u/CoincidentalElf

I had DVTs in both legs in 2020, then another one in my left leg in 2023. After the one in 2023, the NP at my hematologist’s office took me off anticoagulants after only 1 month, even though I had initially been told that I would need them for life. I’m 25 and the NP said it would be “super rare” for someone my age to get an unprovoked clot (even though it already happened twice??). I also have complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and PTS, so I was really fearful of getting another DVT.

So I started having pain in my calf roughly 1 month ago. Went to the ER and the NP said I’m too young to have a DVT. She did not order an ultrasound or even so much as a d-dimer, just did an EKG told me that my leg hurts because of anxiety. I have PTSD as a result of some previous hospital experiences and the EKG triggered a flashback, so I was panicking and quite anxious in that moment. I fail to see how that would make my leg hurt though! My anxiety is well controlled and panic attacks are rare - it was really just the hospital environment that set me off.

Went to the ER again 2 weeks ago. It was the same NP who saw me. Still no ultrasound. She saw that my feet were red and swollen (they always look like that due to the CRPS and PTS), so she diagnosed me with cellulitis and prescribed… a medrol pack? Spoke to my PCP and she prescribed 7 days of keflex + ordered an ultrasound (which my insurance denied).

I felt better for a short time after the antibiotics, but a few days ago my left foot suddenly swelled up and I developed several blisters on the top of my foot. Called my PCP and she recommended urgent care or ER because she’s out of the office this week and can’t see me. Back to the ER (different hospital this time), and they did labs, a leg ultrasound, chest x-ray, and an MRI of my foot. Not only do I have a DVT going from my ankle to just above my knee, but I have the beginning signs of osteomyelitis.

I’m still in the hospital on IV antibiotics and will be getting a thrombectomy this afternoon. While I’m glad that I’m getting appropriate care now, I’m incredibly frustrated by how I was treated by that NP. I also can’t help but think that this whole thing could’ve been avoided had the hematology NP just kept me on anticoagulants.

My mom does this thing where she screams or sings in a very high pitched voice (much higher than her normal voice), and the tone of it just immediately fills me with rage. I also have hyperacusis and it’s physically painful for me when she does that.

But it’s frustrating because she told me that the only reason she screams like that is because she knows it bothers me, which she thinks is funny. I try to wear noise canceling headphones around her, but she just yells louder. When I was a teenager, she would constantly do that high pitched voice and then laugh when I became distressed and/or started crying. It had really damaged our relationship tbh; we don’t talk much these days.

Has anyone else experienced this? Sometimes I feel bad for distancing myself from her, like maybe I’m being dramatic and should just suck it up. But knowing that she does it on purpose kind of hurts.

I have iron deficiency anemia and get iron infusions regularly, but I’ve noticed that my pain flares up for 24-48 hours after every infusion. I’m just curious if anyone else has experienced this? I try to schedule the infusions before the weekend or when I know I’ll have a few days off work, but my doctor is not happy about this and dismissed me when I told him why I’ve been delaying my next round of infusions.