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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
DVT in my arm
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
DVT in my arm
by Linda__0__0, Oct 20, 1998 12:00AM
I just found out that I have a DVT in my left arm. I have been started on Low Molecular Heperin and Warfarin. The doctor says it is extremely rare and I have searched the internet but cannot find anything about it. There seems to be more concern about the cause rather than the treatment and has the doctor baffled. I underwent a mastectomy in January 98 on my left side, chemotherapy from Feb to June and have been in perfect health before the breast cancer diagnosis and since chemotherapy ended.
I am very concerned because I cannot find any information anywhere. What could cause something like this? I will be scheduled for a CT scan as soon as the medical system will allow. What happens if it shows surgery is required because of cancer recurrance for example? I don't know if I there is anything I should or shouldn't be doing in terms of excercise or movement. Can you offer any help at all?
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Dear Linda,
Deep venous thrombus (DVT) can occur in any large vein in the body. It is not that unusual for it to occur in the arm but is probably less diagnosed than those occurring in the leg. Cancer and surgery are both predisposing risk factors to develop DVT and appropriate therapy includes heparin and warfarin.
I hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.
