I've been reading comments and saw that a few people mentioned getting a shot in the stomach. What is this for? Seeing that has made me VERY nervous for my surgery on Wednesday. I rather them have me knocked out and then give me the shot!

It's a shot of heparin (blood thinner) and it's subcutaneous (only skin). So though some people may get it in their stomach fat area, I actually got mine on my flank toward the side of my waist.

It doesn't hurt nearly as much as an arm or butt or thigh shot (those are intramuscular), and it's a significantly smaller needle.

Really, it just takes about two seconds, and it's a LOT better than the alternative of a potential blood clot!

If you'd rather not see it, ask the nurse to do it on your flank, or another fat roll out of eye range and I'm sure s/he'd be happy to comply. Word of warning, this will probably be your largest bruise just by the exact nature of the drug. (It thins your blood and prevents clotting; bruises are a collection of blood under your skin.) So, it will be a brown/yellow/purple bruise long after your scars are looking good. It won't hurt, though.

HTH

-m

Edited May 5, 200818 yr by dancinglamb

I was banded 4/24. The needle used on me was very tiny. I received this shot 2x right before surgery then before I left the clinic. The first time I didnt think they gave me the shot because I didnt feel anything. The second time I saw the nurse give me the shot and I still didnt feel it. They gave me the shot on my side, in a very fatty area. Nothing to worry about.

i got it in my arm

I got the heparin shot in my stomach side-- not a big deal at all. I didn't even feel it.

I had to take shots at home for two weeks! They were also for blood clots! I believe it was called Lovatar and they were premade from the pharmacy. It was kinda difficult the first time and it made me think....I could never be a diabetic! So I just gritted my teeth and shot myself for two weeks. My BMI was 51 so that made me high risk for blood clots.

I was banded 3/18 and got the shot of heprin in my stomach...Its no big deal but it does sting a bit....kinda like a bee-sting...i got it once pre-op and once post opt before i left the hospital...Good luch to you!

I was really worried about the shot in my stomach :thumbup: but it was over before I realized what she was doing. :confused: I didn't even feel it. I did have a bruise but that is minor.

Good luck with your surgery. The band is wonderful.:wink2:

You will hardly notice when it happens. It is just a tiny sting. Don't worry!!! You have enough bigger things to think about. You will love your band!!! Good luck!

The only shot I get is when I get a fill. He shoot me at the port site with a numbing agent. Haven't heard for a shot in the stomach.

It's no big deal at all. It either heparin or lovenox they are blood thinnners to prevent a blood clot with a tiny tiny needle. I didn't even feel it. It is really a small inconvienve compared to having a blood clot.

I got three shots of heparin. One pre-op, one post-op that evening and then the third before I left the hospital the next morning. It didnt hurt at all but I had three lovely green bruises on my belly for a week or so. I also had those air puffed things on my legs. They felt great!! I asked to leave them on. Even improved the circulation in my arthritic knees and made them feel better!

They gave the shot to me in my leg.

Well I'm feeling better now about the whole thing. I've dropped below 40 bmi now so that's good. I didn't remember having this when I had a c-section so was a bit freaked when I heard about it. Sounds like the words "shot in your stomach" is worse than it is. "phew" I have to say I'm a chicken when it comes to shots. I HATE having IV's put in.

It's a shot of Lovenox to prevent bloodclots. I had to take them five days before my surgery and I am having to take them for the next five days a home. I'm five days post-op and they are nothing!!!! You really don't feel them much at all!

Thankfully I only had to have one shot in my stomach pre-op, I am the world's biggest baby when it comes to needles. I am not vaccinated and I nearly had a panic attack in my dr's office when this whole Heparin topic came up. So we compromised.

I begged him to give me the shot after I was knocked out but he said it had to be done before I was under. So we agreed that it would be given after the CRNA had pumped me full of happy drugs but just before they administered the anesthesia. I don't know if I felt it or not and frankly and that point, I didn't care.

If the shot is a worry for you I highly suggest you working out the same arrangement with your dr, it worked great!