My surgeon said I had to self inject Tinzaparin for 28 days. We have managed 14 and now want to give up. My thighs are black and blue, my hubbie has to administer as I cant, you would have thought with all the chemo & blood tests I would have got over my fear of needles, but no and self administering is 10 times worse for me. We realise we haven't perfected the technique and doubt that we are going to, hubbie is now very nervous of hurting me as I scream and jump. Do you think 14 days is enough, I am moving about everyday, even went out for lunch yesterday and a short walk. I obviously dont want DVT but feel that I must be out of danger by now.? What do you think? Lyn xx
TINZAPARIN INJECTIONS: My surgeon said I had to... - My Ovacome
TINZAPARIN INJECTIONS
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58 Replies
•
Oh Lyn, please continue! I know it seems “over the top” but clots can be very very dangerous & we are prone to them for 2 reasons: the cancer itself (my Consultant told me this, which I didn’t know) & the surgery, which as you know is extensive. Also of course not moving as much.
If it’s any consolation....I HATED giving them to myself (I am a nurse!) & had to do it after diagnosis (awaiting chemo) & after surgery - for a MONTH each time!! 😩😢
Thoughts: could you go to your surgery & ask for another “lesson”? Have you got a nursing/ex-nursing friend who’d be willing to do it for you?
If you lived near me (Glos) I’d do it for you 🙂
Linda xx
• in reply toSeasun36-uk
Thank you for the sound advise, I suspected you were all going to say I should continue, I am going to try again on my own this afternoon. Lyn xx
I had 397 Clexane Jabs into my stomach as I
had PE from the tumour pressing on veins in groin - I had to have a filter fitted prior to surgery which they left in till after chemo by which time no one wanted to decide what to do so I opted to just leave it and now on Warfarin - my husband did all the jabs and despite 30 yrs as a farmer and used to having fat things , it hurt - you’ve just jot to grit teeth and do it as it would be a shame to have chemo and surgery then die of a DVT - friend’s mum did x
• in reply toColdethyl
Your right silly to not continue, and get DVT, just wish I wasn't such a wimp!! Lyn xx
I’ve had one tinzaparine injection, and it left a bruise for over 4 weeks 😬 I had Clexane injections after my surgery, and it was so much better and the bruises were smaller.
You have my sympathies, but sadly I reckon you have to continue with them unless a medical professional say otherwise- sorry!
I emailed CNS nurse yesterday about discontinuing but she hasn't replied yet, so will continue until I hear otherwise, I am seeing the surgeon on Tuesday. Lyn xx
Yes please continue...I know it’s hard but they don’t give them for nothing. You could try a different site? Mine went into my belly fat which wasn’t too bad. I’ve also injected my legs...you need a nice plump bit. Experiment with doing it really slowly allowing the needle to sit on your skin and slowly push it through the tough outer bit. Chin up! This is all to get you better xx
• in reply toLyndy
Hi Lyndy thank you, I have administered into my stomach this morning, much easier than my thigh as I have more fat around the middle, not long to go. Lyn x
Sometimes it helps to put some ice on the injection site for a few seconds after the injection. I've been injecting twice a day in my belly (thank goodness for belly fat) since May. It's keeping me alive.
Try not to tense up (I know, I know) before the injection.
You can do this.
• in reply toNancy222
I HAVE DONE IT!!! Hubby was out so I thought I would give it a ago, used the ice pack and after a lot of deliberation, went for it! was shaking after wards but its done, goodness I feel sick as well now, think I need a brandy! Thank you Ladies!! Lyn xx
ShropshireJo• in reply to
Fantastic, well done you! I’ve needed self injections into my tummy for five days after all six chemos this time and sometimes it was fine but occasionally it hurt a bit so I tried doing it sitting down and squeezing up a wedge of tummy fat to take injection which seemed to help. Didn’t imagine for a minute it was something I could do but so much easier than going to the surgery every day. All the very best, Jo xx
Nancy222• in reply to
Yay!!! Next step you take over the world 
I've also been told to plunge slowly and it doesn't sting.
Onwards.
XXOO
I think you really know that you have to continue ,you have done the hard part getting through the op , keep going xx
• in reply toJuleswhee
Yeah deep down, just grasping at straws, the nurse said she gets asked a lot if two weeks is enough, she said the NHS doesn't have money to throw away and I was given 4 weeks of injections for a reason...……..that told me! Guess a little telling off hasn't done me any harm, note to self.....stop being such a big baby!! ha ha - Have a great day. Lyn xx
Hi Lyn I was on Fragmin injections for the best part of a year - post op and following complications and a small clot in my renal vein. I always gave them myself in my belly as the only time I did my thigh I got a massive bruise! I still bruised at times on my belly but it wasn’t as bad as my thigh!
