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What Causes Leg Pain After Using Birth Control Medicines?
Question: I have had an elevated d dimer twice (1000 ng/ml) recently. I had leg pain a week ago which has since subsided. No chest pain or trouble breathing. I am on birth control. Would being on birth control cause this kind of elevation? Should I stop the birth control? Do I need to start taking a blood thinner such as Lovenox?
Brief Answer:
Nothing to worry about.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for writing to us with your health concern.
An elevated D dimer level in itself is no cause for concern.
It is a very non specific test, as you may well be aware of.
It is just used for screening patients at high risk of thrombosis.
Just being on birth control is not a very high risk factor for thrombosis, unless there are other associated factors - obesity, smoking, history of blood clots etc.
D dimer levels can be elevated by various conditions - stress, pregnancy, fever, injury, trauma, liver conditions, apart from blood clots itself of course.
There is no indication for taking a blood thinner based on these results.
It is not an indication to stop birth control either, unless you have persistent calf pain.
You have no symptoms of a thrombotic disorder.
Anyways, before starting treatment, patients with high D dimer levels are first subjected to diagnostic imaging ( doppler of the affected leg, where you had pain, for example ).
ALl the best
Please feel free to discuss further.
Nothing to worry about.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for writing to us with your health concern.
An elevated D dimer level in itself is no cause for concern.
It is a very non specific test, as you may well be aware of.
It is just used for screening patients at high risk of thrombosis.
Just being on birth control is not a very high risk factor for thrombosis, unless there are other associated factors - obesity, smoking, history of blood clots etc.
D dimer levels can be elevated by various conditions - stress, pregnancy, fever, injury, trauma, liver conditions, apart from blood clots itself of course.
There is no indication for taking a blood thinner based on these results.
It is not an indication to stop birth control either, unless you have persistent calf pain.
You have no symptoms of a thrombotic disorder.
Anyways, before starting treatment, patients with high D dimer levels are first subjected to diagnostic imaging ( doppler of the affected leg, where you had pain, for example ).
ALl the best
Please feel free to discuss further.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I am aware of the other conditions that can cause elevations, and I have none of those.
I am a bit overweight, but I do not smoke.
I am heterozygous for the MTHFR mutation, but I take folic acid.
I am a bit overweight, but I do not smoke.
I am heterozygous for the MTHFR mutation, but I take folic acid.
Brief Answer:
I still do not think there is anything to worry about.
Detailed Answer:
MTHFR heterozygosity is a vary prevalent condition, most of the mutations in MTHFR gene do not increase your risk of a clotting disorder.
My opinion remains the same - treat the patient, not the lab report !
I still do not think there is anything to worry about.
Detailed Answer:
MTHFR heterozygosity is a vary prevalent condition, most of the mutations in MTHFR gene do not increase your risk of a clotting disorder.
My opinion remains the same - treat the patient, not the lab report !
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I have had d dimers in the past. They were always <100 ng/ml. If it had always been elevated than I would see no cause for concern.
This elevation started after taking birth control. I am now in my 3rd month of taking it. That's what I am worried about- that the birth control is putting me into a hypercoagulable state.
This elevation started after taking birth control. I am now in my 3rd month of taking it. That's what I am worried about- that the birth control is putting me into a hypercoagulable state.
Brief Answer:
Why dont you stop the birth control and see the repeat levels.
Detailed Answer:
I thought this was a once off result.
If you have had negative values in the past, then yes, it is possible that the birth control is putting you into a hypercoagulable state.
What you can do, is stop the birth control.
Then retest after 4 weeks.
If you have lower values again, then you can stop the birth control for good.
Either that, or Doppler ultrasound of the legs, to rule out any possible clots.
Take care.
Why dont you stop the birth control and see the repeat levels.
Detailed Answer:
I thought this was a once off result.
If you have had negative values in the past, then yes, it is possible that the birth control is putting you into a hypercoagulable state.
What you can do, is stop the birth control.
Then retest after 4 weeks.
If you have lower values again, then you can stop the birth control for good.
Either that, or Doppler ultrasound of the legs, to rule out any possible clots.
Take care.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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