Blood Clots & Surgery

[NewStart95987 35]

I am VERY excited and super nervous about the surgery, not the band. I am particularly nervous because a couple years ago I had a blood clot that formed in my leg (due to birth control I was taking) and traveled to my lung, I was hospitalized for a week and was being tested for a year on blood thinners. I was very close to dying but found it literally just in the time. My doctor has prescribed Lovenox which I will inject after surgery but I'm still nervous. I have been told that once you have a blood clot that you are more susceptible to clots in the future. I was lucky once and don't know if I could be so again. I am a worry wart so I remind myself of this and that if my doctor wasn't confident that I would be ok, she wouldn't operate. This is another reason I choose Lap-Band over gastric. Anyone else with a similar medical history?

[54Shirley 105]

I had 2 knees replaced, one at a time. I was prescribed Lovenox. I don't know if your familiar with it, but it did wonders, I had no problems as far as developing a clot under this medication.

With my Insurance at that time. If I had it filled in the Hospital $5.00 co pay, If I would have went to my own Pharmacy $1,000.00.

You might want to see if there's a difference for you.

[NewStart95987 35]

I had 2 knees replaced, one at a time. I was prescribed Lovenox. I don't know if your familiar with it, but it did wonders, I had no problems as far as developing a clot under this medication.

With my Insurance at that time. If I had it filled in the Hospital $5.00 co pay, If I would have went to my own Pharmacy $1,000.00.

You might want to see if there's a difference for you.

I'm glad all was well for you :-)

I paid $15 compared to the almost $600 the insurance paid. I was lucky. The surgeon is doing it as a precaution because of the past clot and I have not taken Lovenox before. In have taken Warfarin, Heparin and the such. Did you have any side affects from Lovenox?

[mandyMO 67]

I have also had a blood clots in my legs and lungs cause I have a genetic blood disorder and I am on coumadin! They will monitor you very closely they will put those compression things on your legs to keep your blood flowing!

[54Shirley 105]

I'm glad all was well for you :-)

I paid $15 compared to the almost $600 the insurance paid. I was lucky. The surgeon is doing it as a precaution because of the past clot and I have not taken Lovenox before. In have taken Warfarin, Heparin and the such. Did you have any side affects from Lovenox?

Not at all ! ! ! They should scrap the other stuff, and prescribe this stuff. It was smooth, you could tell when it was time to stop taking it.

I was in the Hospital for Gallbladder removal, and they kept hitting me up with Heparin. Well one shot to much I guess,,, the whole bed was soaked. So the Surgeon said I think she had enough.

It was not that way with the Lovenox.

[NewStart95987 35]

Not at all ! ! ! They should scrap the other stuff, and prescribe this stuff. It was smooth, you could tell when it was time to stop taking it.

I was in the Hospital for Gallbladder removal, and they kept hitting me up with Heparin. Well one shot to much I guess,,, the whole bed was soaked. So the Surgeon said I think she had enough.

It was not that way with the Lovenox.

Ow my goodness how scary! My clot traveled from my leg to my lung while int he ER and they were scanned my leg. The guy said he had to pump my leg and get blood flowing because it would show better. I told him that I am not responsible if I kick him in the head because my leg was so tender and he was grabbing and pumping it! UGH! Anywho, almost immediately after, I started getting chest pains.

I'm afraid of injected it since I'm not a huge fan of needles but I will do what needs done because I don't plan on ever having a clot again!

Thanks for replying :-)

[Jess55 97]

If I remember correctly from my seminar last year there was one person who asked about blood clots and I think my surgeon said if you had a history of them they'd place a filter in your leg pre surgery and remove it sometime after surgery. The filter will prevent the travel of the clot to your lungs if you get one.

[54Shirley 105]

Yep ! I remember that too.

[Jachut 487]

They'll manage you knowing your history - they're so careful nowadays anyway - I had those awful pump up leg things that squeeze your legs, then compression stockings and in November when I had a much larger surgery, I was also given daily blood thinners, and dragged out of bed literally 8 hours after a 5 hour abdo surgery and made to walk! I was constantly reminded to walk around the ward, encouraged to go downstairs etc, they dont let you lie around in bed. Obviously after a lapband you'll be home much sooner, so you need to remember this at home and just stay mobile as much as possible, be aware of it if you have a long trip home from the hospital too. You've suffered it before, you'll know the signs, they'll be watching you, I'd try to just relax.

[NewStart95987 35]

I had my pre-op appointment yesterday. They said since I'm no longer on the birth control which caused the clot that the Lovenox should be enough. Getting active after surgery will be especially important for me but beyond that, they are confident that all will be well! No filter, no compression stockings no anything! Wow!

Thanks for everyone's input :-)

[Momto3redheads 18]

I had two clots in my lungs and one in my legs after an endometrial surgery years ago thanks to being on birth control - which meant every time I got pregnant I had to inject the lovenox shots in my stomach the entire pregnancy....and whenever I have surgery they are quick to give me a shot of it afterwards....but I didn't have to be on it for long after the lapband surgery, as with the lapband you are up and about rather soon. It is when laying down and not moving around that you have the highest risk of getting another clot....so just be careful to get up and move around a lot and I am sure you will be fine!

[papoose 48]

I had 2 clots also. One in my leg and one in my lungs. The day of the surgery they gave me a shot of lovenox. I was given a prescription for lovenox and I had to give myself a shot for 30 days. I had no problems, just a little bruised from the shot. Just follow your doctors instructions and you will be alright.

[honk 780]

In 8/09 I had a blood clot in the brain and had a mini stroke. No warning I was 39. I was on blood thinners for 11 months and my surgery was delayed while the blood clot was resolved. My surgeon warned me I might get a hemotoma at the port site (blood pooling). If that happened I would have had to stay extra days in the hospital. Luckily nothing happened and I was able to leave the next day. I did take a pill blood thinner for 2 days post surgery but that is pretty common.