Lovenox

beccabootiful

any moms to be doing daily shots of lovenox? Thought it might be nice to be able to support one another. I am currently doing 80mg 2xs daily. I have some bruising, but I just started, so I expect that to get worse. Give me a shout out if you're interested in supporting each other over the next several months.

jabuti

I thought I would have to do lovenox, but it turns out I'll be okay without it. But I know it's super important! For me anytime I did the shots, maybe this is TMI but if you do it in your butt cheek it's a lot less painful! I know those shots are really painful I'm sorry you have to do that! Do you have a lieden factor? Sometimes sitting on ice would help me after. I hope your bruises get better!

beccabootiful

Thanks for the butt suggestion!

jenbstevens

I was just put on it yesterday (picking up my prescription today) because I had blood clots in my lungs in college. I HATE doing it (I've done it several times, after the clots and before surgery) and think the bruising is going to give me the ugliest pregnant belly ever Definitely would love some support dealing with it!

RRC216

beccabootiful  What type of blood clotting disorder do you have? I have prothrombin gene mutation. My doctor told me as soon as I get pregnant again, shes putting me on a injectable anticoagulant. She thinks this is why I am having my mc's. I use to take HCG (diet) and did injections in my stomach. I use to ice for about a minute and then slowly inject. That helped with it not bruising. Hope that helps!

beccabootiful

@CicchettiFamily
I have two clotting disorders.  I have the prothrombin gene mutation, and factor V leiden.  I had one miscarriage that happened pretty early (about week 6-7), and I had a DVT in my left calf.  This was all before I knew about the clotting things.  My doctor told me that as soon as I got pregnant again I would be on the lovenox for the full pregnancy, and probably 6 weeks after delivery.  I also was on a baby aspirin throughout trying to get pregnant, and the first 6 weeks.  My doctor just took me off after our u/s on Friday (there's a little growing baby in there!!).
I wish you luck with conceiving again, though it doesn't seem that that is your issue.  Are you seeing a hematologist?  Might not be a bad idea to have one working in conjunction with your OB.  I also am seeing a high risk OB due to clots, age, and weight.  I am just a bag of problems!  But I feel great, and my doctor says everything looks great.  If I have to do 2 shots a day for the next 9 months, so be it.  If it means we will have our sweet baby at the end, well, it's all worth it.  Oh, and thanks for the ice tip!

@jenbstevens did you see the suggestion of doing the shots in your butt?  That might help with ugly pregnancy belly

jenbstevens

thanks! I will try that for sure.

jenbstevens

Does anyone else find that it gets harder to give yourself the shots after a few weeks? This is my 4th time having to be on it and every other time it was only for a few weeks, but this time it's for seven plus months...

 I really struggled to get the needle to go in last night, then this morning I asked my husband to give me the shot and he said the same thing.

On a positive note I found that rubbing the spot after the shot helps it to not bruise!

nik6499

If you are struggling to get the needle in you might not be rotating injection sites enough and you are building up a callous. Happens a lot especially with diabetics.

I wouldn't worry about the bruising to the belly it doesn't make your bump any less beautiful! You can go get a plaster cast of your bump made to showcase its perfection

Bobbiel06

I am once a day here! No known clotting disorder but has a pe 3 years ago with no cause. So have been put on thinners for life. Found out we are expecting and was switched. Glad to know there are others out there lol.

amandaluv5

I have to do the shots everyday I look like a bruised banana

jenbstevens

amandaluv5 said:

I have to do the shots everyday I look like a bruised banana

Try rubbing the spot! Just a few seconds of rubbing and I am bruise free!

