A MUM has shared a horrifying image of 20 giant blood clots found buried in one leg triggered by childbirth.
Starla Ellis, 30, from Ohio, US, had recently given birth to a “whopping” 9lb 10.5oz baby after a gruelling labour, when she began feeling pain in her right leg.
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It began in November with an ache in her lower back, which then moved to her abdomen and right leg.
“The [leg] pain was excruciating I couldn’t move, and I had to almost crawl to the car to go to the hospital,” she said.
Doctors said the pain was a result of one blood clot in the femoral artery in her right leg
She was sent home with blood thinners, which didn’t work for long.
“As they discharged me, I was quite concerned as I had a numbing feeling in my leg, but I just ignored this as the hospital said I was good to leave,” she explained.
At first, she thought the medicine was working.
But suddenly, she started developing a fever and noticed her leg had gone “stiff”.
“Complete terror was going through my head, and I thought I might lose my leg,” she said.
The mum decided to go to a different ER for a second opinion.
Believed she would die
Scans revealed her leg was, in fact, riddled with 20 clumps, which needed to be surgically removed right away.
Disturbing photos show the bulging red clots on a piece of cloth after they were removed from her right leg.
The mum claims she thought she would die and is now urging people to be persistent with their hospital referrals to ensure they get the care they need the first time around.
“I broke down when I saw how many blood clots were in my leg as I didn’t realise it was that bad,” Starla said.
She added: “Seeing a photo of all the blood clots put it into perspective of how bad it was and how close it was to me losing my life.
“Not only did the photo of the 20 blood clots shock me, but it hurt my feelings that the previous doctor let me walk out of the hospital.”
According to the NHS, blood clots can be very serious and must be treated quickly.
Clots that form in the veins in your legs, arms, and groin can break loose and move to other parts of your body, including your lungs.
This can lead to illness, disability and even death.
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While it remains unclear what caused the clots, the mum claims a doctor told her the blood clots could have been caused by possible C-section complications.
Starla said her third child, Amaris, was a big baby for her petite 5ft 3inch frame.
This meant the baby got “stuck” in her vaginal canal – which led to excessive pushing before doctors decided to take her to the OR.
He eventually arrived via an emergency C-section.
Different types of blood clot
According to Medical News Today, there are two kinds of blood clots women may experience after giving birth.
One is clots that are passed through the vagina in the days after birth, which are from the shedding of the womb’s lining and the detachment of the placenta.
The second is clots that happen inside the body’s veins, which are uncommon but can be life-threatening.
What are the symptoms of a blood clot?
There are two types of blood clots.
A blood clot in one of the large veins in someone’s leg or arm is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
If not treated, DVT can move or break off and travel into the lungs.
A blood clot in the lung is called a pulmonary embolism (PE) – this can be deadly and requires immediate medical attention.
Symptoms of a DVT include:
- swelling in your arm or leg
- pain or tenderness not caused by an injury
- skin that’s warm to the touch, with swelling or pain
- redness of the skin
Symptoms of PE include:
- difficulty breathing
- sudden, sharp chest pain that might get worse when you breathe in
- coughing up blood
- fast or irregular heartbeat
This may be because pregnancy raises the pressure in the veins in your legs and pelvis, making clots more likely.
“You need to stay persistent with your doctor with your healthcare and they don’t always seem to be as worried as you are,” she explained.
“You know your body, and if you feel like something is wrong, you need to get it checked out.
“Follow up with your doctor as blood clots can be fatal.”
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