When my husband and I came home from visiting our kids, my husband became very short of breath after the flight. He saw his primary doctor who was worried about a blood clot, and asked him to go to the emergency room, but he did not want to go. He is a little better, but still short of breath, should I be worried?
The short answer is YES. You should convince your husband to go to the hospital and be checked. Being on a long flight is a risk factor for a blood clot in the legs, which is called deep venous thrombosis or DVT. DVT’s can travel to the lungs and cause what is called a pulmonary embolus. This commonly causes shortness of breath and chest pain, and it is a medical emergency. The treatment is usually blood thinners. Your husband should be seen as soon as possible.
To learn more about deep venous thrombosis, watch this video from VideoMD.com.
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