Everything You Need to Know About Blood Clots (DVT)

📩 Contact us: [talkingwithdocs@gmail.com] Worried you might have a blood clot in your leg? A swollen, painful calf can be nothing, or it can be a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and the difference matters. Untreated, a clot in the deep veins can travel to the lungs and become a pulmonary embolism. In this episode of Talking With Docs, Dr. Brad Weening and Dr. Paul Zalzal are joined by Dr. David Skogstad-Stubbs, a general internist in Oakville, to get into the details of blood clots: what a DVT actually is, who gets them, how they're diagnosed, and how they're treated in 2026. As orthopaedic surgeons, Dr. Weening and Dr. Zalzal see DVT as one of the complications that can follow a hip or knee replacement. Dr. Skogstad-Stubbs walks through the full picture, from the swollen leg in the emergency department to the decision about how long you stay on a blood thinner. New to the topic? Watch our first episode on blood clots:    • Do You Have A Blood Clot Or DVT? Signs & S...   You'll learn: What a deep vein thrombosis is, and how a clot below the knee differs from one above it The three things that make blood clot (Virchow's triad) Why an untreated DVT can lead to a pulmonary embolism or post-thrombotic syndrome The classic symptoms: swelling, redness and pain, usually in one leg How a compression ultrasound finds a clot by "squishing" your veins Why some small clots are watched with a repeat ultrasound instead of treated What a D-dimer test can and can't tell you The biggest risk factors: surgery, immobility, casts, cancer, pregnancy and a previous clot Why long flights matter less than you think, and why the aisle seat beats the window seat Whether hormone therapy or the birth control pill has to stop after a clot What happens if a clot shows up with no obvious cause Why aspirin isn't the treatment for a DVT The four direct oral anticoagulants, and when warfarin is still used Why blood thinners don't actually dissolve the clot When doctors remove a clot with a procedure How long you need to stay on a blood thinner The real risks of blood thinners, and why bleeding is usually the safer trade-off What a new Canadian study found when it compared apixaban and rivaroxaban One of the most surprising points in this conversation: blood thinners don't dissolve a clot. They stop it from growing and give your body time to break it down. Most people take one for at least three months, and how much longer depends on whether something clearly triggered the clot, like surgery or a broken leg in a cast. If a clot shows up with no clear cause, Dr. Skogstad-Stubbs explains why an exhaustive search for cancer usually doesn't help. Getting up to date on the cancer screening that's right for your age is the sensible next step, with a closer look for people who have symptoms or other clues. We also talk about the COBRRA trial, led by The Ottawa Hospital and funded by government research grants rather than drug companies. Over three months of treatment, clinically relevant bleeding happened in 3.3% of patients on apixaban versus 7.1% on rivaroxaban, with no difference in repeat clots. Have you ever had a blood clot, or been on a blood thinner? What was your experience? Let us know in the comments. 📄 Study discussed: Bleeding Risk with Apixaban vs. Rivaroxaban in Acute Venous Thromboembolism (COBRRA). New England Journal of Medicine, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2510703 🎧 Listen on Your Favourite Platforms: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3OFxEji... Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast... YouTube Music: TWD Podcast 👕 Shop Our MERCH: https://www.spreadshirt.ca/shop/user/... ❤️ Support Oakville Hospital: https://oakvillehospitalfoundation.com/ 📱 Follow Us: TikTok:   / talkingwithdocs   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingwith... 🛑 DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Blood clots affect people differently, and decisions about testing, blood thinners, how long to take them, and whether to continue hormone therapy should be individualized based on your symptoms, health history, and circumstances. If you have sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, or a swollen, painful leg, seek medical care right away. Always follow the guidance provided by your physician, pharmacist, and healthcare team. Full disclaimer at talkingwithdocs.com. #BloodClot #DVT #DeepVeinThrombosis #PulmonaryEmbolism #BloodThinners #Anticoagulants #Apixaban #Eliquis #Rivaroxaban #Warfarin #VTE #LegSwelling #InternalMedicine #TalkingWithDocs #DoctorExplains