Anticoagulant injections(lovenox) anyone else?

[dolly5x3]

I was prescribed lovenox injections by my ob and give them to myself once a day. I was told towards the end of my pregnancy I will be switched to a different injection(forgot the name) which doesn’t stay in my system as long. That way once I feel like I’m going into labor I can stop the injection to lower my risk of hemorrhaging. But what if I don’t know I’m going into labor long enough before? I’m worried about complications if I bleed too much. My doctor mentioned me possibly being induced so I’ll know exactly when I’ll be giving birth. I’ve heard how some people are in labor for a very long time when being induced. So I’m not sure what to do. Is anyone else taking anticoagulant injections? What is you plan? Or has anyone taken them in a past pregnancy? Did you have any complications labor? I’ve been panicking a lot thinking about it.

 

[MissMarpleFan]

I am on lovenox. We will be switched to Heparin later in our pregnancies. This is pretty much the same medicine but you dose it twice a day because it doesn't stay in your system as long.

They are planning to induce me at 39 weeks so I can be told when to take my last dose of Heparin in time to get the epidural we are very much planning on.

If I were to feel like I was going into labor on my own, I would possibly decide to skip a dose. Of course, I would call my doctor's emergency number to check with what I should do.

This is my first baby.

 

[LadyLovenox]

Was on lovenox (switched to heparin also at my 36th week) with both my babies. Water broke at home w both, one on my due date, one three weeks early . No problems w either delivery and I even had C-section w both. Good luck!!

 

[WhisperGirl]

You'll be fine, you just miss your dose when you feel you're going into labour. The chances of you getting a DVT or whatever are very slim, and for the time of labour stopping far outweighs any benefits in taking it.

 

[MissMarpleFan]

So I'm supposed to switch to Heparin now that I'm 36 weeks.

Unlike the lovenox injections which came pre-measured, I've been sent a box of syringes, bottles of liquid heparin, and a bunch of separate needles.

I think I know what to do to measure out the heparin, but the needles are what are confusing me. There are already needles attached to the syringes, and based on the labels on each, the separate needles they sent me are the same size as the syringe needles.

I watched a few youtube videos on heparin injections, and in one (filmed in Asia somewhere for nurses), they mention changing the needle because they are using a bigger one to withdraw the medicine from the bottle. I can't think of any reason I would want to switch the needle with one the same size after withdrawing the medicine, it just seems like a possible chance to contaminate things.

Any thoughts on this from the experienced Heparin moms? Did the pharmacy make a mistake? I already talked to the mail-order pharmacist before I received the product, and she wasn't all that helpful.

I've decided to start tomorrow morning instead of today in case the first injection goes poorly, as I have an afternoon doctor's appointment to seek help at.

 

[MissMarpleFan]

To help any in the future with the same question, I’m updating this thread again.

I figured out why I got extra needles - even the act of using the syringe needle once to pierce the top of the heparin bottle dulls it significantly. It really hurt to try to to use the same needle for my injection!

 

[blessedmomma]

Oh I'm glad you found out!! My progesterone shots are the same. They specifically told me to switch it out because of how dull it makes the needle.