DVT and cycling shorts

[ColinJ]

Once I am finally clot-free, I will definitely wear lycra again, but I will make sure that it fits properly!

 

[sparrow371]

I am of the same opinion Colin. Will keep the lycra shorts off to start with and see how it goes.Hoping to get on my bike at the beginning of next week for the first time. Really miss it.
My partner and I have something o aim for in the London 100 next year if we get accepted in the ballot on Monday. Sixty miles is he most i have done when we were in France a month ago!
I read your profile this afternoon and it saw you have been through the mill this last year. Hopefully you will get back to full fitness soon

 

[ColinJ]

I read your profile this afternoon and it saw you have been through the mill this last year. Hopefully you will get back to full fitness soon

Thanks - and the same to you too!

There is a HUGE thread on my illness - here. I didn't think that I would be so ill for so long, but as you can see I only managed to be drug-free for about 3 months before the clots came back.

 

[sparrow371]

Hi,

I have just read your 33 page blog/diary. You were so so ill. After reading what you went through I realise i have got off very lightly. Thank you for all your replies and advice it's greatly appreciated.

 

[ColinJ]

I've seen my consultant today, so I will update the other thread with the latest news in the ongoing saga!

 

[sparrow371]

Hi Colin.... Just read your last blog! Hopefully they will find the reason for the clotting and you will be able to get more miles on your bike and walking. I have been reading up on affects of vitamin K foods (the Mrs thought she have been poisoning me!) but looks as though I eat mostly low vitamin K foods but certainly makes you more mindful!

 

[ColinJ]

Hi Colin.... Just read your last blog! Hopefully they will find the reason for the clotting and you will be able to get more miles on your bike and walking. I have been reading up on affects of vitamin K foods (the Mrs thought she have been poisoning me!) but looks as though I eat mostly low vitamin K foods but certainly makes you more mindful!

The advice one gets on vitamin K is all over the place!

Warfarin is a vitamin K antagonist - it interferes with the way the body uses it. Vitamin K is used (among other things) as part of the clotting mechanism, so interfering with that mechanism reduces the chance of clotting. Some doctors and nurses then think that 2 plus 2 equals 37.6! You want to reduce the amount of vitamin K available for clotting, therefore vitamin K is bad, therefore don't eat it, and if you do eat it, you are being very stupid indeed ... One nurse actually accused me of attempting suicide by continuing to 'eat my greens'! THIS IS ALL WRONG!

More sensible doctors understand that it is a case of eating a healthy diet including vitamin K, and then adjusting the drug dose to fit in with that! Research has shown that a good, consistent intake of vitamin K helps to stabilise INR levels.- article.

I ate plenty of K-rich broccoli, iceberg lettuce, spring onions etc. while on Warfarin and my INR levels remained stable for 7 months. People eating only small amounts of vitamin K tend to have much more chance of dangerous fluctuations in their INR levels than those eating a healthier diet.

The crucial thing is to be consistent. What you don't want to do is eat lots of vit K foods for a couple of weeks, then eat none for the next couple of weeks and so on ... If your diet is consistent, then the drug dose is more likely to be consistent, and that is what you want.

 

[sparrow371]

Cheers Colin,

A very interesting piece!

 

[sparrow371]

Big day today. First time back on the bike and done 9miles and leg is feeling ok..good times! Me and the Mrs also put our names in for the ballot for next years London Surrey 100! Don't find out until February but fingers crossed!

 

[sparrow371]

I thought this reply was very informative and well worth the read especially with the link. Thanks to Andy for this reply!


Hi Nick

This leaflet might answer some of your concerns http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Phlebitis.htm

As a humble GP and cyclist (not a consultant!) I would say the chances of cycling shorts compressing the deep veins and causing a DVT would be minimal if not zero. To be tight enough to do that, they would be horribly uncomfortable to wear. Compressing the superficial veins needs less pressure, and if you have varicose veins, that might be an issue. Wider elastic at the bottom of the shorts (as on some high-end ones) would be sensible.

If you've had a bout of thrombophlebitis with a Family History of DVT, it might be worth discussing that with your GP to see if further tests on your clotting are required.

Andy Ward

 

[Reid]

Wow! This blog has really opened my eyes. I'm 65. Overweight by 2 st and diagnosed with DVT in August 2013. Currently, still on Coumadin. I had no idea being HEALTHY could be so dangerous. I was lucky. I had the swollen calf, pain in left leg, warm leg. No PE. I was so lucky. I'm back to 20-25 mi per week and surfing. HR: 56. BP: below normal. No meds for BP. As a matter of fact, I was taken off 3 yrs ago because I started cycling and some wt came off. Family history is diabetes. Glucose is in normal range most of the time. Will I give up cycling? No. Will I continue to wear bibs? Yes. I may even go up one size....just to be sure. I wear an athletic compression calf sock when I ride. From what I've read here, I am one of the lucky ones without PE. I appreciate all the comments here. I'm making some changes, tomorrow, in my riding, rehydration, &clothing.

 

[Reid]

The advice one gets on vitamin K is all over the place!

Warfarin is a vitamin K antagonist - it interferes with the way the body uses it. Vitamin K is used (among other things) as part of the clotting mechanism, so interfering with that mechanism reduces the chance of clotting. Some doctors and nurses then think that 2 plus 2 equals 37.6! You want to reduce the amount of vitamin K available for clotting, therefore vitamin K is bad, therefore don't eat it, and if you do eat it, you are being very stupid indeed ... One nurse actually accused me of attempting suicide by continuing to 'eat my greens'! THIS IS ALL WRONG!

More sensible doctors understand that it is a case of eating a healthy diet including vitamin K, and then adjusting the drug dose to fit in with that! Research has shown that a good, consistent intake of vitamin K helps to stabilise INR levels.- article.

I ate plenty of K-rich broccoli, iceberg lettuce, spring onions etc. while on Warfarin and my INR levels remained stable for 7 months. People eating only small amounts of vitamin K tend to have much more chance of dangerous fluctuations in their INR levels than those eating a healthier diet.

The crucial thing is to be consistent. What you don't want to do is eat lots of vit K foods for a couple of weeks, then eat none for the next couple of weeks and so on ... If your diet is consistent, then the drug dose is more likely to be consistent, and that is what you want.

 

[ColinJ]

Good luck Reid! People don't realise how common major clotting problems are. I read that there are about a million people on Warfarin in the UK. The paramedics who took me to hospital told me that barely a week goes by without them having to pick up an emergency DVT/PE patient!

One person dies of it every 6 minutes in the USA. That is more people than died in 9/11, every 2 weeks! We lose about 25,000 a year in the UK - more than due to breast cancer, HIV/AIDS and deaths on the roads combined.

Be vigilant!

 

[sparrow371]

Hi Colin and Reid,
It is such an under reported condition but your blog Colin hopefully will bring it to the attention of other riders. I am progressing well now on the warfarin and getting on my bike more regularly.
My partner and I are currently planning a weeks cycling around Holland next June. As you said just be mindful and more in the future!
On the19th September I had a letter published in cycling weekly about riding with DVT and cycling shorts. More publicity about DVT!