Heptarin

[Simon Gee]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a bit of advice. I have to have a groinal hernia repaired, having had the other side 'done' 11 years ago. A technique developed since then involves the insertion of a small piece of plastic gauze to repair the damage through a couple of keyhole incisions, rather less invasive than my previous surgery. The real advantage of this technique is speed - in and out of hospital the same day! All sounds good so far, doesn't it?

Now the complication - warfarin. I'm taking around 8-9mg per day and my INR is generlly very stable. My surgeon has told me that I will have to go to hospital two days before surgery to be wired up to a heparin pump, as heptarin is a much shorter acting anti-coagulant and easier to stop for surgery. I then have to stay in hospital two days after surgery to be weaned off heparin and back onto warfarin. Oh joy!

My question is has anyone out there gone through this process and is there any way to minimise the stay in hospital? I'd rather be at home!

Best regards to all,,

Simon

 

[Nancy]

Hi Simon-

The only other way that I know of would be with the use of Lovenox or injectable Heparin. It is possible to do the injections yourself, if they teach you how, and you can do these at home. However, these injections are very expensive. But so is staying in the hospital for several extra days. My husband Joe has done this both ways and staying at home is much better, as you can imagine. The problem with IV Heparin after you have your surgery, is that your INR may not come up to therapeutic levels as fast as predicted, and you would have to stay in the hospital longer than the original estimate. I think at one time, Joe was in the hospital for 7 days after his surgery. He was about to eat the doctors for lunch LOL.

 

[JBriau]

Simon Gee

I have gone thru the process using heptarin.
They is not much you can do to reduce the hospital time.
Not unless you take the injection like Nancy said.
I went on the heptarin the same day that my procedure
was done, which was a Monday. I left the hospital
on the Wednesday afternoon. Just look at it as checking
into a hotel for some R and R.

Judy

 

[ticktock]

Simon
As unpleasant as a hospital visit may seem to you, it is much less unpleasant than possible complications. I have done both the heparin and the Lovenox shots. I gave my own shots, into the stomach area, and looked like an eggplant. It was extremely expensive, I believe around $60 per SHOT. I had two per day for 7 days.

I have to agree with Judy, that you have to rearrange your thinking and make the best of that enforced R&R. Maybe I have been in so much, that I dont mind it. I read, do crossword puzzles, sleep..... relax. We havent gone through what we have gone through, to have severe complications due to a hernia repair!! Err on the side of caution, I say.

 

[Simon Gee]

Heparin - an update

Heparin - an update

Hi everyone,

just to let you know that my hernia surgery is planned for next Friday (30/11/01). The plan is that I will take my warfarin as normal until Sunday, then visit the hospital daily for heparin injections until admission on Thursday for pre-op checks.

Whilst I appreciate the idea of having a few days extra R&R, I'm much happier with this arrangement. I'd rather spend that extra time at home - my wife and I have three young sons so it usually helps to have two pairs of hands around!

Best wishes,

Simon

 

[Nancy]

Good luck, Simon. You'll do just fine,

 

[Guest]

If you lived in the US, it is doubtful that your insurance company would allow you 4 or 5 days in the hospital ofr a hernia repair. You would almost certainly be expected to give yourself the heparin shots.

 

[Jan]

Hi Simon,
just a note to wish you well for Friday,also I hope your stay in the hospital is short and that your INR gets back to your normal level quickly.
Kind thoughts
JAN

 

[Simon Gee]

heparin update

heparin update

Hi all,

thanks for all your kind wishes. After avr last year, this hernia repair seems so trivial that I barely feel anxious about having it done.

reply to allodwick - insurance companies are the same here too! I've got cover for two nights stay for this repair and I've been shown how to inject myself for three days before I go into hospital tomorrow.

Speak to you soon,

Simon