Injections for clotting disorders - any advice?

[babyfour]

Hi

I am about to embark on the fun of using heperin for blood thinning during pregnancy. I have never injected myself before and am wondering if the experienced amongst you would be able to give me advice to make it easier!

All I know at the moment is to change sides for injections each day, and not to rub the place where you inject afterwards.

But I am sure that there are other tips to help me avoid bruising myself etc.

So please any advice welcome

[chocogirl77]

Hi,

I'm 3 weeks into daily injections of heperin. For me it's gotten easier, but still burns a bit. I've found inserting the needle at an angle really helps, as well as pinching quite a bit of skin.

Hope that this helps and good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

[Pipsbump]

Hi Babyfour,

I've been injecting clexane for just over 2 weeks. I was getting DP to do it, but realised that I couldn't get him to do it every day for the next 9 months so started injecting myself.

It's actually easier doing it myself. I just rub my tummy with an antiseptic wipe before I inject then pinch a bit of skin and stick it in. Stings a bit but it will be worth it ...goodluck :)

[midori1999]

I injected twice daily for 6 months (after bilateral pulmonary emobli in a previous pregnancy) then had a gap for a few weeks whilst TTC before starting to inject again once daily, which I have now been doing for 21 weeks. I have yet to find any tips to make it hurt less or stop bruising tbh.

I tried my stomach and thighs when I was doing twice daily, but now just do my stomach at the moment. Once I am bigger I am not sure if I'll have to use my thighs again. I do it the same every time, but sometimes it just seems to bruise more than other and it seems almost like the skin is tougher in places as sometimes when I do it it seems to sort of push the skin in at first rather than piercing it immediately.

That said, it never hurts that much and it's really not that bad. I was very nervous of needles prior to this, but am fine now.

[clouiseg]

Hi all. On Clexane now for the second time. First was 6 months PN for emboli and this time round I was already injecting prior to a long haul flight to Jamaica when I found out I was expecting DC4 so it's been about 9 months so far.

For the first 6 months I injected abdominally. Now at 32 weeks the skin is so tight there's no chance!! I use the top 1/3 of my thighs as it's fairly soft tissue & work round to the side of my bum. I grab a real chunk of thigh and find if I squeeze very firmly to start it doesn't sting quite so much!

Also the liquid stings me more so I push it in very slowly and don't rush it.

And finally my consultant told me to inject into stretch marks if I have any as I hurts less...and it's true!!!

Never have I been so happy to have genetically poor skin tone!

[BagofHolly]

Been on it throughout 2 pregnancies. Here's my patented method:
Get an ice lolly.
Sit down.
Tuck ice lolly in the bit of skin at the bottom of your tummy which would touch your thighs if you leaned far forwards - above the hip and in a bit - this has the least nerve endings.
Wait for numbness.
Pop in needle - even easier if you use the spring loaded version.
Eat lolly.
Simples!

[JoJoH1]

I had to use Clexane twice a day from 3 weeks pregnant to 6 weeks after a couple of months from now you will be a dab hand.
I injected in my tummy as that was and still is the fleshy bit of my body :(
Different sides every time
Don't rub after
Get on with something straight after. I used to do it if i was in a rush to get out so that i would do it and not have to think about it.
Expect a few bruises at first but after that just one every now and then.
Focus on why your doing it - all worth it in the end!

[babyfour]

Thank you for your advice! It is encouraging to hear it is not too bad too

I will be starting on Friday..... eekkkk, exciting times ahead.

bagofholly - I love the lollipop idea!!!

clouiseg - good to know not to rush pushing the syringe. Also interesting about the stretchmarks,,,, will have to try that one as I have plenty to choose from

As you all say it is worth it in the end, if it works

[supergreenuk]

I had clexane for dd. My only tip is that You can inject into the flabby love handle part at the side when I was doing it either side of my belly button. I was worried about not being able to do it when I got bigger but doing it there meant I was fine until the end.

[justmee]

im on clexane and have been since week 4.4 im now 13 weeks i was having the doctor sergery do it walk in one different person eveyday and some of the woman actually left massivee bruises ı learnt who to avooid lol some of them even pushed on it afterwards and i got massivee bruises but know i got my dad to do them and he seems to leave none :S just an odd pink dot there is also mubing cream tht you can use 20 minutes before :D

[PinkFondantFancy]

I don't have much to add, except if you try it and hit a bit of tough skin or if it really stings when you're trying to put it in, don't persist but just try somewhere else. Sometimes it bruises, sometimes it doesn't - there doesn't seem to be a pattern. Oh also, I agree with the injecting slowly, although I find jabbing the needle in quickly is less sore than doing that bit slowly.

[babyfour]

Thank you all for your help and encouragement, I did my first injection today, and it must be beginners luck but - no bruise!!!!!! .

I did follow the advice you gave with going slowly with pushing down the syringe. Although I could not do the lollipop thing as I was with the nurse who was watching me do it for the first time, and I thought she might look at me a bit !!

Thanks again all.

[clouiseg]

Good on you! It's not easy at first but you're one of the pin cushion club now!

[yomellamoHelly]

I always brusied A LOT and always found it painful (always got worse as pgs went on) but going very slowly made it much more bearable. Best trick I found was to have piece tissue paper ready and press down on puncture site for 30-60 secs after as reduced bruises. Still had days where it made no difference. Otherwise always did thighs. Was advised minimum 2-4 inches away from recent site . (Plus side of having bruises - v easy to tell!) Alternated legs. You can also get sharps bins through your gp. They'll give you a phone number to call to get someone to come and take them away. Get the biggest bin possible. (When you're on 2 doses a day the pile quickly mounts up.) Hospital will only let you have a short supply (1 month here) so put it in your diary for when you need to get a repeat prescription as takes a couple of days. Get some compression tights. I have horrendous veins despite them. Bone up on what the management of your situation will be during labour / birth / after as chances are that staff on maternity won't have much clue about what to do with you. Expect that it will take ages for them to discharge you as they will be worried about your after-care.

[mamalovesmojitos]

Go slow and don't worry - i am quite a squeamish person and a bad patient but I did not even notice my injections daily when pregnant.

I injected in thigh, in a nice flabby bit . It was as unremarkable as brushing my teeth, and a lot quicker . In fact, the only time I had a problem was a couple of months ago when a nurse injected me - i had a big tender bruise for seven or eight days .