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My infant nearly died: meconium birth. Only thing I took was Lovenox. I had the bruising, bleeding, dizziness, etc.

I think it is very dangerous.

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I am sorry that your baby had complications. I was wondering what would make you think that the meconium was related to the lovenox? That issue is usually associated with late deliveries. And we all need to take in consideration that with many of our conditions we would miscarry long before giving birth to a viable baby. Everyone’s body, situation, and condition is so different the issues of treatment should defiantly be up to the patient and their DR. I would also like to add that my friend just gave birth to a healthy baby girl after 3 miscarriages. She was on 40 ml once a day from week three of her pregnancy. It is good to research both the good and bad of any treatment. But we also have to remember that all pregnancies come with risks even ones requiring no medication or intervention.
Julia c

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Thank you Julia C, but the meconium was related to the toxic exposure and the finding was medically founded. While true that meconium can be related to late deliveries, it is by no means limited to that one particular thing. Meconium is indicative of fetal distress or injury, or other problem as well. The point to share is that it is important to share information. It is very important for moms to provide support and reassurance to other soon-to-be-mothers with concerns, but telling mothers that they are safe on ANY drug without all the facts, particularly for a class B drug is inappropriate and misguided. While I agree that all clotting conditions are serious and require medical supervision, I am astounded by how little the doctors know about this drug and I was mortified when I found the Pharmagenics litigation findings online: read it: basically this company knew it was falsely advertising the safety of this particular drug and chose to do it presumably for revenue purposes without co-marketing the test that is so valuable to mothers who need medical monitoring. Being literate and reading the material more than once suggests to me that 40mls once a day on this particular drug for that long period of time is potentially even a concern if testing is not being performed because if I read the pamphlet right it is meant to be used for very short periods of time, not an entire pregnancy. I was only on it for 2 trimesters and yikes. There are no guarantees in life, Julia, but I think it's imporant to be as fully informed as possible. I also warn to beware of misguided mothers who haven't done their research and aren't aware of the negatives. No one on this website has any business virtually promising a happy ending on this drug or any other for that matter.

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And I quote Aventis
"Non-teratogenic Effects: There have been post-marketing reports of fetal death when pregnant women received Lovenox Injection. Causality for these cases has not been determined. Pregnant women receiving anti-coagulants, including enoxaparin, are at increased risk for bleeding. Hemorrhage can occur at any site and may lead to death of mother and/or fetus. Pregnant women receiving enoxaparin should be carefully monitored. Pregnant women and women of child-bearing potential should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus and the mother if enoxaparin is administered during pregnancy."
http://www.fda.
gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2002/lovenox.ht
m


This letter was written to the FDA in 2002, but didn't come out in warning materials until much later.

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One more for expectant moms on this drug:

All patients receiving anticoagulants such as enoxaparin, including pregnant women, are at risk for bleeding. Pregnant women receiving enoxaparin should be carefully monitored for evidence of bleeding or excessive anticoagulation. Consideration for use of a shorter acting anticoagulant should be specifically addressed as delivery approaches (see BOXED WARNING, SPINAL/EPIDURAL HEMATOMAS). Hemorrhage can occur at any site and may lead to death of mother and/or fetus. Pregnant women should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus and the mother if enoxaparin is administered during pregnancy.

http://www.rxli
st.com/cgi/generic/lovenox_wcp.ht
m

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Princess B
Thanks for letting us know about your research.I can only speak for myself, but taking lovenox is the only way i can have kids. i lost my first baby at 21 weeks,which was the most painful thing ive ever had to go through.i am now 34 week pregnant and my baby is doing great.this website is for all of us going through the same thing to support each other and to offer advice. all of us here are going through high risk pregnancies and have enough to worry about that the average preg. woman does not, so dont try to worry us even more. as for side effects, i dont have hardly any bruising anymore, when babies kick the ribs its uncomfertable for any preg women, and when i lost my first baby there was meconium and i was not on any meds. obviously there is a greater chance for us to bleed more when cut or scratched, we are on bloodthinners, but that is why we get are bloodchecked monthly.it angers me that you would post that none of have any business promising a happy ending... we are not trying to, we are just turning to each other for support and hoping to god that we do have a happy ending. and i trust my docs who have a lot more experince with lovenox than you do.

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Dear LuvMyDogs1978,

Thank you so much for the delightfully warm welcome to the chat area.
I wish you peace of mind, blessings, health, safety and success in your pregnancy, as I do all the expectant mothers on this site. Logging in to get loving support is extremely important: I completely agree with you.