Carry on it’ll soon be over sweetie and we’ll done for doing it yourself today 👍👍
• in reply toBeeWild
Hello - I have successfully completed another injection this morning in my stomach, wow how brave am I!! seriously though as I am apple shaped I have more fat around my middle to grab and think that has helped, also getting it out of the way first thing means I am not sitting around all day stressing about it. Thank you everyone you have been such a tremendous help. Lyn xx
I was on Fragmin and never thought anything so small could hurt so much! Then I found that ice or keeping them cold in the fridge helped. You can do it! Not many more to go now
Lynn
x
• in reply tolynn6156
Thank you Lynn for your support, I am counting down the days! Lyn xx
I’d definitely continue with the injections Lyn , I know they’re awful but they’re so important. I self injected clexane every day for 8 months and absolutely hated every single jab but I forced myself to do it because I didn’t fancy another embolism. I did have a little reward after each jab which helped a little. Keep it going lovely ❤️Xx Jane
Hi Lyn, my mum had to give herself those injections for a month after her surgery as none of us could do it for her. I tried but was just too hesitant & scared of hurting her which made it more painful so can sympathise with your hubby.
She found doing it very first thing in the morning before she got out of bed whilst she was all toasty warm & into her tummy fat was the best. She found the thigh more painful as it goes into muscle & heat better than cold. Maybe try a hot water bottle.
I know it’s horrible but best to continue - we asked if 2 weeks was long enough but the answer was no!
Take care.
Deborah
• in reply toDebMarner
Thank you Deborah, I will experiment with different area's, The Nurse rang me yesterday and said I was to carry on, she also recommended the stomach, I will try. Lyn
Does it have to go in the thigh? I inject with heparin every night but always in the side around the hips. Sometimes it hurts and sometimes it is easy. I rest the needle on my skin and move to a new position if it stings- then I screw it around gently until it goes in. Then slowly push the plunger. When I am too badly bruised I take a day off but I daresay this is risky and not recommended. I have never been brave enough to try in my leg. I am seriously needlephobic and tried the oral blood thinners but I felt really sick on them and went back to injecting.
• in reply toNeona
Thank you - I am going to continue and experiment with technique and different area's. Can't wait for it to be finished! Lyn x
Just to add that the nurses omitted to give me injections after my op and I got a pulmonary embolism so please don't take any risks- the result of a clot is having to inject for many months.
• in reply toNeona
Oh no poor you...….Please don't worry I wont take any risks and am taking all your sound advise very seriously, I really cant thank you all enough for making me see sense. Lyn x
I would say continue too, would your practice nurse or pharmacy help you at all
• in reply to
They might but both are a short drive away ( down side of living in a village) I am only 16 days out of operation so by the time I can drive myself the injections will be finished - hopefully! Lyn x
Ask your local surgery for help. If they were to agree to give you a few and you were really to watch and ask the nurse to explain exactly what she's doing, you'd be more than half way through. I'm guessing your hubby is now too stressed to do it for you and that can't be easy for him. You can do it, it's too important as you risk a DVT.
Hubby has said he will continue if I want but he is shaking now so think it best to let him off and I brave on alone, he looked so relieved when he got in from work yesterday and I told him he didn't need to do the injection...….poor bloke.
I had fragmin and my hubby had to administer too as I was too much of a baby!!!! I had filgastrom as well as had to start back on chemo within the 28 days - that was hard in both legs. I continued until the end - kept mine in the fridge and squeezed a lump off flesh whilst husband administered. That was the least painful way for me.
P s - the district nurse came and did mine for the first week and instructed my husband. That could be a way forward?
• in reply toEriksendi
I asked about that in the hospital, but apparently the service has been discontinued as a non-essential. They will be getting us to do our own chemo next - don't even joke!!
