Hi! My surgery was on 4/4/2022 so I'm 6 days post op today. I was sent home with 28 days worth of Lovenox injections to prevent blood clotting. I understand how important they are and 100% plan on doing what I need to do with them, however, I am bruising up after some of the injections. I already have the bruises from the incisions which look ROUGH, but I feel like these bruises might be contributing to the chaos that is my torso right now. I also saw in the side effects and papers about the injections to contact the doctor if you start to bruise, but it's listed as a "minor side effect" and I don't feel sick or anything from it so I've kept on with them and will say something to her at my 1 week post op visit tomorrow.

Did anyone have these injections as well and if so, did you have any issues using them or reactions to them?

Yes, I have 5 days of anti clotting injections. I couldn’t believe that I was being asked to inject myself, but I did, and felt very proud! Two of the injections have bruised me, though the one this morning hasn’t. The most painful one was the one the nurse gave me in my thigh, hurt like a b***** and left a decent bruise. Because they are blood thinners I guess that the bruising is pretty inevitable, but I guess asking your doc at the post op would be a plan….do share if he tells you anything interesting!

Oh yes, the bruising is wicked! At least for me lol. I went to my appointment Monday and she said considering how I bruised from simple lab work, she wasn't surprised these were bruising me like they are (I guess I just bruise easy). I asked if there was an alternative but she told me flat out for what I need there is no oral substitute, it has to be injections. I just told her I would continue and do my best with them. I'm terrified of a clot.

On 4/10/2022 at 4:38 PM, GradyCat said:

This is the first I've ever heard about sending a patient home with blood-clotting injection medication.

Same! I had injections of LOVENOX while *in* the hospital overnight, but I did not have to do them after I left the hospital. Weird, eh?

On 4/10/2022 at 6:05 PM, Lynnlovesthebeach said:

Not everyone has to take injections at home. My doctor prescribed Eliquis which is taken by mouth. Even in the hospital, once I was up walking around, they stopped the injections and gave me the oral meds.

This is interesting. ELIQUIS is not indicated for use post-abdominal surgery. LOVENOX is.

Edited April 13, 20224 yr by ardelia

On 4/10/2022 at 4:38 PM, GradyCat said:

This is the first I've ever heard about sending a patient home with blood-clotting injection medication.

I never heard of that either. Is this stat for all gastric sleeve surgeries?? I had lap band in and recently out and gall bladder removed. Always used the blowup leg compression socks at hospital but nothing when I go home. Hmm

Edited April 13, 20224 yr by Grider

1 hour ago, Grider said:

I never heard of that either. Is this stat for all gastric sleeve surgeries?? I had lap band in and recently out and gall bladder removed. Always used the blowup leg compression socks at hospital but nothing when I go home. Hmm

I feel slighted! I didn't have the fancy blowup compression socks (of any kind) at my hospital. I just got the cheesy socks with treads on the top and bottom...in a sickly yellow color. ?

1 hour ago, ardelia said:

I feel slighted! I didn't have the fancy blowup compression socks (of any kind) at my hospital. I just got the cheesy socks with treads on the top and bottom...in a sickly yellow color. ?

I loved the blow up socks, they were so soothing afterwards!

I loved the blow up socks, they were so soothing afterwards!

The blow up sock! Ugh! Lol, I could NOT sleep with those things on. I was so frustrated.

Just now, mlwoodall said:

The blow up sock! Ugh! Lol, I could NOT sleep with those things on. I was so frustrated.

Ugh.....my hospital bed was a freaking air mattress. Each time I changed position, the stupid thing would inflate or deflate. Annoying!

Ugh.....my hospital bed was a freaking air mattress. Each time I changed position, the stupid thing would inflate or deflate. Annoying!

Yes! [emoji1787] I complained to my significant other for the first two days home about how horrible that bed was. I told him it was like a kinder nap mat laid on a gurney.

Me neither they were horrible blowing up and down all night couldn't wait to get them off

1 hour ago, ardelia said:

Ugh.....my hospital bed was a freaking air mattress. Each time I changed position, the stupid thing would inflate or deflate. Annoying!

My hospital has the same ones. I once had to stay for 3 days before for something unrelated and that thing drove me nuts. So after the 1st night i went ahead and unplugged it from the wall. which set off some alarms lol. But they let me leave it unplugged.

I wasn’t prescribed any blood thinners after surgery buuuut I did leave the hospital with this doozy. It never hurt but man, was it ugly!

On 04/13/2022 at 19:05, Starwarsandcupcakes said:

I wasn’t prescribed any blood thinners after surgery buuuut I did leave the hospital with this doozy. It never hurt but man, was it ugly!

?what is that huge bruise from?!!

9 minutes ago, Kris77 said:

?what is that huge bruise from?!!

I bruise easily. I also got several lovenox injections in that area before leaving the hospital. I also ended up getting an iron infusion before discharge because my hemoglobin was a 7.1 thanks to period related anemia and surgery the same week.

On 04/12/2022 at 23:44, mlwoodall said:

Oh yes, the bruising is wicked! At least for me lol. I went to my appointment Monday and she said considering how I bruised from simple lab work, she wasn't surprised these were bruising me like they are (I guess I just bruise easy). I asked if there was an alternative but she told me flat out for what I need there is no oral substitute, it has to be injections. I just told her I would continue and do my best with them. I'm terrified of a clot.

I had to do heparin injections during 2 pregnancies. Icing the injection site before and after the injection helped a lot with bruising and discomfort. Hope this helps.