Lovenox - Inquiries from CAL

[mrsoscarfelix]

Hello Ladies!

I am popping over from CAL with a question about Lovenox. I am just wondering who has used this and what was there experience with it? I posted this quite awhile on CAR but decided to come get some advice/experience from the ladies who have gotten their rainbows . 

Long Story Short:

I have had 2 mc's back to back in the past 5 months and all of my blood work has come back normal and we cannot find a cause for my mc's.  My OB sent me to a hematologist and they believe I have an underlying clotting issue somewhere that isn't being seen in my blood work. The hematologist recommended baby aspiring for TTC and then Lovenox after my next BFP. DH and I have discussed it and we have ultimately decided to go the Lovenox route, since this is our only course of action right now.

So ladies, who had the injections? What was your experience? Any insight at all would be greatly appreciated!

[meladorie]

I did them. My plan was the same as yours it sounds like. Aspirin while TTC and as soon as pregnancy was confirmed I started Lovenox. (The plan was also to switch to 3x daily Heparin at 36 weeks and then back to Lovenox after delivery for 6 more weeks - since he came early the heparin didn't happen but I did just finish the last of my 6 week postpartum requirement). It was a once a day injection. Honestly they're not awful. There is a small sting as you inject the meds in and every now and then you can stab a sore spot. But overall not bad. I did bruise quite a bit and I did have extra bleeding (my gums bled a ton, little scratches would take awhile to stop bleeding, and I did have a lot of unexplained bleeding first tri, though that's not the norm).

It might help to figure out insurance coverage- I have a high deductible plan so my first month picking up the prescription cost me $600.

[puglife5869]

I took them for all of my pregnancies (losses included) but that was because I was diagnosed with a clotting disorder when I was 22. I knew beforehand and have had clots outside of pregnancy. I take aspirin daily anyways but I started lovenox the day I got my BFPs. With my first 3 pregnancies I took a low dose 60mg of lovenox but in the pregnancy with my daughter I developed a clot at 25 weeks and after a week long hospital stay I was put on a therapeutic dose of 120mg. I was on that same dose with my son. My losses were never attributed to my clotting disorder though.

As for the shots, they aren't that bad. You learn tricks as you go along. By the time I was using them with my last pregnancy I didn't even bruise anymore. Getting over the initial fear of giving yourself the shot is the hardest. It can sting a little but there are things you can do to help with that. I never had any bleeding or issues with the medicine. Luckily there isn't really any blood monitoring that needs to be done but my hematologist would still see me every month to make sure that I was still in the therapeutic range. As pp said, it can be pretty expensive depending on your insurance coverage so you may want to check that out. When you do start on it we can give you some tips to help. Good luck!

[wifey]

I took Lovenox after discovering two clotting disorders after my loss. I began the lovenox ( generic Enoxoparin was cheaper), & I paid $90. a month from my FET cycle until 6 weeks postpartum, with two weeks of Heprin after my cerclage came out.

I found the shot did burn a little, but went away quickly. I also found it tough to find an area that was not bruised on my tummy towards the end of my pregnancy and stayed close to my sides. My hematologist suggested doing it in my leg, but I just couldn't. I had my lovenox level tested throughout my pregnancy to ensure I didn't need a second daily shot. I need to take baby aspirin for life, two if I take the mini pill in the future. I was also told upfront that I could not go past 38 weeks on Lovenox.

Pick a time that would fit in your routine. For me, it was always after dinner because DH and I cook at home all the time. It can be easy to forget your shot if you have a lot going on. All the best to you!

[mrsoscarfelix]

Feb 27, 2015 10:23:12 GMT -5 wifey said:

I took Lovenox after discovering two clotting disorders after my loss. I began the lovenox ( generic Enoxoparin was cheaper), & I paid $90. a month from my FET cycle until 6 weeks postpartum, with two weeks of Heprin after my cerclage came out.

I found the shot did burn a little, but went away quickly. I also found it tough to find an area that was not bruised on my tummy towards the end of my pregnancy and stayed close to my sides. My hematologist suggested doing it in my leg, but I just couldn't. I had my lovenox level tested throughout my pregnancy to ensure I didn't need a second daily shot. I need to take baby aspirin for life, two if I take the mini pill in the future. I was also told upfront that I could not go past 38 weeks on Lovenox.

Pick a time that would fit in your routine. For me, it was always after dinner because DH and I cook at home all the time. It can be easy to forget your shot if you have a lot going on. All the best to you

Could you not go past 38 weeks because of your clotting disorders, or is because of the drug itself?

[doglover31]

I had 2 losses before having my rainbow in September. The only thing I tested positive for was one copy of the MTHFR mutation. My RE put me on baby aspirin, folate, heparin, and progesterone.

I did heparin injections twice daily during the first trimester. The shots aren't bad but did cause a lot of bruising. When I switched to my OB he had me stop the heparin. I was freaking out that something would happen, but I did continue taking baby aspirin for my whole pregnancy.

