Lovenox - Question from CAL

[mrsoscarfelix]

I met with the hematologist this morning and we have made our plan moving forward. He has told me to start on baby aspirin for now and then once I am pregnant we will begin the Lovenox injections. I am being treated for a blood clotting disorder, even though none was found. Given that my family history and blood work right show nothing that could have caused the miscarriages, he said it is very common to begin treating for a blood clotting disorder anyway and seems to be optimistic about this.

So my question is : who has used/is using Lovenox? Is it working/did it work? Any insight at all would be greatly appreciated!

[mrsoscarfelix]

Feb 10, 2015 16:19:47 GMT -5 @jj32 said:

I will be starting Heparin for this pregnancy. I should have started yesterday, but no pharmacy in my area carries it so it is being ordered. I am supposed to get it in 1-2 days, I can update you once I start it. I was told the bruising can be bad.

That's what I heard. I am also not thrilled about having to give them to myself. Yes, please update me !!

[uneek]

I was on Heparin for the entire first trimester. I don't have a diagnosed blood clotting disorder, but out of five pregnancies this is the only time I've been on Heparin and the only time to make it to full term. I've also been on baby aspirin up until a couple weeks ago.

Look up youtube videos on how to do the injections along with having your doctor/nurse to show you. It helps to see it over and over again. For me, the thought of doing the injection was worse than the actually injection. It wasn't fun, but it wasn't the worst thing either.

Good luck to you with this plan.

I believe meladorie was on Lovenox? Maybe she can chime in here?

[meladorie]

I took Lovenox through this pregnancy. I am diagnosed with mthfr (which may or may not be related to my losses - apparently it's fairly controversial) and protein S deficiency. They didn't find the protein s deficiency, which is a clotting issue, until after my third loss. Before they found it, my RE told me she would prescribe Lovenox just in case. With it, they said I definitely needed it. I also took aspirin throughout the pregnancy. My first three pregnancies, without Lovenox, ended in mc, whereas the only pregnancy I took Lovenox was the one that resulted in me having my rainbow. I definitely think the Lovenox was what helped.

As for the actual injections, they're not terrible. You really do get used to them pretty quickly.

ETA: after reading PPs comments I will add that I did spot throughout the first trimester and I had several instances of red bleeding with clots. The doctors never found a cause but I suspect it was cervical irritation from progesterone supplements that was made worse from blood thinners. In either case the doctors were never concerned and I did receive close monitoring throughout the pregnancy.

[BookishMomma]

I'm on it (plus baby aspirin) for the first trimester because of the reason you mentioned--I don't have a diagnosed clotting disorder, but we have not found any reason for my 4 losses (except that we know one was a chromosomal abnormality). I'm 9 weeks today, which is further than I made it with any of my loss pregnancies. I did have some bruises at the injection sites at first, but I've gotten better at doing the shots over time so it's less of an issue now.

[mrsoscarfelix]

Thank you ladies for all the insight, I really appreciate it! I am optimistic moving forward the Lovenox will help me get my rainbow!

I am very happy about the close monitoring I will receive - I don't mind the extra attention.

Good luck to you all!!

[hmr11913]

I don't have any experience here but I just wanted to say good luck with the injections! I know that when my SIL was doing injections for a stem cell transplant (not TTC related) she got used to doing them fairly quick.

[eliz77]

Lurking...Another lovenox user who now has a rainbow baby...I had three losses before my RE discovered two copies of the MTHFR gene. He put me on aspirin and referred me to a hematologist, who then put me on Lovenox once intrauterine pregnancy was confirmed.

I really didn't think the shots were that bad and developing a routine that works will help. I have experience with doing injections for animals, so I was comfortable with the whole idea to begin with. And to be honest, I was more comfortable doing it myself than having H do it. Lovenox is a sub-q injection, which makes it even easier-smaller needle, can be done anywhere but fatty areas where you can grab/tent skin are best. Lovenox does burn, and if you inject closer to an already injected site, you will get more bruising and lumpy areas. I chose to use area 2" from belly button to my love handles and I divided area into 4s (right/left side, upper/lower areas) and would rotate each day to avoid bruising. By the time I was 1/2 way through 2nd tri, I did run out of room and attempted to use thighs, but found that much more likely to bruise and be painful, so I just kept rotating areas on my love handles.

My routine was: tent area to be injected, use alcohol swab, stick needle in (quickly), slowly press plunger (probably took me 10-15 seconds to do entire injection), withdraw, release tented area and place warm wash cloth over area. I found injecting quickly made site burn, but going slowly helped.

I switched to heparin in 3rd tri and found that easier to tolerate than lovenox.

Good luck!!!

[mrsg80intn]

I don't have experience, but I'm encouraged reading other's posts and wanted to offer you hugs. BookishMomma, - I didn't realize you were on shots. I should probably have pushed for them - it would make me feel better!

[ldubhawksfan]

No advice but due to my FVL I will be on lovenox when pregnant, and when starting injects soon, I also have to be on lovenox. So thank you for this thread and advice! Good luck with your shots and H&H 9 months!

[lickwed]

Chiming in to thank mrsoscarfelix, for posting this and for the wonderful responses. It's great to hear all the successful rainbow babies with Lovenox as I am also on the fence about this course.

@jj32, I haven't seen your intro post and I just found out and wanted to say congrats!

[jacks2008]

Lurking... After my 3rd loss I was dx with protein C deficiency. I've been on ASA and was on Lovenox, i switched to Heparin recently due to insurance.

There is already a lot of great advice, I found my love handles to be the least painful site, although I use my thighs now with Heparin since it is twice a day. Giving the injection slowly definitely decreases the pain and caused less bruising. Also be sure not to rub the injection site as this causes bruising.

[mrsoscarfelix]

thanks again ladies for all the wonderful advice - this is definitely keeping me hopeful!

I will definitely be back to visit this thread when I get my BFP and start the injections.

I am nervous about it but in retrospect it's worth to get my rainbow

[cheesypeas]

I had a late first trimester loss, followed by a rainbow without Lovenox/aspirin, followed by a 24 week stillbirth. After the loss of my daughter, they discovered I have MTHFR and a Protein S deficiency, so the hematologist put me on low dose aspirin as well as Lovenox (OB will switch me to heparin sometime in the third trimester). I'm currently 12 weeks, so I'm not yet to the point where things went wrong with my daughter but so far, everything with this baby looks good. The injections are really no big deal, particularly after the first couple of weeks, and the ladies here have pretty much covered the important details. I too recommend doing them yourself since you're the better judge of when you need to back off on the plunger to reduce the stinging of the medicine. It sounds kind of weird but I've found that it's actually kind of empowering to do it myself. To know that I have the nerve to be able to push a needle through my skin. To wear my bruises on my like it's no big deal. To see people cringe when they hear I have to give myself shots in the stomach every day for the next several months and shrug knowing that I could and would gladly give myself 100 injections a day to increase the chances of my child arriving safely into this world.