Question:
Dr Aguirre, Ensenada Mexico.....blood clot question

I am curently waitng for insurance approval for RNY in Denver but my insurance will be excluding the surgery starting Jan 1 04. (read my year of bad luck with insurance on my profile lol) Anyway, if my insurance doesn't come through i have decided to self pay with Dr Aguirre in Mexico. Now i am terrified about getting blood clots. I've quit smoking already and i will be stopping my birth control before my surgery. But im terrified to the point that i'm affraid about sleeping after surgery. I know i want to get up and walk walk walk walk...but what about when i'm asleep?? My PCP told me i was in more danger of getting a blood clot being on birth control pills and smoking then i will from the surgery but i'm still terrified. I'm having panic attacks! So i guess i have a two part question. 1). Is there any way i can calm myself down about blood clots?? 2) For those of you that have had surgery with Dr Aguirre what does he do to prevent blood clots? After reading all your profiles and stuff that is the only thing that i didn't see mentioned in anyones comments about him. sorry for the essay question!! LOL I just can't get it out of my mind!    — Dinell H. (posted on November 13, 2003)

November 12, 2003
Dinell, I just want to let you know that I had the same fear. I have a usually high platelet count that increases my risk of blood clots and the day before surgery, Dr. Aguirre said my platelets were twice what they should be so he gave me IV blood thinners during and after my surgery. They also wrapped my legs with ACE bandages before surgery. If your really nervous, have your PCP prescribe you injections of Lovanox, a blood thinner. They are self injections that you do yourself before and after surgery, you'll just have to let Dr. A know. So, all in all, even though I had twice the platelet count of a normal person, I had a flight from San Diego to Baltimore, MD and then a 1 hour car ride in traffic, I had NO problems whatsoever. Hopefully this helps and Good Luck on your insurance approval!
   — SMG I.

November 13, 2003
Dinell, I had no problems with blood clots either. (Dr. Aguirre, Open RNY, May 2003. As mentioned previously, he wraps your legs in bandages. I didn't walk until the 2nd day but I was out of it the first day, completely. The good news is that the first day was definitely the worst day and once I was upright, I wanted to walk as much as possible, which I did all throughout the 2nd day and then was released at noon on the 3rd day. I love Dr. Aguirre and his staff. I highly recommend them. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me.
   — [Deactivated Member]

November 13, 2003
My surgery is next week. I have TED hose/compression stockings that I will be using instead of the bandgage wraps on my legs. My sister is coming with me and making sure I am up and walking. I had a sonar done on my legs and a cat scan on my lungs due to an unrelated issue which are clear. I have an appointment with my PCP tomorrow for another blood test. I quit smoking and have been blowing up balloons to exercise my lungs. I have excercises I can do while in the car and plane on the return trip. God willing, I'll be fine. So will you.
   — y0maria

November 13, 2003
Hi there, Ask the doctor about a Greenfield filter. It is a permanent filter that is placed in the main vein going from your legs (branches together) up to your lungs and heart. If stops any clots from getting past it and killing you. Also, Heparin can be administered after surgery to prevent clots. If your BMI is over 50, most doctors will want to place a Greenfield Filter at the clinic I am going to and it just stays in for life. Ask about whether this is prudent for you and your situation with your smoking and birth control pill history. I will be asking my surgeon to place one in me due to my extensive leg edema, which the water pills just don't get rid of completely. Hugs, Lorrie
   — Lorrie S.

November 16, 2003
I was afraid of blood clots and I was given the heparin shots before and after surgery and still developed blood clots in my right leg and ended up with bilateral pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in both lungs), now grant you I have a history of blood clots, I developed clots 7 months after my son was born in 94 and was on coumadin, I had been smoking and took birth contol pills, have stopped both. So back to my clots after surgery, as soon as I felt a twinge in my leg I knew and they put me on heparin drip which saved my life, then they put in a greenfield filter. So the moral of my story, if you have enough risk factors, talk to a vascular surgeon about getting a filter placed in. if you need to talk just email me. Lisa Hackenburg (postop 10-23-03 Dr. Williams) 331/299/140?
   — Lisa H.

November 16, 2003
I highly recommend having the Greenfield filter put in. My doctor wouldn't do my surgery until I had it put in because of past blood clot problems. It is a painless procedure. Go to keyword and put in Greenfield Filter and it will explain it very well. Good luck to all that has this clot problem.
   — kkubinski99