Post-op blood thinners once D/C home

Have been told I may need anticoagulants once I'm home and have had my RNY. 

Would like feed- back from people who had this once discharge home. 

Told possibly lovenox injections daily  for prevention of blood clots. 

want to know dosage and cost over period recommended by surgeon.  

Simon

I had a prescription for Innohep (heparin) injections for 7 days after I got home. The dosage will depend on your weight. Mine were for 0.7ml and I purchased them at the hospital pharmacy on the day I was discharged. The cost was $176 and our drug plan didn't cover it. Did they not go over this at one of your appointments?

I was also prescribed Innohep (tinzaparin) which is a Low Molecular Weight Heparin (it's technically a "broken down" type of heparin, which is a injectable blood thinner). Dose is weight dependent, it's only injected once a day (same time of the day each day). Cost was around $200 for 7-8 days, if you have private coverage they will pay for it. Lovenox (enoxaparin) is also a Low Molecular Weight Heparin, with the very same properties as Innohep for the most part (weight based dosing, and cost should be comparable... but sometimes may require TWICE a day injections as opposed to once a day). 

They will teach you how to inject it at the hospital. It's a subcutaneous injection (into the fat tissue under skin), with minimal pain. 2-3 days after each injection, you may notice minimal bruising under the skin at the injection site, which is normal. 

As with any blood thinner, there is a chance of minor or major bleeds (as simple as nose bleeds, or as complicated of gastrointestinal bleeds)... however not that many people statistically experience this. 

Overall, if you decide to go ahead with RNY, receiving these blood thinners for the prescribed duration is critically important. Blood clots (medically referred to as "Deep Vein Thrombosis" [DVT] which can lead to Pulmonary Embolism [PE]) are common after major surgeries, and there is even risk of death associated with DVTs and PEs. Hence, why it's so important to be on the blood thinners to minimize that risk. 

Would be glad to answer any other questions you have about this.