# Lovenox injections anyone?



## Girlnextdoor

I just did my first Lovenox injection tonight. I cannot believe I agreed to take this for my entire pregnancy! I know it will all be worth it and everything, but I just can't believe I'm going to have to do this a couple hundred times. Ugh.


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## MRS_HJO

Sorry! It will all be worth it in the end. My SIL had two beautiful little girls and took it the whole time as well. The baby I am holding in my FB picture is a lovenox baby!


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## TTC Again

I just got my Lovenox today and have yet to use it. I'm scared to give myself an injection, but excited to think it might help me hold on to this one! Does it hurt? I've read that the injection can burn a bit. ugh!

congrats on your pregnancy and good luck!!!


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## Girlnextdoor

Putting the needle in is not bad, but the medicine stings after you put it in! Inject it slowly is what I read to minimize the stinging and ice afterwards. I found a video on YouTube with a lady showing how she injects to minimize bruising. If you look for Lovenox on YouTube you will see it. 

I still ended up with a small bruise and it feels like a little lump under the skin. I am hoping I will get better with practice. I injected in my thigh (nurse said it was ok) as I was a little freaked about doing it in the stomach. I might try the stomach next. 

I think the most important thing is to just stick it in right away. Don't let yourself sit there and think about it or you will end up there for an hour. Just get the skin ready, pull out the needle and go for it.

How far along are you?

Heather, thanks for the support. I know it will all be worth it, but when I was staring that the huge box of needles and thinking about how long I have to do this I kinda started wondering if I even want more children :haha:


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## TTC Again

Thanks for the great suggestions. I'll try to be quick about it tonight. I could totally see myself sitting there on the bed, shot in hand, waivering over when and how to do it and losing my nerve. Gotta just go for it I guess!

I'm very early on - only 3w3d today (got my BFP this morning at 10 DPO).


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## Girlnextdoor

Congrats! You're just a couple days behind me! Are you taking anything else? I'm taking extra folic, baby aspirin and progesterone suppositories. Which blood clotting disorder do you have. FX that this is it for you :hugs:


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## TTC Again

I did it!!! I was so scared but DH stood there with me and I just went for it. It did burn a bit afterwards, but I am hoping it will get easier in time and with practice. It is just so strange to give yourself and injection. I have Prothrombin gene mutation discovered after my last miscarriage. I dont even know what that means...except that I need to do these injections daily during pregnancy. With my son I was fine and had no complications, so the whole thing seems weird to me, but whatever.

I'm also using daily progesterone gel. Started that this morning.

Good luck for a happy and healthy 9 months to you, too!


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## Girlnextdoor

Good job! I'm glad you just went for it. My second one was much better than the first. If you lay there and don't move for about ten minutes after the shot it doesn't burn much at all. 

I also have a son and I also had no problems with my pregnancy with him. I guess we got very lucky!


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## TTC Again

Seriously, that's how I feel...like the stars must have aligned for us when we got so lucky to have an easy and smooth pregnancy with our son. This time around is a struggle, but all so worth it! 

Are you doing the injections in the exact same spot each day (so you only have 1 spot on your belly) or moving it around to let the spot heel better? I planned on trying to use the same spot over and over, but DH thought that might now be the best idea. I will ask my RE if it maters at all tomorrow. The spot looks a little like a beauty mark to anyone who didn't know, but I'd much rather have just 1 spot than marks all over my belly if I can help it.


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## Girlnextdoor

I am moving around in different spots. I haven't done any in the belly yet. My RE said I coukd do the side of my thigh or belly and I've only done it in my thigh. I feel a little nervous to do it in the belly for some reason, but I plan to try it soon. So far I have done 3 injections. The first one left a bruise about the size of a nickel. The other two no bruising! I'm happy about that. It does feel like it is a little easier each time. 

Honestly, I have read many stories of women with clotting disorders having 3rd trimester losses. Knowing how awful it was to have a miscarriage, I cannot even imagine that. That is what I think about each time I give myself the shot. I'm preventing the clots and keeping my baby safe. 

It still sucks though :haha:


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## petitpas

Hi ladies, I've been shooting up for over a year now (and the year before when I had my clots). Really, you will get used to it very quickly and will be showing off your brave (mainly painless but onlookers don't know that) bruises. As you've mentioned before, the key is to inject as slowly as possible. Then the liquid doesn't burn. Also try to hold your pinch all the way through and until the needle is back out again.
As for where to inject, I'm using my belly. Years ago after a knee op I used my leg but realised pretty quickly that it didn't look good in a swim suit :haha: I've got a tankini for this summer and that hides the bruises or dots very nicely.

Ttc again, I think you shouldn't use the same spot again and again. You can get knots and big bruises and will want to give the area a chance to heal. 

Don't worry, you won't always bruise. I was looking at my tummy this morning thinking hey, I'm almost civilised looking again! Then today's shot gave me not only a dark purple bruise but also a knot! :grr:

Seriously, though, you do get used to it and like me you won't even have a problem taking your injection at a restaurant, concert, friends' houses... xxx


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## TTC Again

Thanks, girls. I asked at my RE this morning, and like you said, they said NOT to use the exact same injection site over and over. need to give it time to heal. so I will switch it up tonight. I don't have a big bruise (yet), so that's good. Tankinis for summer are the way to go! :)

It is getting easier and easier with each day's injection. Last night I didn't even hesitate...just did it. I barely noticed the sting/burn. We're all such tough chicks!


