Does anybody have Phlebitis? How was it dx'd?

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I believe that my grandfather had phlebitis, but he is no longer alive.. so I can't ask him any questions about it. I know he was on blood thinners for most of his life, and I want to say he had a vein removed from his leg. From what I have read, some of the symptoms are painful hardening or swelling of the leg (or sometimes the arm), where the vein is that is affected. Does this feel like a muscle cramp? I mean, if the vein is deeper inside the leg, how would you describe the feeling, much less know there was swelling? For those who were diagnosed, what symptoms did you have, and how long did you suffer before you were diagnosed? Do you know if one person in your family has it, that perhaps somebody else in the family has a higher risk of developing it?