A young mother has revealed how a “red spot” running up her right leg was a warning sign she had a serious blood clot.
Hanah Thornton, a 23-year-old mother from Willow Springs, Missouri, began experiencing leg pain over the weekend but attributed it to her gym session.
But by Tuesday, the condition was so bad she could barely walk and developed a hot, red spot running from her groin to the back of her knee, forcing her to rush to the emergency room.
Scans showed he had a deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, a condition where a blood clot has formed. Doctors said it was just 0.4 inches away from entering a major vein that could have taken it to his lungs, where it could have blocked a main artery and been fatal.
Ms Thornton was put on blood thinners to dissolve the clot and must now continue taking them four times a day for the next three months to ensure it does not return.
Hanah Thornton, 23, was rushed to hospital after having difficulty walking. Doctors revealed she had a blood clot in her leg.
The picture above shows the red swelling on her leg that was caused by the blood clot in her vein.
She says doctors told her it was caused by the combined contraceptive pill, which contains the female sex hormones progesterone and estrogen.
According to doctors, this pill can increase the levels of clotting factors in the blood and, in turn, the risk of blood clots. Approximately one in 1,000 users of this pill suffers from this complication each year.
Describing the mark, Ms Thornton said: ‘Over the weekend, I noticed my leg was getting more and more sensitive.
‘I’m a pretty active person, I walk a lot and go to the gym, so I thought it was just a muscle ache and didn’t give it too much thought.
“Then I started to think that I hadn’t gone to the gym or walked over the weekend to cause the pain.”
She added: ‘Later that day, I came home and a red spot had started to creep up my leg and it was very hot to the touch and very tender to the point where I could barely walk on it. It was on my right leg.
“It was about two inches long and extended from below my knee to my thigh. I’d say it was at least 23 inches long and went all the way up to the vein.”
The dental assistant is revealing her story to warn others about some of the potential dangers of taking birth control.
She said doctors told her the clot was caused by her combined contraceptive (pictured), which can increase clotting factors in the blood and increase the risk of clots.
She added online: “I never thought this would happen to me, but here we are now, at 23, and we have to be on blood thinners. Be careful and educate yourself about the birth control you take!”
The first time she visited the doctor, on the second Monday of this month, she was told she had cellulitis and was discharged.
But when the pain worsened, she went to another hospital, where she underwent scans before the blood clot was revealed.
Ms Thornton first started using birth control three years ago after becoming a mother and giving birth to her daughter Henslee in September 2021.
She was originally prescribed the mini pill, but when it caused irregular periods, she switched to the combination pill, sold under the brand name Eliquis, a year ago.
At first, the dental assistant told her that she had had no problems with the new pill and that it was a good preventative method to prevent her from getting pregnant again.
Each year, approximately 900,000 Americans suffer from DVT, but these individuals are usually over age 60 and have another underlying condition, such as heart disease.
Warning signs include swelling in the legs or arms, pain or tenderness in the area, and skin that has become red or discolored.
Doctors say veins that are close to the surface may also be larger than normal.
In addition to blood thinners, patients may also be asked to wear compression stockings to improve or completely eliminate leg swelling.
Doctors warn that some patients may have swollen legs for the rest of their lives because the blockage can cause damage to veins in the area.