Heparin shots for newbies

I had Dr Stewart,

Mine were in the tummy,  much easier to handle !!

AS our hospital uses Lovenox all te time I was surprised They used heparin, but, if given by a GOOD giver, almost didn't feel it all...

Once had it in my arm,, burned like the dickens, different occasion though...like you NEVER again in arm!!!

Heparin was the only real reason I took my pain meds in the hospital.

Those Hep shots sting like a mofo.

mental note - when the nurse comes at me with the heparin needle... start pumping the morphine!!! STAT!!!! 

Blood thinners to reduce the risk of clots after surgery are recommended to be administered into fatty tissue.  Lovenox is the norm for bariatric patients and is usually given in the belly or in the lower back, into fatty areas.  If you can, have them inject it into an existing healed scar, because of the absence of nerves in that tissue, you won't feel it at all.  I think what the heparin in the IV person was referring to is the use of a small amount of heparin in a port that keeps a permanent IV port from clotting up.  Also, heparin is in the needles they use when you give blood, same reason. 

Thanks for this info - very good to know.  Like I said, it bothered me when I heard a friend of mine was being given the shots in the arm and I'd had them in my belly in the same hospital - I think people should know they have the right to say 'no, please put the shot in my belly so it doesn't hurt!'

I've given heparin IV many a time.   But I was a neuro nurse, so you can imagine there was a lot of blood "thinning" going on.

I'll bet that most everybody has heparin in the IV during surgery itself and then change to the low molecular weight heparin afterwards for varying amounts of time.

Dennie

My 1st nurse put it in my arm and it did hurt and burn. Then another nurse said that my thigh would not hurt as much. I did not hurt AT ALL.  3rd nurse asked if i wanted it in my arm and I said in my thighs. So the rest of the hospital stay it was in my thighs.

I take arixstra (very similar to Lovenox but only have to take it once a day) before and after anything this is invasive.  I use it when I have to bridge off coumadin so I am very experienced with this.  My instructions were to always do it in the belly.  I had a nurse give it to me in the thigh once and it took forever for the bruise to go away. 

I had Lovenox in the hospital and then for 10 days after I came home.  I have to admit the nurses always put the shots in my arm and I did not mind at all.  When we came home I continued to inject them in my arms.  They bruised like crazy, but other than that it was fine.

TTFN

Liz

You are the first person I have ever heard say that.  Ever.  Your pain tolerance must be through the roof!