heparin & lovenox allergy

[vf59 5]

I am 7 days post op now & got a phone call from my surgeons office today saying I should contact my pcp to let him know. Has anyone had any experience with this? The tech that called didn't know when or how they found this out. All I know so far is I remember they came every 2hours the night of my surgery to draw blood. I remember 3-4 draws between midnight & 4:00 or 5:00.

[Lissa 2,631]

VF, Unless you are going to have another surgery and need a "lovenox bridge" because you are taking Coumadin for blood clot issues, this shouldn't be a major factor in your life. Yes, do let your PCP know that you have allergies to heparin and lovenox so that you are never given those meds again. However, most people don't have problems with this on a day to day basis.

FYI, just in case most don't know, many surgeons give heparin and/or lovenox during surgery to help keep us from clotting because of the stomach removal. Mine automatically gives lovenox or heparin during surgery, which I only know because I did have to take lovenox before and after my surgery until I could start taking Coumadin again. I had a major clot in June of this year before I had the VSG done. I had to skip the lovenox shot the night before and morning of surgery, then wait until I was discharged the day after surgery for the next shot.

[vf59 5]

Thanks for your answer. I guess that is what happened and all the blood tests during the night must have been to check on that and that's how they found the allergy? I read online that an allergic response could be that instead of stopping clotting, the reverse happens. I have asked the surgeons office to fax the report to my PCP.

[katB 8]

Has anyone gone into this operation already diagnosed with the heparin allergy? I've had a blood clot and been diagnosed and it seems to be throwing my surgeon a curve. He hasn't decided how to handle yet and I'm a due to be scheduled in a few weeks. This is making me wonder if I should do it at all.

[Alicia0022 14]

There are heparin and lovanox substitutes, agatroban is one, ask your MD about those substitutes.