Clexane

[Inanna]

I am jumping the gun a little here as I am taking things a day at a time. And I am only "5 minutes pregnant!!!" However I would love to hear from women who have taken clexane during pregnancy after a history of loss.
I am not afraid of injecting myself nor the drug ( I am a nurse so am up with the medical side). I just would love to hear some personal experiences. Doseage? When did you commence clexane? Did you take it in conjunction with asprin? How far into the pregnancy did you cease the clexane? Did you have an induction?
Did you commence the asprin immediately and the clexane after a foetal heart was observed? Did you have a positive outcome? Did you have a positive diagnosis of a clotting disorder?
Sorry if there are too many questions...
I would love to hear from anyone who feels they can share.
Big Hugs

[Melinda]

Heya Deb,

You might like to read this thread which has some information on clexane: Baby Lost - Heart Broken (Factor V Leiden responsible)

The member who posted her story now has a lovely 1 y.o daughter after taking clexane during her PG.

Just thought that might help....

[Sarah1978]

Deb
Congrats on your BFP!!!!! I am so happy for you!!
I started 40mg clexane and half an aspirin as soon as I was pregnant this time. They suggest you wait til they pick up a h/b at 6weeks before starting it but I took it upon myself to start it at 4 weeks as I had had no luck trying to start it later.
Are you booked in to see your doctor asap?
As always you know I am always here to answer any of your questions.
Love Sarah

[MeredithD]

Hi Deb, congratulations again on such wonderful news of your pregnancy.
I have suffered two early m/c's and had the full battery of clotting tests, chromosome analysis, laparoscopy/hysteroscopy etc etc. NO definitive diagnosis of clotting disorder but as you are probably aware, this does not mean one may not exisit and become apparent during pregnancy.
My OB also a RE said there had been some success using Clexane in the first 12 weeks of pg to avoid clotting troubles and aid with implantation.
My current bub was concieved through OI(puregon/pregnyl) so all very controlled/monitored.I actually started 40mg Clexane the day after ovulation.
Due to many bouts of bleeding during the pregnancy, this dose was dropped to 20mg at about 9-10 w. I stopped the Clexane at 13 weeks and changed to 100mg asprin daily. Given my recent bleeding episodes, my OB wants me to stop this too for now but I might go back to lower dose or every second/third day just for peace of mind.
I was told initially, that she preferred NOT to use asprin in very early pg as there has been some studies to show it may be harmful to the early embryonic development. I am not 100% sure but I think there may be article about it somewhere on Monash IVF website.
I didn't mind the Clexane injections too much at all, although they do sting and I developed some fairly impressive bruising locally at the injection site.
I am hoping the whole plan will work out for myself and bubs - so far, so good!
Wishing all the best with whatever treatment path you and your Dr choose and that this bubs enters the world in a good 9mths time!

[mumof2beauties]

Hi there...congratulations of yur pregnancy. I will tell you some of my story and please feel free to ask any more questions if youe like. I had 2 very straight forward pregnancies followed by 2 FDIU's (19weeks and 23 weeks), which were completely unexplainable.
Next time round my OB consulted with another professor and decided clexane was the way to go this pregnancy although there was no evidence of a clotting disorder or anything like that. I commenced this at 12 weeks and take 40mg/day and will do up until 36 weeks. I was told that clexane was preferable to aspirin because the anticoagulant effect it has, has a much shorter span so easier to control levels if you know what I mean.
I am booked in for a C/S at 38 weeks and apart from very frequent scans and a lot of stress, this pregnancy looks to be proceeding well (I am now 32 weeks!!)
Hope this helps
Take care
Hayley

[Inanna]

Thankyou so much Mumof2beauties for your reply. I am sorry for the losses of your beautiful babies.
It is helpful to know your story and to see your positive experience on Clexane.
My losses are in the 15th week of pregnancy and so I need to be supported with treatment earlier into the pregnancy. Like you there has been no definitive diagnosis however it seems that overwhelmingly these late losses are attributable to some type of clotting dysfunction. My ob has been in consultation also with a professor and together we have decided to treat me with low dose asprin and clexane from the 6th week of pregnancy. However there is some discussion at the moment on weather we should start asprin preconception. Have you heard of this?
I just needed to hear from women who have gone through the process and come out the other end with a baby! Thankyou thankyou thankyou! Can you tell me why you are having a c/s? Is it due to other reasons? Why have you and your doctors decided on continuing the clexane up to 36 weeks?
My ob says that he usually ceases the clexane around 28-30 weeks. However I have said that I want to continue it up to around 37 and have an induction around 38 weeks. I just want that baby out alive! George is very supportive of my need to do that.

Anyway unfortunately this recent pregnancy did not continue and I miscarried on Friday last week. George thinks it is totally unrelated to my previous losses so keep your fingers crossed for me that our time comes soon for a healthy LONG pregnancy and a healthy alive baby at the end.

I hope you can answer my few questions if you feel comfy doing so. I am so happy for you and I will be excited to see in a few weeks news of your beautiful birth.

Thankyou again for taking the time to help me.
Big hugs

[Michelle71]

Deb - I'm not out the other side (still trying to get back in) but my OB was inclined to continue with the clexane until delivery for the next pregnancy and cease the aspirin around 34/36 weeks. His theory is the half life of clexane is so short that ceasing at the commencement of labour is unlikely to create any problem. I have factor V leiden and although prior to Caitlyn there was no suggestion of taking anticoagulants (discussed in initial IVF consultation) this time we will be starting both at 8 weeks (as well as frequent monitoring through U/S and placental blood flow dopplers).

