Question:
How long after surgery are we at risk for developing a blood clot?
— Dani J. (posted on March 26, 2000)
March 26, 2000
What the doctor told me was that the first two weeks are the most critical.
Each day that passes after surgery, there is less risk than the day
before. After two weeks, the risk moves to 1 month after surgery, then
two... I don't think there is any risk after three months. I concentrated
on those first few weeks myself in being REALLY careful to move around so
as not to get clots.
— Shar /.
March 26, 2000
dani, it is the immobility that promotes clot formation in a post-op
person. But even though a person is gotten out of bed by nursing staff-once
discharged the person must continue to increase their mobilty at home to
avoid future problems with clot formation. So to answer your question the
first 24-48hrs is the most critical but clots have been reported 10 days to
2 weeks post-op, but ask yourself why? IMMOBILITY being the cause,
related to a person going home and not following through as instructed with
activity orders. I have been an R.N in critical care for 12yrs now and the
biggest problen's post-op are 3 fold #1 bleeding-well theres a cause to the
bleeding so that can be corrected right away-2nd is pnumonia, related to a
deree of immobility and not deep breating post-op, it to can be avoide by
getting out of bed and using the lil breathing machine they'll give ya at
the hospital, #3 is possible clot formation, it to can be avoid by ?what?
getting out of bed and moving.... now problems #2 and 3 you will have an
increase in tolerance and ability to do as you use your pain meds...other
complicaton like wound infections and such happen but are remote-i've
listed the ones as i have experienced in my yrs at the bed side-while its a
concern of all of ours, pls don't stress yourself to much -- have knowledge
first hand on how to decrease if not eliminate these possble problems.
hope i helped a lil..best of life........
— TJ J.
March 26, 2000
I had blood clots and major embolisms 10 days post op. I was VERY active.
up out of bed right away and continued to walk and move upon discharge and
had those clapper things on my legs immedistely after surgery etc. None of
that helped me avoid the problem and I had no history to give me a warning.
Some doctors have told me since that many times clots form DURING surgery
and you actually have them when you leave the operating room - with any
major proceedure like this there is a risk of clots. If they are very
small and resolve themselves on their own you may be fine but if not, they
travel slowly through your blood stream and then you are in trouble unless
you have a vena cava filter. Most docs don't insert those unless there is
a previous history of difficulty. I have one now but I didn't then. It's
a risk that is part of the surgical turf I think for many of us regardlwess
of how careful or active we are.
— Carol M.
June 2, 2001
When I asked, dr. informed me that risks were higher initially after
surgery, but decreased with time. Stated at risk for 6 weeks. But did
offer suggestion of taking:
Vitamin E capsules (squeeze liquid out of capsule into drink/yogurt, etc.
which acts as a blood thinner. Or fish oil capsules (but get a good
quality, otherwise they will taste like fish!)
— Jeanne P.
September 5, 2002
Guys - I'm not certain that there is not more to this than was once
thought. I am 27, have had no history of blood clots, and I just got out
of the hospital 3 months post op with a pulmonary embolism. One out of 10
people who have this die the second the clot hits, so it's nothing to play
around with. I've noticed that some of the reasons offered here are that
the person is sitting or in bedrest, or that the person is straight out of
the surgery. It's been three months for me, and the reason I let it go for
a couple of days was because I thought that it was a side stitch from
running, which I was doing four to five times a week, so it's not lack of
motion. One explanation (and a scary one) offered by a surgeon at my
surgeon's practice was dehydration! Does anyone know of studies that have
been done on this subject?
— R J.
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