Lessening blood thinner injection pain

Just posted a new update on my blog, figure I'll cross post it here for any newbies just having surgery. I learned this trick from a group of ladies at my follow up appointment that just had surgery (ones a nurse!)

You can check out my blog entry here http://thickto.fit/2016/06/02/lessen-your-blood-thinner-pain /

Lessen your blood thinner pain! 

   One of the first things some bariatric patients learn to do is administer their own blood thinner injections. In my particular case I had to do one shot every day, which I chose to do in the morning getting ready for work.

   These shots cause a decent amount of bruising at the injection site because the medicine is thinning out the blood (just as its suppose to!). However, some of us (thats me!) didn't think to spread out the shots throughout their abdomen to lessen the bruising and pain of having a shot in say the exact same location multiple times!

   When looking at your tummy split it into quadrants. Each day use a new quadrant for your shot, but be sure to give yourself distance away from your incisions, and also I suggest staying in areas that have more of the "soft fat" to lessen any pain as well.

   Following this process your injections will be much less painful as time goes on, but you will have more little black and bruise marks around your abdomen. I personally would take the latter!

Man, I am so lucky that I didn't have to deal with blood thinners after surgery.  I got a couple shots in the hospital, but didn't have to deal with it when I went home.  Not that it would have been an issue, I was an insulin dependent diabetic before surgery and had gone through IVF in 2013 to have my youngest son.  I was a pro at poking myself with needles!

Not all WLS patients have to give themselves blood thinner injections.

That's awesome, some do. This is for those :)

My point was that you state 'One of the first things ALL bariatric patients...'. No, not all.

If you want to life coach, provide correct information:).

Whoops, thank you! I updated it :) Good catch

My nurse told me not to wipe the shot site after the injection and that would alleviate the bruising. I did all 10 days with not one bruise from the shots. Mine never hurt either, but I was a wimp and had my husband inject me :)

Glad to be done with it, but I had done HCG shots once in an attempt to lose weight, this was really no different...

Ya? I think I wiped my first one I did after a few seconds with the alcohol again, but the last couple times I've just let it ride. I havent been bruising too bad, maybe a pencil eraser size? I have all kinds of marks on my tummy now though lol

I did HCG too a while back, those I feel were simpler. I have no idea why! I guess the needle gauge must be different maybe? But theyre both small, and its not a terrible experience 

My doc mentioned something about starting B12 injections at my next appointment... I'm like, damn... you just like me having extra holes all over me, don't you?! 

Ya... my surgeons office was offering a nasal B12 mist, I think it was $20/mo but it came with a bunch of vitamins (its bariatric focused), but I dont know if I want those or different ones, so Im hesitant. At the same time.... I dont know if I want to be sticking myself with B12, either. 

The hospital gave me a shot and said I'm good for a month. When I did phentermine, they gave me B6 every week and B12 was an extra $5 if i wanted it (weekly)

Not sure how often we should need it?