I am new to these boards and to the Lap-Band. I am waiting to hear if my doctor of choice is accepted by Medicare. I am 59 (will turn 60 in Aug.) and on SSDisability. I live in northwest Ohio, just across the line from Ft. Wayne, In, and have had weight issues all of my life, and not successful with any type of diet. I have a lot of medical issues, (type2 diabetes (which my mom died from), heart disease (had a triple heart bypass 9/05, and a heart attack in '91),hypertension, high cholesterol, and am currently on a blood thinner. I weigh 270 (5'8"tall) and have a BMI of 41.

Have any of you lapbanders had to go off of your blood thinners for the surgery, and for how long? This is the only part of the surgery that worries me...I am very susceptible to blood clots since my heart bypass. :wink_smile:

Hi Susie, I don't have a lot of these issues, but my Dad had the surgery 1 1/2 years ago. He's about your age. (a little older at 62) He is also on blood thinners. I will ask him. He lost over 140 lbs, and looks and feels amazing. I'll get you some info on this tonight.

Hi Susie, I did talk with my dad, and he said they took him off his blood thinners 4-5 days before the surgery. He said most Dr. do take you off. Hope everything works out for you. Good Luck!

Thank you for you and your dad's reply...I know I will have to go off of my coumadin, but wondered if they have you take lovenox (anticoagulant) injections while off of the coumadin. These injections are very expensive ($100.00 per injection). Just curious.

Actually Susie, I do not normally take any blood thinners, but was given the Lovenox in the belly just before surgery and then again once following surgery.

I recall reading of others having the shots as well, we were saying they were the only bruising we had on our bellies!

My DH took both coumadin, and Lovenox injections for several months following valve surgery, during which they actually reduced the size of his heart, and did a Maze procedure, then he had some serious issues with bleeding, and had to be brought through that, which messed up the Maze procedure, so they come back through with some cardiac ablation, and he followed it with more coumadin. Unfortunately where we live is rural, our surgeon is well over 3 hours away, so the local yokels they entrusted his coumadin therapy to--failed us. During his PT & INR the medical assistant who wrote it---crossed a line in the chart, and they read his level at a 1.7---so they upped his coumadin, and in reality it was 7.7! With you being on it, you can only imagine what that did!

BUT---back to the point! I was actually given Lovenox injections prior to and following surgery!

Good Luck---and welcome to LBT!!!!

Kat

Thank you, Kat, for your reply. I usually get my protime about every 6 weeks and finally got it to a good level (2.6) before having to go through this scoping procedure to check for colon cancer. I know that the lovenox injections are very expensive ($100.00 per shot) and I need 14 altogether before and after the procedure. That's why I was inquiring about it now, because I am sure I will need it again whenever my surgery will be scheduled...which may be another 6 mos or so. I dunno! I will leave the decision about the coumadin to my bariatric surgeon when that time comes. Thanks again!