Heparin Pregnancies? Anyone?

Oh sweetie I feel your pain. I have a blood clotting disorder that I normally take a coumadin pill for daily. When ttc or pregnant I have to switch over to shots. Be thankful they are allowing you to use heparin, although the shots leave bruises at least the medicine doesn't burn. I had to take Lovenox twice daily for 3 years. I have to tell you those shots feel like you are injecting draino...uggg, the pain would literally bring tears to my eyes. I had to do weekly sono's during my pregnancies. At one point I had a new tech that had never seen me before. She left the room and came back in with one of the doctors. The poor girl thought my hubby had been beating me because my stomach was so bruised. The doctor explained about the shots and that poor girl was so embarrassed. I told her to NEVER be embarrassed about doing her job and looking out for her patients. The next patient she comes across may be being abused. I didn't find any way to ease the bruising or the pain :( I'm hoping someone else on here has an idea to try. Good luck and God Bless!

@TwinMama - I'm surprised they allowed you to do the shots in your butt. Our team instructed us to only do the Lovenox/heparin shots in your belly. That is the area that is most effective and the only area approved/tested for use during pregnancy. Thank the Good Lord everything turned out ok. In total I took those shots for almost 5 years while ttc, with both my daughters and several miscarriages. I've endured close to 4000 shots to the tummy. Both of my girls were worth every minute of the pain :)

Have you tried icing the injection site after? Might ask the doc if this would be ok just to be on the safe side.

I haven't seen your belly but I'm going to say that ugly isn't how any of us mommies would describe it! It's a beautiful testament to your mommy love for your baby and the power of modern medicine to keep you and baby healthy!

Jodi~

I had to take heparin shots with both pregnancies as well. After 5 miscarriages my wonderful OB figured out I had a blood clotting disorder. I developed a clot with my daughter in the uterus and was hospitalized for a week and then bed rest for the entire pregnancy (this happened at 6 wks). Putting ice on the area before the injection helped tremendously. I primarily used my inner thighs for injections. Also rubbing the area (deep kneeding) helped as well. WIth my son I was put on heparin right away, never developed blood clots and didn't require bed rest.

I hate needles as well. I sometimes tease my kids about having taken so many shots for them :) My daughter was 4 when I was pregnant with my son and would help me with icing the area. She was sweet to "help take care of Mommie" and having her there, knowing it was all worth it, made a big difference.

Blessings to you and feel free to private message me if you need support or just want to talk.

L.

Uck yes I had a fall and broke myself when I was 4 months pregnant and wasnt able to walk for more than 3 months. I had to take Lovanox for allmost 4 months and I hated it. I looked the same way, like I had been beaten. My husband was a huge help, he gave me all my shots. I found it hurt less in my butt, and if he pinched the skin a little first. I would get on my knees before the shot than wiggle my butt right after which made it not so intense. I had the same issue as Theresa B., I had a false labor and when I got to triage, they called in all sorts of people & made my hubby leave the room. The nurse was sure he was beating me.

I took Lovenox & baby aspirin for 36wks of my last pregnancy (2nd baby). After 36wks it was just Heparin shots. I personally liked the Lovenox better - I didn't think it burned as bad, it was less volume, and once a day. I too looked like a warzone though in my belly and thighs. Whenever I'd do more than one shot in my thighs (even rotating), I usually ended up with nasty bruises (worse than my belly) and knots in my thighs, then I'd have to wait a couple weeks to use them again, but I mostly stuck with the belly. I agree with you about the stomach being less painful, I found that too. Then it just takes time for the bruising to go away, nothing can be done about that unfortunately. I did find that the slower I injected the better, I think for me it helped to control the pain to inject slowly rather than quickly. As a nurse that has helped me cause when I was still pregnant I had to teach a teenager about giving herself Lovenox and I told her what helped me and she did the same and agreed :) I only had to do this for my 2nd baby, I had an uneventful 1st pregnancy then 2 early miscarraiges till they found the cause and my last pregnancy filled with shots and extra monitoring of the baby. My 1st baby was born average size (7-7) at 41wks. This one was small (5-13) at 38wks. I don't know if it was the Lovenox/aspirin/heparin or my seizure meds (higher dose of one med and a small dose of an additional med than my first pregnancy), but we knew he was going to be small. Good luck! And I agree, it sucks, but it's worth it!