Compression Stockings? Blood Thinners?

Did you have compression stockings on your legs during or after surgery?

Were you on blood thinners pre/post surgery?

I asked because when I had my c-sections I made a plan with my doctor to help prevent post-surgical blood clots by using compression stockings after surgery and by having blood thinner injections for a couple of days.

Is this something that typically happens for WLS?

I had compression stockings (actual stockings hooked up to an air pump) on my legs during surgery and for the first 24 hours when I was in bed after surgery...I do have fluctuating edema (swelling and fluid buildup) in my legs, which is why this was done.

Some folks at St. Joes were just given compression stockings to put on.

Most folks are usually given injectable blood thinners which they have to administer themselves after surgery.  These may or may not be covered by your drug plan (if you have one) and this is part of the financial considerations usually gone over at the first information session.

I think almost everyone has (or gives themselves) Heparin shots to avoid blood clots.

Yep. Compression on your legs after surgery, and 10 days of shots (one per day) after surgery are standard (at St. Joe's).

Sorry - I need to ask
How did that go for u? I am not afraid of getting a needle anymore but the thought of giving them to myself scares me.....so if you wouldn't mind telling me your experience with them that would be great..

At HRRH while in the hospital I got 3 heparin shots daily and then I had to give myself 1 a day for 8 days.  It just goes into the fat in your stomach and it doesn't hurt - at least mine didn't.  but I have to say, I'm still bruising very easily and not all the bruises I had when I let the hospital are gone yet.

If you get the shots thru the outpatient pharmacy at St. Joe's, they come prefilled in a one use syringe that retracts safely once used.

As was stated earlier, it's injected into your fat so if you pinch a roll, you really don't feel the thin needle, ask a nurse to show you how before discharge.  The only thing I ran into was some bruising around the injection sites...

Sure.  I hate needles too so I hear ya!

They come in pre-filled syringes, which makes it easy.  It's very thin needle (like a hair) and you hardly feel it, though you will bruise (that'll go away after a while); you'd just pinch a roll on your lower belly near your bellybutton (about 2 inches away on either side), and hold the pinch so you can't feel the needle, then stick the needle in and push the plunger, then you let go.  It's almost painless, you can only really feel it if you try to - but even then it's not that bad.  The bruising happens from the thin blood, but goes away after a few days.  And you're done about 1 week after surgery, so phewf! :)

Great, thanks you guys..that eases my mind.

I got my surgery done in the states,; In Utica but we had to wear thiese booty things that kept blowing up i think....i can't totally remember because i had a hard time with the anaesthtic so was kind of out of it......

Because i had a blood clot in the past i had to be on Lovenox for 30 days....my hubby gave me the shots....