Help. I'm having leg pain and I'm on birth control?!


Question: Help. I'm having leg pain and I'm on birth control?
Right now, and for the past few days, I have had cramp-like pains in my legs, in two different spots. It is strange though, because I haven't particularly exerted myself. On the leaflet that comes with my birth control pills, it mentioned that leg pain could be indicative of a blood clot in the leg. There's no swelling or discoloration in my legs, just a crampy pain.

The thing is, I am very far from a risky person for a blood clot. I'm 18 years old, I played soccer for 13 years. I always have extraordinarily good blood pressure and I care for my body. I am not overweight-- I have a slender/athletic build. The only risk factor I can think of is that my grandmother had problems with spider veins and blood clots in the leg, and of course, my birth control pill.

This honestly scares me to death. I don't want to have a stroke or heart attack at age 18. Am I overreacting?

Answers:

Well what most people (doctors and other people) don't realize is that young people especially like yourself can get blood clots too. I know quite a few girls (our age-I'm 23) that were on the pill and had blood clots...they were athletic build like yourself. I have had two clots myself within a year but I am a male and it was due to sitting down all day at work and at school. -and because I have a clotting disorder called Factor V Leiden...

AND to make matters worse is that I was misdiagnosed with my first blood clot as a pulled muscle because I was so young. It didn't take me until 2-3 weeks later to find out what my leg pain was. I am lucky to be alive right now. AND I thank God that it didn't travel anywhere. -but yes my clot was huge by the time I actually got a doppler scan to see if it was a clot or not. I did not have any other symptoms other than leg cramps-then extreme leg cramps and some slight burning sensation in my leg.

So please take this advice no matter how many people tell you that you shouldn't worry about clots because you are so young. The girls I know that have had a clot (which are my friends at college all play a sport)-they were all on the pill.

Blood clots are no joke...that is why I am on yahoo answers in the first place...to tell people my story of how I was misdiagnosed because I was so young.

Even if it is not a clot, be happy that you got it checked out...the 4th leading cause of death is blood clots...that travel to the heart, lungs, brain...be smart.

23 male...2 dvts/blood clots...that was misdiagnosed as a pulled muscle



There is one other thing that can cause leg pains, tight muscles in your lower back that are pressing onto the nerves going to your legs. They will cause pains anywhere in your legs and the back muscles are fairly easy to tighten up, especially in sports. Here's how to free up the back muscles to get rid of leg pains:
Back:
(do from a sitting position)
Place your left hand on your left leg next to your body. Place your right hand over your left shoulder, fingers over the back and the palm in the front and firmly pull down on them and hold. After 30 seconds slowly lower your body forward and to the outside of your left leg, keeping your left arm fairly straight as you do. When you reach your lap remain there for another 10 seconds, release the pressure but rest there for another 30 seconds. Then reverse your hand positions and do your right side.
For best results relax your body first by taking a deep breath and exhaling then remain this relaxed.




The consumer health information on answer-health.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2011 answer-health.com -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Categories