Help! I'm soooo very afraid of blood clots.

[Super Echelon 5]

Of I develop some while in the hospital, are they going to know about it before I leave?

[mark! 449]

I freaked out about them too for a while. Especially this past week due to an event here on the forums. But...I wear my compression stockings, and walk as much as possible. My Dr. gave me 2 weeks of blood thinner shots to take, and so far things have been good. As far as them detecting them, something there aren't any symptoms at all.

[Oakleygirl 53]

I am also more scared of them than I was before but you can help yourself to prevent them... walk, walk, walk... not just post op, but get in some cardio before your op if you can; get the compression stockings to wear post op; and be sure to keep your fluids up and be aware of the symptoms of a clot. it's all we can do to be as prepared as possible... oh... and pray, if you are so inclined.

[gmanbat 5,889]

http://tbh.adam.com/content.aspx?productId=67&pid=67&gid=000050

Preventing blood clots after weight-loss surgery

Description

Because you will be sitting or lying down for long periods of time during and after your surgery, your blood will move more slowly through your veins. General anesthesia also causes you blood to move more slowly through your veins. This increases the chance of blood clots forming in your leg veins (this is called deep vein thrombosis, or DVT).

Patients that have had a prior blood clot are at a higher risk to develop another blood clot.

Blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis)

Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms. They are signs of a blood clot in your leg:

• Red or blue skin color
  
• Calf pain in your leg. It may hurt to place all of your weight on this leg when you stand or move your ankle up and down.
  
• Calf tenderness in your leg
  
• Swelling (edema) in your leg
  

Blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolus)

Blood clots that form in your legs can travel to your lungs. These clots can cause serious problems with your breathing. This condition is called a pulmonary embolism. Symptoms of a pulmonary embolism are:

• Sharp chest pain
  
• Difficult or fast breathing
  
• Coughing blood
  
• Fainting
  
• Sweating
  
• Confusion
  

A blood clot that travels to your lungs is an emergency. Seek medical help right away if you have any of the above symptoms.

Preventing blood clots from forming

Before and after surgery, these things will help prevent blood clots from forming:

• "Compression" stockings. You may be asked to wear these on your legs for a couple of weeks after surgery. They gently squeeze your legs to improve blood flow, and this helps prevent clots from forming.
  
• Not smoking or using any other tobacco products. Tobacco restricts blood flow and can make a blood clot more likely to form.
  
• Birth control pills. Women should talk with their surgeon if they use birth control pills, since they can make blood clots more likely to form.
  
• Moving your ankles up and down. Your doctor or nurse may show you how to do this to prevent clots from forming.
  
• Getting up and moving around. See also: Exercise and activity after weight-loss surgery
  

You may also need to take blood thinners for 3 - 4 weeks after your surgery to lower your risk of blood clots. Your doctor may prescribe one or both of these:

• Shots under the skin that your doctor or nurse will teach you to give yourself.
  
• Pills that help prevent blood clots. See also: Taking warfarin (Coumadin)
  

[gmanbat 5,889]

Exercise and activity after weight-loss surgery

Activity soon after surgery

Being active soon after surgery will help you recover more quickly.

During the first week:

• Start walking short distances in your house -- shower, use the stairs, and do simple tasks.
  
• If it hurts when you do something, stop doing that activity.
  

After the first week

If you have laparoscopic surgery, you should be able to do most of your regular activities in 2 - 4 weeks. It may take up to 12 weeks if you have open surgery.

Before this time, do NOT:

• Lift anything heavier than 10 - 15 pounds until your doctor tells you it is okay.
  
• Do any activity that involves pushing or pulling.
  
• Push yourself too hard -- slowly increase how much you exercise.
  
• Drive or use machinery if you are taking narcotic pain medicine. These medicines will make you drowsy. Driving and using machinery is not safe while you are taking them.
  

Do:

• Take short walks and go up and down stairs.
  
• Try getting up and moving around if you are having pain in your belly. It may help ease the pain.
  

Make sure your home is set up safely for your recovery.

See also:

• Preventing falls
  
• Bathroom safety - adults
  

Starting an exercise program

If your doctor says it is okay, you may start an exercise program 2 - 4 weeks after surgery.

You do not need to join a gym to exercise. If you have not exercised or been active in a long time, be sure to start off slowly to prevent injuries. Taking a 5- to 10-minute walk every day is a good start. Increase this amount until you are walking 15 minutes twice a day.

If they appeal to you, over time try joining a dance, swim, or low-impact aerobics class. You could also join a softball or bowling team, or even a mall-walking group. The social aspects of these groups can be rewarding and motivating.

A type of exercise called resistance training can help build up your muscles and also help you burn calories. Resistance training uses weights, weight machines, or resistance bands. Start with light weights, such as 2 - 5 pounds, and repeat each exercise up to 10 times.

The most important thing is that you do exercises that you enjoy so that you keep doing them.

Your doctor can suggest ideas or refer you to a physical therapist if you need help finding exercises you enjoy.

Build physical activity into your regular routine

Simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference over time.

• At work, try taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking down the hall to talk with a co-worker instead of sending an e-mail, or adding 10- to 20-minute walk during lunch.
  
