Lovenox and spinal anesthesia

[BigDog Mom]

Hi Josephine,
Have you ever heard of any one having trouble with Lovenox and spinals? The drug manufacturers literature states that there is a risk of a spinal hematoma which "can" result in permanent paralysis.
If I want to do the surgery in Aug they are saying that they will take me off of the Warafin and "bridge" me with Lovenox. I can't believe I am the only patient that is on blood thinners prior to surgery.

Thanx for any info,
donna

PS since I am on the blood thinner they have taken me off of the Nsaids and no alcohol. So I am left with pain killers but need to stay functional so mainly those are so I can get some sleep.
I think my only vice left is chocolate...

 

[JenniferG]

I had my knees done in march and prior to had the same ?s and concerns. That web site is scary. I asked the anthesiologist and he said that it has more to do with if they are given/done simutaneously. For me the lovenox came after surgery, next day I think, certainly many hours after. So go buy a bag of hershey kisses and smile.

 

[BigDog Mom]

Thanx so much Jen!
I am fighting tooth and nail to keep my original surgery date. Things were finally coming together yesterday and then last night I read up on the Lovenox. Geez!
My husband is up for the man of the year award. His usually fiercely independent, active, pushy, way too busy wife has become some one he is constantly having to do for. Yes, I know that is what we all sign up for when we fall in love but still... Right now he has all of the work and none of the benefits.

donna

 

[JenniferG]

True with the hubby awards Donna. Mine is great too! And now that I am on the other side and can do soooooooooooo much more he is still so accustomed to doing for me that he's not used to it. It's funny to watch us both unload the groceries to & from the car! (I still let him do the heavy stuff!) Soon enough you will again be the woman he knew and still loves either way.

 

[Josephine]

I've heard of that complication, Donna, but only in the theory. So far as I am aware it's one of those 'rare' cases discovered in trials.

 

[BigDog Mom]

Cool!! That is good to hear. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would be fighting to have surgery. ;) I have spent my life avoiding doctors and hospitals. Fairly successfully until recently. ;) I just want all of this behind me so I can get on with "my" life.

Thanks again for the support. It has been a roller coaster couple of weeks.

donna

 

[jacihull]

Re:more surgery/anesthesia precautions

During surgery precaution:

When I was in the recovery room I awoke with a very itchy reaction to the morhphine and apparently scratched my cornea. It was treated with eyedrops and an eye anesthetic which relieved and repaired it within hours but it was pretty painful at first. The docs said that this was pretty common so I recommend that you ask your surgeon about this and see if they can prevent eye rubbing in the RR.
Jaci in Boulder

 

[Josephine]

That should be basic nursing care! I would be most upset if any of 'my' nurses didn't take action to prevent that happening. But happily, it is very uncommon. The itchy reaction to morphine, though, is not so uncommon.

 

[BuckeyeSixx]

I was started on Lovenox after surgery and had spinal anesthesia with no problems and yes, I clearly remember the itching from the morphine epidural!!