Clexane Injections

[Catr1njad3]

Hi,
I have to take clexane injections throughout my pregnancy, due to a blood clot I had when I was 20. Injections don't bother me, but the bruises and lumps are, it's making me really emotional. I know it's for mine and the babies benefit, but this is my 2nd week injecting and I've got another 34 weeks of this :-(. My 12 week scan is in 2 days and my tummy is covered in bruises :-( feeling so emotional, anyone know how to help the bruises and lumps so it doesn't feel link such a chore?
Thank you!

I've just finished about 10 days of two injections a day. I thought they were horrible for you. I hope someone comes along with good advice for you.

Sending positive thoughts.

Hi Cat, i have to agree the injections are a pain, i have been using heparin injections for the past few months and sometimes it seems very random whether or not you get a horrible sting / bruise / lump after.

I find a few things helpful, so usually its ok, but i still cant wait to finish with them in about 2 months time. Things i find helpful are:

• Rotating location from one side of tummy one day to the other side the next day then to outer thighs on day 3 and 4, so i try to only use the same area once every four days.

• Gently prod the area with the needle before going for the full injection. If it is too sensitive, then move elsewhere.

• Insert needle slowly.

• Some people use an icepack beforehand.

• Squeeze the area you are injecting into (the dr usually shows you this so you are probably doing that anyway).

• Distraction - try not to think about it beforehand, just get it done an overwith..! When i think about it too much beforehand its usually a more arduous event!

Very best of luck with it, and keep well!

Had to do this myself during pregnancy - I also have a clotting disorder. I rotated between left side of tummy, right side, left thigh and right thigh. TBH I tried to use each of those sites for a week and then they had 3 weeks to recover. But having read Tayto's post above, you could also try rotating day by day if that works better for you. It was always random for me whether my skin reacted or not, but I have also ben told by a few people than icing the area beforehand helps.

I'm on them once a day until 12 weeks. I agree with Tayto, especially about slowing everything down.

I alternate between sides of my stomach, I make sure there are no droplets of heparin on the needle, and wipe it on the cap to remove any that have formed.

I pinch a big old bit of flab and test the area with the tip of the needle until I find a patch that isn't as sensitive, and then push the needle in as slowly as I can.

When it's in I push the plunger down as slowly as I can, which is hard sometimes as it can be tricky to get going.

After injecting, I wait for a few seconds before removing the needle, and keep the pinch in place for another 30 seconds or so.

I don't rub the area and try to stay put for a while after.

Distraction helps, I put something on iPlayer on my computer to watch.

This way, I've had very small bruises the size of a marker pen dot, but mostly no bruise at all.

Oh, and I'm also using Fragmin, not clexane. I don't think this makes any difference though.

Hope that helps. Good luck.

I had to do them too, it's a pita but you will kind of get used to it. I did mine in my thighs, and alternated it each day. I would also get someone else to do it sometimes.

Is it possible someone else could do it for you? I have done it for someone else in the past.