Keep in mind I have every right to share information just as you do. I (1) first and foremost am a mother who has walked in these shoes with people reassuring me how great and safe this drug was supposed to be - I was told the same things I see being said on this site(2) I have logged entries on this site encouraging everyone to know the facts and to make informed decisions and to be sure they are reading the material themselves and not assuming their doctors have read all the data - and I have provided specific information that is publicly available that is easy to find and read that isn't so sun-shiney. I am the voice of the person nobody wants to hear and I know it. I apologize that Lovenox use is controversial but the reality is that this drug isn't safe for pregnancy and it can hurt or help depending on the circumstances and how it is used. I am a proponent of using the drug with appropriate TESTING, such as the ENOX test, on weekly intervals. I am a propenent of alternative coagulation methods utilizing nattokinease, lumbrokinease, vitamin E, hawthorne and many other natural remedies that can be used under the guidance of trained physicians who practice holistic approaches to health, wellness and maternity. I am a proponent of being fully informed. I am a proponent of alternatives to Rx Anticoagulation in situations that merit alternatives and I'm pretty darned tired of brainwashed doctors who believe you either get Heparin, Lovenox or you miscarry again. That is not the full story and that is what doctors are trained to believe and I have learned from years of research that those aren't the only options for many of the women in this chatroom. Options I wish my doctors and I had known about.

(3) I have served as a researcher to on this matter (4) I have a child that I watched nearly die AFTER she was born from fetal exposure to this drug, needing transfusions, surgeries and being diagnosed with brain bleeds. I've spent her entire life span so far trying to rehabilitate her from the consequences. It's one thing to have a child you desperately want, I want that for every mother in this room. But imagine what your life is like when you have the child, he or she survives, but lives a significantly diminshed quality of life as a result of lifelong consequences of the toxicity of this drug. Imagine your life and your days forever devoted to a child who won't realize the benefits of a full, healthy, developmentally normal life because of this drug. It's one thing to change diapers for a year or two. It's another to face changing diapers indefinitely. Wondering if your kid will ever walk or talk normally.

I spend my days rehabilitating a child now that I prayed every day for and got. I am so glad and blessed I have my child because my child truly is a miracle. If I can spare another mother what my role in life is now... by giving her the facts, and if one mother makes a choice to enforce testing with her doctor, or enforce a lower dose or an earlier withdrawal, or opt for safe nutritional approaches to her medical condition... or a C-section with a specialist instead of a midwife if her condition warrants it... then I believe I can make a difference in how an expectant mother gauges her risk and how she makes her decisions based on more information.

If you are scared, maybe you should be, because fear makes people learn, research, and get all the information available and fear may just be what prevents another family from ending up like ours.

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It is important to remember that any medication comes with risk. Even the holistic/herbal medications come with risk and are often less studied than prescription meds. Just a year or so ago there was a lot of evidence that Vitamin E causes an increase risk of heart failure -yet a lot of people think that its natural so it must be safe-- NOT ALWAYS TRUE! My daughter died because of an intraventricular cranial bleed and had no exposure to anything--I avoided everything during my pregnancy including caffeine, tylenol etc.

PrincessB-
thank you for informing us of your research- now please leave us to support each other without trying to scare each other. We are already scared enough just being high risk pregnancies and need to try to stay calm. We do not need to be riled up.

All the other mothers-
Please trust in your doctors and in God. There is just as much good evidence out there as bad-just like with any drug. I encourage you to speak with your doctors about what you have read on this site over the last few days. Even print it off and let them read it-they will help you understand it.

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Tatryn-
I will be switching to heparin in about 2 weeks and have been told my dose would be 7500 units based on my wieght and clotting conditions. I too thought it would be 5000 units, but the specialists have the experience not I.

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FYI-
Category B Drugs are either
1. Drugs that have been studied in animals and have had no fetal risks, but there are no human studies that have been done
2. Drugs that have had adverse effects in animal studies but have not showed the same adverse effects in human studies.

Category A drugs are those drugs that have been studied in humans and show no adverse effects but there are not very many Category A drugs. Prenatal vitamins are considered a category A drug but only in controlled dosages not in high dose vitamins.

Even Tylenol which has been highly recognized as safe in pregnancy is a category B drug.