I am so sorry about your recent loss and I wish you the best of luck with your future conception.

[mumof2beauties]

Hi there again
I am very sorry to hear of another loss for you, my heart goes out to you and your family. I will try to answer all your questions. My OB said at my visit this week he is happy for me to take the clexane right up until 24hrs before the c/s, but the final say is with the anaesthetist due to complications it can have with the epidural, so I will probably take it till 48 hrs prior. He originally said to stop it at 36 weeks, but he knows me well by now and knows that I would stress too much if I stopped, so that is why I am continuing till the end! The main reason for a c/s once again is due to the high stress levels associated with this pregnancy. My last 2 little angels were induced and hence deliverd naturally... a very traumatic experience and I did not want to step foot back in those delivery suites again. I just wanted this baby out the quickest way possible and he totally agreed with me.
I can't help you much with the aspirin cause I was never recommended to take it, so sorry.
I wish you all the best
If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask
Hayley

[Inanna]

Thankyou Hayley for your reply.
I can understand you needing a different birth experience this time. You have been through a lot. I also understand your need to be on Clexane until the 11th hour.
Pregnancy after loss is scary especially when those losses are recurrent and so late in the pregnancy. I am thinking of you and I just can't wait to hear of the safe arrival of your precious baby.

Big hugs and thanks

[KAB]

Hi Flowerchild,

I am so sorry to hear about your recent loss, my heart goes out to you.

I hope that i am not jumping in here after you guys have finished discussing Clexane but i wanted to share my story with you.

I lost my first daughter Katelyn at 18 weeks. Subsequent testing identified that i have factor V Leiden (one gene). My GP and OB referred me to a specialist in perth basically as soon as i had my BFP i started taking 100mg aspirin per day. Then when i was 7 weeks i went to perth had an ultrasound and then saw the specialist who started me on clexane then and there (i stopped the aspirin). Basically the decision was up to me as to what treatment i had and how long a had it for (a pretty scary thought) but we decided that we would stay on Clexane for the whole pregnancy and then my OB recommened a CS at 38 weeks. Lucy was born Feb 05 and was a healthy screaming baby showing no ill effects at all of scans every two weeks and my clexane use. I too stopped the clexane on the saturday night and had her early arvo on the monday.

Again i am really really sorry for your loss and if you have any other questions i am an open book.

Love Sarah x

[mediaMum]

Hello Flowerchild,

I was passing through this site and had to share my experience with you. I remember how I felt years ago and surfed the web all hours of the night for information/experience from others.

I have Factor V Leiden and in 2000 was pregnant with my first boy (he's now 6!) however my ob hadn't heard of FVL and passed it off as ridiculous! My hematologist recommended 20mg of clexane daily.

I've never had a blood clot however other family members have.

I went off and got a second opinion from another hematologist who recommended the opposite. Do nothing ....

I listened to my first hematologist and injected daily from 14 weeks to around 30 weeks, belly got tight and hubby got sick of doing injections.

I delivered at 37 weeks - healthy baby boy.

With my second pregnancy I had a new ob who had heard of FVL and agreed with the injections. I started injections myself this time at 10 weeks and continued through to 6 weeks AFTER delivery.

My second baby (boy) arrived on his due date at 12.02 - couldn't get better than that!

All I know is that I took the clexane for both pregnancys and had no side effects and my boys are perfect. Although I'm not sure if I'd continued injections in the first if he would have gone full term. Oh, and I wasn't able to have an epidural - but I survived!

We are now trying for a third, and I've no hesitation in taking the clexane again. I spoke to my hematologist a few weeks back and he recommended starting the injections as soon as I know I'm pregnant - guess it's to do with my age now (36)

Anyway, hope this helps.

Best Wishes.

Linda

[keriandshane]

Hi Deb,
I have had 15 miscarriages and am currently 8 1/2 weeks pregnant. I have an anti-nuclear anti-body in my blood (clotting disorder) and currently take astrix (baby asprin), clexane(40mg), fish oil tablets (3 daily), prednisone (2 daily) and also thyroxine as my thryroid doesn't function properly as well.( Thyroid problems have also been linked to miscarriages), and a herbal tonic from the famous Ruth Sharkey to help sustain the pregnancy, so needless to say I feel like a walking chemist. I started taking meds imediately upon diagnosis of pregnancy, and have been advised to continue taking clexane until I give birth. So far, so good, although have experienced some bleeding this past couple of days, but this morning has stopped. Very stressful, but will be worth it in the end.
Would love to hear from you, take care
Keri 15: :hugs:

[gkwhit@bigpond.net.au]

Hi Deb,
I have had 15 miscarriages and am currently 8 1/2 weeks pregnant. I have an anti-nuclear anti-body in my blood (clotting disorder) and currently take astrix (baby asprin), clexane(40mg), fish oil tablets (3 daily), prednisone (2 daily) and also thyroxine as my thryroid doesn't function properly as well.( Thyroid problems have also been linked to miscarriages), and a herbal tonic from the famous Ruth Sharkey to help sustain the pregnancy, so needless to say I feel like a walking chemist. I started taking meds imediately upon diagnosis of pregnancy, and have been advised to continue taking clexane until I give birth. So far, so good, although have experienced some bleeding this past couple of days, but this morning has stopped. Very stressful, but will be worth it in the end.
Would love to hear from you, take care
Keri 15: :hugs: