Lovenox injections

[turndown4what91 27]

My surgeon requires all his patients to have lovenox injections every day for the first week after surgery to help prevent blood clotting (along with walking for 5-10 mins every 2 hours) my question is.. does anyone else have this requirement aswell?? I am fine with shots and needles as long as I don't watch.. but these I will have to inject MYSELF. I'm kinda freaking out about it. Does anyone have any tips to make this easier? What did you do to overcome your fear of sticking a needle Into yourself?! Lol please helpppppp ????

[Daisee68 2,493]

I haven't had the surgery yet, so I don't know if my dr requires or not; however, my dad had to do this after his knee replacement. He was terrified but got used to it very quickly. Its not quite as bad as it sounds because it just goes under the skin, so you pinch skin on your abdomen and then insert the needle. It goes very quickly. Do you have someone else that can do it for you if you can't? I had to help with my dad's a few times and then he just had to figure it out.

[turndown4what91 27]

I haven't had the surgery yet, so I don't know if my dr requires or not; however, my dad had to do this after his knee replacement. He was terrified but got used to it very quickly. Its not quite as bad as it sounds because it just goes under the skin, so you pinch skin on your abdomen and then insert the needle. It goes very quickly. Do you have someone else that can do it for you if you can't? I had to help with my dad's a few times and then he just had to figure it out.

Thank you! That eases my mind a little bit. I'm not.so much worried about pain. I have a high pain tolerance and I am perfectly fine with needles as long as i dont look. It's just the whole idea of having to do it myself. I watched the nurse put an IV in my hand last week for the endoscopy and I fainted. So I don't know what I'm going to do lol. I do have my mom who could help me but honestly I think she would pass out before even I did if she had to help.

[Beautiful Mess 21]

You and I have the same concerns. I do not like needles and get lightheaded when blood is being drawn however I will be required to do 1 month of self administered blood thinner injections and after loosing my mom a few months ago due to a misdiagnosed blood clot, I WILL do this! I'm just gonna clench my teeth, close my eyes and make it happen everyday and you can do it to. Mind over matter!

Edited April 8, 2015 by Beautiful Mess

[turndown4what91 27]

You and I have the same concerns. I do not like needles and get lightheaded when blood is being drawn however I will be required to do 1 month of self administered blood thinner injections and after loosing my mom a few months ago due to a misdiagnosed blood clot, I WILL do this! I'm just gonna clench my teeth, close my eyes and make it happen everyday and you can do it to. Mind over matter!

we can do it!!! I think if I stick it in real fast and don't look directly at the needle part I should be fine. .. I hope. Haha. I'll definitely share any tips or tricks that I discover only 1 more week!

[Hagengirl3 65]

I was so nervous about giving myself the injections. I ended up doing best when I was distracted. So I would wait until I was on phone, talking to someone and do it then. Sounds strange, but it worked for me.

[turndown4what91 27]

I was so nervous about giving myself the injections. I ended up doing best when I was distracted. So I would wait until I was on phone, talking to someone and do it then. Sounds strange, but it worked for me.

that actually sounds like a really good idea that might work for me. I'll try that! Thank you!

[turndown4what91 27]

Hi everyone. I'm 3 days post op now and let me just tell you, the injections are the least worry on my mind! Lol. They are super easy. I found that if I stab it in really fast and don't give myself time to work myself up over it that it goes perfectly smooth. Burns a bit once you pull the needle out and leaves some nasty bruises but that's it!

[CathyE805 1]

_{I will also need to do this. It is my understanding that it is very easy. If anyone is worried about pain, I was told to keep an ice pack next to you and as soon as you give yourself the shot, put the ice pack on the spot to keep the med from burning. Good luck to us all!}

[turndown4what91 27]

_{I will also need to do this. It is my understanding that it is very easy. If anyone is worried about pain, I was told to keep an ice pack next to you and as soon as you give yourself the shot, put the ice pack on the spot to keep the med from burning. Good luck to us all!}

yes honestly you don't even feel the needle going in because after surgery at least for me my stomach is so swoolen that it's feels almost numb. The only one I really felt was the one the nurse gave me right before surgery in the pre op room. It was stressed to me many times to not rub the area as any pressure on the injection site would cause bruising. And sure enough. So if you do the ice pack idea be careful as to not put too much pressure on it or move it around unless you don't mind big bark bruises. In that case slap that ice pack on there and call it a day! Haha

[MSWMike 22]

A friend of mine who had RXY told me about these injections. She compared it to giving yourself an insulin shot. She said after the first time or two it wasn't such a big deal. She gave me 2 pieces of advice for when I have to do this. 1- don't just jab yourself otherwise you'll get bruises 2- have an ice cube ready to go after you inject yourself to alleviate the pain.

[peteyrulz 82]

as a person who used to be scared sh#%less of needles, the self-administered shots are not nearly as bad as I imagined. I had injections for fertility treatments about 15 years ago. Easy peazy!

[Spinderella 9]

I just found out the other day that I need to do the Lovenox shots for 10 days once I'm home. That was not something I expected and I know it's for a very, very good reason...however, I know I'm not going to be able to administer them myself and my husband isn't not really wanting to do it, either.

If you don't have a support system at home to help you, what are your options? How would you get it done by a third-party (i.e. doctor's office)? I know my doctor wouldn't do it, so I'm not sure how that would go. Ack!

Plus, if one is on birth control pills (I take them for period flow regulation) again I just found out I'd have to stop those three weeks prior (besides the fact they told me just a little over 2 weeks before my surgery!!!) and if I do, I'll have all kinds of problems which could and will likely cause my anemia to go into overdrive which would be bad overall.

How long do you have to stop taking your birth control pills after surgery? What did you do and what other options are there for both the shots and the pills? My surgeon's assistant said that the doctor is lax about it overall and if it's something I need, he's willing to let that go...but I don't want to make things worse in the blood clot department.

Help!

[pammieanne 269]

I'm not sure if I have to do these shots, but I seem to have a vague recollection that I do have to. I once did the HCG shots and, after A LOT of whining, stressing, and freaking out, I got kind of used to sticking myself. They are tiny needles, so that helped too! I hope these shots are tiny as well!