Blood thinning injections or pills after in USA?

Bones, joints and muscles
21

ok, wow, I'll just st have to wait and see! thanks to everyone!

22

I'm in the US, and I had Lovenox injections everyday for 2 weeks after surgery, self-injected once I got home. Yes, everyone gets bruises, although I found that they didn't really hurt going in. I understand that the reason for preferring injections over oral blood thinners is that if you start to have uncontrolled bleeding, stopping the injections works faster to get the med out of your system than the oral medication.

23

Oh, that makes sense. Thx

24

Very interesting Fiona. I live in Ottawa and had injections to take. I will investigate for my next THR.

Thanks for the info (yet another example of the amazing variety of methods associated with this operation).

L

25

These really helped me at night - kept up circulation and helped reduce the cramping and tightening of muscles, etc.

We were meant to do them 5x in each direction, then rotate the ankles 5x in each direction.

L

26

Hi - I'm on uk and had a months worth of self injectfing tinzaparin and 6 weeks of wearing TED socks - brothers pleasant but better than a clot , Am sure if you let consultant / pre op nurse know of your needle phobia they can come up with Xmas alternative option such as tablets etc . All the best for your op xxxxx

27

Writes neithers pleasant not brothers sorry !

28

Wow what a diversity in replies.  I am in Alberta Canada and had 6 weeks of injections.  My poor stomach looked silly with the bruises.  Never had to wear special stockings.  It really does depend on who your doctor is.  Doing it at home was better because they woke me up at 3 a.m. To do it in the hospital.  It's not the worst thing to have to do.  Just a little something along the way.

29

Hi Debbie, yes I am in the USA, and I am so darn happy today was my last injection. I hate those things...

30

Hi

Over here in the uk - we don't have the blood thinning injections anymore nor do we give @cumaden" or warfarin as it's known here as it's far too harsh . Now post surgery we are given a new type of anticoagulant called "dabigatren" which works on the clotting pathway in the body differently. I had to take 220mg every day for 28 days post surgey. Had no probs at all with it no excessive bruising or bleeding or any side effects whatsoever. It's a fab drug - but also more expensive than the standard anticoagulants. Perhaps ask your surgeon about it - it's defo the drug of choice here x

31

Hi Gilly - we do have injections in UK - I had to self inject for 28 days , and its fairly common - its just down to Consultant preference I think . You can get localised bruising at the site of injections , anticoagulant tablets wouldnt cause that but cant be given to everyone and  blood clotting levels should be monitored. There are a number of NOACS ( new anti coagulants) that are gaining in popularity but I think injections are often used as they and their effects cab be terminated very quickly if need be , wheteas tablet treatment may require administration of an antidote. I agree re warfarin , as far as I know its not ysed for post op purposes here , in fact if you are on it anyway its stopped for a week pre op then you have dabigatran or injections for a month post op before restarting it. 

32

I'm in the UK and am going in for my op on Saturday and have already been told I will have to inject myself every day for a month .  As you all say it varies from doctor to doctor.  

33

hi debbi,  

wow - see, so many different approaches -

I live in Holland and had 2 THR surgeries - both times I had to self inject blood thinning stuff for 6 weeks - still feel bruised on the inside of ample belly ...

I asked my surgeon if I could get tables and he said no .... 

I think I agree with the preference of the surgeon, no matter where you live - 

looking back it was not that bad, but I would be lying if I told you it was "nothing"-

let's say it is doable and one feels victorious afterwards ...

big warm hug

renee

34

I think in the UK it comes down to cost, it is cheaper for the NHS to give people the injections however you do have a choice. I refused the needles and they had to give me the tablets. Now I know there is an alternative I request them at every pre-op appointment.

35

hi Bini - i know we still have the injections, and its mainly to cost, but the new NICE guidelines suggest the use of the noacs (dagigatran), but it depends on heath of the patients - the new noacs work on different clotting cascades in the liver, and do not require regualar INR testing like warfarin, however the noacs are not reversible and there isnt an antidote for them, so this has to be taken into consideration. I had the dabigatran, and had no problems whatsoever. Its a good thing that i automatically got offered them as there is no way i would have injected myself haha x

36

Hi Debbie,

I'm in France so a bit different here. A nurse comes to the house and gives the blood thinning injection twice a day, at least 8 hours apart, for 2 weeks. Our an opt to have them in the stomach or thigh. I had one in the thigh once and found it extremely

painful, so now go for the stomach option. True out do get little bruises appear,but they soon go. I don't think I would like to self inject though!

37

interesting Gwen ... twice a day ? I could not have done this - once a day for 6 weeks was hard enough ... 

at first I had a home health nurse come to give me the injection - I was her last patient on her route - then I felt silly  and did it myself eek

- 

 

38

Hello Renee,

I usually take a pill form anticoagulant called Previscan but had to stop this so many days before the op (to reduce the possibility of haemorrhage) and then I was given the Lovenox injections and after that weaned back onto Previscan.

Maybe they had to act faster than usual because my heart is not working properly, and there is a greater risk of clots forming.

Gwen xx

39

Thank you gillyb

40

it's so Interesting how different countries approach this surgery. Thanks so much