Lovenox Shots

[Alikfield 48]

Good morning all!!

Just did one of my blood thinner shots... They have all been a less then pleasurable experience. But today's shot hurt so bad I want to cry!!! I've been doing them in my stomach which at this point (week and a day post op) looks like a battlefield... Why would today's hurt so much more then others?!? Oh I can't wait for this box to be empty!!!!

[Geminidrive 389]

I had to do the shots also. Do you alternate the location of your daily shots?

[Alikfield 48]

Yes! I have small bruised circles from each one Ive done. :-(

[moregoodtimes 331]

I had to do 12 days of them. Im pretty tough but was glad when they were done! Make sure alcohol is dry before doing the injection. I found that doing them low and out to the sides stung the least. Aim toward center of the body. And yes, alternate sides. I also avoided stretch marks where skin seemed thinner. It is not pleasant, but just one of our things that must be done. Power through it and move on! It will be over before you know it!

[cartmansnj 105]

I didnt have to do these. Just wondering why you guys did?

[Lissa 2,631]

Cartman, If your BMI is very high, or if you've had previous clotting issues, or if your doc decides, you take lovenox shots. I took them for two weeks prior and two weeks after my VSG. They do sometimes hurt, especially (for me) if I happen to hit the edge of a previous bruise from an injection site. I found that low and to the sides hurt less, just like MoreGoodTimes. I also avoided areas where the stretch marks were especially thin. For my recent GB surgery, I only had to take one lovenox shot and it had to be given in the thigh, possibly because there's so much less fat in my abdomen than before? I'll ask when I see my surgeon today. Either way, they are a necessary evil, but they won't be forever.

[TES 858]

I only have a couple more Lovenox shots to go (2-week post-op regimen) and I'm so happy. I find for me they sting a little but I just don't like doing it, and to top it off, the drug is made from porcine intestines and I'm a vegetarian. I tried to see if there was an alternate and there wasn't anything FDA-approved that could be substituted. I needed to follow doctor's orders and I didn't want a blood clot. Difficult decision after being a vegetarian most of my adult life.

The nurse who showed me how to do the shots said to do them in your "love handles." Below the belly button and in fatty tissue in that lower abdominal area (I think it would hurt directly in the stomach). She had me squeeze a pinch of fat gently and put the shot in there. Make sure that you aren't doing the safety part of the needle until you pull the needle out (where the needle retracts again before disposal). My husband retracted the needle once while it was still in my belly and that was the only time I would say it really "hurt."

Hang in there...this too shall pass! And it's a lot better than getting a blood clot! Take care.

[MrsG 329]

I had to do the shots as well for 2 weeks after. We do have nerves in our stomach and you might be hitting one sometimes. When I was doing them I would test it first before injecting. If I could feel a little pinch I knew it would hurt so I would move the needle over a few centimeters and try again, then inject. I'm 5 weeks out yesterday and I still have a small knot on my right side that's slowly going down just FYI if you get any of those they are normal and will go away. It was from the shots. They suck but it's only for a little while, hang in there!

[crossmy_h3art 17]

I am still covered in lovenox bruises and I did my last shot a week ago lol. Some hurt, some didn't and some bled, some didn't. It was definitely frustrating. I agree with the recommendation to wait a minute after you use the alcohol wipe to avoid stinging. Also, I think that the harder/long you pinch before injecting the less pain/chance of bleeding there is. That seemed to help me atleast.