Pulmonary Embolism Support Group

Hi, I'm using this treatment (though the commercial name for it in the UK is Clexane). Had a PE a month ago now and had a bad reaction to Warfarin (known as coumadin in the US) while I was in hospital. Basically you're meant to have the clexane/lovenox shots for about 5 days or so while the warfarin/coumadin begins to work and your INR values become theraputic, then you can go home and remain on the pills. However in my case the warfarin caused a nasty reaction in my kidney and liver (I was born with only one kidney and a deformed liver so.. ??) So as a result I am having to remain on clexane injections. Its only meant to be a short term treatment and is not meant to be used for long periods of time, but in my case the benefits of using it obviously outweigh the risks.

That's my background on why I'm on it, and as for my experience of it, it's been great. No problems at all. I'll been self injecting for almost three weeks now I think and have had no problems at all. It's strange at first because, like most people, I've never had to stick anything into my skin before, so its weird when it comes to judging how hard or soft you have to press and things. But it doesn't hurt at all. In fact I've found it much less painful doing it myself than when the nurses do it. It stings for around 5 minutes after, but nothing painful at all. And trust me, I have a very low threshold with pain!! With a lot of people the injections cause bad bruising around the injection site. Mine leave a bit of a red circle which is only the size of a small dot and at any one time I can ususally see the last 5 or 6 that I have done. Only two of mine have bruised and become painful. One side effect that I am getting is a severe head ache. Had it for about 6 days now and I never get them usually. But like I say, the benefits are outweighing the risks.

Once my liver and kidney functions return to normal I will be going back into hospital to re-try warfarin/coumadin again as it is better for long term treatment. However if it turns out that I can't use it, I won't be dissapointed as for me, personally, I'd prefer to remain on clexane. It's a lot less constricting in terms of foods and other medicines interfering with it, ie its a lot less sentitive than warferin. Also the dose is dependant on your weight so I wouldn't need to keep going and having INRs check all the time!! So for me and my lifestyle I'd prefer to remain on the injections.

Sorry if that's a bit more info than you bargained on!! I just remember how I felt a month ago, so confused by everything, so hopefully this will help some of you who are as confused as I was!! If anyone has any more questions about this, feel free to message me :) but I think I have pretty much covered everything here!!!

:) x

I Think Shyla did cover everything - thanks Shyla! I was on Lovenox for 28 days (I was suppose to be on only 5 days) I couldn't get my INR up to therapeutic levels. For me the injections did sting for about 1 minute afterwards. The key is letting the alcohol dry thoroughly then pinching the fat on your stomache and inject the Lovenox (inject straight in) - continue to hold the fat for a few seconds. I had some bruising and small nodules under the skin at the site of the injection but they go away in time. You get 2 shots a day, the injections are given around your bellybutton. If you look at your stomach like a clock with the bellybutton being the middle you would (for example) give yourself a shot at 6 am in the 12 o'clock postion then again at 6 pm in the 6 o'clock postion. Hope this helps.

in my experiance of Lovenox is been mostly bennifichal i like others where put on lovenox injections till my warfrin became tharapudic i had to take them for a week after a colorectal examantation well they looked for signs of blood in my stool . and i was brused black and blue from the injections my belly looked like it had been painted purple. and it was extreemly painful to do the injections due to that. but it did what it was suppost to

Hi Doug,
I was shown how to inject the Lovenox at home twice a day. Shortly after they started me on coumadin at 2 mg. saying I can stop the Lovenox when my PT/INR test came in between 2.0-3.0. Finally after nearly one month 7 mg. of coumadin proved to be the correct amount and I was told to stop the injections. I was so relieved as they started to hurt. My poor tum was black and blue along with lumps. It has taken a long time for the discoloration to go away. I stopped the end of August and still have slight discoloration.

I was told to cut down the brusing to make sure the area swabbed with alcohol prior to injection dries completely. However I found this out late in the game so not sure this works.

Hi, I used the Lovenox only while in the hospital. A nurse told me that the sting after the injection was the medicine being "pushed" through the fatty tissue. I was told there is a tiny bit of air at the end of the injection that does this. Just what I was told, but thought I would share.

Well I have been on Lovenox for 2 months. I am having more trouble than the others but thats just me. The benefits do out weigh the side effects. I find the shots painful and it stings for 20 minutes for me. Somedays it is worse than others. Sometimes I just laydown for 20 minutes until the pain subsides. Its better to be in pain 20 min twice a day as apposed to a whole lot worse pain 24hrs a day on Coumadin. I didnt have much trouble at first but now that I have been on it two months it is hard to do the shots. Every where I try to do them there are lumps or bruises. This makes the shots more painful... are there any suggestions from those who are taking this long term?

MSM24~ I had pain with the injections late in the game too only to find out you can lessen the pain and bruising by swabbing the area with alcohol, allow it to dry completely then pinch between 2 fingers a small area and jab at a 45 degree angle. Well I think this helped but not soon enough.

well I have been doing the alcohol swab. Not sure bout the 45 degree angle. I will try that and see. I still have 4 months to go so I can take all the help I can get.

Ok guys, I started my lovenox injections today because i am having surgery in five days. I am a nurse, and have had gesational diabetes and had to do insulin 3x/day, and have been on allergy shots before. This stuff stings like hell. I wasn't expecting that. The poke part doesn't bother me, but man that stuff stings like crazy. And yes I let the alcohol dry all the way. I am glad I won't be on them long term. Wish me luck for my thyroid surgery on 4/7!

It never stops stinging! It gets worse!
Katherine