I had Fragmin for a month after my last surgery. I was advised to give it to myself in my abdomen, but told it could also be given in my thighs. I hated doing it, even though I'm an ex nurse, & it was always more painful in the left side than the right, which I don't understand. But I made myself stick with it because I thought having blood clots would be worse than the dreaded injections. And once I got past the first 2 weeks, I could think of each one as 1 nearer to finishing the course. Di
Thank you Di you are absolutely right, getting the technique that suits you best is crucial, I have tried my stomach today and it was pain free, the injection I did yesterday in my thigh Is still painful today, and a lump has appeared, so think I got that one wrong. Will persevere as like you say blood clots will be a lot worse. Lyn x
There are clips of injecting on YouTube but it sounds as though you've cracked it yourself and impressed your husband as well. Very well done you! Gina xx
• in reply toGe0rg1na
Thank you Gina - I cant watch you tube as it makes me worse...……...I met a lady in the hospital waiting room who told me she watched her forthcoming debulking operation on you tube...…….I really couldn't think of anything worse! Had I watched something similar I would never have been able to go ahead with the op. Lyn xx
Neona• in reply to
OMG I couldn't watch any operation let alone one I was going to have!
When I was inpatient in the ward I chose to have it in the flabby bit under my arms (!!) it hurt too much for me in the thigh... just another area that may help?! Good luck you’re not a baby at all.. xxx
ooh that image has just made me go weak at the ankles, the stomach wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but had to do it with my eyes closed. LOL xx
Hi Lyn,
I was exactly the same as you .. It hurt so much but then my dr gave me numbing cream to apply before each shot and it worked a treat. Maybe it could help you too 😊
Hadn't thought of that- they give me emla cream for accessing my port- I could sneak a bit for my injections.
That’s EXACTLY what I use 😊❤️
How long do you leave it on before you inject as I put it on 2 hours before for my port?
I only put it on for 20 minutes .. You still feel a little twinge but absolutely nothing like having the shot without it. You could probably put it on for longer if you’d like it completely numb 😊
Will habe a go!
• in reply toLily-Rose1
my sister in-law told me about emla, hubby got me some, but the instructions say you cover with a dressing as it take a long time to go numb the area to be treated? I will test out later and see if it is something that I can use. xx
Lily-Rose1• in reply to
I hope it helps 💕
I was going to suggest your stomach--my thighs got so black and blue and I swim a lot --one person told me I better cover up as it looked so bad! The stomach also got black and blue but no one but hubby ever saw that. I was so glad when I was allowed to go to the pills---you may want to ask if you can as well if you have to continue after the shots are done. Congrats on doing it yourself!!!!! oxox
You can do it. I did mine for 6 months. At first my partner did it then I took over as I knew if it was hurting or not. I found that if I felt the site where I was going to inject first and it was a bit hard underneath as I had used it before, the injection hurt. If the site was soft the injection was fine. Had to move between tummy site and thighs to give both a rest but I made it. Talk about celebration when I no longer had to do it - now it seems a distant memory (although I only stopped 7 months ago). I also found moving to do it in the morning better than 6.00pm as I got it over with then could enjoy the day rather than have it hanging over me.
Don't know if those things that helped me will help you but good luck anyway. xxxxx
• in reply tojenny8c
Thank you for your help and support, I did find moving it to the morning much better, meant I wasn't stressing all day. I have done one injection in my stomach and it didn't hurt at all, so hopefully I can stick with that, I have 13 left to do!
Hiya, I've been diagnosed with DVT and have to inject my tummy for 6 months. I was given Fragmin, and have found no bruising (used the injection before after surgery in 2014) unlike last time, my nurse said this is because it's improved and won't leave painful bruising, 2 months in and no real issues (outside of the initial sting upon injecting) maybe ask your doctor if this one is available to you? X
Know exactly how you feel - but like everyone else has said, best to continue. I tried to get out of taking the last few days, I thought surely it's okay to stop now, but the oncologist said please just finish the course. Had 28 days of clexane in August. My thighs were horrendously painful, huge lumps & bruises (I won't post the photos). I was really struggling finding a spot. Couldn't contemplate doing it in abdomen - belly fat had flattened out. I was told though it didn't feel so bad doing it in abdomen. Was also told it was probably "my technique" of injecting that caused all the bruising - must have been going straight into muscle. Has to be at an 90 degree angle & not to press the end of the syringe (that little flat bit) onto the skin - and also not to rub the injection site afterwards. The actual needle going in didn't hurt it was the sting after. Hang in there, you'll get through it! Take care xx
Thank you, it is most certainly my technique that is wrong, I had two nurses tell me two different angles and two different places, so its trial and error. the abdomen worked well for me yesterday so going to try and keep going with that, just working myself up to this mornings jab, lots of strong coffee first! xx
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