APSnewmex

I'm on 100mg twice a day--was on only once a day while we were TTC.  I have Antiphospholipid Syndrome, which is also called 'sticky blood.'  Basically just means I have clotting factors.  I'm on warfarin for life, when I'm not pregnant that is.  If I remember correctly from my first pregnancy, I think I also tested positive for MTHFR.
PP was definitely right about building up scar tissue.  You have to rotate your sites.  Besides belly and booty, you can also do shots in the thigh (if you're chubby like me) or back of the arm (again, helps to have some chub).  My doc has also said icing the spot before the shot can minimize bruising and scarring.  From my experience, the amount of bruising and scarring seemed to fluctuate without much rhyme or reason.  Some weeks it seemed I bruised worse on the right, others the left...etc.
There is a High Risk board where a lot of mommies with blood disorders also post, if you're looking for more support.

jenbstevens

Thank you for your responses. I do not have a clotting disorder that I know of (I was tested years ago) but I had a blood clot in my lungs in college while on birth control so the doctors have me on it to be safe.

The thought of doing it in my arm or leg is terrifying (and I've got some chub lol), I honestly just can't stand doing it and I have nightmares about it all the time Sorry for being such a complainer.

ladymoon78

I use 80mg once daily. Have been doug it for months in preparation to get pregnant I didn't want the Coumadin in my system and didn't want to take chances with the different windows depending on which study you read.

I find it hurts very little to none if you inject in fattier areas of you belly and also go very slowly when injecting liquid. I still occasionally get bruising but not much as I have found the "better" spots to inject and alternate sides each day.

BostonBaby1

Sorry to revive this post, but as I may be starting Lovenox soon, I was wondering if anybody had extra knowledge that they might not have added since this post was up? Where are your favorite sites to inject? How long should I be icing for ahead of time? Etc.

Would greatly appreciate any advice.

Brookerose978

@BostonBaby1 I am sorry you may have to start lovenox, not that fun but you get used to it. Anyway have been on lovenox and/or Heparin for all my pregnancies and my advice is #1 definitely find a nice fatty area like pp's said to inject #2 make sure you take the time to get the air bubbles out the best you can (I have found they cause me extra unnecessary pain and the bubble under your skin can lump and stay there making it a bad place to inject again) #3 make sure to insert the sharp side first and kinda at an angle (makes for a much smoother poke). #4 I don't ice but I have heard just a few minutes before can help numb the area and minimize bruising That's all I can think of right now, hope it helps. *I tried to space this out but the dang text box won't let me :-?

BostonBaby1

Brookerose978 said:

@BostonBaby1 I am sorry you may have to start lovenox, not that fun but you get used to it. Anyway have been on lovenox and/or Heparin for all my pregnancies and my advice is #1 definitely find a nice fatty area like pp's said to inject #2 make sure you take the time to get the air bubbles out the best you can (I have found they cause me extra unnecessary pain and the bubble under your skin can lump and stay there making it a bad place to inject again) #3 make sure to insert the sharp side first and kinda at an angle (makes for a much smoother poke). #4 I don't ice but I have heard just a few minutes before can help numb the area and minimize bruising That's all I can think of right now, hope it helps. *I tried to space this out but the dang text box won't let me :-?

Thank you so much!!! I am hoping to be able to rotate spots so hopefully I won't get calluses like PPs have mentioned. Thank you so much for the advice!

Brookerose978

@BostonBaby1 your welcome! Yes definitely rotate spots

jutondreau

@BostonBaby1, I was on it last pregnancy through the first trimester and this one will be the entire time...so far it has gotten better as time has progressed with the bruising. If you ask any HCP, they will tell you preferred locations of injection are the abdomen and the back of the arm (depending on your weight). It is a subcutaneous injection so it could also be done in the flanks and thighs, but NOT the butt. I've included a diagram for appropriate placement. (I'm a nurse practitioner and I'm a little surprised the PP's haven't had their providers tell them the butt is NOT an appropriate location...you won't get the absorption). I've only done them in my abdomen and never ice, but rotate around the belly button. At 19+3, I'm handling it better than I thought now that I know I'll be on it until late third trimester when we start heparin through delivery. I also take baby aspirin daily. Likely will start 17P too soon if cervix continues to thin out....so although it sounds like a lot, it is worth it in the end once you get your rainbow baby! I know you had a few losses earlier this year and hope that we will hear some joyful news from you soon!! Hang in there mama and let us know if you have any more questions about the injections!

