hard knot at sub-q injection site?

[katikati 127]

I've been on Arixtra (blood thinner) sub-q injections since surgery. I'm a big ol' chicken, so I have my Mom give them to me in my arm, rotating the spots. I noticed tonight that I have two hard knots close together on my right arm. They hurt when I move my arm around, and are painful to touch, but not if I'm sitting still. Given how close they are together, it seems we may have misjudged and gotten a couple of injections close together, instead of two inches apart. It's hard to tell from night to night because I can never tell where the last one was. Has anyone else experienced this? Is this anything to be concerned about? Will they go away?

I'm seriously sick of these shots. It bums me out when I consider that I have 21 more days of this.

[caramelbaby10181 30]

Yes it will go away. Same thing happens when children get immunizations. Try using a warm cloth and massaging the area slowly and softly. Take what you normally take for pain (ibuprofen, tylenol) and it shouldnt give you much trouble. If the area because extremely painful, so bad you cant lift your arm, or gets bigger, consult your physician.

[katikati 127]

Okay, thanks. It just alarmed me because none of the other Arixtra injections have done this. Also, no ibuprofen for me. I thought NSAIDS were a no-no for all WLS post-ops?

[lessofmeismore 1,405]

No ibuprofen. You can not have NSAIDs

[akirk 20]

Most blood thinners are best absorbed in the abdomen. I had to take lovenox 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after my surgery. The knots are normal, just small hematomas that form under the skin... They will go away in a couple weeks.

[caramelbaby10181 30]

Okay, thanks. It just alarmed me because none of the other Arixtra injections have done this. Also, no ibuprofen for me. I thought NSAIDS were a no-no for all WLS post-ops?

I was just using those as examples. Use whatever your doctor said you can take as a pain reliever.

[mark! 449]

I take my testosterone sub-q. If I don't massage my abdomen or inner thigh after my injection I'll get that knot. I've learned, if you "slide" your top layer of skin where you pinch, then pin the fat, inject, take it out, and release the pinch, it will slide the skin back over the injection site, making it easier to massage without having any of the substance come back out. I also put my finger over the site while massaging. What size needle are you using? For sub q, depending on how thick the serum is, you should be able to get away with an insulin needle, which may cause less trauma to the site, and massaging will disperse the serum quicker.

[katikati 127]

I take my testosterone sub-q. If I don't massage my abdomen or inner thigh after my injection I'll get that knot. I've learned, if you "slide" your top layer of skin where you pinch, then pin the fat, inject, take it out, and release the pinch, it will slide the skin back over the injection site, making it easier to massage without having any of the substance come back out. I also put my finger over the site while massaging. What size needle are you using? For sub q, depending on how thick the serum is, you should be able to get away with an insulin needle, which may cause less trauma to the site, and massaging will disperse the serum quicker.

Thanks for the tip, Mark. I'll try to massage the area, though I'm not sure if I'll have the guts. That stuff burns for a while after it's injected. Unfortunately, my injections come in pre-filled syringes, so I don't have a choice. The needle is very fine, though. I rarely feel the needle itself, just the burning from the medication.

[lessofmeismore 1,405]

Don't rub the area where you inject blood thinners!!!!!!!!!

No no no

Don't do it!

[MrsG 329]

Don't rub the area where you inject blood thinners!!!!!!!!!

No no no

Don't do it!

Yeah I was told the same thing! I was told it would leave a horrible bruise and was not good to do! They had me watch a video on how to inject it and they said no rubbing.

[lessofmeismore 1,405]

Yeah I was told the same thing! I was told it would leave a horrible bruise and was not good to do! They had me watch a video on how to inject it and they said no rubbing.

Yes it would be really bad. It does burn

It does its job though and it's important.

But don't rub it. It will be over soon

[MrsG 329]

Yes it would be really bad. It does burn

It does its job though and it's important.

But don't rub it. It will be over soon

Thankfully I'm done with those! I hated injecting myself. I did end up getting a hard knot on my abdomen on the right side. I'm 5 weeks out and it's finally going down. I was on the lovenox.

[lessofmeismore 1,405]

Thankfully I'm done with those! I hated injecting myself. I did end up getting a hard knot on my abdomen on the right side. I'm 5 weeks out and it's finally going down. I was on the lovenox.

Oh yea!!! Glad you're past that...

I can't see profiles on this phone

5 weeks out that's when the good food starts being introduced! Yay!