General
Many people give themselves blood thinner 1 or 2 times each day. The blood thinner is often given as a shot, using a small needle attached to a syringe. The shot goes into fatty tissue right under the skin. It is important to change where you give yourself the shots each time. Changing the shot site helps you avoid soreness and bruising. Changing the site also helps your body absorb the blood thinner. Try to avoid sites that are close to moles, scars, or wounds. Also do not give the shots in the area near your belly button. ‚
How to Give a Blood Thinner Shot ‚
- Get your supplies together.
- Wash and dry your hands.
- Gather the blood thinner, syringe, and alcohol wipe.
- Check the expiration date on the vial or syringe of blood thinner. If it is expired, do not use.
- Prepare the syringe. You will either use a prefilled syringe or you will put the right dose of a drug into a syringe from a vial of the drug.
- Using a prefilled syringe.
- Check the label to make sure you have the right drug.
- Do not get rid of the air bubble unless you need to adjust your dose. This small bubble helps to make sure you get all of the drug out of the syringe.
- Drawing up the drug from a vial.
- Check the label to make sure you have the right drug.
- Take the plastic cap off of the bottle if it is a new bottle.
- Gently roll the bottle in your hands. Do not shake it.
- Clean the top of the bottle with an alcohol pad and allow to air dry. Do not blow or fan to dry.
- Pull the plunger back until the tip of the plunger is at the line indicating the number of units of blood thinner you need. This will fill the syringe with air.
- Remove the cap over the needle.
- Push the needle into the rubber stopper. Then push the plunger so the air goes into the bottle of blood thinner.
- Turn the bottle with the syringe in it upside down and hold the vial with one hand. Pull back on the plunger with your other hand and slowly pull the blood thinner into the syringe until it reaches the line for the dose you need.
- Look at the blood thinner that is in the syringe. If you see any air bubbles, push the blood thinner back into the vial. Repeat this until you do not see any air bubbles in the syringe. You can also gently tap the syringe to move the air bubbles toward the needle.
- Pull the needle straight out of the bottle.
- Recheck to make sure it is the right dose.
- If you are not giving the shot right away, cover the needle with the cap before putting it down. You may want to hold the syringe in one hand and scoop the cap onto the needle to lower your chance of poking yourself with the needle.
- Give the shot.
- Clean the area of skin where you plan to give the shot with alcohol. Allow the skin to air dry. Do not blow or fan to dry.
- Relax your muscles where you will be giving the shot.
- Pinch 1 to 2 inches of skin between your fingers and thumb on one hand.
- Holding the syringe like you would a dart at a 90 ‚ ° angle. Push the needle all the way into the pinched up skin. Slowly press plunger all the way down over about 30 seconds. You may feel some discomfort and burning when the blood thinner is going in. Remove needle at the same 90 ‚ ° degree angle.
- Apply gentle pressure to the injection site. Do not rub or massage the site.
- Throw used needle in a special container made for needle disposal.
- Put your blood thinner away.
- Wash and dry your hands.
Why is this procedure done?
A blood thinner is a drug given to help keep your blood from clotting inside of your body, or for treatment of an existing clot. It is important that you take the right amount of this drug so your blood is not too thin and you bleed easily or too thick and you form blood clots. Your doctor may send you home on shots of blood thinning drugs. Heparin, lovenox, and enoxaparin are names for kinds of blood thinning drugs. ‚
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. You may also need to have lab tests done to check how well your blood clots. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Bruising
- Bleeding
- Giving too much or too little blood thinner
- Infection
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