Blood Thinning Injections.

[Barsel]

When I was in hospital earlier this year, everyone was given a blood thinning injection to prevent blood clots. Every time I had one, my skin became red and itchy, the nurse said this sometimes happens. After the third injection I refused to have anymore as my stomach was red and itchy all over. Other parts of my body seemed itchy too so when I showed the nurse my stomach she asked the doctor to come and have a look. The doctor said no more injections and prescribed anti histamines which I was still taking weeks after my skin erupted.The thing is, I would like to know what the substance is as I'm obviously allergic/ intolerant to it. I asked the nurse what it was called, she didn't know.Anybody know what it's called?

[Buenchico]

The anticoagulant that's commonly injected into the stomach wall is heparin. Irritation around the injection site is a known side effect:
https://www.rxlist.com/heparin-side-effects-drug-center.htm#consumer

[Barsel]

Thanks Chris. I did try to find it myself but there were different things like Enoxaparin and Lovenox and it didn't say which is the one used in hospitals for everyone to avoid blood clots.

[bednobs]

it depends on your hospital. at mine they use tinzaparin

[Buenchico]

^^^ Quote: "Tinzaparin is an antithrombotic drug in the heparin group"

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinzaparin_sodium

So it appears that we're basically referring to the same stuff anyway.

[Barsel]

bednobs How would I find out what they use at my hospital?

[Barsel]

Is there a difference in the drug they give you if you already have thrombosis to the one they give you to avoid you getting a thrombosis?

[gingejbee]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, of course.....when the nurse said that she didn't know, you should have asked her to find out - she only needed to look at your drug chart/computer record!

[sanmac]

I think that a nurse not knowing what drug she giving to a patient is not a good situation.

[gingejbee]

^my thoughts, sanmac....but perhaps she wasn't an actual nurse, maybe a care assistant etc.?

[Buenchico]

I suspect that the nurse may have taken the question to mean "Do you know what constituent of the drug could be causing the unwanted reaction?", rather than "Can you tell me the name of the drug that you used, please?"

[Barsel]

I think you may be right about her not being an actual nurse as she wasn't the one that dished out the prescribed meds, she just came round giving everyone an injection in their stomach. I wanted to know if it had a name so that if I have to go in hospital in the future and they asked if I'm allergic to anything I could say Yes (the name of the injection) rather than just saying the blood thinning injection.

[Mamyalynne]

Keep a note of the date of your stay when you had the reaction and tell them, they can check back in your notes for what it was.

[Barsel]

Good idea Mamya.