Question:
I am scheduled for surgery next wednesday and i was told the primary risk to worry

about is blood clots. What can I do to help prevent from getting these? Is there anything i can do now to help prevent this? thanks for everyone's support!    — Breana R. (posted on September 5, 2000)

September 5, 2000
Make sure when you're in the hospital that they put the stocking and "leg pumps" on you. I don't know exactly what they are called, but they pump air in and out and keep the circulation going. And walk, walk, walk while you're in the hospital. If you have a long ride home from the hospital, be sure your driver stops every half hour for you to stretch your legs. When you are home, be sure to walk, even if it's just inside your house.
   — Paula G.

September 5, 2000
Hi Breana, I asked my doctor about what would be done after surgery to keep me from having blood clots. He told me and after surgery I had Heparin shots for a few days which is routine if there is a risk of blood clots. I also had some TED hose (compression hose) and they put these plastic tubes on my legs that inflated and deflated to keep the blood circulating. Also, the sooner you get up and around, the less risk you have of blood clots. Hope this helps!
   — Laura P.

September 6, 2000
I work in a hospital as a patient care extender on the open heart surgery floor. The risk of blood clots is real but there are many things that can be done to prevent them, there many anticlotting drugs, there is a device call SCD's they are air filled plastic stockings the fill from the ankle then the calf then the thigh, this hleps to keep blood flowing in your legs. There are TED hose they are the tight white hose you may have seen people wear. Then comes the most important WALKING the less you feel like it the more important it is to do. If you do get any leg pain or cramps don't rub them call your nurse to check them. I a clot does develop there are effective treatments for them. Working where I do I have seen the ravages of wieght on people so don't let this fear stop you, talk to your doctor about it and tell him of your fears and ask him to traet you aggresively for clots, if he dismisses your fears get a new doctor. Your mental state will have a big impact on your recovery. Good Luck but make sure you are ready to go through with it before the start to cut.
   — MARK N.

September 9, 2000
The dreaded pulmonary embolus... I had a PE back in '96, when I was just 31 years old, and I asked my surgeon how he would handle a patient with a history of PE. It doesn't help one's fears when you read through the Memorial page on this site, but it is a reality that MUST be considered. If this helps, here is what the doctor told me: 1) He would put me on a low dose heparin drip prior to and after surgery, 2) I would be wearing compression boots (which really do make a difference) and 3) like it or not, I'll be on my feet before the day is out, as they WANT me to use the bathroom and walk around, to promote circulation. No catheters, no bedpans, no bedside commodes -- I'll walk to the bathroom. Another thing, and I don't know how much you weigh, but he said that patients over 400 lbs pose the greatest risk for surgeons and anesthesiologists, and I'm not quite that heavy. Age and overall health factors play a role, too. I know it is important to not just 'lay' once you get home, too -- MOVE! Whether it hurts or not, get up and walk every now and then. Do what you can to prevent blood clots, and be mindful of the symptoms: leg cramps, shortness of breath, leg pain, chest pain, dry cough that simply won't go away, lower extremity edema... OK, I'm not a doctor, but those were some of the symptoms I experienced when I had a PE in '96, and I'll be very conscious of any similar symptoms once I have surgery. Good luck!
   — Michelle F.