ETA: I have had 6 pregnancies including this one and was only placed on blood thinners after my third mc...had a mc after my son and had not yet gotten on thinners d/t a scheduling delay in getting into OB.

keiragann

I appreciate this post as I have Factor V Leiden and will be on Lovenox injections after birth due to a family history of PE's post delivery.

mowelt

keiragann said:

I appreciate this post as I have Factor V Leiden and will be on Lovenox injections after birth due to a family history of PE's post delivery.

Same here.  I know I will be looking back up this post after delivery!

BostonBaby1

jutondreau said:

@BostonBaby1, I was on it last pregnancy through the first trimester and this one will be the entire time...so far it has gotten better as time has progressed with the bruising. If you ask any HCP, they will tell you preferred locations of injection are the abdomen and the back of the arm (depending on your weight). It is a subcutaneous injection so it could also be done in the flanks and thighs, but NOT the butt. I've included a diagram for appropriate placement. (I'm a nurse practitioner and I'm a little surprised the PP's haven't had their providers tell them the butt is NOT an appropriate location...you won't get the absorption). I've only done them in my abdomen and never ice, but rotate around the belly button. At 19+3, I'm handling it better than I thought now that I know I'll be on it until late third trimester when we start heparin through delivery. I also take baby aspirin daily. Likely will start 17P too soon if cervix continues to thin out....so although it sounds like a lot, it is worth it in the end once you get your rainbow baby! I know you had a few losses earlier this year and hope that we will hear some joyful news from you soon!! Hang in there mama and let us know if you have any more questions about the injections!

ETA: I have had 6 pregnancies including this one and was only placed on blood thinners after my third mc...had a mc after my son and had not yet gotten on thinners d/t a scheduling delay in getting into OB.

That you so much!!! That diagram is so helpful! I'm so sorry about your losses & I'm sure that having this baby safely in your arms with you both healthy will be well worth it.

sableeg

@BostonBaby1 All of the injection site info is helpful. I use Lovenox every night due to Factor V and having a clot in college. I personally don't use ice at all. When the shot stings I will rub the injection site for a few seconds until the stinging subsides. I definitely rotate sites, as scar tissue builds up but so far I have only been injecting in the belly.

I think my best piece of advice is really to just power through. Sometimes the injection stings and hurts, sometimes you will barely feel it. I found after a few weeks of the nightly shot I would get an overwhelmed and hopeless feeling when it would hurt and my DH would have to remind me that it's all worth it for a healthy baby. After those mild temper tantrums in the beginning it is now just as routine as taking my prenatal (I'm 19+3 now). It's not the most fun experience in the world, but keeping a clear focus on the benefits of the shot helps.

Good luck with it! I'm always happy to share my Lovenox experience with others of you have other questions.

BostonBaby1

sableeg said:

@BostonBaby1 All of the injection site info is helpful. I use Lovenox every night due to Factor V and having a clot in college. I personally don't use ice at all. When the shot stings I will rub the injection site for a few seconds until the stinging subsides. I definitely rotate sites, as scar tissue builds up but so far I have only been injecting in the belly.

I think my best piece of advice is really to just power through. Sometimes the injection stings and hurts, sometimes you will barely feel it. I found after a few weeks of the nightly shot I would get an overwhelmed and hopeless feeling when it would hurt and my DH would have to remind me that it's all worth it for a healthy baby. After those mild temper tantrums in the beginning it is now just as routine as taking my prenatal (I'm 19+3 now). It's not the most fun experience in the world, but keeping a clear focus on the benefits of the shot helps.

Good luck with it! I'm always happy to share my Lovenox experience with others of you have other questions.

Thank you!!! I've gotten injections at home before so I'm feeling encouraged that the lovonox doesn't seem to be as bad as I was making it out in my mind.

MEMichelson

beccabootiful I've been doing daily injections since week 3 of pregnancy (I'm now 18.5 weeks). The best thing that I've done to help avoid a lot of bruising is making sure I pinch where I'm giving the injection the whole time until I remove the needle. I watched a few YouTube videos of people doing these and I tried pinching and not pinching - not pinching = bruises right away. Right now it's getting harder to pinch enough fat so I've moved to more of my sides and also lower stomach area. My husband is learning how to give these injections as well, because once I get too huge to pinch anything he will have to do it. My doctor said that you can use your thigh for injections too - I haven't tried that area yet. One thing to remember is move each day - do not give yourself injections in the same spot. You will start to build up scar tissue and the lovenox will not be very effective then. Sometimes it hurts and sometimes it doesn't, I make sure that the rubbing alcohol has evaporated all the way before sticking yourself - if it's a little wet in that area it burns more.  

