Question:
I am scheduled for surgery next wednesday and i was told the primary risk to worry
about is blood clots. What can I do to help prevent from getting these? Is there anything i can do now to help prevent this? thanks for everyone's support! — Breana R. (posted on September 5, 2000)
September 5, 2000
Make sure when you're in the hospital that they put the stocking and
"leg pumps" on you. I don't know exactly what they are called,
but they pump air in and out and keep the circulation going. And walk,
walk, walk while you're in the hospital. If you have a long ride home from
the hospital, be sure your driver stops every half hour for you to stretch
your legs. When you are home, be sure to walk, even if it's just inside
your house.
— Paula G.
September 5, 2000
Hi Breana, I asked my doctor about what would be done after surgery to keep
me from having blood clots. He told me and after surgery I had Heparin
shots for a few days which is routine if there is a risk of blood clots. I
also had some TED hose (compression hose) and they put these plastic tubes
on my legs that inflated and deflated to keep the blood circulating. Also,
the sooner you get up and around, the less risk you have of blood clots.
Hope this helps!
— Laura P.
September 6, 2000
I work in a hospital as a patient care extender on the open heart surgery
floor. The risk of blood clots is real but there are many things that can
be done to prevent them, there many anticlotting drugs, there is a device
call SCD's they are air filled plastic stockings the fill from the ankle
then the calf then the thigh, this hleps to keep blood flowing in your
legs. There are TED hose they are the tight white hose you may have seen
people wear. Then comes the most important WALKING the less you feel like
it the more important it is to do. If you do get any leg pain or cramps
don't rub them call your nurse to check them. I a clot does develop there
are effective treatments for them. Working where I do I have seen the
ravages of wieght on people so don't let this fear stop you, talk to your
doctor about it and tell him of your fears and ask him to traet you
aggresively for clots, if he dismisses your fears get a new doctor. Your
mental state will have a big impact on your recovery. Good Luck but make
sure you are ready to go through with it before the start to cut.
— MARK N.
September 9, 2000
The dreaded pulmonary embolus... I had a PE back in '96, when I was just 31
years old, and I asked my surgeon how he would handle a patient with a
history of PE. It doesn't help one's fears when you read through the
Memorial page on this site, but it is a reality that MUST be considered.
If this helps, here is what the doctor told me: 1) He would put me on a
low dose heparin drip prior to and after surgery, 2) I would be wearing
compression boots (which really do make a difference) and 3) like it or
not, I'll be on my feet before the day is out, as they WANT me to use the
bathroom and walk around, to promote circulation. No catheters, no
bedpans, no bedside commodes -- I'll walk to the bathroom. Another thing,
and I don't know how much you weigh, but he said that patients over 400 lbs
pose the greatest risk for surgeons and anesthesiologists, and I'm not
quite that heavy. Age and overall health factors play a role, too. I know
it is important to not just 'lay' once you get home, too -- MOVE! Whether
it hurts or not, get up and walk every now and then. Do what you can to
prevent blood clots, and be mindful of the symptoms: leg cramps, shortness
of breath, leg pain, chest pain, dry cough that simply won't go away, lower
extremity edema... OK, I'm not a doctor, but those were some of the
symptoms I experienced when I had a PE in '96, and I'll be very conscious
of any similar symptoms once I have surgery. Good luck!
— Michelle F.
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