There are three other categories of drugs. Drugs that are Category D and Category X are the ones to avoid during Pregnancy and then Category C is when the benefits really have to outwiegh the risks.

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I must admit that I got a little scared with PrincessB's posts about the Lovenox...but, reading with all the other ladies on here have to say, I agree 100% that there is a risk with all medications during pregnancy. Also, without Lovenox, I would not be able to go through this without it. So, as far as medical research goes, I am happy this is available to all of us. I discussed all matters with my Dr. including the benefits and risks of Lovenox. I am sure many women here have also, but this board is a COMFORT to me, especially at this time. I am sorry PrincessB that you had a horrible outcome with Lovenox. But, again there are risks with all meds, including Tylenol. Lovenox is not a category x drug...

As for me, I am still waiting for those follicles to grow! I have one at 18mm and one at 22mm, but my lining is still thin, probably from the clomid. So, I am waiting for the Dr. to call back after he gets bloodwork results. I think I will be going back Monday for another u/s and hopefully we can do the IUI this coming week sometime. It seems like it's all a waiting game lately. I knew I'd learn patience somehow! ;)

Thanks for all those who posted in response to the Lovenox. I feel a little more at ease again. I trust my Dr.'s know what is best for me and my future child.

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tatryn,
Did the Dr. say why he was switching you to Heparin? I am sorry, I am not familiar with Heparin as I'm on Lovenox 40mg, but not pregnant either.

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Okay Ladies, I see the reaction and I understand completely. Based on my research and findings, I would like to share the following tips to ensuring your safety and that of your babies:

1) Ask for testing of this drug. Ask for the ENOX test or one like it, routinely to monitor the levels of the drug in your system.
2) If you are having lethargy, severe bruising, bleeding, etc. - you may need to reduce your dosage. The test will tell you if you need to scale back. Your doctor will be able to scale you back, re-test in a week or two and you and your Dr. will know if you experience positive changes while still on an Rx regimen.
3) There are medical doctors - OB GYNs and Internal Medicine doctors who are ALSO holistic, and have great success with natural alternatives to both Heparin and Lovenox using special diets, acupuncture, relaxation techniques, stress management, exercise and restricting the intake of vasoconstrictors and environmental triggers. None of which are invasive and many of which are very pleasurable, increase energy and overall wellness. I know several individuals using these approaches now and are having great success with them. I know of doctors (not just mine) who steer clear of Lovenox having managed patients on it and seen that people can react very differently to it. I personally no longer require ANY Rx anticoagulation for my disorder and have not for nearly two years using this holistic approach. I do have flare-ups but they are VERY mild and do not slow me down now. I wish you all a safe, healthy journey and hope you will be open-minded enough to realize despite your coagulation conditions there are healthy, safe alternatives and trained physicians and OB/GYNs who can treat you and keep you well without these drugs, or with very conservative, short-term approaches to Lovenox use.

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Well I forgot to add that I had an u/s with an internal medicine specialist and everything looked great. I am 20 weeks now and can’t believe it!! I will say that my dr is nice but has terrible timing, in the middle of the u/s he asked if I had done the blood test for downs. I totally freaked out and asked if he saw something wrong. He reassured me that everything looked fine he was just wondering. I have never had the triple marker test done with any of my pregnancies. I even called my dr about 3 hours after and she said that she already reviewed my u/s as well and thought it looked great. We don’t know what were having (by choice) and my next u/s is on the 29th. I can’t wait for that one either.
Julia c

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[quote author=julia c link=board=13;threadid=1981;start=495#33231 date=1173486827]
I am sorry that your baby had complications. I was wondering what would make you think that the meconium was related to the lovenox? That issue is usually associated with late deliveries. And we all need to take in consideration that with many of our conditions we would miscarry long before giving birth to a viable baby. Everyone’s body, situation, and condition is so different the issues of treatment should defiantly be up to the patient and their DR. I would also like to add that my friend just gave birth to a healthy baby girl after 3 miscarriages. She was on 40 ml once a day from week three of her pregnancy. It is good to research both the good and bad of any treatment. But we also have to remember that all pregnancies come with risks even ones requiring no medication or intervention.
Julia c

[/quote]

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I have to agree with Julia.....Lovenox is what got most of these women to be able to deliver healthy babies. Without it they probably would have never had a chance. I had two miscarriages and now I am trying again and so ready to attack this with lovenox and hold a healthy baby in my arms. My sister in law's baby died from meconium and she never had any other problems with her three deliveries.

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