Do you have FactorV? I have FV and had a PE when I was 25 that's when I found out we had this lovely disorder. I will be on daily injections until week 36 and then will be switch over to Heparin through delivery and then once home I'll be back on daily injections for 12 weeks and going in every so often for the first 6 months to monitor healing and making sure I don't throw a clot again. 

It's always nice to know that there are others out there going through the same thing, anything to start a family I keep telling myself, it's for the baby, it's to have a healthy baby. GL! 

zakia1985

I also take lovenox 40mg 1x a day. It ducks to have to take it being that I am afraid of needles. Has anyone read the side affects of taking lovenox while pregnant?

LeahMGA

I think the most helpful piece of information I read online was NOT to rub the injection site after you inject. It actually makes the bruising worse because of what's in the shot. I'm on lovanox because I had a blood clot prior to this pregnancy (a rare anatomic deformity caused compression in my pelvis and gave me the clot). I have a sticker chart for myself after I take shots (not the lovanox) but the P17. They hurt more than the lovanox, but the lovanox are harder to take because self-injection is a little freaky. Good luck all you ladies who have to take either shot!

BostonBaby1

LeahMGA said:

I think the most helpful piece of information I read online was NOT to rub the injection site after you inject. It actually makes the bruising worse because of what's in the shot. I'm on lovanox because I had a blood clot prior to this pregnancy (a rare anatomic deformity caused compression in my pelvis and gave me the clot). I have a sticker chart for myself after I take shots (not the lovanox) but the P17. They hurt more than the lovanox, but the lovanox are harder to take because self-injection is a little freaky. Good luck all you ladies who have to take either shot!

Ugh! My estate attorney's DIL was supposed to do her progesterone oil injections herself. Instead, she hired a nurse to do them. Is that what you're on too?

eclaire0986

No experience giving Lovenox to myself, but I have given COUNTLESS Lovenox shots to patients when I was working in the ICU as a nurse. Technically, you are supposed to give them in the stomach as there ususally is more fatty tissue there, and I always pinched the area I was injecting, held the syringe like a dart and inserted the needle into the skin as quickly as I could. Most of the time my patients would say they hardly felt it as I was giving the shot since I tried my best to do it as quickly as possible. The most common complaint was stinging afterwards. A PP said to get rid of the air bubble, but it is actually there to be injected so that you receive the entire dose of medication. Hopefully some of my tricks will help you if you end up having to inject yourself!

beccabootiful

Still doing my 2 shots a day, switching sides and spots on the stomach each time. Have a few knots that have gotten smaller. I usually push on them to break up the tissue. It doesn't hurt. Honestly, I don't take the time to ice. It's better for me to just get over it. @MEMichelson I have two genetic clothes I got disorders. Factor V and a prothrombin gene mutation. Fun fun! Baby is healthy and doing great, so I can't complain, though!

mowelt

Sorry for bringing this post back, I just found out today I have to start lovenox injections.  I wasn't supposed to start until after giving birth but I went to a high risk doctor today and he wants me to start now.  I have Factor V but no history of clots, my mom however has had countless clots and pulminary embolisms and hospitalized many times for this.  When the doctor today heard my family history he immediately said I need to be on lovenox now. I am a little frustrated that my primary ob didn't put me on it sooner, especially because the hemotologist I see said I need to be on it.  My primary ob told me that he doesn't deal with pregnancy and that I don't need to be on it.  Sorry for rambling I am just a little frustrated because I should have been on lovenox the whole time.  Luckily everything else looked good and the baby is healthy.  How is everybody's injections going?  I am a little bit nervous! 

spottedginger

mowelt said:

