Eva didn’t expect was that she would have to give birth via Cesarean section, which was now the plan. “From the beginning of the pregnancy, I had prepared myself for a vaginal birth,” Eva remembers. “So I also had to say good-bye to that idea.”
Eva gave birth to her baby boy via Cesarean section, and was able to leave the hospital with her new-born three days later. But the new mother felt awful. It wasn’t just the after-effects of surgery that gave her a hard time: the baby was very small, malnourished, and awake every two hours. Plus, breastfeeding didn’t work very well. “I was absolutely exhausted and barely managed to get out of bed,” Eva reports.
After giving birth: suspected thrombosis
Two weeks later, Eva suddenly had a high fever, and needed to return to hospital. The physicians detected severely increased inflammation, but couldn’t identify a cause. Eva was given antibiotics and was allowed to go home three days later.
She still clearly remembers the fourth day after her discharge from hospital: “It was a Saturday, and when I had hung up the washing around 6 p.m., I suddenly felt this pain in my groin – first it was just a temporary piercing but then it wouldn’t stop,” she recounts. “I thought initially that I had overdone it and that I should just take a break.” But the pain got worse, and four hours later, Eva noticed that her left leg was swollen and heavy. She knew straight away: this can’t be anything but thrombosis.
“At school, I did extended periods of work experience in care, and during my studies, I worked as a trained carer,” Eva explains. “That’s how I know what thrombosis is and how to recognize it. My symptoms were very serious so I was acutely aware: I had to go to hospital without delay.” She had blood samples taken and her blood pressure measured before having an ultrasound examination. And right in the first location where the physician placed the ultrasound probe, it was obvious that Eva really did have thrombosis.
What is thrombosis?
A blood clot developing in a vein is referred to as venous thrombosis. The clot, also known as thrombus in medical terms, constricts the blood vessel and can even obstruct it completely. This impairs blood flow. Signs can include pain, reddening, swelling, and a sensation of heat. If thrombosis is not detected and treated in time, there can be complications, such as a pulmonary embolism.
Treating thrombosis with compression
Together with her baby, Eva was admitted to hospital where she was given anticoagulants and wasn’t allowed to get up. As part of her initial care, Eva’s leg was bandaged. When Eva was discharged from hospital after three days, she was referred to a medical supply retailer where she would be given individually adapted medical compression stockings. “Wrapping the hospital bandages was unbelievably inconvenient,” Eva reports. “So I was initially relieved when I was given the compression stockings. But unfortunately, I didn’t get on at all with these stockings. The knitted fabric was ridiculously stiff, and the stocking had a closed toe. That constricted my toes so much that I could no longer walk in the evenings. And because the thrombosis was so severe, I had to wear the stockings around the clock.”
New compression stockings, new sensation (of vitality)
Eva’s body eventually started to slowly absorb the blood clot. Over time, the difference between the two legs decreased and it looked like the affected leg could fit into regular medical compression stockings. A good friend of Eva’s brought Bauerfeind’s compression products to her attention. Eva went to be measured, and a few days later, she received her first pair.
“When I put on the stockings for the first time, I wrote to my friend: ‘The stockings have arrived but we forgot to order compression class 2 – these are really soft, so something can’t be quite right’,” Eva remembers and laughs. “But my friend explained that she ordered the softest and most comfortable version where customers have given her feedback that they’re really nice to wear.”
That’s how I learned: compression products don’t have to be uncomfortable!
These new compression stockings gave Eva a whole new sense of vitality. “Initially, I was told I wouldn’t need compression after six months,” Eva points out. “But my prescription kept getting extended. That’s why I was incredibly happy and relieved when I had finally found comfortable stockings I could easily live with. From that moment, I was able to accept the condition better.”
Living with thrombosis – and cancer treatment
But thrombosis wasn’t the only condition Eva had to deal with: Eva had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and some time after giving birth, she was able to start treatment. Luckily, treatment was effective. It has now been completed and Eva is in the follow-up care phase.
With regard to her thrombosis, Eva has also left the acute phase behind her. But she still has some problems. “My legs have different widths, and during everyday activities, I notice that my left leg gets more tired and heavier toward the evening, in particular when I’ve been too active or not active enough,” Eva reports. “This is worse in summer than in winter. I also still feel some pain.”
Compression products as a daily accessory
Ultrasound examinations still show residues of the thrombus in the entire leg. Eva’s physicians believe that these won’t be fully absorbed. This means that blood flow is impaired in the long term. But Eva’s problems are relatively mild so that her condition isn’t actually “post-thrombotic syndrome”. However, Eva pays very close attention to her vein health and continues to wear compression stockings every day.
“I didn’t wear the stockings one day as a test and immediately noticed the difference – I just feel so much better when wearing compression products,” Eva announces. “During the ultrasound examination, I was also advised to continue wearing the stockings. Additionally, the physicians believe that vein problems and thrombosis will be something I’ll have to deal with later on in life. So I’m not doing myself a favor by not wearing compression stockings. I want to age as healthily as possible. I will therefore continue to wear them.”
Looking ahead – full of gratitude
Thrombosis developing after the C-section was probably caused by a combination of several factors: “My genes were examined and it turned out that I have an increased thrombosis risk,” Eva explains. “This isn’t a problem during everyday life but pregnancy and the thyroid cancer were just a step too far.”
These blows have left a mark on Eva. She frequently still feels exhausted but she won’t be discouraged and sees her future in a positive light. “It is how it is – I don’t manage everything like before. I just have to take my time,” she admits. “And thanks to my compression stockings, fortunately, I can lead a perfectly normal life.”
Despite all the pain and worries, Eva looks back at this tough time with gratitude – in particular realizing so quickly that her problems were caused by thrombosis. “That was a huge factor in resolving the issue without serious consequences – if I had slept on it, I might have suffered a pulmonary embolism,” Eva highlights. She therefore recommends to anyone to listen to their gut feeling and not be dissuaded by placatory words: “You should take yourself and your worries seriously.”
Her son is now three and a half years old and continues to grow beautifully. Eva says happily: “It all turned out OK in the end. He hasn’t been affected at all – he was just small.”
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Tips to combat heavy legs during pregnancy
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For a pregnancy without problems: these tips will help you prevent heavy, tired legs.