I don't know if using all those meds helped or if we would have had a successful pregnancy without them, but I was willing to do anything to keep another loss from happening.

Good luck!

[wifey]

mrsoscarfelix, We had a discussion on the High Risk board on the other site a while ago, and there were a lot of ladies that were told they would be induced between 37-39 weeks. Lovenox is in your system for 24 hours, and Heparin 12 hours, which is why they switch, but a lot of OB's are still concerned with controlling the bleeding. My OB mentioned something else to me a couple of years ago, and I need to ask her again.

There were ladies that went to 40 weeks, so not all OB's reccomend this, but it may or may not come up during your visit. Different opinions on this for sure.

[meladorie]

Feb 27, 2015 11:00:47 GMT -5 wifey said:

mrsoscarfelix, We had a discussion on the High Risk board on the other site a while ago, and there were a lot of ladies that were told they would be induced between 37-39 weeks. Lovenox is in your system for 24 hours, and Heparin 12 hours, which is why they switch, but a lot of OB's are still concerned with controlling the bleeding. My OB mentioned something else to me a couple of years ago, and I need to ask her again.

There were ladies that went to 40 weeks, so not all OB's reccomend this, but it may or may not come up during your visit. Different opinions on this for sure.

I imagine a lot of this has to do with dosage too. I was going to be allowed to go full term on a low dose of heparin. Luckily my water broke almost 24 hours after my last Lovenox dose so they weren't too concerned but my hematologist had also said it wouldn't be a big deal either way because I was on a low dose of Lovenox.

[mrsoscarfelix]

thanks for info ladies! I appreciate it!

[mrsoscarfelix]

Feb 27, 2015 10:06:55 GMT -5 puglife5869 said:

I took them for all of my pregnancies (losses included) but that was because I was diagnosed with a clotting disorder when I was 22. I knew beforehand and have had clots outside of pregnancy. I take aspirin daily anyways but I started lovenox the day I got my BFPs. With my first 3 pregnancies I took a low dose 60mg of lovenox but in the pregnancy with my daughter I developed a clot at 25 weeks and after a week long hospital stay I was put on a therapeutic dose of 120mg. I was on that same dose with my son. My losses were never attributed to my clotting disorder though.

As for the shots, they aren't that bad. You learn tricks as you go along. By the time I was using them with my last pregnancy I didn't even bruise anymore. Getting over the initial fear of giving yourself the shot is the hardest. It can sting a little but there are things you can do to help with that. I never had any bleeding or issues with the medicine. Luckily there isn't really any blood monitoring that needs to be done but my hematologist would still see me every month to make sure that I was still in the therapeutic range. As pp said, it can be pretty expensive depending on your insurance coverage so you may want to check that out. When you do start on it we can give you some tips to help. Good luck!

I will be back

[eliz77]

Feb 27, 2015 10:31:04 GMT -5 mrsoscarfelix said:

Feb 27, 2015 10:23:12 GMT -5 wifey said:

I took Lovenox after discovering two clotting disorders after my loss. I began the lovenox ( generic Enoxoparin was cheaper), & I paid $90. a month from my FET cycle until 6 weeks postpartum, with two weeks of Heprin after my cerclage came out.

I found the shot did burn a little, but went away quickly. I also found it tough to find an area that was not bruised on my tummy towards the end of my pregnancy and stayed close to my sides. My hematologist suggested doing it in my leg, but I just couldn't. I had my lovenox level tested throughout my pregnancy to ensure I didn't need a second daily shot. I need to take baby aspirin for life, two if I take the mini pill in the future. I was also told upfront that I could not go past 38 weeks on Lovenox.

Pick a time that would fit in your routine. For me, it was always after dinner because DH and I cook at home all the time. It can be easy to forget your shot if you have a lot going on. All the best to you

Could you not go past 38 weeks because of your clotting disorders, or is because of the drug itself?

After 3 losses, my blood work showed 2 copies of the MTHFR gene so I was referred to hematologist once intrauterine pregnancy was confirmed. I was on baby aspirin befell conceiving and until 32 weeks , also was on lovenox from 6 weeks until 36 weeks, switched to heparin until i gave birth at 39 weeks, then back on lovenox for 6 weeks post partum. My hematologist didn't want me to go past 34 weeks on any blood thinners because he felt the risks outweighed the benefits (can affect placenta, risk of bleeding during labor if still on it). He believed losses related to MTHFR are more likely to happen early on. However, my ob wanted me on heparin at 36 weeks to delivery so he agreed to follow that. Lovenox remains in your system longer than heparin and the Dr can give you something to reverse the effects of heparin, which is why obs rather you be on heparin at the end of your pregnancy. 

I was scheduled for a c-section (breech) with plan to stop heparin 24 hours beforehand. Baby came 9 days earlier and we waited a few hours before surgery. Ob wasn't concerned and all went well!                    

Good luck!!