Listen to your body

Written by Lexie Clarke. 

At 25 weeks pregnant, I had a really sore calf. At first, I thought it was just muscle pain. I tried everything I normally would, stretching, magnesium spray/tablets and even the trusty massage gun, but nothing helped. It was never painful when I exercised, but it hurt to walk, felt incredibly tight and was worse after sitting in the car for periods of time.

The scary part is my midwife, and good old ChatGPT, had initially told me it sounded muscular, because I was considered so low risk and didn’t fit the typical criteria for a blood clot. However, I was convinced it was something more than muscle pain, so I eventually went to A&E. When the doctor asked why I thought it could be a blood clot, rather than admitting I'd Google diagnosed myself, I just told her I’d done some research. 

While I was at A&E they took some blood and, after a few hours of waiting, I was given blood thinning injections as a precaution before having an ultrasound scan on my leg the following day.

The scan showed that I had a blood clot in my right calf. I instantly burst into tears. It’s safe to say I was terrified. I remember sitting in the hospital reception crying while I waited for my partner to arrive. After the scan, I went to “The Jane” for more information and to be prescribed some medication. I ended up going home with 170, yes 170, pre-filled syringes that are calibrated for immediate, one-time use. 

I injected myself with Clexane twice a day. And if you’ve ever had Clexane, you’ll know that stinging feeling isn’t exactly pleasant. 

I was originally told I’d need the twice-daily injections for three months, after which I could move to a preventative dose of one injection a day. I counted down to that milestone. Three months felt like something I could get through. 

After three months of tears…and tantrums, at jab time, I went back to the clinic at the end of April for another scan to check whether the clot had gone.

It had! 

I was SO relieved. And I was SO ready to finally go down to one injection a day. However, sadly, it didn’t happen. Guidelines had changed, and I was told I'd have to continue with two injections a day until six weeks after giving birth. It was tough. It was my first pregnancy, and I was already navigating all the emotions and uncertainty that come with that. So, adding a blood clot, daily injections and the fear that comes with it made things incredibly difficult, both physically and mentally. 

Thankfully, I had amazing support from my family, pregnancy groups. I was also very lucky that I had a fantastic consultant who was determined to make my pregnancy, and my delivery, as normal as possible. And thanks to the wonderful midwife I had on the day, I was even able to try the water birth I’d hoped for.

So, why am I telling you all this?

I want to raise awareness. No, I need to raise awareness. 

I was considered low risk. I didn’t have any of the obvious risk factors. I was young, active and healthy. And yet, I still developed a blood clot during pregnancy. 

Low risk does not mean no risk.

If you’re pregnant and something doesn’t feel right, please don’t automatically assume it’s just another pregnancy ache or pain. A sore, tight or swollen calf can have many harmless causes, but a blood clot can be serious and needs medical attention.

I’m sharing my experience because I was lucky, if I'd ignored the symptoms it could have been much worse. 

I feel strongly that if my story makes even one pregnant woman trust her instincts and get a symptom checked, then it’s worth sharing. So, ladies, listen to your body and if you’re worried, get checked.