Weird hospital practice

xsfxsf · 06-19-2012, 08:06 PM

In general community hospital without much sci experience for infection. Doctor orders lovenox, a blood thinner injected into stomach retailing for around $500 dose. I guess this is to prevent blood clots but surely those compression machine boots are safer, blood thinners are dangerous I know from painful experience. I have not had a clot in 3 years and or take thinners at home.

Is this recommendation totally improper?

ChesBay · 06-19-2012, 09:06 PM

In 2001 I took a forward fall out of my chair and broke both legs. Fixing them required surgeries. I can remember getting daily shots in the gut just as you describe.

When I came home for recovery and needed to go back for one more planned part of the surgery the home health care nurse administered the shots at home as well.

I didn't have any negative side effects.

Good luck.

crypticgimp · 06-19-2012, 09:32 PM

why not just heparin?

hlh · 06-19-2012, 10:03 PM

Lovenox is a form of heparin. They give it to you at a low dose to prevent blood clots, and it costs much less then $500.

It has been shown to dramatically prevent blood clots occurring in the hospital setting.

The "squeezers" are now usually saved for people who can't take a blood thinner like lovenox. Like because you are about to have surgery, are actively bleeding etc....

If a doctor put squeezers on me instead of Lovenox, especially if I had a SCI, I would question his judgment.

SCI-Nurse · 06-20-2012, 12:55 AM

Prevention of blood clots for SCI is done by regular ROM, mobility, wearing compression stockings to improve circulation. Of course if other medical conditions exist then other medical treatments must be taken into consideration.

I am not familiar with this practice described in your question.

pbr

t8burst · 06-20-2012, 08:47 AM

I was given lovenox the first two weeks after my accident, then was switched to some oral blood thinner. Once I was able to wear compression socks and do ROM I was taken off blood thinners all together (can't do ROM or wear socks with a broken ankle).

SCIfor55yrs. · 06-20-2012, 09:45 AM

It is standard procedure for surgical patients around here but you can decline (at your own risk).

hlh · 06-20-2012, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCI-Nurse

Prevention of blood clots for SCI is done by regular ROM, mobility, wearing compression stockings to improve circulation. Of course if other medical conditions exist then other medical treatments must be taken into consideration.

I am not familiar with this practice described in your question.

pbr

I believe he is asking about why Lovenox is prescribed for people while they are in the hospital. This is done routinely for all people, for DVT prophylaxis - to prevent blood clots. Not just SCI.

SCI-Nurse · 06-20-2012, 10:04 PM

I apologize I misread the original posting. If you have had a previous blood clot you are are risk for acquiring another blood clot. Lovenox is a subcutenous injection that helps thin the blood if a blood clot has been detected. This is standard practice as it works quickly. Compression stockings are good at preventing blood clots but cannot guarantee preventing a blood clot. If this is a second blood clot, long term therapy may be necessary. Once the blood clot and INR (lab test that checks on how thin the blood is therapeutically) has been stabilized then a long term therapy can be established in an oral form of medication. In my practice they prescribed oral coumadin with routine blood tests. There are other choices available in oral form also.

pbr

06-19-2012, 08:06 PM	#1
xsfxsf Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 379	Weird hospital practice In general community hospital without much sci experience for infection. Doctor orders lovenox, a blood thinner injected into stomach retailing for around $500 dose. I guess this is to prevent blood clots but surely those compression machine boots are safer, blood thinners are dangerous I know from painful experience. I have not had a clot in 3 years and or take thinners at home. Is this recommendation totally improper? Last edited by xsfxsf; 06-20-2012 at 01:12 AM.

06-19-2012, 09:32 PM	#3
crypticgimp Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 3,522	why not just heparin? __________________ "Smells like death in a bucket of chicken!" http://www.elportavoz.com/

06-20-2012, 09:45 AM	#7
SCIfor55yrs. Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 5,234	It is standard procedure for surgical patients around here but you can decline (at your own risk). __________________ "S.O.S. = Save our Shoulders" (click link) See me at: http://cccforum55.freehostia.com/

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06-19-2012, 09:06 PM	#2
ChesBay Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Norfolk, Virginia Posts: 1,128	In 2001 I took a forward fall out of my chair and broke both legs. Fixing them required surgeries. I can remember getting daily shots in the gut just as you describe. When I came home for recovery and needed to go back for one more planned part of the surgery the home health care nurse administered the shots at home as well. I didn't have any negative side effects. Good luck.

06-19-2012, 10:03 PM	#4
hlh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: US Posts: 1,035	Lovenox is a form of heparin. They give it to you at a low dose to prevent blood clots, and it costs much less then $500. It has been shown to dramatically prevent blood clots occurring in the hospital setting. The "squeezers" are now usually saved for people who can't take a blood thinner like lovenox. Like because you are about to have surgery, are actively bleeding etc.... If a doctor put squeezers on me instead of Lovenox, especially if I had a SCI, I would question his judgment.

06-20-2012, 12:55 AM	#5
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,324	Prevention of blood clots for SCI is done by regular ROM, mobility, wearing compression stockings to improve circulation. Of course if other medical conditions exist then other medical treatments must be taken into consideration. I am not familiar with this practice described in your question. pbr

06-20-2012, 08:47 AM	#6
t8burst Moderator Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 6,442	I was given lovenox the first two weeks after my accident, then was switched to some oral blood thinner. Once I was able to wear compression socks and do ROM I was taken off blood thinners all together (can't do ROM or wear socks with a broken ankle).

06-20-2012, 10:04 PM	#9
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,324	I apologize I misread the original posting. If you have had a previous blood clot you are are risk for acquiring another blood clot. Lovenox is a subcutenous injection that helps thin the blood if a blood clot has been detected. This is standard practice as it works quickly. Compression stockings are good at preventing blood clots but cannot guarantee preventing a blood clot. If this is a second blood clot, long term therapy may be necessary. Once the blood clot and INR (lab test that checks on how thin the blood is therapeutically) has been stabilized then a long term therapy can be established in an oral form of medication. In my practice they prescribed oral coumadin with routine blood tests. There are other choices available in oral form also. pbr