Question:
How long after surgery are we at risk for developing a blood clot?

   — Dani J. (posted on March 26, 2000)

March 26, 2000
What the doctor told me was that the first two weeks are the most critical. Each day that passes after surgery, there is less risk than the day before. After two weeks, the risk moves to 1 month after surgery, then two... I don't think there is any risk after three months. I concentrated on those first few weeks myself in being REALLY careful to move around so as not to get clots.
   — Shar /.

March 26, 2000
dani, it is the immobility that promotes clot formation in a post-op person. But even though a person is gotten out of bed by nursing staff-once discharged the person must continue to increase their mobilty at home to avoid future problems with clot formation. So to answer your question the first 24-48hrs is the most critical but clots have been reported 10 days to 2 weeks post-op, but ask yourself why? IMMOBILITY being the cause, related to a person going home and not following through as instructed with activity orders. I have been an R.N in critical care for 12yrs now and the biggest problen's post-op are 3 fold #1 bleeding-well theres a cause to the bleeding so that can be corrected right away-2nd is pnumonia, related to a deree of immobility and not deep breating post-op, it to can be avoide by getting out of bed and using the lil breathing machine they'll give ya at the hospital, #3 is possible clot formation, it to can be avoid by ?what? getting out of bed and moving.... now problems #2 and 3 you will have an increase in tolerance and ability to do as you use your pain meds...other complicaton like wound infections and such happen but are remote-i've listed the ones as i have experienced in my yrs at the bed side-while its a concern of all of ours, pls don't stress yourself to much -- have knowledge first hand on how to decrease if not eliminate these possble problems. hope i helped a lil..best of life........
   — TJ J.

March 26, 2000
I had blood clots and major embolisms 10 days post op. I was VERY active. up out of bed right away and continued to walk and move upon discharge and had those clapper things on my legs immedistely after surgery etc. None of that helped me avoid the problem and I had no history to give me a warning. Some doctors have told me since that many times clots form DURING surgery and you actually have them when you leave the operating room - with any major proceedure like this there is a risk of clots. If they are very small and resolve themselves on their own you may be fine but if not, they travel slowly through your blood stream and then you are in trouble unless you have a vena cava filter. Most docs don't insert those unless there is a previous history of difficulty. I have one now but I didn't then. It's a risk that is part of the surgical turf I think for many of us regardlwess of how careful or active we are.
   — Carol M.

June 2, 2001
When I asked, dr. informed me that risks were higher initially after surgery, but decreased with time. Stated at risk for 6 weeks. But did offer suggestion of taking: Vitamin E capsules (squeeze liquid out of capsule into drink/yogurt, etc. which acts as a blood thinner. Or fish oil capsules (but get a good quality, otherwise they will taste like fish!)
   — Jeanne P.

September 5, 2002
Guys - I'm not certain that there is not more to this than was once thought. I am 27, have had no history of blood clots, and I just got out of the hospital 3 months post op with a pulmonary embolism. One out of 10 people who have this die the second the clot hits, so it's nothing to play around with. I've noticed that some of the reasons offered here are that the person is sitting or in bedrest, or that the person is straight out of the surgery. It's been three months for me, and the reason I let it go for a couple of days was because I thought that it was a side stitch from running, which I was doing four to five times a week, so it's not lack of motion. One explanation (and a scary one) offered by a surgeon at my surgeon's practice was dehydration! Does anyone know of studies that have been done on this subject?
   — R J.