Sorry for bringing this post back, I just found out today I have to start lovenox injections.  I wasn't supposed to start until after giving birth but I went to a high risk doctor today and he wants me to start now.  I have Factor V but no history of clots, my mom however has had countless clots and pulminary embolisms and hospitalized many times for this.  When the doctor today heard my family history he immediately said I need to be on lovenox now. I am a little frustrated that my primary ob didn't put me on it sooner, especially because the hemotologist I see said I need to be on it.  My primary ob told me that he doesn't deal with pregnancy and that I don't need to be on it.  Sorry for rambling I am just a little frustrated because I should have been on lovenox the whole time.  Luckily everything else looked good and the baby is healthy.  How is everybody's injections going?  I am a little bit nervous! 

Don't be sorry! You used the search function to look up and post a question on a relevant topic! You=winning.

sableeg

I'm so sorry you have to start Lovenox injections! It definitely sounds like you should have been put on them from the beginning, so I can imagine I would be frustrated too. Thankfully all is healthy and well!

I was nervous in the beginning too and even threw a minor temper tantrum or two giving myself the injections, but now it's just habit. Keep powering through! Good luck!

mowelt

Thanks, my DH was beyond upset at the doctors because we believed since the beginning I should have been on it so when the high risk doctor couldn't believe that I wasn't my DH lost his cool. Luckily everything is good and nothing has happened!

Brookerose978

@mowelt Thats a bummer you have to start injections now, but sounds like a good idea. I don't blame your husband for being upset, it is a big deal. I'm glad you are doing well and nothing happened.

  I have factor II with no clots but a family history of dvt's and strokes and with my past miscarriages I have been on Lovenox/Heparin with all three of my pregnancies. I was on Lovenox in the beginning but because of insurance I decided just to switch early to Heparin, typically they switch you at the end of pregnancy because it has a shorter lifespan and in case you go into labor unexpectedly they can reverse the antiquagulation effects of the drug. 

I am so thankful that my doctor is taking my clotting disorder seriously as I have a friend with the same thing who suffered a pulmonary embolism during her pregnancy. Her doctor did not believe that her prothrombin mutation was anything to worry about since she had no problems with it before. Wrong. She's ok now, but it was a serious close call.

I feel like a human pin cushion occasionally but really it's no big deal! Once you get used to doing it it literally take a minute of your day. Goodluck with your injections and don't be nervous they are really not that bad:)

mowelt

Oh my goodness, so glad your doctor is taking yours seriously! It really is scary and seeing what my mom has gone through I want to make sure everything is done correctly! I will be switching to Heparin as well. Is one worse than the other?

Brookerose978

The worst part is that you have to do twice daily injections with Heparin as it only lasts 12 hours. But other than that, imo the burn/sting lasts and feels about the same.

Hanoveian84

Oh I remember how hard it can be. This is my second pregnancy on it, but I didn't start until 24 weeks last time and I began at 8 weeks this time (I'm now 27 weeks; I realize this is a December group and I'm due in October, but I was searching for Lovenox posts). I have APS. When I was new to Lovenox, I did great for a couple of weeks. Then suddenly it became overwhelming and I cried a few times. I eventually got used to it, and especially this next pregnancy it really doesn't bother me too much. My biggest complaint now is the bruising and occasional painful lumps that can happen, as opposed to the shots themselves. Hang in there; you may have some difficult days but it does get better!!

Hanoveian84

And by the way ladies, if this helps any of your fears, I went into very fast labor last time. I took my 12-hour heparin at 10pm (I was 37 weeks so I had just made the switch from Lovenox, and she was born before 5am with no complications at all). I'm not saying there are no risks to having it in your system, but if that would happen then it doesn't guarantee a problem! My Perinatologist even told me that they no longer do the switch to Heparin.

mowelt

So I am a week into my injections and at first they were easy as pie (for the most part).  Now they seem to be getting worse and my sides are sore the next day.  Currently I am sore on both of my sides to touch,when I bend or wearing clothes with waist bands in that area.  Is this normal??  I have been alternating areas like a tic-tac-toe board along my love handle/stomach area and don't have any bruising, just soreness. This is going to be a long 6 months!