Preparing for Surgery on Lifelong Anticoagulation

I have a minor surgery coming up in a couple of weeks, and I’m going through the steps of getting ready for it. Some of those steps relate to being on anticoagulants, so I thought I would fill you in on some of the things I do to get ready for surgery as it relates to being on blood thinners.

Disclaimer: This is not medical advice and should not be taken as such. I am sharing my own experiences and following the instructions of my doctor(s) based on my unique situation. Always consult with your medical team before stopping or changing any medications, especially those used to prevent blood clots.

An upcoming, minimally-invasive surgery

This isn’t my first time having surgery since being put on blood thinners a few years ago, and I’ve been through this process a time or 2. I always like going into surgery with a plan about everything, from meals to transportation to activities, etc. And there’s actually some planning I have to do that relates specifically to being on blood thinners.

The type of blood thinner I’m on and the type of surgery I’m going into play a role in if and when I stop taking these medications before surgery, and for how long. The surgery I have coming up in a couple of weeks is minimally invasive and should have very little blood loss, but, nonetheless, I need to stop my blood thinners before the surgery — this time for 3 doses leading up to my surgery.

Coordinating medication schedules around the procedure

I take my medicine twice a day, so I will need to stop it a day and a half before the morning of my surgery. Since my surgery will be on a Monday morning, my last dose will be Saturday morning. This allows time for the blood thinner to get out of my system and will help prevent any bleeding complications that could arise during surgery.

Following surgery, I need to restart my blood thinners as soon as it is safe to do so. This usually means the evening of surgery, but it could vary depending on whether there are any complications during surgery. My surgeon will be the one who advises me on when I can restart, and he can communicate with the physician who prescribes my blood thinners if need be.

Staying active during recovery

After surgery, it can be considerably difficult to get up and moving, and this will vary based on the kind of surgery it is. Again, with this being minimally invasive, I should be more than capable of getting up and walking as soon as I’m discharged.

When I get home, it will be my mission to get out and take a couple of small walks every day. Post-surgery can sometimes leave you sedentary, but it’s super important to get up and moving as soon as and as much as you can, because it will help prevent blood clots from forming. Even though I will be back on my blood thinners, I will make a concerted effort to get up and about as much as I can.

Making use of compression garments

Of course, there will be times when I’m in more pain than others, and it will be difficult to get up and out — so, I have a plan for that, too. You can purchase air compression cuffs fairly inexpensively on Amazon. I bought some a few years ago before another surgery I had. If I’m laying in bed, I can just put those on my calves and feel a little more at ease that I’m getting the circulation I need, even if I don’t feel like I can get out and go for a walk. Some people don’t like the constant squeezing, but I’ve always found it to be relaxing.

I can never be too careful with clot prevention

Heading into surgery, I will be changing up my medication regimen and planning for lots of walks post-op. And there’s a backup plan for times I don’t want to go for a walk. Activity post-surgery is super important to help prevent any pesky clots from forming, even though I will be back on my blood thinners. I feel like I can never be too careful or take too many precautions to prevent clots.

What are some things you’ve found to be helpful following surgery? Let me know in the comments!