• When you are running errands, try parking at the far end of the parking lot, or even down the street. Even better, try walking to the store.
  
• At home, try taking on common chores such as vacuuming, washing a car, gardening, raking leaves, or shoveling snow.
  
• If you ride the bus, get off the bus 1 stop before your usual stop and walk the rest of the way.
  

[gmanbat 5,889]

http://www.webmd.com...ht-loss-surgery

Blood clots to the lungs, called pulmonary emboli, occur less than 1% of the time. They are the most common cause of death after weight loss surgery. Blood clots can usually be prevented with blood thinning drugs and frequent activity.

http://www.caring.com/blogs/caring-currents/blood-clots-after-surgery

Here's a quick summary of the risk factors that make it more likely you or your family member could develop a dangerous blood clot during or after surgery:

• Age: Over 50

• Have varicose veins

• A smoker or former smoker

• Taking estrogen

• Have diabetes

• History of stroke

• History of heart attack

• History of cancer

( I had 5 out of 8 of these: over 50, diabetes, former smoker, varicose viens, history of cancer. I also took lupron which is nearly like taking estrogen)

Here are the preventive measures hospitals can take:

1) They can have the patient wear graded compression elastic stockings.

2) They can use an external pneumatic compression device starting soon after the patient is admitted. This is usually an inflatable cuff or bootie that's inflated and deflated to apply intermittent pressure.

3) Nurses and physical therapists can begin movement and rehabilitation the first day after surgery; outpatient movement and physical therapy can also continue for several months.

4) They can administer an anti-clotting drug, also called anticoagulant therapy. You take Heparin or another clotting drug intravenously the night before surgery; you can continue taking the clotting drug after discharge until the doctor says you're out of risk.

A number of big studies have shown that when hospitals use these four steps prior to and after surgery, they cut the rate of DVT and embolism way down. The bottom line: Fewer patients die during or after surgery. Yet studies also show that many hospitals still aren't routinely offering these treatments.

When you sit down with your doctor to discuss any type of surgery, go over the risk factors that could put you or a family member at risk for blood clots and ask that preventive measures be used to protect against DVT and pulmonary embolism.

This is a definite case when "better safe than sorry" should be our motto.

[gmanbat 5,889]

Sorry for the multiple posts, folks. I just felt that this subject needed to be addressed due to the high anxiety level about it. Anyone else feel free to post what you can find and make observations.

Not to minimise any of this but all operations carry the risk of blot clots, especially hip replacements and ones that make you sedentary after the operation.

[KatieOkieDokie 171]

This is a fear of mine too! I am going to have to try to find me some of those compression stockings.

[Super Echelon 5]

Sorry for the multiple posts' date=' folks. I just felt that this subject needed to be addressed due to the high anxiety level about it. Anyone else feel free to post what you can find and make observations.

Not to minimise any of this but all operations carry the risk of blot clots, especially hip replacements and ones that make you sedentary after the operation.[/quote']

No need to apologize, the information that u provided answered all of my questions. Thank u so much for your post. I am feeling confident in my procedure again.

[Super Echelon 5]

I freaked out about them too for a while. Especially this past week due to an event here on the forums. But...I wear my compression stockings' date=' and walk as much as possible. My Dr. gave me 2 weeks of blood thinner shots to take, and so far things have been good. As far as them detecting them, something there aren't any symptoms at all.[/quote']

I knew of the risk of a clot, just didn't really let that bother me until people started mentioning death w/someone who was said to be following the rules and it just freaked me out. Before that I was confident in my plan ti follow dr's orders to the t, in order to maximize my results.

[Super Echelon 5]

I've got a toddler at home with respitory issues so walking outside often probably isn't going to happen. But I do workout to my dvds often, will that suffice for my movement?

[No game 14,437]

You just have to get up and walk around.. The house even! A good rule of thumb is to make sure in your waking hours that you are up and moving about for 10 to 15 minutes per hour.

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

Gmanbat, I dont know if I missed it in you response or you did, but another type is a brain clot. Just buried a friend last Thursday who suffered a brain blood clot post varicose vein surgery.

The Worst Headache You’ve Ever Had

If your doctor hasn’t told you to expect a severe headache after your procedure, and you do not normally suffer from severe headaches, you should seek immediate medical attention. A severe headache can be caused by a blood clot traveling to the brain after surgery.

She was 49

[gmanbat 5,889]

Gmanbat, I dont know if I missed it in you response or you did, but another type is a brain clot. Just buried a friend last Thursday who suffered a brain blood clot post varicose vein surgery.

The Worst Headache You’ve Ever Had

If your doctor hasn’t told you to expect a severe headache after your procedure, and you do not normally suffer from severe headaches, you should seek immediate medical attention. A severe headache can be caused by a blood clot traveling to the brain after surgery.

She was 49

Good point!

It seems they didn't include that in the info I copied and pasted.

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

I've got a toddler at home with respitory issues so walking outside often probably isn't going to happen. But I do workout to my dvds often, will that suffice for my movement?

I agree with Laura. Just stay active and don't lie around. This is why I disagree with patient who need to travel and get wheelchairs at the airport. It's bad enough you sit on the plane for hours.. Sitting in a wheelchair at airport is counterproductive and possibly dangerous.

WALK WALK WALK!