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## Girlnextdoor

Thanks, pepitas. I already do feel like it is much easier. You are right about the swimsuit. I think I'm going to have to switch to belly. In two weeks we are renting a lake house with another couple and this won't be a flattering look with a swimsuit on. :haha:


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## McStars

I'm happy you are getting the injections figured out! I seriously was the exact same way after my first injection. My dh did it for me because I was such a chicken. BUT he didn't pinch the skin, just shoved it in and pushed the plunger real quick. :shock: Yeah, I researched and watched the same youtube video and did it myself after that. I always did it in my tummy too. I am no expert about it though I only did it for a couple weeks. Don't freak out if you get a massive bruise here and there either or bleed a little bit. Sometimes you will hit a little vein or something which causes it but it's no big deal!


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## TTC Again

Thansk McStars. Ouch, sounds painful the way your DH did it! Best to do it yourself. LOL!


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## petitpas

All in at once? *shudder*


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## Mauser

I'm supposed to be on Lovenox for this pregnancy, too. Ugh. I haven't even picked up my prescription for it yet and I'm still arguing with my OB for it. I had to take it during my last pregnancy... I won't even go into it.

Have any of you had any complications with it? I swore I would never go on this crap again.:growlmad:


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## petitpas

Mauser, I am sorry to hear you didn't get on with the heparin during your last pregnancy. That must have been really poo! Was it more to do with the injection sites, i.e. bad bruising etc.? Or a reaction to the heparin itself? Or bleeding? I have heard that some people just don't get on with it or it doesn't work for them at all (i.e. they are resistant) :shrug:

Personally, apart from the obvious black marks on my belly, I haven't had any complications.

What is the reason you need to take heparin?


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## Mauser

petitpas said:


> Mauser, I am sorry to hear you didn't get on with the heparin during your last pregnancy. That must have been really poo! Was it more to do with the injection sites, i.e. bad bruising etc.? Or a reaction to the heparin itself? Or bleeding? I have heard that some people just don't get on with it or it doesn't work for them at all (i.e. they are resistant) :shrug:
> 
> Personally, apart from the obvious black marks on my belly, I haven't had any complications.
> 
> What is the reason you need to take heparin?

Back about 10 years ago, I had 3 rounds of blood clots in my lungs. I think it was because I was 30, was on the pill, and just started smoking.

However, they did a bunch of tests and they couldn't find any clotting disorder. When I got pregnant back in 2008, they did yet another round of tests, and couldn't find anything, but insisted I do the Lovenox, since they feel that I might be sensitive to the estrogen from pills, and therefore might have more blood clots because of estrogen from the pregnancy (Even though I had 3 other children previously, with not one complication).


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## petitpas

Mauser, blood clots are no fun. You mention you had three rounds of clots? Wow! You're hardcore!

Think about the injections. It won't be for long, just a few months. Please don't wait too long until you start as the risk of developing clots is equally high in all three trimesters and I'm pretty sure you'd be put on lifelong anticoagulants if you have another clotting episode.

PS: My Mum had her DVT with her fourth pregnancy. It's not that uncommon apparently.


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## Mauser

petitpas said:


> Mauser, blood clots are no fun. You mention you had three rounds of clots? Wow! You're hardcore!
> 
> Think about the injections. It won't be for long, just a few months. Please don't wait too long until you start as the risk of developing clots is equally high in all three trimesters and I'm pretty sure you'd be put on lifelong anticoagulants if you have another clotting episode.
> 
> PS: My Mum had her DVT with her fourth pregnancy. It's not that uncommon apparently.

Thank you, I really do appreciate it, but I would rather be on lifelong coumadin then have to endure all the Hell I went thru during my last pregnancy. I will never, EVER get over the trauma and I honestly am having a panic attack here at work just thinking about it, with tears in my eyes.

Maybe it's a bit like Pavlov's dog salivating when he hears the bell, I just instantly link everything that happened to the Lovenox, so I'm trying to get over it, and read the stories here of "I had no complications whatsoever" hoping I was just a fluke.


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## petitpas

Oh you poor thing! :hugs:
You probably know as well as I do that coumadin is unsuitable for pregnancy :nope:
I wonder how unfractioned heparin works and whether that might be an alternative for you?

None of it is pleasant. I had nowhere near the experience you did, but I really did not like being on warfarin to the point where I switched to the shots instead.


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## Girlnextdoor

The injections are getting easier :thumbup: I started in my belly and so far it has been fine. I do still prefer the leg, but I stopped doing the leg because I need to wear a swimsuit next weekend.


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## TTC Again

Girlnextdoor said:


> The injections are getting easier :thumbup: I started in my belly and so far it has been fine. I do still prefer the leg, but I stopped doing the leg because I need to wear a swimsuit next weekend.

Glad to hear the injections in the belly are getting easier and going well. Once in a while it hurts me more than usual, but on average I hardly even mind the injections anymore. 

Funny but I am a idiot and JUST realized yesterday that if you press hard on the plunger after you finish the injection and pull the needle out that there is a protective casing that covers the needle. How did I miss that until now?


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