Question:
Is the Greenfield Filter something that you can request?
I was reading about the recent passing of a AMOS member and was wondering if the greenfield filter is something that you can request the surgeon to do or not? Since it is more common for obese patients to have blood clots, why wouldn't this be something that is required to be done? Is there alternatives? — horserider0146 (posted on April 28, 2003)
April 28, 2003
Alannah,
Upon myre-search that I did when I was pre-op I asked the same question.
Even asked PCP about it as well, what she told me is if the blood results
came back showing a significant amount of clotting, or if I were prone to
blood clots then t would be something to think about, everything came back
ok on this end, How-ever I still felt like I needed one, I asked again,
this time rather then asking my PCP I asked my WLS surgeron, he stated that
they use blood thiners after surgery to prevent them, sometimes blood clots
cannot be prevented, that is why it's up to us to get around and move the
body as much as possible, more the toes, ankles, you name don't let that
blood sit still for a moment. I did leg exercises as soon as they brought
me too, after surgery.... I was up walking the hallways 1 hour after
surgery, just to be on the safe side, I"m now 11 months post op and
before I go to sleep I still stretch and do ankle and leg exercises just to
keep it flowing....
Hope this helps.
Post op 11 months down 128 pounds.
— tannedtigress
April 28, 2003
I did everything possible to avoid another blood clot (DVT) since my
history of blood clots put me at risk. 2 days after my surgery I resumed
Lovenox, an anti coagulant and on the 3rd day I went back on
Coumadin/Warfarin. On the 4th day I went home. I did my walking, wore my
compression stockings and foot pumps while lying in bed all along as I was
supposed to. When I got home on Friday night I noticed
"tightness" in my right calf (my previous DVT's were in my left
leg and it is still has "valve" problems). My wife and I felt
like it was muscle tightness and massaged and stretched it all Saturday and
Sunday morning. I knew the symptoms of DVT, i.e., pain, heat and swelling.
All I was having was pain but on Sunday afternoon I noticed it was warm. I
went back to the hospital right then so I could get a doppler study done
that would confirm a clot. It did. The reason it wasn't swollen was because
it was not fully occluded (blocked). I was very close to my anticoagulant
"therapeutic" range by this time but the decision was made to
increase the Lovenox dose and send me home since I had the Greenfield
filter implant done about 2 weeks earlier and I could do at home with
injections what they could do at the hospital. I started passing blood on
Tuesday night and it became quite heavy on Wednesday morning. Back to the
hospital where all anticoagulant therapy was halted because I was well out
of my anticoagulant "therapeutic" range. I'm home now after a 3
day observation/stay at the hospital and the bleeding appears to have
stopped. Now I have to get my anticoagulant levels back in range. I had
my blood tested today and the results should be in tomorrow morning
(fingers crossed)
I have also found out that I have a genetic predisposition to clotting
problems called "Factor 5 Leiden". 5-8% of the US population of
European descent carries this gene mutation. Add obesity and low activity
due to surgery to the equation and you have a prescription for danger. My
advice would be to be tested for Factor 5 Leiden and beg for the Greenfield
filter if you are in the at risk population. We were all over this issue
and it still proved problematic.
— Steve L.
April 28, 2003
My surgeon asked a few questions and when I told him my mother died of a
clot, he said I'd have a filter.
Yes, had pumps and thinners....yes got clots.....bedridden for 3 weeks,
physical therapy to learn to walk again........but 3 DIFFERENT dr's told me
that the filter saved my life!!! Ask for it!!! It won't hurt to have it,
and it will save your life if you get a clot.
— Phiddy B.
April 29, 2003
I have edema in my legs and my wls Dr told me that would make me at risk
for the clots. He gave me a prescription for the filter. I took it to my
pcp and he scheduled the precedure at our local hospital's day surgery.
They did it in 15 minutes. I had to lay quietly for 3 hrs afterwards. You
can get a temporary one or a permament one. I have never regretted it and
my insurance paid all but $43.00 for it.I have never gotten a clot but feel
so much better about it. Good luck.Leslie Elwood
— Leslie E.
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