Anyone put on Lovenox, anticoagulant, before TE surgery?

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macb04
macb04 Member Posts: 1,433
edited March 2015 in Breast Reconstruction

Help from anyone who has answers about this. I am going for TE surgery on April 9th. Saw my PS a couple wks ago for the preop visit. I thought we discussed everything important then. Just a few days ago I got this email from the PS saying he did a risk assessment for me and he thinks I should get an anticoagulant shot the day of surgery at the minimum and then every day thereafter for two weeks following the surgery. Now I have ZERO personal hx of blood clots. I have Zero family hx of blood clots.I have had 11 procedures in the past 2 and a half years of nightmare, 5 were fat grafting, and 6 were actual cut you up surgeries that ranged from quick 15 minute things to 2 hour long ordeals. In none of these surgeries with other doctors was it mentioned that I could have a risk for blood clots, nor was I given anticoagulants, unless they gave it without telling me.

He sites my age, 49, and my weight, 160lbs, and that I had bc and that the TE surgery will likely last more than 45 minutes as the reasons to have this anticoagulant shot Lovenox. I wrote him back that it scares me about the risks for bleeding. I told him in my return email that I had only seen risks in studies where people were getting knee or hip replacement or abdominal surgery.I was unable to find much about TE/Implant surgery for breast reconstruction except for a few articles, one from MD Anderson Cancer Center that said the risks of blood clots was low, about 3 percent for most women. In abd surgery, or knee replacement, the blood clot risk is higher, closer to 10 percent. My mother had an Angiogram and almost bled out, admittedly she was using a lot of aspirin at the time, but still. When I went in 2 weeks postpartum to have an IUD inserted my OB scratched my cervix somehow and I remember her saying, "I didn't know you were a bleeder". Not only was I not on aspirin or anything that might have increased my bleeding risk, on the contrary, I have heard that women have a slightly increased of clotting for a while after giving birth.

I am more afraid of bleeding problems than I am of blood clots especially since I have had those 6 surgeries without a problem even without anticoagulants. The mx, first surgery took 2plus hours,had positive diag of bc which is supposed to increase coagulation, AND I was 23 lbs heavier than I am now. NO ONE mentioned putting me on anticoagulants then, when assumedly my risk was higher except for my age.

I am active, walk 30 to 60 minutes up and down hills with my dog 5 plus days per week and I have never smoked.

Anyone one else put on anticoagulant just for surgery?


Comments

  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited March 2015

    Hi Mac. Sorry you haven't gotten any responses. I don't know if anything I have to say will help, but I'll give you my experience with a blood thinner as a reference. I did have a blood clot (not surgery related) years ago and have been on daily Fragmin shots ever since. Since then, I've had two surgeries and was instructed to STOP the shot 24 hours prior to surgery and that they would give it to me in hospital following surgery, so the fact that they want to GIVE it to you before would raise some questions for me. I can tell you that I was told that the longer we have cancer and are treated for it, the higher the risk of developing a blood clot. I remember being told, in my situation, it was not a matter of if I would develop a clot, but when. Also, I'm not sure that Fragmin and Lovenox are the same so maybe none of this would apply anyway. Just thought I'd put it out there in case it sparks some answers, or gives you more questions to ask to feel better about your doctors recommendation. Good luck with your surgery!

  • Tamiami
    Tamiami Member Posts: 396
    edited March 2015

    Hi. I am 8 weeks post op from a Gap flap reconstruction. This was my 4th breast cancer related surgery and the first time I was given Lovenox injections. I had them in the hospital after my mastectomy, but after this surgery I had to give myself the injections for 6 days after my 5 day stay, and then again 3 weeks later for the 2 day car ride home. I also took a 1.5 hour flight at 6 weeks post op and had to inject for each leg of that trip as well. Like you, I have no risk factors for blood clots, but I wonder if the risk increases with each procedure? I had no complications with the Lovenox, and would rather be safe than sorry. There were also no restrictions for me just because I was taking Lovenox. Good luck!


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