Flitwick woman who survived FIVE DVTs shares blood clot symptoms to warn others

A woman who has survived five DVTs in over 20 years is hoping her story will help others.

And as March marks Blood Clot Awareness Month, Louise McCool, of Flitwick, is sharing her experience so more people make sure they get the treatment they need if they too discover a deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

The 47-year-old takes up the story which first started back in 2002 when she was just 25:

"I woke up and felt like my left leg was very tight, I felt like I had a weight on my foot and was dragging my leg,” she said.

"As the morning went on my leg felt like it was double the size of my right, I was now in lots of pain. My husband took me to A&E.”

From there, a consultant diagnosed a DVT – a blood clot which develops within a deep vein in the body, usually in the leg – and Louise was admitted and put on the anticoagulant Warfarin.

But in 2010, scans showed another DVT as did 2015, 2016 and then again in 2017.

Louise said: “In March 2017 I started to get the most horrendous pains in my stomach, I couldn’t eat without pain, it got to the stage where I was too scared to eat, the doctors were baffled.”

She was then referred to a specialist and scans revealed she had Celiac Artery Compression Syndrome – chronic, recurrent abdominal pain – as well as May-Thurner Syndrome – rare vascular condition which affects a vein in your pelvis.

Louise was fed through a tube and between March 2018 and March 2020, had no less than 19 procedures.

And although she now suffers from anxiety and PTSD after being so close to death, Louise says she owes everything to St Thomas’ Hospital in London.

"As I reflect now and see how far I have come from where I was. I know that without my amazing vascular surgeon at St Thomas’ I would not be here today, he saved my life,” she said.

“I want to share how rare and debilitating it is and that other people shouldn’t suffer like I did by highlighting it’s symptoms.”

Symptoms of DVT in the leg are:

throbbing or cramping pain in one leg (rarely both legs), usually in the calf or thigh

swelling in one leg (rarely both legs)

warm skin around the painful area

red or darkened skin around the painful area

swollen veins that are hard or sore when you touch them

Tips to prevent DVT:

Do stay a healthy weight

Do stay active – taking regular walks can help

Do drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration – DVT is more likely if you're dehydrated

Don’t sit still for long periods of time – get up and move around every hour or so

Don’t cross your legs while you're sitting, it can restrict blood flow

Don’t smoke – get support to stop smoking

Don’t drink lots of alcohol

>Louise has given herself a goal of climbing Snowdon to raise money for a friend’s son with bone cancer.