Fahnette; Sorry to hear about that! I remember that burning sensation.

For 2 weeks I was under 2.0 and my doctor never suggested getting Lovenox shots to 'make up' the difference.

I wonder what the norm is... anyone else have experiences\ when this happened to them? Should I be asking when I go under 2.0 for shots? I really don't want them, but....

I think it depends how low your INR is and your doctor's philosophy.

Fahnette, are you giving yourself injections?

Sometimes mine would burn more than others. So, not sure why that is. I think allowing the alcohol to dry completely helps with the burning, at least that's how I remember it.

Ouch! Sorrry you have to deal with those pesky things again!

When I'm under 2.0 for two INR's in a row then my doctor puts me back on the shots until I get therapuetic again. It's likely different protocol for different doctors though. I find that if I rub the injection site it hurts afterwards so I don't touch the injection site after injecting, I just use ice packs and it helps.

I'm getting the injections at the hematologist's office. If it was necessary I'd get the shots at the ER on the weekends or after 5 pm.
The really unsettling thing about leaving class to go get the injection was the fact that these were the kids I was teaching last year when I collapsed. If it had been any other class I would have asked my director/mum to cover me and gone home to flop with my cats.

The class I attempted to teach is our Performing Ensemble, which tends to require a lot more movement than the earlier class that I had to leave. Not a smart move.

Yeah, people forget that the people around you, particularly if they witness you go down with the PE, when it all starts happening, can be really impacted by that experience. My husband is the one who called 911 as I was collapsed on our living room floor. I know that really affected him.

It's just nice if you can give yourself the injections, so you can do that at home, or where ever you need to do them rather than going somewhere to do them. I know some people are adverse to giving the injections to themselves, but for me, I prefer the freedom.

More specifically, three of them are from the class I was teaching when I went down. They were the first class I taught when I came back from the embolism, the last class I taught before I went in to have the filter removed, and the first class I taught when I came back from having the filter removed. They will be the class I teach on my clotiversary. I'm thinking I will get them some pretty little angel pins.

As far as the injections go, it's one of those insurance situations for me. I was uninsured when I went down so I couldn't do the injections at home, it was cheaper to go to the hematologist. Plus I couldn't self-administer anyway because I'm a big wimp. :)

Got it.

You could self administer. You're tougher than you know. I mean, you survived a PE!

Dang, I remember how much I wanted to rub my skin where my injections were, but made myself not do it! Ack that was torture. lol.

I would think that a lot of movement would definitely make it worse than sitting/laying down for a bit. You're probably inevitabley moving the area and annoying the med. I hope it's not too bad and doesn't happen again! I know when I just laid down for 15 minutes or so it would pounce and then pass. *hugs*

Burn, can be caused by the alcohol not drying, and the shot going in to fast. They are really easy to give to your self, once you get past the idea of giving yourself a shot.

For me, Lovenox shots (which I was on for quite a while post-hospital) always stung, and sometimes for a fairly long time (15-20 minutes?). Some injections seemed to hurt much more than others for reasons I never figured out. I didn't notice that moving in any certain way made a difference, and neither did the speed or site of injection. The faster the needle went in, though, the easier THAT part was, at least.

I could never figure out what made them hurt more or less, just that I didn't like clothes rubbing on the injection site for 30-45 minutes if I could help it. Activity didn't seem to cause an issue, since I would get the shot first thing in the morning and go to work shortly afterwards.

I was totally unable to give myself the injections with my first DVT just cause it freaked me out so much, my husband (then-boyfriend) did them for me. With the second DVT, he was out of town at a funeral, so I had to do it myself. Took some mental determination, but I managed. With the PEs, we went back to my husband doing them, since it was less stress for me and made him feel like he was helping.

Hang in there! I remember the burn too ... never liked it and still don't.

Thanks, all. I think today is the last one for a while. Got bumped to 10mg (bleh) and redraw tomorrow.

i was diagnosed coumaden resistant and have gone on lovenox for my entire healing they say it will be about a year,ive been taking lovenox 100mg a day for about 90 days so far,i didnt think i could do my own either but i learned n i do it,some of mine hurt more then others i think becouse some places on my belly callice over n it requires an extra umff to get the needle in,but evan if the needle goes in easy the medicine always burns and sometimes leaves like a hard marble under my skin at the injec tion site,ive been using a hot water bottle on the spot of my injection a heating pad would work too,i do my shot when i get into bed at nite and i keep heat on it for 10 or 15 min be4 going to sleep,i find it helps with the sting and with the hard marble of medicine,i think its an oily medicine n the heat helps break it down,any way i feel for you evan for a few days of injections good luck and healing hugz to you n all who replyed to you!