Hi! I am joining the band on June 24th and have been diligently arranging and taking all the necessary tests to complete the process before surgery. Pre-op is scheduled for the 6th. Today, when I went to my Drs. office to hand in the Psych letter, the bariatric coordinator said the Dr. suggests that I get a vena cava filter because of my family history of blood clots. I know what it is and what it does - but has anyone else had this procedure? Did it hurt? Were you able to do whatever you wanted to following the procedure or are you limited? for a long time?

Thanks!

I have never had a vena cava filter, but I am a nurse who has seen them inserted and taken care of the patient after the procedure. Normally they insert the filter through your groin, they go in much like they do in a heart catheterization and they should numb the area with a local anesthetic. After that you should not feel much. Sometimes the nurses will give a anti-anxiety medication like versed to help you relax. After the procedure you will have to lay fairly flat for a couple of hours and probaly not do any heavy lifting for a couple of days. You may have some bruising or tenderness around the insertion site. Hope this helps! Good luck:biggrin:

I too am a nurse, and would like to had that there are some hereditary clotting disorders that run in families. I would want to know if the family members who have had problems with blood clots have been tested for these disorders. If they have a genetic disorder, you should also be checked besides just having them put a filter in. Sounds like it would be worth a closer look. These patients also may need to be treated with blood thinners along with a filter for the best protection for the development of blood clots, especially around operative procedures where you may not be active and moving around.

blueriley is right on, not too much to having the filter, but ... I would look into the "big picture".

Tess

Edited May 31, 200818 yr by Tess415

Thanks for the information! I will certainly look into the "bigger" picture.