I've been reading about people taking blood thinkers after surgery and I was curious about this.

Is this common for most everyone after WLS to take blood thinners for a period of time after surgery?

Thanks!

Johnathan

I was on Lovenox while in the hospital for 5 days. The problem with surgery is you don't move around much and it's very easy to form a blood clot. It's the reason for compression stockings, some people have gotten them from the IV's themselves but deep vein thrombosis - blood clots can be serious.

The shot they give you goes into your stomach (lower abdomen) and the needle is so extremely small, sort of like the needles for diabetes - or like an epi-pen.

It doesn't hurt (unless they hit a bruised area). My entire lower abdomen was bruised from one side to the other because I received so many but though I gave myself byetta, and victoza shots for years, sometimes you can't even tell you had shot there and some areas, just seemed to bruise up.

They don't hurt and the benefit outweighs anything.

ps - some people that may have a higher bmi may need to take the shots for a short-period of time when they get home. Seriously, it's not bad, and when you think that there are young children with diabetes that give themselves shots daily, you learn to get over your fear of it daily. If a 10 year old can deal with it on a daily basis for life, then as an adult you can deal with it for a few weeks.

I don't mind the shots, I'd always rather be safe than sorry! I just had not heard anything about it until reading on here.

My surgeon prescribes Arixtra injections for post-op, starting your first full day back home.

I ended up with a weird allergic reaction to something I was given at the hospital, and was told not to take mine.

It's not universal, but it's fairly common. You'll most likley be given something during pre-op too, Heparin or equivalent.

I ended up back in the hospital a week after surgery with a blood clot in the arm my I.V. was in. After two days they sent me home with a month's worth of Lovenox shots to take twice daily. Was just a freak occurrence because they took every precaution and made sure I got the shots during my stay for surgery to ensure I didn't get any clots in my legs or anything. Not sure if any Doctors send people home with blood thinners after surgery, mine didn't. But they will give them to you while in the hospital.

I was instructed that post-surgery (to occur later this year), I will have to inject myself with Lovanox for two weeks to prevent blood costs. The physician told me that this is routine practice for every WLS patient. It sounds like a good idea to me, given the fact that blood clots are so dangerous. I also was informed that I should not fly for approximately 6 weeks after surgery, again, to prevent formation of blood clots.

My surgeon does heparin shots while you're in the hospital, and then a month of low-dose coumadin once you're at home for everyone.

Blood clots run in my family (we're all Factor V Leiden or whatever it's called) so in addition, I also had an IVC filter placed before surgery. I don't think many docs do this, but at my weight and with my history I had it done. I did get a clot in my IVC filter so I did a week of Lovanox shots and I have a stronger Coumadin now. They'll try to do another filter removal attempt in a week or so, I hope.

I had them had to self inject for 10 days 2 times a day. I didn't like it, but hey I had to do what I had to do. It was a small price to pay.