Tips for reducing bruising and stinging from Clexane injections in pregnancy

[Loulou390]

Hi all, I have been advised I need to inject Clexane throughout my pregnancy and after. I’m currently 10+4 weeks and have been injecting for the past 5 days. So far I have 2 horrible bruises and each time I do it, it stings so bad. I’m dreading the next 6+ months😩, does anyone have any suggestions to avoid the bruising and stinging?

I'm on daily clexane injections and my best tip is to use ice. Hold an ice cube on the area you plan to inject for about 15 seconds (until the skin is numb). You might want a towel to hold it as it gets cold on your fingers!

It will bruise because its a blood thinner. You will get used to it. It's good stuff for reducing the risk of clots and you must be at high risk to have been commenced on it so early.

I’m on these for pregnancy too, the first box the hospital gave me were named enoxaparin and had this issue they were so painful and my whole stomach was black from bruising. Once that box ran out and my gp prescribed it, it arrived in a white and yellow box with the name clexane and it’s been so much better, I barely bruise and it only stings on the odd occasion. Not sure if it’s to do with different brands or I just got used to it

I'm on enoxaparin and in first pregnancy had fragmin, which are other anti coagulation injections. Both times I've found the first week/10 days harder going, and then feels like my body has adjusted to them and often now I do it with barely any pain. Are you doing them in tummy? I find there are more sensitive and less sensitive patches, like very close to each other but just different, I presume because of where nerves are. Worth trying to find where the more and less sensitive bits are. They aren't very fun, although for me they have fewer side effects than full dose anti coagulation which I took for 3 months and made me feel rotten!

I feel like I have got these injections down to an art now and barely get any bruising!
Needle at a 90 degree angle then I gently test the area with the needle to find a point that isn’t too sensitive then I squeeze a good chunk of skin between my thumb and finger and then go very slowly and gently in with the needle. once it is as fully in as it can be push the trigger very very very slowly. Go as slow as you can really until all the liquid is in then take it out. Then gently put pressure on the area, (but don’t move your hand about) for a minute or two. This works really well for me. I don’t use ice anymore but did in the early days with my first. I think the trick to no bruising is injecting it slowly really! Good luck!