Blood Thinner Question

Hi everyone!  I had my final meeting to sign my consent and ask Dr. Joyce any final questions today.  He said I will have to give myself shots for a week after of blood thinners.  I am a little nervous since I am a baby when it comes to needles.  Did any of you have to do this?  Is it easy to do? 

I had to do it for two weeks. It was very easy. The needle is very tiny and really doesn't hurt going in. The medicine may cause a sting as it spreads around and may cause a bruise, but the shot itself was nothing.

Connie 

Thanks Connie,  it really made me a little nervous.  I am sure they will tell me more on Monday when I have my 4 hour education class.  Thank you!  Thank you!   Thank you!

I had to do 2 weeks worth of shots of blood thinners also....didn't hurt at all!  And I was able to find a spot on my belly that was numb from the WLS  so I just hit that spot all the time.   I still have bruises from it.   Like Connie said the needles are so fine that it makes it easy to use. Pam

My surgery is Monday, and I too have to give myself shots, they are sitting right here on my table...YUCK.  I'm not looking forward to it.  But in my class they showed us the needle it did look small.  You're suppose to poke it in a bunch a fat.  But my doctor said NOT my stomach?  So I'm hoping to try for the thigh...they will teach me in the hospital I was told. I was told it would bruise around the area....just a FYI.... This is how I looked at it......If I didn't do it, I could die.....so I just look at it that my doctor is trying to be previative! My insurance covered most of it, but I know some insurances don't....that's what they said in class.  I had to pay 65.00. I even got a red sharps container for home...LOL Good Luck, Lynne

Hey Lynne! Best wishes for tomorrow. You have my number so call me if you need ANYTHING! What's the name of the injectable blood thinner that Doc. Cahill gave you?

Thank you for everything, can't wait to meet you one day. Lovenox Lynne

Big Baby on needles here  ...... I had to do the shots for one week following surgery,  and it is not too bad.  You might also want to have someone else learn to give the shot if you are not comfortable in doing it.  Do you have a neighbor who is a nurse?  The needle is really tiny and thin, I was told similar to insulin needles.  I also bruised, I looked worse from the injections than I did from the actualy operation.....PS when I was recently in the hospital each time they would take blood or move the iv I would sing a song..

I too will have to give myself the injections.  I have never taken blood thinners before, but I am a diabetic on insulin and give myself 3 injections a day.  I imagine the needles are pretty much the same size.  I really hate needles but I don't don't have any problems with the injections.  I always give them in my stomach and 9 times out of 10 don't feel them.  Hope that helps. Michelle

I found the shots easy to do.  The first time is a little scary but after that it's a breeze.  You barely feel anything.  And as Lynn said, it's to save your life in case of a blod clot so they are really important. The nurse that showed me in the hospital said just hold the syringe like you would hold a pencil, kind of at an angle, pinch up some skin (fat) and inject it.  I still have my red biohazard sharps thing sitting on my bathroom floor, where can you get rid of those things?