DVT's

[Lakey]

Mean't to post this before as a word of warning!

A couple of years ago on a long journey to Cornwall (following an accident at Exeter delaying all traffic) my wife was sitting in the passenger seat with various kid orientated clobber around her and hence not able to stretch out.

On our arrival on site she had a bit of cramp in her leg! we thought nothing of this and carried on regardless. After a week of this cramp not easing and a limp developing we went to truro hospital to be informed after various tests that she had developed a Deep Vein Thrombosis in her leg due to the long journey. This mean't i had to inject her daily for the rest of the week and she went on Warfrin for 6 months.

So be warned, make sure you have plenty of room in the car to stretch out!

Cheers,

Gar

 

[Andythetyre]

Or you could just pull up more often on long journeys!!!

 

[Philspadders]

having had my sis in law suffer from a dvt when she was only 26yrs old after a drive from sheffield to weston s mare, then again she had another about 3 years ago, the threat to your life is not be taken lightly.

because i do a lot of driving i have habit of moving my legs and flexing calf muscles during driving.

 

[Lakey]

We did Andy!!!

apparently it does not just happen on long haul!

 

[Br0dieB0nce]

Hi, my sister-in-law had the same problem at 26, we'd been away for a week and she had complained of cramps. When we got home she got progressivly worse and the pain moved to her chest. The emergency doctor that came to see her said it was trapped wind...12 hours later she was dead. The pains in her chest were the clots in her lungs.

Now we stop every 2 hours, walk the dog, and have a wee, 20 minutes on a journey time is well worth it!

Neil

 

[Mel]

Was about to post something flippant about having sat here for half an hour reading this forum, then I read the post above. So sorry to hear about your sister in law.

mel

 

[Lakey]

blimey, we didn't realise just how serious a problem this could have been. Thank goodness we where advised to go to hospital!

Phil,glad your sister-in-law was ok, and neil, what can i say! really sorry.

It was only a lot later that we thought what could have been!

It's easy for people to tell you to stop more often and stretch. We thought we did! we walked the dog, fed and walked the kids etc. Guess we where lucky that my wife's DVT didn't move.

Just take care,

Gar

 

[Br0dieB0nce]

Thanks all, just goes to prove you never know whats going to happen.

So, take a break, have a walk around, and arrive safe

 

[DavidKlyne]

Stopping frequently is a good idea, older blokes have got a built in alarm clock called a bladder! There is another option worth considering and that is compression socks similar to what you might wear on a long flight.

David

 

[RayS]

For the senior+ citizens this can be quite a major issue on a long trip e.g. Cherbourg to SE spain in 3 days (we don't take any longer because it's cold and miserable in early January)

I have an automatic transmission with cruise control and set it up and then try to stretch my legs while going down the autoroute / autopistas but it is increasingly difficult to do.

The other realted problem is tendonitis which seems to come on after such a trip and can take a long time - months - to clear.

My advice is to drive for no more thna 3 hours continuously. if there are 2 drivers then you can change and get a bit more stretch, but if not, when you stop, the non-driver gets the food togethr and the driver should walk as far as possible, do bends and stretches regardless of how silly this may look to observers and eat standing up.

If you have a fixed bed van, lie on the bed and get your feet up towards the roof for say 10 minutes or more. (Sorry folks, this is not some old age kinky advice - just good practical experience)

Wear loose but supportive shoes and loose but comfortable clothing.

Sorry to sound like an old fart but I want to go on towing for at least another decade into my 80's and you have to use all the tricks available.

 

[HerinDoors]

For the senior+ citizens this can be quite a major issue on a long trip e.g. Cherbourg to SE spain in 3 days (we don't take any longer because it's cold and miserable in early January)

I have an automatic transmission with cruise control and set it up and then try to stretch my legs while going down the autoroute / autopistas but it is increasingly difficult to do.

The other realted problem is tendonitis which seems to come on after such a trip and can take a long time - months - to clear.

My advice is to drive for no more thna 3 hours continuously. if there are 2 drivers then you can change and get a bit more stretch, but if not, when you stop, the non-driver gets the food togethr and the driver should walk as far as possible, do bends and stretches regardless of how silly this may look to observers and eat standing up.

If you have a fixed bed van, lie on the bed and get your feet up towards the roof for say 10 minutes or more. (Sorry folks, this is not some old age kinky advice - just good practical experience)

Wear loose but supportive shoes and loose but comfortable clothing.

Sorry to sound like an old fart but I want to go on towing for at least another decade into my 80's and you have to use all the tricks available.

Hi being a nurse i am well aware of the DVT symptoms. If you ever see two kids, a dog and a harassed mother running around a parked caravan, thats us. Feel free to join in, some French people had a right laugh at us the other year, have fun!!